Preventing The 4 Most Frequent Mistakes Made by New Hearing Aid Owners

Man adjusting to new hearing aids by adjusting volume on his smartphone.

So you finally went out and bought a new pair of hearing aids. Well done, it’s an excellent start to maximizing the quality of your life. There are things you should learn to do and not to do with newer technology such as modern hearing aids. The list with hearing aids is not huge, but it’s a significant one.

There are other considerations besides simply taking care of your hearing. The things you fail to do will make the devices less useful or slow down your adjustment time. Others in your situation have made mistakes that you can learn from. These four things that you shouldn’t do need to be taken into consideration.

1. Putting in Your Hearing Aids Right After You Buy Them

If you don’t check out the features that come with the brand you bought and take the time to understand the basics of how your device works you could be ignoring powerful features. If you just turn on your hearing aids and start wearing them, it’s likely they won’t work efficiently. Bluetooth and noise filters are some of the best features that you may also ignore.

You can work on adjusting the hearing aid and ascertain how to obtain the best sound quality by being patient and reading the user manual.

When you pick your hearing aids you will have a basic idea of what they can do. It will take a little more time but you need to learn how to use them properly.

2. It Takes Time For Your Ears to Adjust

Your eyes need to adapt to the shape of the frame and the change in lenses when you get new glasses. The same is true for hearing aids. High quality sound in a new hearing aid does not happen by magic. It doesn’t work that way.

There is an adjustment period your ears will require if you’re new to wearing hearing aids. Quick adjustment depends on consistent use.

Leave them in place once you’ve put them in. You should resist the urge to keep taking them out. Ask yourself why you might be uncomfortable.

  • If it feels uncomfortable, take the hearing aid out for short intervals until you get used to it. Go back to the retailer and have your hearing aids examined if they don’t seem to fit properly..
  • Is the noise too loud? Maybe you should turn the volume down.
  • Are you overwhelmed by the background noise? Go to a quiet place for a few minutes when you first put them in each day. Sit down with a friend and talk. Ask them if you are talking too loud. In this way, you can balance out the sound by making adjustments.

Don’t make a huge mistake and give up on your hearing aid. Your hearing aids will do you no good shoved in a drawer and forgotten.

3. Fail to Get a Proper Fitting Upfront

There is a lot involved in getting the correct hearing aids, and it begins before you even start looking. While at your hearing test at the audiologist, it’s important to tell the truth about what you can and can’t hear. Hearing aids that aren’t The right ones for your type or level of hearing loss can be the result. For instance, some hearing aids by design pick up a high-frequency sound. If you have a tough time hearing mid or low tones, these are not the ideal hearing aids for you.

In many situations, hearing aids might not really fit your lifestyle. Maybe you spend a lot of your day talking on the phone, so you will need hearing aids that have Bluetooth technology.

Make a note of when you wish your hearing aid did something different or when they’re not working properly while you are still in the trial period. You can go back and discuss those concerns with your hearing aid technician. It could just take an adjustment, or maybe you require a different type of device.

Be sure you get your hearing aids from a seller that does fittings, too. If they are too big for your ears they won’t function properly.

4. Poor Maintenance

Understanding when and how to maintain your hearing aids are the keys to success. Take the time to learn how to care for your hearing aids even if this isn’t your first rodeo.

After you get your hearing aids, look closely at the warning signs listed in the documentation like using hair care products with your hearing aids in or failing to turn them off when you take it out.

Always, read the troubleshooting instructions and the maintenance guide.

A big part of taking care of hearing aids is cleaning so be certain that you understand how to do it. The hearing aid is not the only thing that requires cleaning. Properly cleaning your ears is important too.

You have to take the initiative if you want to get the most out of your hearing aids. It’s a continuing process from shopping to use. Get a hearing test with a hearing specialist to learn what kind of hearing aid will best fit your needs.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Schedule an appointment to see if hearing aids could benefit you.