7 tips for getting used to your new hearing aids

Many people are surprised to learn that it can take awhile to get used to hearing aids, especially if you've never worn them before. While it can take some time to adjust to how things sound (including your own voice!) there are steps you can take to make the process easier and adapt faster. 

How to get used to hearing aids

1. Wear them at home first

Start by wearing your hearing aids at home or in other quiet listening environments. Things to consider:

• Focus on having one-on-one conversations.
• Tell friends and family about your new hearing aids so they can support you as you build confidence wearing them in tougher listening
• environments. 
• Reading aloud or talking to your pet can also help you get used to your own voice, too.

2. Give yourself homework

For extra practice with your hearing aids, try to locate the sources of all the sounds in your environment, or listen to audio books or talk radio while you're home alone. 

3. Take breaks 

Wear them a few hours the first day, then a few more hours every day after that. Gradually increase the number of hours you wear them per day, and the situations in which you wear them. 

4. Attend follow-up visits

You’ll want to see your hearing care professional for as many follow-up visits as you need to fine-tune the sounds you’re hearing, adjust the fit in your ear and talk about the situations that are most challenging for you.

Most people visit their audiologist about two weeks after their first fitting to get their devices fine-tuned and possibly adjust the volume.

5. Attend hearing aid care classes

If your hearing care professional offers orientation classes for new hearing aid wearers, be sure to sign up! These classes are very helpful and can lead to greater satisfaction with hearing aid use. 

6. Anticipate some frustration

If you have been dealing with untreated hearing loss for a few years, hearing aids flood your ears with sounds you didn't notice before, and it can be overwhelming.

Even background noises you normally wouldn't notice, like the humming of the refrigerator, might seem very loud or unbearable. This is because your brain has forgotten how to sort out unimportant noise and to prioritize certain sounds over others.

It's important to be patient as you relearn how to ignore background noise and take it slow as your brain adjusts.

7. Report any pain

Depending on your hearing needs, you may have custom-fitted earmolds, which means they should fit comfortably within your ears. While hearing aids can cause slight tenderness at first, if they cause any amount of ear pain, you should return to your audiologist immediately to fix the problem.

Often times, receiver-in-the-ear styles with domes are easier to adjust to because they don't cause a "plugged up" feeling in the ears like earmolds can, and they're gentle on the ear canals.

How can I support my loved one with hearing aids?

Because hearing aids are a big adjustment, having supportive friends and family can make that transition much easier. If someone you care about is getting used to hearing aids, here are a few ways you can help.

• Be patient. It can be challenging and frustrating to adjust to new hearing aids, but it's worth it in the long run. Being a calm, patient one-on-one conversation partner as your loved one practices listening can be a huge help.
• Practice with them. Try reading a book or newspaper out loud while your loved one follows along silently. This can help them relearn tricky sounds. You can also practice sound recognition by reading similar word pairs (like dish and fish) and having them listen and identify the difference.
• Offer a listening ear. Your partner or loved one with hearing loss might need to vent his or her frustrations, and you can offer empathy and moral support during particularly tough days.
• Participate in appointments. Your loved one will likely need to make at least one or two follow-up visits to the audiologist to have his or her hearing aids adjusted. Having you there can be useful for any lingering questions.
• Laugh and keep a sense of humor. This is particularly important in stressful times.
• Learn more about hearing loss, hearing aids, and hearing aid accessories like batteries (your partner may need help changing them). 
• Learn about hearing aid benefits and discuss them. Hearing loss is a type of sensory deprivation known as auditory deprivation. But wearing hearing aids overcomes this deprivation, one of many health benefits of hearing aids your loved one will now reap.

Find a hearing healthcare professional near you

The degrees of hearing loss vary from person to person, much like eyeglass prescriptions. That is why it is important to be evaluated by a hearing healthcare professional. They can determine how well you are hearing, help identify the best hearing aids for your specific needs, and provide follow-up care to be sure your devices fit well and work as intended.

If you have hearing aids but aren’t wearing them because they don’t meet your expectations, take them out of your nightstand and have a frank conversation with your hearing healthcare professional about what's not working for you.

For help finding a qualified professional in your community, visit our directory of hearing healthcare professionals and hearing centers.

More: Hearing aid users share the surprising sounds they can now hear