We discussed a few tips in becoming used to your new hearing aids in a previous article. We want to emphasize more practical tips in this regard in this article. Just remember that, in the end, it’s your determination to get the most from your hearing aids that will make you stick to actually wearing them.

Adopt a Positive Attitude

Your mindset will influence your attitude toward hearing aids, just as it influenced your outlook in life before hearing aids came into your life. You’re well-advised to adopt a positive attitude early on. You will find that while there are side effects to wearing hearing aids, the benefits far outweigh them.

When you have a positive mindset, you will find that you’re less frustrated with the initially weird feeling of having hearing aids in your ears. You will initially feel awkward with them in your ears, just as you would when it’s your first time to wear eyeglasses. But with consistent use, you will eventually get used to them.

Wear Them for a Limited Period Initially

You don’t have to wear your hearing aids 24/7 either! Keep in mind that your goal is to become accustomed to them, not cause more discomfort to your ears from the constant stimuli. You can wear them in environments and situations you’re comfortable in.

You can start wearing them at home only. You can then practice wearing them without making self-conscious movements like rubbing your earlobes. You can then transition to wearing them for a few hours at a time outside.

Keep in mind, too, that wearing them in everyday situations, such as when you’re at work or in other public places, is useful in determining which sounds you’re comfortable with. Your audiologist can then make the necessary adjustments based on your specific needs.

Wear Them in a Quiet Place First

On your first day of wearing your customized hearing aids, you should sit in a quiet place, such as your bedroom, with the external sounds tuned out. You will then be able to listen to the faint external sounds, such as a clock ticking or a radiator humming. You can get used to these subtle sounds first and then transition to louder sounds.

Practice Your Conversations

You may feel weird about hearing external sounds better and clearer. You may even speak in a louder voice because you feel like the louder sounds you’re hearing deserves a corresponding action on your part. You should then practice conversations with your close family and friends.

By doing so, you will learn to modulate your voice depending on the situation. You will also be able to practice your active listening skills, such as looking at the face cues, hand gestures and body language.

Think of your new hearing aids as something that will change your life but before they do, they demand some getting used to. Your attitude will change and you’re more likely to accept them.

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

http://www.hkhearingspeech.com

Hearing aids require getting used to because these are foreign objects inserted into your ears. You may be tempted to just remove them because they feel weird but we suggest that you keep them in your ears. You will become more accustomed to their presence until such time that they feel normal, even an essential part of your daily life.

These tips are also useful in getting used to your new hearing aids. Be patient, nonetheless, as good things take time.

Appreciate Your Hearing Aids

These are life-changing devices because these can open up your world in more ways than one. But you have to appreciate them beyond what they can do for you! You have to learn the basics of their proper use and care and, thus, appreciate their functions.

Your audiologist is the best resource person for proper use and care of your customized hearing aids. The information should include placing the devices in your ear and taking them out, cleaning and storing them, and resolving basic issues.

Wear Them as Frequently as Possible

Your brain requires time to become accustomed to the clearer and louder sounds coming from your environment. Your ears also require retraining, so to speak, so as to get used to the feeling of having foreign objects inserted into them. You will also require time to become accustomed to these new sensations.

For this reason, you have to wear your new hearing aids as frequently as possible. Your audiologist will recommend the number of hours each day that you can wear them. You’re well-advised to follow the suggested duration but you can increase or decrease the time depending on your preference.

Know What’s Normal with the Hearing Aids 

Many of the things that will make you want to remove your hearing aids are considered normal. But there are also things that aren’t considered normal and that require professional intervention in some cases.

A few things to keep in mind when determining what’s normal and what isn’t.

• The hearing aids feel weird, even uncomfortable, in your ears. You shouldn’t feel pain; otherwise, you should call your audiologist for a consultation for adjustments. You may also be instructed to wear them for only a few hours each day.

• The external sounds including your voice seem too loud, too jarring. Known as the occlusion effect, it’s quite normal since you’ve been used to quieter sounds. You’re likely to become accustomed to it over time but you can also ask your audiologist for adjustments.

• There are background noise being picked up by the hearing aids, and these noises are undesirable. Again, the background noise can be initially annoying but you may get used to it, too. But again, you can talk to your audiologist about your concerns.

In the end, you simply have to give yourself time to become accustomed to the new sensations that come with wearing new hearing aids. You may get used to them within a few weeks or a few months but once you become accustomed, you will consider them as essential in your life.

If you need an new hearing aid, make sure to take the hearing test & assessment. For details, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

http://www.hkhearingspeech.com

Hearing aids may be small in size but they are big on technology! These are sensitive instruments that require proper care and maintenance for long-term use. These are also subject to numerous issues, from minor ones like the sound being weak to major ones like pain experienced in the ears.

Before you call your audiologist, however, you may want to check the possible causes and resolve the issues. You can then save on the cost of repair as well as gain a better appreciation of your hearing aids.

Weak or Dead Sound

When you place your customized hearing aids in your ears, you will expect to hear clear auditory signals from your environment. But you may also get weak sound or a dead sound, a quite common occurrence in some older models.

Don’t worry just yet as there are a few effective ways to resolve this issue.

• Check that the hearing aids have fresh batteries in their battery compartment. Replace old and drained batteries with fresh batteries.

• Check that the batteries are properly placed in the slots. The positive and negative terminals should correspond with each other. If not, insert the batteries correctly.

• Check that the hearing aids are free of wax, moisture and other debris. These things clog the hearing aids resulting in their weak or dead sound generation. You can either replace the old wax guards with new ones or clean the receiver and microphone with a brush or pick.

• Check that the hearing aids are actually turned on. If you have telecoil hearing aids, make sure that the mic-telephone switch is in the telecoil position.

• Check the receiver port and the microphone port since these may be blocked. You can replace or clean the receiver port and/or microphone port, whichever is needed.

In all of these cases, a thorough check of the exterior components of the hearing aids will suffice to determine the cause and its possible remedy.

Feedback Sounds

Feedback refers to the buzzing, hissing or whistling sounds that come from the hearing aids when you put them on. Keep in mind that these sounds are different from the phantom sounds of tinnitus. You must then take the time to determine whether the sounds are coming from the hearing aids or from other sources.

A few tips to resolve the feedback issues: 

• Check that the earmolds are properly fitted to your ear in the first place. Customization is vital in getting the most from hearing aids. Consider having your hearing aids re-cased if the other methods don’t resolve the feedback issue.

• Ensure that the hearing devices are properly inserted into your ear canals.

• Check for possible damage in the earmolds. These can include air leaks, cracks in tubing, and cracks in tone hook. You can have the tubing or the tone hook replaced.

Of course, there will be issues wherein professional intervention is a must. You should draw the line at opening your hearing aids since you may be doing more harm than good.

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

http://www.hkhearingspeech.com

Hearing aids can change your life! But you have to remember that these devices also require proper care and maintenance for extended use. You must learn to extend the juice of your hearing aids’ batteries, even change them, when needed.

Before we proceed to the effective tips in extending the life of your hearing aids’ batteries, let’s take a look at their average life. On average, these batteries last for 3-7 days with the actual number being dependent on several factors. These include the type and size of the hearing aids, the type and size of their batteries, and the number of hours the hearing aids are used, among others.

Use the Oldest Batteries First

Batteries for hearing aids last for several days but these also have their expiration dates. You should always check the expiration dates on batteries, if any, so that you’re aware of when to use them. You must also remember that the longer these batteries are stored, the shorter their usable life will be.

For this reason, you have to use the oldest pack of batteries first. This way, the spare batteries in your purse will always be usable.  Store spare batteries in a dry room, which should neither be cold nor hot; refrigerators and bathrooms are then unsuitable places for battery storage.

Turn Off Your Hearing Aids When Possible

Obviously, the batteries’ juice will be conserved when the hearing aids are turned off. You must then remove your hearing aids from your ears and turn them off, whenever possible. These instances include before going to sleep, taking a shower or bath, and relaxing in a quiet environment.

If you won’t be using your hearing aids for an extended period, you should remove the batteries from the battery compartment and place them in a dry area. This aids in preventing corrosion to their metal parts, among other possible damage caused by trapped moisture.

But if you will be using your hearing aids shortly after turning them off, you may want to consider leaving the battery compartment open. The excess moisture that has accumulated inside the compartment can then evaporate and, thus, there’s less risk of corrosion on the batteries. Plus, it decreases battery drain.

Again, place your hearing aids with their battery compartment open in a safe and dry place! Placing in on the kitchen sink or bathroom sink will defeat the purpose, not to mention that the hearing aids can become wet.

The way batteries are handled upon opening also make a difference. Wash your hands before replacing the old batteries so as to avoid getting dirt on the new batteries and the hearing aids. Avoid removing the plastic tab on a battery pack when the batteries won’t be used immediately.  Wait for 5 minutes and let the new batteries sit, so to speak, before placing them into the battery compartment.

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For more details of our hearing test & assessment, and hearing aid services, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

http://www.hkhearingspeech.com