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5 tips for adjusting to new hearing aids

Strategies to streamline the steps to get used to new devices

When you start wearing new hearing aids, it is normal to require an adjustment period to get used to the different amplification. This is normal, and it is something our staff are personally familiar with.


It takes the brain time to get used to new devices. The brain is able to adapt to new sounds, but it takes practice, patience and time to go through the adjustment period. This is similar to your eyes adjusting to bright lights or your nose blocking out unwanted smells – it takes some time, but your brain adapts your senses to new stimuli.


There are strategies to streamline the steps to get used to new hearing aids:


  • Make sure your hearing aids are properly fitted
  • Start with comfortable conversations
  • Keep track of any challenges
  • Use hearing aids consistently
  • Meet with your audiologist regularly

 

Adjusting to new hearing aids can be uncomfortable at first, but if you stick with it and follow these tips, you will see improvement in your quality of life and ability to connect with others.

 

Why You Need to Adjust to New Hearing Aids

An adjustment period for new hearing aids is often necessary because of the relationship between the ears and the brain.

 

Hearing involves your ears and brain working in conjunction. When sound waves enter the ear, hundreds of small hair cells vibrate. These vibrations are converted into electrical signals for the brain to process.

 

Hearing loss occurs when less or inaccurate information is sent to the brain. This often happens when hair cells are damaged, so they don’t vibrate enough in response to sound so less auditory information is sent to the brain.

 

When our brain doesn’t receive clear auditory information, it works harder to process sounds. For example, if someone has trouble hearing speech in a noisy environment, their brain works overtime to comprehend the speech. Considering that our brains are muscles, this additional work can cause fatigue, exhaustion and even dementia.

 

Just as your brain works harder when you have hearing loss, it also needs to adapt to the new and louder sounds that are present when you wear hearing aids. It was used to managing incomplete sound signals, so it reacts to receiving different (albeit more complete) sound signals.

 

This means that the adjustment period may be tiring and uncomfortable at times, but audiologists have strategies and tips to minimize the discomforts and improve the process of adjusting to new hearing aids.

 

Tips for Adjusting to New Hearing Aids

Here are some of the most common strategies for adjusting to new hearing aids. When you get hearing aids in Edmonton from Professional Audiology, your audiologist will recommend personalized strategies that can streamline the adjustment period.

 

1. Make sure your hearing aids are properly fitted

Hearing aid fitting is more than the comfort of the devices. It is essential to success with hearing aids because the process ensures the devices match your hearing loss profile.

 

A hearing test will determine the types of sounds you can hear well (or not hear well) and the challenges you experience in various frequencies. Proper hearing aid fitting matches the output of the device according to the frequencies you can’t hear as well.

 

At Professional Audiology, we verity your hearing aids are properly fitted by testing them while they are in your ear. This confirms they truly match your hearing loss profile.

 

A properly fitted hearing aid intends to boost the sounds you can’t hear as well so your brain receives sound signals that are more balanced and complete. This can contribute to a more streamlined adjustment period.

 

2. Start at home and with one-on-one conversations

It’s normal for everyday sounds to sound weird when you first start wearing hearing aids. Even your voice can sound odd when you speak. We recommend starting out easy, with one-on-one conversations somewhere comfortable like your home.

 

Use the comfortable conversions to practice using the hearing aids and getting used to the entire experience.

 

3. Keep track of any challenges

It’s important to keep track of your hearing aid journey and take note when it is uncomfortable or when issues arise. By documenting these details, you can track progress and share it with your audiologist.

 

Let us know right away if you experience any pain or discomfort. For example, if you hear your own voice as being loud or booming, this may be due to occlusion. This occurs when the shape of your hearing aid traps your voice in your ear canal.

 

Your audiologist can treat this by adjusting the shape and type of earpiece that fits in the ear canal. This is just one example of why it’s important to record any challenges to present them to your audiologist.

 

4. Use hearing aids consistently

This can be a tough balancing act when you first start out. On the one hand, you need to regularly use your hearing aids to adapt to them. On the other, you don’t want to push it and overwork your brain to the point of exhaustion.

 

You may want to start out wearing them for a few hours each day and gradually increase how long you wear them by one hour every day. However you choose to do this, the goal is to wear your hearing aids as much as possible while still avoiding pain, discomfort and exhaustion.

 

5. Meet with your audiologist regularly

It’s extremely important to meet with your audiologist regularly. They can offer suggestions and tips for improving your adjustment period, can ensure your hearing aids are working properly and can make adjustments to improve your experience.

 

How Your Audiologist Can Help

You’re not alone during the adjustment period. The Edmonton audiologists at Professional Audiology will provide strategies, tips and support to make the adjustment period as comfortable as possible.

 

Program hearing aids with consideration for this adjustment period

When you’re starting off with new hearing aids, it is common for the devices to be programs below your hearing loss prescription. The goal is to ease you into wearing the devices to improve the comfort of the adjustment period.

 

Be available when you have issues

We encourage new hearing aid wearers – especially in the first few months – to get regular follow-up appointments. Our audiologists are always available if you have any issues or challenges.

 

Provide rehabilitation and therapy

Audiologic rehabilitation can help you relearn how to hear. This is done by teaching you what type of hearing aid you have and how it works and by training your brain to hear sounds that you may have forgotten existed.

 

Answer your questions

At Professional Audiology, we are here to educate and answer your questions at every stage. We are dedicated to offering you the latest technology and personalizing your care.

 

Book a hearing test at Professional Audiology Edmonton today to understand your hearing health.

How often should I get my hearing tested?

18 Apr, 2023
It’s routine for people to schedule medical checkups, like an annual physical, vision test or dental exam. But regular hearing tests are much less commonplace. Despite the integral role hearing plays in our daily lives, we just don’t tend to pay it as much mind. Your hearing is far from static, which is why we urge everyone—both young and old, known hearing loss or not—to get a hearing test and ensure you’re properly caring for all your senses. What happens during a hearing test? Hearing evaluations may be in-depth, but they are nothing to be nervous about. We won’t be poking and prodding you. Professional Audiology goes beyond the basic tests to better ensure our clients receive the thorough care they deserve. Here’s an in-depth overview of what happens during a hearing test. Hearing Screening A quick pass/fail test of your ability to hear different tones in each ear. It will indicate if you have hearing loss but will not go into any detail about the type or levels of degradation. If you fail a hearing screening, you should definitely get a full hearing test. Hearing Test Sometimes referred to as a hearing evaluation, these tests go in-depth into analyzing and diagnosing your hearing ability, your understanding of speech and assessing your outer, middle and inner ears. Components of a full hearing evaluation Your hearing is a two-part process, involving the physical action of hearing as well as the processing of the sound information once received by your brain. It’s crucially important to test based on both these factors to ensure you receive the proper care. There are a number of different tests that will be performed during your hearing evaluation. These include: Air conduction Otoscopy Bone conduction Tympanometry Word recognition Loudness discomfort levels None of these tests are invasive, and when combined, they offer our clients the fullest possible picture of their current hearing, and help highlight the best path to better hearing health. When should I get my hearing tested? There are many good reasons to receive a hearing test, and far fewer reasons not to. If you or someone you know has hearing loss, regular hearing tests are crucial to tell whether your loss is changing or degrading. If you’ve been receiving treatment for hearing loss, hearing tests will be able to gauge if that treatment has been successful in providing help and hopefully stemming the tide of further damage. If you work in a loud environment or frequent loud spaces like concerts, then regular hearing tests can be very helpful in guarding against further damage. Occupational hearing loss is unfortunately very common. If you ever notice a pervasive ringing in your ears, it is definitely in your best interest to receive a hearing test. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, and while it can’t be treated the same way, a hearing test can certainly help you better understand your condition. If you’ve never received a hearing test before, it can be very helpful for future visits to have a baseline to compare to, so in the future it will be easier to determine if any loss has occurred. If for any reason, you or a loved one is questioning whether they may be suffering from hearing loss, then a comprehensive hearing evaluation can either quell those concerns or help lead you to the next step in determining how to tackle and prevent any further hearing loss. 

How hearing loops help when you’re out and about

18 Apr, 2023
There are plenty of situations in your day-to-day life that require a level of active listening. For anyone with hearing challenges, this can create a barrier that makes going about your regular business quite difficult. One solution for dealing with this is hearing loops, a very helpful technology that can make a huge difference for folks who are hard of hearing. What are hearing loops? A hearing loop is a unique sound system that is used to transmit sound directly to a user’s hearing aid or cochlear implant. Made up of a physical loop of cable that is placed around a designated area, a hearing loop transmits sound by generating a magnetic field in the area which delivers a signal to properly equipped hearing aids. When hooked up to a microphone, a hearing loop carries a speaker's voice wirelessly to listeners hearing aids and is best implemented in environments like church halls, theatre rooms and public spaces like banks, information centers and similar public-oriented service providers. How do hearing loops work with hearing aids? For a hearing aid to pick up the transmitted sound from a hearing loop, it has to be equipped with a called a telecoil. Also referred to as a T-coil, this technology is made up of a small coil of wire wrapped around a rod that acts as an antenna to pick up the sound being delivered by a hearing loop. All cochlear implants have telecoils equipped, and nearly 80% of hearing aids either have a telecoil included or are capable of using one. It’s important to ask that a telecoil be included with your new hearing aids, as it is such a helpful tool to be used when you’re out and about. How do I use a hearing loop? This is arguably the best part of hearing loop systems, as cochlear implants and T-coil-equipped hearing aids automatically pick up the signal, meaning you don’t have to do anything to enjoy the benefits of crystal-clear communication. Say you walk into a bank with a hearing loop system. Rather than having to struggle to hear what the teller is saying behind their glass partition, you’ll be able to hear their voice clearly and succinctly without so much as pushing a button. Even better is going to a packed local play and not having to strain to hear the actors, as their voices are being transmitted directly into your ears. Hearing loops provide a level of access that hearing aids alone can’t even offer. More and more locations around the world are adding hearing loops to their services, providing those who are hard of hearing the chance to go about their days with an increased level of normality. Where can I find hearing loops in Edmonton? There are multiple locations around Edmonton that provide the added hearing assistance of a hearing loop. The popular Citadel Theatre in downtown Edmonton has hearing loops installed in two of its performance areas, allowing everyone to enjoy their shows the way they were meant to be. Most of the HSBC banks in the city are equipped with hearing loops, and all of Edmonton’s public libraries offer hearing loops at their front counters. You can go to Hearing Loops Canada For a more detailed list of hearing loop locations as well as plenty of other useful hearing loop resources. If you’re interested in the benefits of hearing loops, your first step should be to book a hearing test . Professional Audiology can help you find the right devices that will not only take advantage of the benefits of hearing loops but also greatly help improve your ability to hear. Take that first step and see how hearing aids can help you take back control of your hearing health.

Tips for hearing better when dining out

18 Apr, 2023
There’s no question that dining out can be a stressful experience for anyone suffering from hearing loss. With diners chatting away, cutlery clanging and music playing at an uncomfortably loud level, even folks with healthy hearing may have a hard time communicating with their table mates. These debilitating decibels can make it an easy choice to stay in and miss out on socializing, which can quickly take a toll on your overall mental well-being. Here are some straightforward tips and tricks that can help those who are hard of hearing have an enjoyable experience when heading out for a bite. Take the Time to Plan Ahead If you are the one planning the restaurant outing, then all the power is in your hands. Make sure to use it! When these tips are combined, they’re sure to increase the enjoyment level of your culinary excursion. Research quiet restaurants People love to make lists and categorize essentially everything online. If you live in an urban area, there’s a very good chance that someone has taken the time to discern which restaurants won’t blow out your eardrums. Choose your seating carefully If you’re planning early, you should be able to pick your seat. Sitting right in the middle of a crowded dining area, with noisy neighbours in all directions, is sure to cause you some distress. Specifically, ask for a high-backed booth or a corner seat where you’ll have a wall to your back. This is sure to cut out a lot of the clamour. Timing is everything As you are the master and commander of your outing, you have a lot more sway in picking the time for everyone to gather and chow down. While brunch is certainly trendy, it won’t be hearing-friendly. Neither will the middle of the dinner rush be. Pick a time after the lunch rush, before the dinner rush, or even have a slightly later dinner. That way, after you’ve devoured your food, the restaurant will be nice and quiet, allowing you and your guests plenty of time to comfortably sip your wine and chat the night away. When Not in Charge of Planning, Advocate for Yourself This can admittedly be quite a tricky one. Nobody wants to inconvenience their friends or loved ones with a perceived huge ask for accommodation. It’s uncomfortable, and odds are your brain will tell you you’re asking too much and being a real pain. We’re here to tell you, you’re not asking too much. Your hearing issue is a real physical and measurable issue. Your mates will more than likely be happy to help you have an enjoyable dining experience. If not, then we’re sorry your friends suck. Bottom line: as hard as it can be, advocating for yourself is more than acceptable. Take Advantage of Tech to Improve Your Dining Experience Thank goodness for the ever-evolving world of technology, as there are products, devices and apps out there that can help you get the most out of your social forays. One such option is the ability to live transcribe the conversations at your table using your smartphone. There are multiple free apps, including a Google Android app that allow you to actively read what is being said by those dining with you. While the technology isn’t perfect, and you may get some comedically hilarious translation hiccups, context will probably help you through those bugs. Hearing aids are life changers for those who are hard of hearing Of course, the tried-and-true method to help you hear your surroundings with clarity and accuracy is hearing aids. Gone are the bulky and awkward hearing aids that stick out like a sore thumb. In are the sleek and discreet hearing aids with advanced technology like directional microphones that will help you focus the conversation. Hearing aids really can make a hugely beneficial impact on your life. You don’t have to continue suffering on your own, struggling from one conversation to another. While not a 100% cure to all your hearing issues, they are by far the best and most effective option to get you back out socializing and enjoying your life the way you used to. You can start your road to hearing recovery by booking a hearing test with Professional Audiology. Our trained and knowledgeable audiologists will help you find the hearing aid solution that works best for your specific needs. Take that first step and see how hearing aids can help you take back control of your hearing health.
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