Tips for a New Hearing Aid Wearer

Congratulations on your new hearing aids! As a new hearing aid wearer, you’ve made a huge step to improving your hearing and ability to have conversations. We know from experience that wearers who receive proper instruction, have healthy expectations going in, and who practice consistently within the first 30-60 days of getting their hearing aids have the most success. So here are some exercises, tips, and encouragement to help guide you to get the most out of your new hearing aids in any situation.

Fitting your Hearing Aids

On the day of your fitting appointment, your practitioner will physically fit your new hearing aids and adjust them to your specific hearing needs and perceptions. Things they might discuss include:

Inserting and removing the hearing aids
- Red is for the Right; Blue is for the Left
Batteries or charging
- Batteries are AIR activated; once the sticker is removed they will begin draining. On average they last between 5 and 7 days.
- For rechargeable, place them on the charger each night
Usage and programs
- Turn your hearing aids off if not in use: done by opening the battery door or placing the hearing aids on the charger

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! We try not to overwhelm you with too much information, but we also want you to be comfortable, confident, and informed. Here are some good questions to ask when purchasing hearing aids.

Tips for Hearing Success

The first few weeks of wearing your hearing aids is exciting and come with lots of changes. Remember, you’re retraining your brain to hear sounds again and this takes some time.

Don’t get discouraged, it often takes up to a month to get comfortable wearing your hearing aids

Wear your hearing aids every day; the transition requires practice
Increase the amount of time you wear your hearing aids from day to day
If you become fatigued, it’s okay to take a break. Take your hearing aids out for a while, but always put them back in.
It’s important to know that hearing aids will not let you hear as you did with normal hearing. Focus on your improvements, not the negative comparisons to what you want to hear.

Exercises to Try

As hearing aids take time to get used to, here are a few things you can try over the first few weeks of wearing them to help adapt your brain.

Practice reading out loud. What does your voice sound like?
Observe new sounds, what did you notice? How did they sound?
Have a one-on-one conversation
Wear them while watching tv. Notice a difference in the sound?
Talk on the phone. Can you hear clearly?
Have a group conversation or a conversation with a bit of background noise. Could you understand the conversation?

Start with quiet environments like talking one-on-one, then move up to more background noise. I.e. going outside, group conversation, going to a restaurant, etc. *It is not advised that you go to a large event right away as this may feel uncomfortable as you’re getting used to the sound of your hearing aids.

Write down things you notice – benefits or issues – so you can discuss them with your practitioner at your next appointment. This information helps them tailor your hearing aid to you at your several follow-up appointments.

Wearing them More

As you begin to wear your hearing aids for longer periods of time and beyond that first month, you’ll find the feel and sound are more comfortable. You won’t be a new hearing aid wearer for long! With a little time and practice, you’re hearing aids will feel more like an extension of you.

For more great tips from other hearing aid users, check out Dr. Cliff’s youtube video.