Why Hearing Aids Need to Fit Properly

The annoyance of wearing hearing aids for the first time can be frustrating to the new wearer, family and friends alike. Professionals fitting hearing aids for people should also be patient in their task and with the new wearer. Individuals that are getting hearing aids for the first will have to be patient with the process as will the family and acquaintances of the wearer. Even just having your hearing aid set up will take patience. Counselling on the maintenance and care of the hearing aid is the easiest part, the difficult part is learning to listen through the hearing aid.

It will take your brain approximately 6 to 8 weeks to completely adjust to the new hearing aid. However, it is not uncommon for the adjustment period to extend longer, perhaps as much as three to six months in some individuals. In general, the older the person is the longer it will take them to get used to the hearing aid. However, some will have adjustment periods that could last as much as three to six months depending on the age and condition of the individual. In general, an increased acclimation period is needed as the age of the patient increases.

You should be hearing your own voice when you are speaking, but those who suffer from profound loss of this function do not realize it. It may seem strange to these individuals to actually hear their own voice while speaking and can actually be disturbing to the users in some occasions. Hearing their own voice can be a confusing experience when they are not accustomed to it as in the case of a first time hearing aid user.

The new user may think he is shouting at first, because he can hear himself talk for the first time in a long time. And because of his loss of hearing, the user may notice sounds in the surrounding environment he had not been aware of before. Many new patients frequently ask others if they are shouting at them, just because their own voice is greatly amplified compared to what they previously heard. Additionally, someone with a new hearing aid will start to become aware of everyday sounds that were not apparent before due to hearing loss. Learning to filter out background noise is one of the most challenging parts of learning to function while wearing a hearing aid.

Your brain will be working harder as it now has the added task of identifying more sounds, figuring out if it is important or not and electing to ignore or acknowledge the sounds, including learning what is speech and what is just background. People surrounding the new hearing aid user need to remember to control their own volume level as they no longer need to shout to be recognized and the loud sounds can cause pain to their friend. The acquaintances for the new hearing aid wearer will need to exercise patience as the wearer will slowly adjust to how the hearing aid behaves and learns to deal with both the advantageous and negative differences the hearing aid will cause. Shouting is excruciating to a hearing aid user, so friends and family should keep in mind that a raised voice is no longer necessary. They have to be patient in allowing the hearing aid user to interact with his hearing aid and his environment, as he makes notes of positive and negative aspects of wearing the hearing aid.

Some people find little assistance from using hearing aids while most hearing impaired people benefit from using them and are glad to have them.

How beneficial a hearing aid will be depends on many factors including the severity of hearing loss, how long it has been a problem, how old the patient is, how well their brain can process sounds, what counseling is available, how appropriate the hearing aid is for the loss involved and finally, the attitude of the patient.

You must remember that even the most advanced hearing devices are not perfect and will not alleviate all of the issues you may face in any given situation. What hearing aids will do for you is to allow one to hear better than they may other wise, and they will enable better communication. Both of these factors should improve your quality of life over what it may be without the assistance of a hearing device.

It is also important to keep the hearing aid in good condition with regular maintenance. Summertime will be a factor, as humidity and heat affect hearing aids and they have to be maintained to keep them working. The biggest trouble caused to hearing aids are moisture and earwax. It is necessary for the wearer to clean the hearing aid on a daily basis in order for the sound to come through. Also important is the upkeep and proper care of your hearing aid over time. High summer temperatures and humidity levels are detrimental to hearing aids and need greater attention during this time to make sure they work at optimal capacity. Earwax and moisture are the two biggest culprits that can keep your hearing aid from functioning. Sound cannot pass through the device effectively if they are not maintained on a daily basis. Your hearing aid can be rendered useless by even the smallest amount of earwax or foreign matter.

If you allow earwax to get into the inside where everything works, it can cost a lot to fix it. Your hearing aid must be cared for year round. Never store hearing aids in a damp environment, such as a bathroom, to prevent moisture problems. That can happen any time during the year not just summertime. Make sure to not store the hearing aids in a moist place like a bathroom.

Use a recommended hearing aid wipe or cleaning solution and wipe down the device periodically during the day. Leaving the battery door of your hearing aid open while you're not wearing it will allow it to air out and prolong the life of the battery. It is advisable to use prepared wipes several times daily on your hearing aid. When the hearing aid is not in use, the battery slot should be left open to allow the device to air out and prolong the life of the batteries. Make sure you get professional maintenance of your hearing aid twice a year; a professional will be able to prevent many problems from getting worse and ensure the hearing aid stays in top condition.

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