Getting a hearing aid for the first time? It’s not as simple as purchasing your chosen hearing aid and instantly getting good results, and it’s understandable you might have some concerns. As such, we’ve put together some of the things you might expect to happen after purchasing a hearing aid.
An adjustment period
Wearing a hearing aid is going to make a major change to one of your five senses, and as such it can take a lot of time to get used to it. It’s going to completely change the way you hear things, and not only do you need to personally get used to it, but your brain needs to adapt to the new situation.
The adjustment period for using a hearing aid can take anywhere from two to twelve weeks until you start to feel more comfortable with the change.
Things sounding different
As well as hearing aids amplifying sounds, you’ll also discover that things sound a little bit different than you’re used to.
This can be for a number of reasons. The main reason is that you’re now hearing more artificial sound than natural, but another issue comes from the style of hearing aid you choose. If you choose an in-ear style hearing aid, it’s designed to block the ear – this causes occlusion, which will make your own voice sound louder to you. Again, this is something you’ll eventually get used to.
Hearing new sounds
Depending on the severity of your hearing loss, you’ll find yourself hearing things you wouldn’t usually once you’re wearing your hearing aids. It’s mostly the smaller noises that occur in day to day life that you’ll begin to pick up.
This can sometimes be seen as a positive, creating an overall better hearing experience. However, it’s often the case that this is interfering background noise that can make it difficult for you to concentrate on speech. As with most other issues, this is part of your adjustment period, and something you’ll eventually find easier to tune out.
Aftercare appointments
Once you’ve purchased a hearing aid, you shouldn’t expect to be left to fend for yourself. As we’ve already detailed, there are several hurdles to get over before your hearing experience is perfect, and your audiologist is there to help you through it.
With The Hearing Specialist, you’ll be given a series of follow-up appointments with your audiologist. This will enable you to discuss any issues or concerns, as well as get valuable advice on how to improve your hearing experience.
Eventually, great results
Although these initial issues can sometimes take a while to iron out, you’ll eventually find yourself having a much more comfortable, fulfilling hearing experience.
The few weeks of difficulty are well worth going through, and once everything’s working fine for you, you should be able to hear clearly, and easily integrate in conversations once again. Hearing aids can help to remove the burden that comes with suffering from hearing loss, stopping you from feeling excluded in social situations, and making life easier.
Concerned about your hearing or considering purchasing hearing aids? Contact us now to book a consultation with our audiology team.