Hearing aids must be fitted to each individual personally. To get the most out of your hearing aids, it’s important to prepare for each step of the way and to work with a qualified hearing care professional.
Here are the steps for preparing for your new hearing aids:
Get ready for your appointment
At your hearing test, your hearing care professional will test your hearing, take a look at the results, and help you conclude whether or not hearing aids are right for you. It’s important that you bring a list of questions to your appointment to review with your hearing care professional.
Here are some of the questions you’ll want to cover:
- What kind of hearing loss do I have? Is it mild, moderate, severe, or profound?
- Could hearing aids help—should I get them for both ears?
- Which hearing aid is best for my needs? How can I balance features with cost?
- What are my financing options for hearing aids? (Private insurance, credit arrangements, state programs, etc.)
After Your Hearing Test
If your hearing test results are normal, hearing aids may not be required, but you’ll have a baseline test to compare future hearing tests.
If the results indicate a level of hearing loss, and that you can benefit from hearing aids, your hearing care professional will review your options with you.
When selecting hearing aids, be sure to discuss the following things:
Programmability – most hearing aids are digitally programmable to match the specifications of your individual hearing loss profile. This is extremely important; if someone tries to sell you a hearing instrument right out of the box with no adjustment necessary, it probably won’t work the way you want it to.
Style – hearing aids come in a wide variety of sizes and styles: some models sit behind the ear to models that fit entirely within the ear canal. It’s up to you how you want to balance price, ease-of-use, functionality, and aesthetics in making your decision.
Wireless connectivity – several hearing aid models can hook up wirelessly to compatible smartphones. This allows you to discreetly adjust volume and settings, send phone calls directly to your hearing aids, and even stream music all without any wires or the need for a separate hearing aid remote control.
Advanced features – some hearing aids come equipped with additional advanced features, like directional microphones to enhance speech, background noise reduction, environmental settings, and telecoils for clearer phone calls. Keep in mind that these features may cost extra, so balance your needs with your budget when making that decision.
This may all seem confusing, but your hearing care professional is trained to help guide you through the decision-making process. Of course, if someone tries to rush or steer you to a decision without addressing your questions, that should be a red flag.
At home with new hearing aids
Once you’ve selected your hearing aids and had them programmed by your hearing care professional, you’re ready to bring them home. But you should keep two things in mind.
First, don’t expect to fall in love with your hearing aids immediately. You’ll likely be hearing sounds you haven’t heard in a while, and the overall sound will just seem “off.” This is perfectly normal and, after a few weeks, will subside.
We recommend starting small at home. Try watching a movie and paying particular attention to the dialogue, engage in one-on-one conversations in a quiet room, and try listening to music and picking out or following certain instruments.
Even though it may be uncomfortable at first, do try your best to wear your hearing aids as much of the day as possible, putting them in when you wake up and taking them out before bed. This will speed up the adjustment process, and after a few weeks, you’ll be glad you put in the effort.
If you struggle with your first few days of hearing aids, just remember: Your hearing aids can be adjusted! If you continue to have difficulty hearing or adapting to the new sound, schedule a follow-up visit with your hearing care professional to fine-tune the settings.
Second, to ensure continued performance, you’ll need to properly maintain and care for your new hearing aids. This means daily cleaning, proper storage, and managing your battery supply.
Pro Tip: make adjusting to your hearing aids easier on yourself with the right tools and habits. Hearing aid cleaning kits, storage cases/sanitizers, and batteries can all be supplied, with tips, from your hearing care professional.
After a short period of adjustment, you’ll be prepared to enjoy the all the benefits of better hearing. If you have any other questions about hearing aids, or the process of acquiring them, give us a call!
