Adjusting to Hearing Instruments

There are two things to know right from the start. One, hearing instruments don’t sound the same as having your old hearing. And two, adjusting to wearing them takes time. Just like getting comfortable with a pair of bifocals, you may experience some frustration at first, but it will pass in time.

The single biggest determinant of success is your attitude toward your new hearing instruments. In the beginning, you’ll need to make a conscious effort to wear them consistently, and work with them in a variety of situations.

However, don’t overdo it, especially at first. It makes more sense to integrate hearing instruments into your life gradually, starting with a few hours a day. Overexposure to new stimuli can result in fatigue, discomfort and disappointment—all factors that can actually slow down the learning process. Give it some time. After a few weeks, you should be able to wear your hearing instruments routinely without undue fatigue or tension.

There are also physical adjustments to consider. At first, hearing instruments may feel funny in your ear. Depending on the style, there will be some part of the instrument in your ear or ear canal, which you may find distracting. Minor irritation or inflammation may occur as your ear becomes accustomed to having an object in it. This is usually easily correctable through trimming and polishing by your hearing professional. In fact, many people forget they’re wearing hearing instruments once they’re used to them.

Your voice may also sound funny to you when wearing hearing instruments, due to a phenomenon known as occlusion, the result of air trapped between the hearing instrument and your eardrum. Most new hearing instruments are equipped to minimize this distortion.