Tanya is sitting with her hearing specialist, being fitted for her very first pair of hearing aids. And it’s causing her some anxiety. Her anxiety isn’t really that bad. But she’s never used hearing aids before, and she’s somewhat concerned that she will be uncomfortable with a high tech gizmo inside of her ear canal, especially since she’s never been a huge fan of earplugs or earbuds.
These concerns are not unique to Tanya. Countless first-time hearing aid users have concerns about the comfort and overall fit of their hearing aids. Tanya wants to wear her hearing aid. Now she won’t need to crank up the television so loud that it disturbs her family or even the neighbors. But how comfortable are those hearing aids going to be?
Adjusting to Hearing Aids For The First Time
So, are hearing aids uncomfortable? The short answer is: some people find them to be a little bit uncomfortable at first. Initial levels of comfort will fluctuate because, like many things in life, there’s a period of adjustment. But in time, you’ll get used to the feeling of your hearing aids and become more comfortable.
Often it’s just good to know that these adjustments are coming. Knowing what you should expect can help you get accustomed to your hearing aids in a sustainable, healthy, and comfortable way.
Adapting to your hearing aid has two parts:
In order to enhance your overall comfort and quicken the adjustment period, consult your hearing specialist if you’re experiencing trouble with the physical positioning or sound quality of your hearing aids.
Can I Make my Hearing Aids More Comfortable?
Thankfully, there are a few techniques that have proven to be rather effective over the years.
- Get the right fit: Hearing aids are made to fit your ears well. You’ll definitely want to discuss your fit with your hearing specialist right away but you’ll also want to consult your hearing specialist for follow-up fittings to make sure everything is working properly and the fit is just right. And for optimal effectiveness and comfort, you might want to think about a custom fit hearing aid.
- Practice: The world may sound just a little bit different once you get your hearing aids. And it may take a while for your ears to adjust, specifically when it comes to speech. In order to get the hang of it more quickly, there are a number of exercises you can do like watching a movie with caption or reading along with an audiobook.
- Start slow: If you’re breaking in your first set of hearing aids, you shouldn’t feel as though you have to wear them all day, every day right away. You can start gradually and build up from there. From one to four hours per day is a great way to begin. That said, you’ll want to build up to using your hearing aids all day, but you don’t have to begin there.
You’re Hearing Aids Can be More Comfortable
Your hearing aids may feel a little uncomfortable for the first few days or weeks. Before long you’re hearing aids will become a comfortable part of your everyday life and the sooner you make the adjustments, the sooner this will occur. Wearing them on a daily basis is crucial to make that transition happen.
Pretty soon, you’ll be thinking about is having good conversation with friends.