Realistic Expectations & Learning to Use Hearing Aids

Although very effective in improving hearing, Hearing aids do not restore normal hearing and will not as good as normal hearing in certain situations.

Hearing aids work very well once they have been professionally fitted and adjusted to your specific needs.  Adjusting the hearing aids to achieve maximal performance (fit, comfort, sound quality etc) usually takes a few weeks of collaboration and cooperation between you and the hearing professional.

At first, you will likely be aware of hearing aids in your ears. With older hearing aids, your voice will sound "funny" (plugged-up, maybe with an echo) when you first wear hearing aids.  With Oticon's new Open Ear Acoustics, your voice should sound pretty normal from the first moment you wear them.  Nonetheless, further fine-tuning and adjusting the hearing aids to achieve maximal performance (fit, comfort, sound quality etc) is normal.

People learn at different rates. Some people need a day or two to learn about and adjust to their hearing aids, most need a few weeks and some may need a few months. There is no perfect way to learn about hearing aids. Nonetheless, your hearing professional will work with you to design a "wear-schedule" that's best for you.  While you're learning to use hearing aids, use them in easy and comfortable situations, with familiar people in favorable listening environments (such as one-on-one conversations in quiet) and work towards more difficult listening situations.

Helpful Step-by-Step Approach to Learning to Use Hearing Aids:

• At first, wear the hearing aids in your own home environment.
• Wear the hearing aids only as long as you are comfortable wearing them.
• Accustom yourself to the use of the hearing aids while conversing with just one other person.
• Do not strain to catch every word, even people with normal hearing do not hear every word!
• Practice locating the source of the sound by listening only.
• Increase your tolerance for loud sounds SLOWLY.
• Gradually extend the number of persons with whom you speak.
• Gradually increase the number of difficult listening situations in which you use your hearing aids.
• You may benefit from participating in an organized course of aural rehabilitation, Speak to your hearing care professional to learn about these courses.