Pride can get in the way of people admitting that they might need hearing aids. For this reason, their social lives and going about their day can become more difficult. Instead of worrying about how your hearing aid looks, it’s important that you stay healthy and safe. Here are the top five initial challenges that people have when it comes to wearing hearing aids.
Sensory Overload
The most advanced hearing aids are going to pick up every sound that’s going on around you and amplify them so that you can hear them. But this makes it difficult for your brain to pick and choose which sounds are most important. This leads to sensory overload, where you don’t know which sounds you should pay attention to and which ones should be background noise.
When you first wear your hearing aid, you should choose a serene, quiet environment and let your brain adjust to the amplification of the hearing aid. Look into hearing aids that noise cancellation too.
Tinnitus
During the process of adapting to the use of a hearing aid, you may experience a condition called tinnitus. This is where a person has ringing in the ears when there is no external source for the ringing. If you do experience tinnitus, you should raise the issue with your audiologist to properly deal with the condition so that it goes away eventually.
Background Noise
Background noise can make it difficult for you to hear what someone is saying. That’s why it’s important to look at the variety of hearing aids on the market and look into ones that have noise cancellation. If it does, you may have to adjust it accordingly so that you can properly hear conversations in noisy environments. It would also be good to have a conversation with loved ones to minimize any background noise during interactions, such as meeting in quiet places instead of noisy restaurants.
Feedback
It’s typical that you’ll experience whistling or buzzing noises during the first few months of wearing your hearing aid. You should ensure that your hearing aid has been properly fitted by a professional and that you’re taking care of it properly. Be cautious of how close objects are to your receiver, and keep your hair away from the hearing aids too, as they can cause friction.
Cultivating Mindfulness
Using a hearing aid for the first time is going to be stressful for anyone using it, but it’s important that you practice mindfulness during the process. This can help you stay calm so that you don’t take your emotions out on other people.
- Practice breathwork: using breathing exercises to alleviate stress and keep yourself centered in the moment.
- Engage in meditation: dedicate some time to meditation, even if it’s just for a few hours each day.
- Practice yoga: yoga can help promote relaxation and overall well-being.
If you are still new to the process of using a hearing aid, speak to your doctor or audiologist to see if there are any remedies or solutions to make the adjustment period go more smoothly.
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