subject: Fitting And Getting Used To Hearing Aids [print this page] Family and friends should be aware that a lot of patience is required on the part of the wearer, as well as family and friends, when someone is first using hearing aids. The person who is fitting the hearing aid onto its new wearer also needs to be patient. Learning how to care for and maintain your hearing aid is the simple part of the process. Re-learning how to listen after a period of hearing loss is the challenge. Even just having your hearing aid set up will take patience. Counselling on the maintenance and care of the hearing aid is the easiest part, the difficult part is learning to listen through the hearing aid.
It will take your brain approximately 6 to 8 weeks to completely adjust to the new hearing aid. But depending on how old the person is and in what condition their brain is, it could take as long as three to six months for the brain to become accustomed. On average, it takes six to eight weeks for the average human brain to adapt to a hearing aid. The total acclimation period can stretch anywhere from three to six months depending on the patient's age and the level of his brain function. Getting used to a hearing aid will be more difficult for someone who is older versus someone who is younger.
One problem that frequently crops up is that people with very severe hearing loss no longer remember that they should actually hear their own voice when speaking. People who have exceptionally poor hearing don't understand that they should be able to hear themselves as they talk. For a first time user of hearing aids it can be either a moment of illumination or a confusing experience when he first hears his own voice in speech.
The new user may think he is shouting at first, because he can hear himself talk for the first time in a long time. And because of his loss of hearing, the user may notice sounds in the surrounding environment he had not been aware of before. To start with these new sounds can be upsetting until the person is able to identify them and the brain decides to focus on them or ignore them. They might also notice all of the noises that come with being in various rooms of their home that they couldn't hear prior to getting a hearing aid. Such unaccustomed sounds can be jolting until they are distinguished and identified; often, the brain just blocks out the sounds, or else focuses solely on them.
Over time, the brain will get better at filtering what you want it to so that you can easily differentiate from what you are actually trying to listen to and whatever superfluous background noise may be distracting you. Family members and friends have to remember not to shout anymore as their shouting can be painful to the hearing aid user. Friends and family should exercise patience while he learns to function and interact with the environment and his new hearing aid. It will take time to fully understand all the aspects of wearing a hearing aid. Friends and family members who may have become accustomed to shouting to be heard will have to relearn how to talk to the patient as all that shouting can be painful to a hearing aid user. The people close to a new hearing aid user need to be patient while he learns how to function with a hearing aid and deals with both the positive and negative changes that come with hearing aid use.
While wearing aids can be of benefit to most hearing impaired persons, hearing aids will provide very little help for some people.
Benefit from the use of the hearing aid is influenced by the degree of hearing loss, the length of time without auditory stimulation, the age and attitude of the patient, the ability of the person to process what they hear, proper counselling and the appropriateness of the hearing aid for the hearing loss
A hearing aid can greatly improve a patient's quality of life but it is not a perfect solution. There will be problems and situations that will not be helped with the addition of a hearing aid but overall communication for the wearer will be enhanced.
It is also important to keep the hearing aid in good condition with regular maintenance. The high temperatures and high humidity of the Summer can damage a hearing aid and there are some models that need regular maintenance in order to function. Two things that can destroy hearing aids are earwax and moisture. The wearer needs to clean the hearing aid each day so it doesn't get stopped up. It's also essential for hearing aids to be properly maintained and cared for. During the summer, humidity and heat can have an impact on a hearing aid, and they will require a certain extent of looking after in order to stay in good shape. In order to insure continued operation, be sure to keep moisture and earwax away from the devices. You must maintain the cleanliness of your hearing devices on a daily basis. The tiniest amount of wax will warp the sound quality, cause it to wane off or even die out completely.
It can cost quite a bit to repair a hearing aid if ear wax has gotten inside the electronic system. That can happen any time during the year not just summertime. If ear wax gets too far into the inner workings of the device, you may have to pay for costly repairs. This problem isn't seasonal - it can happen year round. Moisture problems can be avoided by storing the hearing aids in dry places - never in the bathroom or any other damp rooms.
Buy some prepared wipes just for the hearing aid, and clean it a few times during the day. Batteries will last longer if the battery door is left open when the hearing aid is not being used, and it also helps air it out. Wipe down the device a few times per day with special wipes made just for this purpose. When the hearing aid is not in use, the battery slot should be left open to allow the device to air out and prolong the life of the batteries. Lastly, you will want to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned and checked for defects a couple of times a year to ensure that they keep operating at maximum efficiency.
