So, it’s not all that often that you use your hearing aids? Perhaps you put them in when you go to a party or go to the theater, but otherwise, you leave them in your drawer. Is it really necessary to use them more often than that?
The concern is that when you don’t wear your hearing aids on a regular basis, you’re creating some troubling shortcomings for yourself over time. You could damage your hearing permanently. You could suffer from cognitive decline or social isolation. You may compromise your overall health. So, if you aren’t using your hearing aids, you should certainly pay attention to this.
Why Are Your Hearing Aids Not in
If your hearing aids are sitting unused in a nightstand drawer somewhere, you probably have an excuse. Sure, maybe you haven’t exactly been forthcoming about what those reasons might be. Maybe, when your family questions you, you even say something nondescript and elusive, such as, “I just don’t like them”.
Stilted dialogue aside, we know that’s not the full story, right? Normally, there’s an exact reason why you’re not using your hearing aids. Specific grievances are positive because they generate an opportunity to find an equally specific solution.
What follows are some of the most common complaints;
“My Hearing Aids Aren’t Comfortable”
Discomfort is one of the most frequently cited grounds for people not using their hearing aids. Often, the hearing aid won’t stop falling out of your ear. Or perhaps your over-the-ear model irritates just the wrong spot, causing pain and tenderness.
It’s not supposed to be uncomfortable to wear hearing aids, so something is surely wrong if they’re creating any sort of discomfort. And it’s easy to understand that you wouldn’t want to wear a piece of technology that causes soreness, pain, or frustration.
Possible solution: If you’re uncomfortable with your hearing aids, a follow-up fitting session is something you should consider. A couple little adjustments may be all your hearing aid requires. Some designs can even be totally customized to the shape and size of your ears. The more comfortable your hearing aid is, the more likely you are to keep the device in place for long periods of time.
I’m Experiencing Poor Quality Sound From my Hearing Aids
It’s possible you don’t wear your hearing aids regularly because you experiencing the sound to be tinny or fuzzy. If that’s the circumstance, it’s not surprising that you’ve opted to store your hearing aids in a drawer somewhere and save them for “special occasions”.”
This tinny or fuzzy sound can happen because hearing aids are doing complex auditory functions all the time, amplifying some sounds while filtering out others. So the sound quality might seem hard to rely on if your settings aren’t correctly adjusted.
Solution: This difficulty has two possible solution: upkeep and calibration. Your hearing aids may be damaged in some way or another and require repairing. But your hearing specialist can perform a basic calibration which is all that your hearing aids may require.
Voices Seem Muffled With my Hearing Aids
When you listen to people talk, you want to be able to hear them with clarity. That’s the overall reason you purchased hearing aids in the first place! You didn’t want to miss a single word. So it may be a bit aggravating if all the voices you hear when your wearing you’re hearing aid are muffled or difficult to understand.
Because your ears and brain aren’t communicating effectively anymore, this problem usually happens when you first get your hearing aids.
Solution: Keep practicing. Comprehending what people are saying is something your brain will need to get used to, so putting yourself in situations where you can hear people conversing regularly will help. Try reading along with closed caption to your favorite program or along with an audiobook. Another way to get some positive practice is simply by having conversations with people around you.
Getting Solutions
The point is regardless of what your justification for not wearing your hearing aids might, there’s a solution somewhere. And you have to use your hearing aid regularly in order to safeguard your cognitive health and the well being of your hearing.
So if your hearing aids don’t seem to be working well for you? Determine the problem and come up with a solution, so you can make your hearing aids, and everything that they help you hear, part of your everyday life. If you think your hearing aids need adjustment, consult your hearing care specialist now.
