Acclimatization: The Common Struggles Adjusting to New Hearing Aids
It takes time to adjust to new hearing aids, here’s why…
Whether you are being fit with your first pair or your fifth pair of hearing aids, changes in amplification can sound very strange and even uncomfortable at first. This is similar to putting on a new pair of prescription glasses, it takes some time to adjust to the new changes. Our ears are extremely delicate and sensitive organs. Even the slightest amplification through hearing aids will create a substantial change in the way you hear. As a result, it can take up to two weeks to fully adjust. This process of adjustment is called acclimatization.
Acclimatization – What to Expect
During this period of adjustment or acclimatization, small noises such as vent noise, cutlery clinging, chewing and other soft sounds appear to be much louder and increasingly distracting. Sounds that were previously missed because of the hearing loss or older hearing aid technology are brought back to life. New hearing aid users will suddenly feel as if all they can hear is noise! Over time the brain works to tune out distracting sounds. Within the two week acclimatization period, the ears will being to adjust themselves to the new hearing aids. Afterwards, the client will begin to fully benefit from the amplified sounds.
Unfortunately, many new hearing aids user give up during those two weeks because they find the noise to be too substantial and uncomfortable. The best and quickest way to acclimate yourself to your new hearing aids is to simply wear them as much as possible! Just like glasses, the more you wear them the faster you adapt to them. Therefore, consistently wearing your hearing aids will not only shorten the adjustment period, it will also improve hearing aid satisfaction.
Wearing a hearing aid for eight hours a day is a difficult task for first time users. Hearing aids require a change to daily routine. Putting on the hearing aids each morning, checking the battery, changing wax guards are all small steps that can take time to fully integrate into our everyday life. Fortunately, your audiologist is there to help you every step of the way! Visit one of our hearing care professional at the Davidson Hearing Aid Centres to discuss hearing aid adjustment solutions!
Reference:
Auditory Distraction and Acclimatization to Hearing Aids, Piers Dawes and Kevin J. Munro, Ear and Hearing, 2017
