Transitioning to hearing aids after years of hearing loss can take time and patience. How things sound and how it feels to wear a device resting in your ear canal will feel unusual at first, similar to the adjustment of wearing glasses or getting bifocals for the first time. But the pros of wearing a hearing aid far outweigh any cons that exist.
One obvious change that arises after beginning the use of hearing aids is hearing the sound of your own voice. Hearing loss distorts sounds so once the loss is being treated properly, how your voice comes across can be quite different, similar to the way you might hear yourself on a recording for the first time.
Living with hearing loss can make your world feel boxed in and muffled. Most people need time to relearn sounds when using the new hearing device. But there is a world full of sounds out there! Hearing aids are just hearing helpers and they don’t actually listen for you. Listening is a brain function. Practice easy listening first, like at home in your own environment where you are most comfortable, and then work up to louder places like restaurants and auditoriums. While practice with hearing aids won’t make everything perfect, you’ll find it easier to be in most surroundings and they offer better sound than without any hearing assistance. Give it time and stay positive. You may be surprised at what you were missing.
BIO: Kyle Kuhlman is a board certified, licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist with Eye Surgeons Associates. His expertise is specifically in late onset nerve deafness in ranges from very mild to severe.
The material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider.
