Hearing aids perform to their highest potential when you know how to use them properly. We don’t want you to view your hearing aids as something daunting to use. Follow our top 5 tips to ensure you are maximising their potential…
It takes a while to get used to hearing aids
Being a first time hearing aid user can take some getting used to. You may feel as though things seem overly loud to begin with. Even sounds such as the humming of electrical appliances may seem too loud at the beginning. The hearing aids are reintroducing sounds to your brain for it to process and this takes some getting used to. Your hearing care professional will advise you how long to wear your hearing aids each day at the very beginning. They may also set the hearing aids to be running at less than 100% sound for a little while. This will then increase gradually to allow you to time to adjust. After a short while, you will be so used to them, you’ll forget you’re wearing them!
Clean your hearing aids carefully
It’s important to keep on top of cleaning your hearing aids. The best thing to do is to give your hearing aids a visual inspection. You will then be able to see the areas that need cleaning as well as decide which tools you require to remove any dirt.
An example of a hearing aid cleaning kit.
You should begin by using a soft cloth to clean your aids gently. Do not ever use water or place your aids in water as this could ruin them. After you have wiped them over, you can begin to use your small brushes and tools to dislodge any wax that may have built up. Once your hearing aids are clean, you can assess whether you need to change the wax filters and domes (if applicable). It is advisable to change these at least once a month to ensure they aren’t clogged up with wax.
Wear your hearing aids all day
We know that there are people who only use their hearing aids when they are going out of the house or if they’re watching the TV. We are here to tell you that you should be using your hearing aids as much as possible! They are there to help you and the more you wear them, the more natural they will feel and the more benefit you will see. When you have your 6 monthly hearing check-ups, your hearing care professional will be able to see how many hours per day on average you have been wearing them for. We would advise popping them in as soon as you get up in the morning and keeping them in until you go to bed in the evening, if possible.
Make the most of the additional technology
Hearing aids generally come with Bluetooth technology nowadays. This means you can pair them with your smartphone meaning you can stream your phone calls and other audio directly into your ears. You can also pair them to a TV streaming device so that the TV can be streamed directly too.
A Phonak TV Connector which is used to directly stream sound from the TV into your hearing aids.
There are lots of different extras that can be added to your hearing aids at the time of purchase. This includes, but is not limited to, titanium casing, waterproof, and a t-coil. Having a t-coil in your hearing aids means that you will be able to connect to venues t-loop systems meaning the sound will be streamed directly into your ears. Lots of public venues, such as churches, cinemas and theatres, have t-loops.
Use your app
The majority of hearing aids are now compatible with an app that can be downloaded to, and accessed via, your smartphone. You can use this app to do simple things such as check your battery levels, but also more complex tasks such as alter your current programming. You can also select specific listening programs depending on your current environment. Some more advanced hearing aids also have trackers in. This means if they are misplaced, they can be easily found using the app. Your hearing care professional will talk you through how to use the app at your fitting appointment.
We hope that our top tips will help you to make the most of your hearing aids. As always, if you need any further advice, or would like to discuss our offering of hearing aids, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
