Hearing aids are the tool that is most often recommended by an audiologist when it comes to treating a patient for hearing loss. As far as treatments go, none other has seen such a significant improvement in quality of life for such a wide range of people and the technology is ever improving as well. That said, there’s no denying that it can take some time to get used to wearing them.
Most audiologists have had some experience with patients who do not wear their hearing aids as much as they should. The phrase I only wear them when I leave the house is one that we hear all too often, and we want to clear up why sometimes that’s not the best thing for you or for your hearing aids. Here, we’re going to take a look at why you should be wearing your devices as much as you can, as well as the rare times you should take them out.
Acclimating to Your Hearing Aids
At first, wearing your hearing aids after having them fitted may feel a little overwhelming. There is a sudden increase in sound clarity, including the ability to hear sounds that may have previously been missed and this can be disorienting. As such, your audiologist may recommend only wearing your hearing aids inside or for a limited amount of time each day to help you adjust.
You will get used to wearing your hearing aids over time, making it easier for you to wear them for longer periods each and every day, until you’re wearing them for the entire day, outside of when you’re in the bathroom or sleeping.
Why It’s Important to Wear Your Hearing Aids as Often as Possible
Wearing your hearing aids regularly provides a range of benefits. Not only can you become more accustomed to them more easily and see marked improvements to your hearing more quickly, but not wearing them can allow your hearing loss to continue impacting you, potentially leading to negative outcomes such as an increased risk of dementia and depression. It is important to make an effort to wear your hearing aids as often as possible.
Not wearing your hearing aids can also have effects on your mental health. The brain is dealing with more stress when you’re living with untreated hearing loss, as you strain to listen in order to hear things in the environment, even if you don’t realize that you’re doing it. Aside from stress, this can even cause auditory deprivation. This is when your brain starts losing the ability to process certain kinds of sound, often because it hasn’t been exposed to them for so long. Wearing your hearing aid can halt this process.
When not to Wear Your Hearing Aids
There are some occasions when you don’t want to wear your hearing aids, of course. When you’re in the bathroom, you should take them out. This is especially true if you’re planning to have a shower or bath. Exposing your hearing aid to excess moisture and water can cause all manner of malfunctions as, unless they’re designed to be waterproof, the technology doesn’t tend to get on well with water.
Otherwise, if you’re going to bed, you should take them out, too. You can end up lying on your hearing aids with more weight than expected. Not only can this make for poor sleep, but you can damage them, too. Your hearing aid container case should have a dehumidifying chamber for you to put them in to make sure they’re kept as safe as possible when you’re not wearing them. There should also be a chamber for your batteries, so take them out and store them separately, too.
Get the Best Use of Your Hearing Aids with the Help of Your Audiologist
If you have any questions or concerns about using your hearing aids, your audiologist is the best person to ask. In addition to being experienced in working with patients who use hearing aids, your audiologist also has access to your medical and hearing health history, which allows them to better understand your specific needs and concerns. Do not hesitate to reach out to your audiologist for guidance and support.
Get the care and advice that you need when it comes to answering any questions about your hearing aid with Norriton Healing Center. You can get in touch with our team at (610) 228-2779 and we’ll do what we can to help you.
