So, it’s not very often that you use your hearing aids? Maybe you put them in when you go to a party or go to the theater, but otherwise, you leave them in your drawer. Do you actually need to use them more often than that?
The concern is that when you don’t use your hearing aids regularly, you’re developing some troubling shortcomings for yourself in the long run. Your hearing could get considerably worse. Cognitive decline and social isolation could be the result. You might compromise your general health. So, if you are not using your hearing aids, you should certainly be reading this.
Why Aren’t You Using Your Hearing Aid?
You most likely have a good justification for keeping your hearing aids in a somewhere in a drawer. You may have decided to keep those reasons to yourself. Perhaps you evade the questions from your family when they ask why you don’t wear them.
Undoubtedly, though, there’s more to the story than that. Normally, there’s an exact reason why you don’t use your hearing aids. Specific issues are positive because they create the possibility to find an equally specific remedy.
Some of the most frequent problems include the following;
“My Hearing Aids Aren’t Comfortable”
One of the most typically mentioned reasons that people discontinue wearing their hearing aids regularly is discomfort. Perhaps the hearing aid keeps falling out of your ear. Or perhaps tenderness and pain are developing in just the wrong spot with your over-the-ear model.
It’s not supposed to be uncomfortable to use hearing aids, so if they’re creating discomfort of any kind, something is surely wrong. And frustration, pain and soreness are not things you would wish from any piece of technology.
Possible solution: If your hearing aids are uncomfortable, consider scheduling an additional or follow-up fitting appointment. A couple slight tweaks may be all your hearing aid requires. The size and shape of your ear can even be the basis of a complete customization of some models. The more comfortable your hearing aid fits, the more likely you are to leave it in place for long periods of time.
My Hearing Aid Has Poor Sound Quality
It’s possible you don’t wear your hearing aids regularly because you experiencing the sound to be tinny or fuzzy. It’s not shocking that you have decided to put away your hearing aids for a special occasion, if that’s the case.”
This tinny or fuzzy sound can happen because hearing aids are carrying out complex auditory processes at all times, amplifying some sounds while filtering out others. So the sound quality may seem hard to rely on if your settings aren’t correctly tweaked.
Solution: This challenge has two potential answer: maintenance and calibration. It’s possible that your hearing aids are broken in some form or another and require repairs. But your hearing specialist can do a basic calibration which is all that your hearing aids may need.
With My Hearing Aid, Voices Seem Muffled
You want to hear voices clearly. When you first got hearing aids that was the whole point! You didn’t want to miss out on one word. So if all the voices you hear are difficult to comprehend and sound muffled it might be a little bit aggravating.
Because your ears and brain aren’t communicating very well anymore, this issue usually occurs when you first buy your hearing aids.
Solution: Keep practicing. Your brain is going to have to get used to hearing language again, so putting yourself in situations where you can hear people conversing regularly will be helpful. Try reading along with closed caption while watching your favorite program or along with an audiobook. Just having more discussions with the people who are around you is a very good way to get some practice, too.
Getting Solutions
You can find an answer no matter what the reason you’re not using your hearing aid. And you need to use your hearing aid regularly in order to protect your cognitive health and the health of your hearing.
So if you’re not wearing your hearing aids? Identify the problem and come up with a solution, so you can get active in your life again. If you suspect your hearing aids need adjustment, consult your hearing care professional right away.