The majority of individuals who use hearing aids are happy with their experience: According to one recent survey, when talking one-on-one, 91% of people who use hearing aids are satisfied with their experience. When breaking down results with specific activities, 75% were satisfied in a restaurant or on the phone, 78% were satisfied while in the supermarket, and 85% were satisfied watching TV or in a group.
These are some dramatically positive numbers for a complex device like a hearing aid. But that still leaves us wondering, what’s going on with the other 25%, 15%, and 9%. What makes them less happy with their hearing aid?
Individuals who use hearing aids have some good and some bad things to convey about them. (We can easily fix the majority of the bad stuff and that’s the good news!)
If you love your hearing aid, this article will make you love it even more. And for individuals who are less excited, this article should help you deal with your concerns.
1. I feel more connected
There’s frequently a reconnection with friends and loved ones for individuals who have had their ability to hear restored with hearing aids. Their energy levels are higher. They engage and stay more active.
Their inability to hear isn’t so frustrating anymore. Because they don’t have to struggle to hear what people are saying, they feel less tired.
For many individuals, a hearing aid helps them feel more connected to their world and others, which is when they feel happiest.
2. They might sound distorted initially
Hearing aids nowadays are digital. They don’t simply make sounds louder, they have lots of settings to help you hear best in various places. Because of this, some individuals may be dissatisfied when they’re in a loud setting like a restaurant or talking on the phone but quite satisfied when in a one-on-one conversation.
It’s not difficult to learn to use a hearing aid. But they do take some practice getting used to them.
3. I couldn’t find out how to use my hearing aid on my own
A frequent misconception about hearing aids is that it’s a one-size-fits-all solution. If it doesn’t sound great when they first get home they may think that this is as good as it gets and choose not to use the hearing aid.
Hearing is more complex than you may know. Hearing aids are designed to address various types and levels of hearing loss by adjusting how sound goes into the ear.
Our expert hearing specialists will perform a hearing aid fitting in the office. It’s strongly advised that you practice using your hearing aid by chatting with a friend initially.
If it still doesn’t sound good after a couple of weeks, consult us. We can help you have a better knowledge of how your functions work and we can most likely do some fine-tuning for you.
4. Without full hearing, you forgot what you were missing out on
Can you recollect what gentle laughter or a soft whisper sounds like? How about soft music, birds singing, wind chimes, or the wind? Maybe you’ve forgotten how it makes you feel to hear the delicate breath of a significant other sitting near you or children playing outside.
Hearing these little subtle sounds that were forgotten about is unexpectedly pleasant according to many people who get hearing aids. Having these sounds restored means the whole magnificence of the world around can once again be experienced by individuals who get hearing aids.
5. It took some time to get accustomed to my hearing aids
You likely weren’t at first comfortable with your first pair of shoes when you were a toddler. Now you might choose to use them all the time. Similarly, a new watch or a new hat might take a bit of time to get accustomed to.
Our bodies are designed to feel discomfort when something seems out of place, like a hearing aid going into your outer ear. Eventually, when the body recognizes that it’s not threatened, it will become accustomed to and comfortable with the new device.
6. I wish I would have invested in my hearing aids sooner
People who made the effort to get used to their hearing aids would not go back. They wouldn’t give up all the benefits of hearing, and they often regret putting off for so long to invest in a hearing aid.
Individuals who had patience and stuck with it were glad that they did. Their lives have become a great deal more enriched.
Improved hearing should be the focus
If you’re not having the ideal experience with your hearing aid, don’t quit. The effort and the time will be worth it. It will become second nature before too long.
Whatever you’re experiencing with your hearing aid today, talk to us about it. We can typically give you tips on how to adjust to your hearing aids faster. The patience is worth it when you get the opportunity to experience all that life has to offer.
