STEP
1 | STEP 2 |
STEP 3 |
STEP 4
| STEP 5
STEP
4 - Set Realistic Expectations.
If
your hearing was lost suddenly,
or, has been lost over time, you
will not hear again
like you once did with normal
hearing. This is true
regardless of the type of hearing
loss you have or the type of
hearing aids you own.
Similar to dentures, hearing aids
are only a substitute
for the original - with them you
may live a near-normal life;
without them you will certainly be
handicapped.
Focus
on your improvement,
not on those negative times when
your hearing aids don't let you
hear what you want to hear.
If you become discouraged, refer
to your AIDED and UNAIDED scores
on your audiogram. You may
be achieving a significant percent
of improvement over how well you
would be hearing without hearing
aids. Your hearing aids' job
is to help you hear better,
not perfectly.
Twenty
percent of the time hearing aid shells
must be sent back to be remade
for a better fit. This is
normal. Let us know should
your ear become sore. This
can be remedied.
The
"tinny" or mechanical
sounds you hear are normal.
These are soft, high-frequency
sounds you have been
missing. Your hearing aids
are giving these sounds back to
you. This may be bothersome
at first, but better understanding
comes from letting you hear
them. Be patient while your
brain gets reacquainted with these
sounds.
Many
internal electronic adjustments
will be made step-by-step over
several weeks by one of our staff
to help your brain gradually
become acclimated to normal
listening levels again. This
will require several visits.
These adjustments will be made to
your hearing aids while you wait,
with your input.
At
first your voice may sound
strange to
you. Some wearers say that
in the beginning they sound like
they are in a barrel. In
time, it will sound natural.
Background
noise is normal.
Normal-hearing people hear it,
too. Don't give up
on hearing aids because noise
bothers you. Better hearing
will require you to put up with a
few inconveniences.
Buying
hearing aids won't give instant
gratification. There
is a learning curve which usually
takes from six weeks to six
months. Success
comes from practice and a
commitment to wear them all your
waking hours. Stick with
it. You will succeed.
Part-time users will fail to
receive the full benefit of
hearing aids.
Should
your hearing aids ever stop
working, do not be
alarmed. This is normal.
The inner ear canal is 100 percent
humidity and remains a constant 98
degrees. Earwax is a
combination of salt and corrosive
body acid. These conditions
are harmful to
electronics. But it is in
this environment that hearing aids
must perform. You will need
to bring them in for
routine professional care.
STEP
1 | STEP 2 |
STEP 3 | STEP 4
| STEP 5
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