People often expect too much from their hearing aids. Yet, these devices are made solely for the purpose of helping people who suffer from hearing loss be able to hear again and communicate without problems. However, hearing aids cannot bring back one's previous hearing powers, nor can they prevent further hearing loss. Rather, hearing aids merely amplify sounds from the outside and deliver this signal to your ears, allowing you to hear better. All in all, it is important to know what to expect from these devices so that you do not get disappointed.
What To Seek in a Hearing Aid?
First of all, your hearing aid needs to be comfortable. You will be wearing it a lot, so make sure you are not bothered by the process. The aid should never be too soft or too loud. Thus, learn how to adjust your hearing aid and if you cannot do this, buy another one or have your current one replaced. Never settle for the discomfort your may be feeling.
Secondly, once you get your new hearing aid, you might find many of the new sounds disturbing. Nevertheless, know that these were always there but you were not capable of hearing them. Thus, you will have to get used to all the buzzing, chirping, squeaking and thumping again. But, keep in mind that hearing these sounds means that your hearing is now excellent.
Also, during the first encounter with a hearing aid, be prepared for hearing sounds louder and clearer. You might have forgotten how loud the world around you is and it might be a shock. Yet, stay prepared and learn to accept the new loudness that the amplification of your hearing aid provides you with. Additionally, cell phones may interfere with your hearing aid, so be prepared for that as well.
Finally, sooner or later, you and your new hearing aid will be exposed to incredible noise of restaurants, public places, shopping malls etc. Under such circumstances, it is expected to hear sounds less precisely and you may need to read from one's lips again. Thus, do not get discouraged.
Taking Care of Your Hearing Aid
Make sure you keep your hearing aid clean on a daily basis. It gets in contact with dirt and earwax, so you need to remove all these materials from its surface. Also, always carry spare batteries with you since you never know when your hearing aid may run out of power.
Ultimately, all hearing aids come with a limited lifetime. So, yours is bound to get broken eventually and you may need to purchase a new one sooner than you expect. When this happens, stay open to new devices which go hand-in-hand with the newest technological breakthroughs.
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