What to do when you Get Hearing Aids

So you just got new hearing aids. This is a great thing; however, it can be a little overwhelming at first. There are so many questions. How long can I wear them? How do I clean them? How long does the battery last? How do I change the battery? What kind of battery do I need? How do I adjust the settings? Will I break them because they seem so small and fragile? What happens if they get wet or if I wear them in the shower by accident? What happens if I leave them out and my dog chews on them? There are a lot of questions when it comes to owning new hearing aids, but in addition to improving your quality of life, they’re easy to use once you get used to them!

When you first get your new hearing aids the hearing health professional will sit down with you to go over a few things and answer most, if not all, of the questions stated above and any other ones you may have. The hearing health professional will program the hearing aids to reflect the results from the hearing test, and to also reflect your lifestyle; meaning they will program different settings into the hearing aids that can be switched between either manually or automatically when in different environments. If your hearing aids need to be manually switched between settings the hearing health professional will show you how to do this, and if they automatically switch the hearing health professional will advise you how this change will be made and what to expect.

Next they will go over with you the general care and maintenance that you will need to perform on your hearing aids daily from changing the battery to cleaning them. It should be noted that depending on the type of hearing aid you purchase you will either have to purchase batteries to change on a regular basis or you will have to charge your hearing aids; each has its pros and cons so it is advised you discuss this with your hearing health provider to determine which type is best for your lifestyle and hearing loss.

Once the hearing aids are properly programed and all the general care and maintenance has been gone over, it is now time to try on your hearing aids. With the help of the hearing health professional and a mirror they will show you the proper way to put in and take out your hearing aids. It is very important to learn how to properly handle your hearing aids to avoid damage to the device, as well as to your ear and ear canal. Comfort and hearing aid integrity is key here. Now it is time to test out your hearing aids and learn in the outside world!