Make no mistake, getting a hearing aid will almost certainly bring about a radical change in your life and as a bonus will bring a smile to your family and friends who will be happy for you and relieved that you will be hearing much better than before. But there are some steps that you yourself must take to help the process that could spell the end of your hearing-impairment frustrations.
Use an Audiologist for Optimal Hearing Improvements
Firstly, realize that simply wearing hearing aids won’t immediately solve your hearing loss. You will need an adjustment period; your Audiologist will talk you through this when you visit them.
It will take you a while to get used to and be comfortable with your new hearing device. There is no need to be concerned with this as today’s hearing aids are tiny and will be designed especially to fit your ear(s).
These days people are much less concerned about seeing others wearing a hearing aid, indeed most people never notice you wearing them simply because they are so discrete, small and easy to hide. You will soon become confident and get used to wearing your hearing aid.
Hear More Conversations
Once you have given yourself a short period of adjustment, you will soon be noticing a huge difference in your hearing health. You will be picking up sounds that you had not heard for a long time.
Whether it is at home watching TV, listening to the radio or music, you will begin to realize the satisfying hearing improvements that your new hearing aids deliver to your ear(s). You will be able to hear conversations that had become a mumble; you will appreciate being able to hear people in a restaurant or social occasion much more clearly than before.
No More Shouting!
Just think how much better your family and friends will react when they don’t have to shout at you or repeat themselves so many times! Those around you will feel much happier for you as your communication skills become much more normal again. Many hearing aid users talk about becoming more active and tend to seek out new activities now that they can more clearly hear what is going on around them.
Personal isolation, which for many had been the result of hearing- impairment, no longer has to be so. You no longer have to act as if you did hear what was being said – the other person will know that you heard what they said and you both will feel more comfortable when speaking with each other.
Summing Up
There is no doubt that once you get a hearing aid, and give yourself a little time for the period of adjustment, you will soon leave your hearing frustrations behind and start living a full and healthy hearing life. Most hearing loss sufferers take up to ten years to get round to doing something about their hearing health issue.
My advice is not to waste those years delaying what you know may be true. Life is too short to put off something that can improve your health today.
If you think you may need to have some hearing improvements – you are probably right. Visit a Professionally Qualified Audiologist and start transforming your life - you owe it to yourself.
For more information, please contact us here.
Dr. George Panayiotou, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA
Clinical Audiologist
