So, it’s not all that often that you use your hearing aids? Most of the time you keep them in the drawer unless you’re, for instance, going to the theater or to a party. Do you actually need to wear them more often than that?
The problem is that when you don’t wear your hearing aids on a regular basis, you’re creating some troubling shortcomings for yourself in the long run. Your hearing may get drastically worse. You could suffer from cognitive decline or social isolation. You may compromise your general health. So, if you are not wearing your hearing aids, you should certainly be reading this.
Why Aren’t Your Hearing Aids in Your Ears?
If your hearing aids are stored in a nightstand drawer somewhere, you probably have an excuse. You might have decided to keep those reasons to yourself. Maybe, when your family asks, you might even say something nondescript and elusive, such as, “I just don’t like them”.
Stilted dialogue to the side, we know that’s not the complete story, right? Usually, there’s an exact reason why you don’t use your hearing aids. And there’s also a very exact solution to your issue.
What follows are some of the most common grievances;
“My Hearing Aids Feel Uncomfortable”
Discomfort is one of the most commonly reported reasons for people not using their hearing aids. Maybe the hearing aid keeps falling out of your ear. Or maybe your over-the-ear model chafes in just the wrong spot, causing tenderness and pain.
Hearing aids aren’t supposed to be unpleasant, so if they’re creating irritation of any sort, something is definitely not right. And it’s easy to understand that you wouldn’t want to wear a piece of technology that creates pain, frustration or soreness.
Possible solution: If you’re uncomfortable with your hearing aids, consider scheduling an additional or follow-up fitting appointment. A few little adjustments may be all your hearing aid requires. The size and shape of your ear can even be the basis of a complete customization of some models. You will be able to leave your hearing aid in longer if it fits properly and is comfortable.
I’m Experiencing Poor Quality Sound From my Hearing Aids
Perhaps you experience the sound of your hearing aid to be too fuzzy or tinny so you don’t wear them very often. If that’s the situation, it’s not surprising that you’ve opted to store your hearing aids in your nightstand drawer and save them for “special occasions”.”
Hearing aids are completing complex auditory functions all of the time as they amplify some sounds while getting rid of others and that can cause a fuzzy or tinny sound. So if your settings aren’t properly adjusted, the sound quality may seem unreliable.
Solution: This problem has two possible answer: maintenance and calibration. It could be that your hearing aids are broken in some way or another and require repairs. But it’s also possible that they just need a simple calibration (generally this is something your hearing specialist can do for you).
Voices Seem Muffled When I Use my Hearing Aids
You need to hear voices with clarity. That’s the entire reason you bought hearing aids in the first place! You needed to be certain you didn’t miss out on any important interactions. So if all the voices you hear are hard to understand and are muffled it might be a little bit frustrating.
Because your brain and ears aren’t communicating effectively anymore, this issue usually occurs when you first get your hearing aids.
The Solution: Practice. Comprehending conversations is something your brain will need to get used to, so anything you can do to help provide some repetition will help. Try reading along with an audiobook or reading along with the closed captioning while you watch NCIS. Just having more conversations with the people around you is a perfect way to practice, too.
Finding Solutions
The point is regardless of what your reason for not wearing your hearing aids maybe, there’s an answer somewhere. And you need to use your hearing aid consistently in order to protect your cognitive health and the well being of your hearing.
So if you’re not using your hearing aids? After identifying the problem, find a solution, so you can get involved in your life again. If you believe your hearing aids need adjustment, contact your hearing care specialist now.