Your First Weeks With New Hearing Aids: What to Expect

The fitting is the start, not the finish

Getting new hearing aids is a big step. It is also the start of a process. The NHS says adjusting to hearing aids can be difficult at first, and that it may take a few weeks or months to get used to them. The US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) says hearing aids take time and patience to use successfully.

Knowing what is normal in the first weeks makes it much easier to keep going, and to know when to ask for an adjustment.

What you may notice

More sounds than before. Philips explains that you will hear many more sounds than you used to, and that the new sounds may surprise you at first. The fridge, the air conditioner, footsteps, the indicator in the car, paper rustling: sounds you may not have noticed for years can suddenly seem everywhere.

Your own voice. Many people find their own voice sounds different or too loud. NIDCD notes that most individuals get used to this effect over time. Philips suggests reading out loud to help you get used to the sound of your own voice.

Your brain is adjusting. Philips and Oticon both say it just takes a little while for your brain to adjust.

Realistic expectations. NIDCD states that a hearing aid will not restore normal hearing. Philips and Oticon add that the full benefits come from frequent use, even if the hearing aids feel a bit strange at first.

A simple plan for the first weeks

First days: quiet places. Philips and Oticon both advise wearing your hearing aids at home or in other quiet environments for the first few days. Talk with one person at a time, listen to the radio at a normal volume, read aloud.

Build up the time. Oticon suggests wearing them for a few hours on the first day, and Philips advises gradually increasing the time you wear them each day after that. NIDCD suggests asking your hearing care professional how long you should wear them each day while you adjust.

Wear them regularly. NIDCD says wearing your hearing aids regularly will help you adjust to them. Long gaps make the adjustment start again.

Then widen out. Once quiet settings feel comfortable, try a small family meal, a short visit to a café or a phone call. Noisy places are usually the hardest, so leave them for later. See hearing aids in noisy places.

Keep a short listening diary

Oticon suggests it can be helpful to bring a diary, and also a close relative or friend, to your appointments. Note:

• Situations that went well.
• Situations that were hard: which place, which people, what kind of noise.
• Sounds that were too loud, too sharp or too quiet.
• Anything physical: discomfort, the hearing aid feeling loose, whistling.
• Practical problems with charging, batteries, the app or the phone.

Short, specific notes help the professional decide what to adjust. "Restaurant on Friday: couldn't follow my grandson across the table, plates very loud" is more useful than "noisy places are bad".

Follow-up appointments matter

The NHS explains that you will have follow-up appointments after your hearing aids are fitted to check how things are going. Oticon notes that new hearing aids may need fine-tuning, especially in the beginning.

You do not have to wait. The NHS says to get in touch with your audiologist at any point if you are having problems. See follow-up and adjustments for what to prepare for an adjustment appointment.

Practical skills to learn early

• Putting in and taking out. See how to put in hearing aids.
• Daily cleaning. See how to clean hearing aids.
• Charging or batteries. See rechargeable hearing aids.
• Phone and TV. See hearing aids and phone calls and hearing aids and watching TV.

How family can help

Family and friends can make the first weeks easier by speaking face to face, turning the TV down during conversation and being patient while you get used to new sounds. Share communicating with someone who wears hearing aids with them.

When to call

Contact G-Sound in English if:

• The hearing aids are uncomfortable or keep falling out.
• Sounds are still too loud, too sharp or unclear after the first days.
• You hear whistling once the hearing aids are in place.
• You are unsure how to use the charger, the programmes or the app.

If you notice ear pain, discharge or a sudden change in your hearing, contact a doctor.