I’m a member of several groups for hearing aid users, and frequently people new to hearing aids will ask for advice on buying them, or using them. Here is some advice I like to throw out for people looking in to purchasing hearing aids, or who are new to wearing them…
- Make sure to go to an Audiologist who works with more than one brand of hearing aid, instead of going to a “hearing aid dispenser”. A hearing aid dispenser sells one brand of hearing aid (maybe two) and will give you the best they have for you out of that one brand, they may or may not actually be trained in Audiology. An Audiologist should have an Masters or Doctorate in Audiology (AuD) and will get you the best hearing aid from multiple companies. An AuD will also give you a complete hearing test, and won’t push you in to something you don’t need. This is not to say that all hearing aid dispensers are bad, or all Audiologists are good, but in general, you are going to get a more thorough examination and recommendation from an Audiologist. I think this is especially important if you are newly diagnosed with hearing loss, or are getting your first pair of hearing aids.
- It can take a few weeks for your brain to get use to the extra audio input, so be patient with it.
- Keep a list of sounds that bug you or don’t sound right. Write down as many details as possible about those sounds or words. See if you can notice certain parts of words that give you problems, like letters or syllables, and write those down. The more information you can give your Audiologist, the better your adjustment will be.
- Don’t give up on the hearings aids after just one or two adjustments. Sometimes it can take 3+ adjustments to get them to sound right. Keep going back until you are happy.
- You should be given at least a 30 day trial period. If you aren’t, consider taking your business elsewhere. If you get near the end of your trial and your hearing aids still don’t sound right, ask for an extension. If they won’t do an extension, then think about trying another brand.