If you need hearing aids, you’re not alone. Some 28.8 million adults in the United States could benefit from using hearing aids, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
Hearing aids are electronic devices that improve your hearing by making sounds louder. However, they do take some getting used to. Fortunately, once you become accustomed to your hearing aids, not only can you hear better, but you can enjoy an improved quality of life.
Here at Sharp Hearing Care Professionals, Dr. Kevin Sharim and his team of hearing experts specialize in diagnosing hearing problems and providing patients with customized hearing aids. Dr. Sharim would like to share some important information with you about what it is like to adjust to life with hearing aids.
If you’re struggling to hear, you may be tempted to ignore it. You may think it’s easier just to work around your hearing loss by turning up the television, avoiding social events where you can’t hear the conversation, and saying “what did you say?” in order to get people to speak more loudly to you.
But getting hearing aids makes a big difference for people who can’t hear well. Not only do hearing aids make it easier for you to socialize and engage in life, but using devices that improve your hearing may help reduce your risk of cognitive problems, falls, and other threats to your health and well-being.
To determine whether you need help hearing, Dr. Sharim performs a hearing test, an audiology consultation, and/or a comprehensive hearing evaluation. (The types of tests you receive depend on several factors, including your age, symptoms, and health history.)
Hearing tests and evaluations not only check how well you can hear, but they also determine the kind of hearing problems you may have and look for any injuries or damage in your ears or auditory nerves.
If Dr. Sharim determines you can benefit from hearing aids, he talks with you about which type of hearing aid would be best for you. To ensure that all patients get the hearing aids that are best for them, our practice offers hearing aids from seven different manufacturers. We want to make sure you have the hearing aid that is best for you.
It can take some time to get used to wearing hearing aids. Here are some of the things you can expect as you become comfortable with them:
There is a bit of a learning curve with hearing aids. But don’t worry; our staff will instruct you on how to wear them, use them, clean them, and change their batteries. We make sure you understand how to put them in, take them out, and operate them so you can get the most from your hearing aids.
It does take time to feel comfortable with hearing aids. Knowing that can make the process go more smoothly. Usually, people start off wearing their hearing aids for a few hours a day and then wear them longer as they become accustomed to them. It may take a while for you to know how to set the volume in various situations, such as when you’re in a crowded restaurant, talking on the phone, or listening to music. This is normal. Eventually, you’ll know exactly what to do.
If you wear glasses, you may recall that when you first got them, they may have felt odd. But before you knew it, wearing them felt normal. That’s how it is with hearing aids.
Don’t give up if it takes a little while for you to adjust to your new hearing aids. Stick with it, and soon you’ll be feeling comfortable with them.
Your first hearing aids may turn out not to be right for you. That’s why we offer 60-day free trials, free in-house service for our hearing aids, and even free house calls with an appointment. You can count on us to do everything possible to make sure you have a positive hearing aid experience.
As you adjust to your new hearing aids, you are likely to have questions. Our care providers are here to help by answering all of your questions.
You can count on us to help you optimize your hearing with custom-fitted hearing aids. To schedule a hearing aid consultation with Dr. Sharim and our team at Sharp Hearing Care Professionals, contact one of our offices today. Our offices are conveniently located in Oxnard, Santa Barbara, West Hills, and Santa Monica, California.
