Do hearing aids make my ears feel strange? Do people see my hearing aids behind the ears? Do I feel annoyed by wearing hearing aids for so long? How will my voice sound when I wear hearing aids?
Hearing aids: The first moment
It is easy to adjust to hearing aids. Although you may experience some slight discomfort at first, you will soon forget that your hearing aids are on.
Common problems with hearing aid adjustments
These are the four most common issues that you might encounter:
- “I feel like my ears are blocked” Also known as the “occlusion effect”, it can feel like your ears have become blocked. The vent in your hearing aids will allow air to pass through your ears. This will allow you to adjust to the sound your hearing aids make.
- “It sounds as if I am talking in a barrel.”
Your own voice might sound different after you start wearing hearing aids. Your hearing aids amplify your voice. Soon, you will become accustomed to it. - “My hearing aids whistling”
You may hear a high-pitched whistling sound, known as “feedback”, when your hearing aids are inserted into your ears. - “I feel pressure in my ears”
For the first few days, it is common to feel some pressure in your ears and a slight soreness. If the sensation persists for more than a few days, or you feel ear pain, contact your hearing professional.
Many people who have just started using hearing aids say that everything is very loud. The clicks of a keyboard, the sound of rushing water and even the squeaks in your shoes suddenly become very obvious. This is a good sign – you are hearing sounds that you haven’t heard in a while.
It can be exhausting to absorb all of these sounds.
- Start by wearing your hearing aids only for a few hours during the first few days, and then gradually increase to full-time wear.
- You may find it helpful to not wear your hearing aids in loud environments until you feel more comfortable wearing them in quiet environments.
You can then adapt to the “new sounds” around you gradually without becoming overwhelmed.
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