Why Does it Matter if You Wear Your Hearing Aids

Woman wearing hearing aids enjoys a hike with friends.

So, it’s not all that often that you wear your hearing aids? Perhaps you put them in when you go to a party or go to the theater, but otherwise, you leave them in your drawer. Is it really important to use them more often than that?

Over the long term, you make trouble for yourself if you’re not wearing your hearing aids regularly and that’s a problem. Your hearing could get drastically worse. Social isolation and cognitive decline could be the outcome. Your general health could be jeopardized. This article will help you comprehend why you should be using your hearing aids.

Why Are Your Hearing Aids Not in

You likely have a good excuse for keeping your hearing aids in a somewhere in a drawer. Sure, maybe you haven’t specifically been forthcoming about what those reasons might be. Maybe, when your family asks, you might even say something nondescript and elusive, like, “I just don’t like them”.

Stilted dialogue aside, we know that’s not the complete story, right? Usually, there’s a particular reason why you don’t use your hearing aids. Specific issues are positive because they generate the possibility to find an equally specific remedy.

Some of the most frequent problems consist of the following;

“My Hearing Aids Don’t Feel Comfortable”

One of the most frequently mentioned reasons that people discontinue using their hearing aids regularly is discomfort. Often, the hearing aid won’t stop falling out of your ear. Or maybe your over-the-ear model irritates just the wrong spot, causing tenderness and pain.

Hearing aids aren’t intended to be unpleasant, so something is certainly not right if they’re causing any sort of irritation. And soreness, frustration, and pain are not things you would desire from any piece of technology.

Possible solution: If your hearing aids are uncomfortable, consider setting up an additional or follow-up fitting session. A few little tweaks could be all your hearing aid needs. Some models can even be completely customized to the shape and size of your ears. The more comfortable your hearing aid fits, the more likely you are to keep the device in place for long periods of time.

I’m Experiencing Poor Quality Sound From my Hearing Aids

It’s possible you don’t use your hearing aids regularly because you experiencing the sound to be tinny or fuzzy. It’s not surprising that you’ve decided to put away your hearing aids for a special occasion, if that’s the situation.”

This tinny or fuzzy sound can happen because hearing aids are doing complicated auditory processes all the time, amplifying some sounds while filtering out others. So if your settings aren’t properly tweaked, the sound quality might seem unreliable.

Solution: This issue has two potential solution: upkeep and calibration. Your hearing aids could be broken in some form or another and need to be
repaired. But it’s also possible that they just need a simple calibration (normally this is something your hearing specialist can take care of for you).

When I Use my Hearing Aid Voices Seem Muffled

When you listen to people talk, you want to be able to hear them clearly. When you first bought hearing aids that was the whole point! You needed to be sure you didn’t miss any important discussions. So if all the voices you hear are hard to understand and are muffled it could be a bit frustrating.

This normally occurs when you first get your hearing aids because your brain and ears aren’t necessarily used to communicating very well anymore (it’s like they had a falling out or something).

The Solution: Keep practicing. Your brain is going to have to become accustomed to hearing language again, so anything you can do to help provide some repetition will help. Try reading along with closed caption to your favorite tv show or along with an audiobook. Another way to get some good practice is simply by having discussions with people you come in contact with.

Finding Solutions

You can find a solution no matter what the reason you’re not wearing your hearing aid. And it is essential, both for your hearing health and your cognitive well-being, that you wear your hearing aids routinely.

So if your hearing aids don’t seem to be working perfectly for you? After identifying the problem, find a solution, so you can get involved in your life again. If you think your hearing aids need adjustment, get in touch with your hearing care expert as soon as possible.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.