Approximately 15% of U.S. adults report some trouble hearing. Choosing to begin your journey with hearing aids is a great way to manage your hearing loss. Hearing aids work by amplifying speech sounds, reducing background noise, increasing your awareness of your surroundings and maybe even improving your balance. Some daily benefits you may experience from the small but powerful devices include but are not limited to:
- Improved communication for better relationships
- Better understanding during work meetings
- Improved mental and physical health
When you first get them, hearing aids may have a transition period wherein you find them uncomfortable. Let’s look at a couple of reasons for discomfort as well as what you can do to manage it.
Discomfort From Allergies
If you’re sensitive to one or more of the materials in your hearing aid, you may experience discomfort, soreness or a rash. If you have any allergies that might be affected by hearing aid materials, make sure to tell your audiologist before your fitting so that they can choose the right model for you.
Poor Hearing Aid Fit
Poor fit in your hearing aids can cause the devices to tug on your skin and put pressure on your ear canal and surrounding areas. Though some hearing aids are custom-made, others may need to be adjusted in size. Remember that you can expect discomfort when acclimating to new devices, but they should never hurt.
Your Hearing Aid Is Misplaced
Discomfort could mean your hearing aid is incorrectly sitting in the ear canal. If you think this may be the case, ask your hearing aid specialist to demonstrate proper placement and see if that alleviates some discomfort.
Your Hearing Aid Needs To Be Cleaned
An unclean hearing aid can lead to an increased risk of infections, bacterial growth and irritation. Make sure you are cleaning your devices regularly according to the device’s care instructions.
You Need More Time To Adjust
Wearing hearing aids all day may result in some soreness at first, like soreness from wearing headphones for too long. If you find extended wear uncomfortable, take your hearing aids out for an hour at a time when you need a break. Try taking them out for a little while at home or during a walk through Grant Park. Though consistency of wear is important, giving yourself breaks will allow you to acclimate to the devices more comfortably.
To begin your hearing treatment journey, contact Advanced Hearing today to make an appointment with one of our trusted audiologists.