“Consistency is key” is true when it comes to wearing hearing aids!
They say that “consistency is key,” and this maxim shows itself to be true in many spheres. It could not be more evident in terms of hearing aid use. When someone gets hearing aids, it can be easy to think wearing them is only necessary when going out of the house. The problem is that when someone does this, they usually end up flustered at the confusion and noise level and wish to discard their hearing aids. Consistent use is key for getting the most out of hearing aids.
The Role of the Brain
What most people do not know is that hearing mainly happens in the brain. The brain does most of the legwork in helping you communicate with others. The ears carry all sound, both loud and minute, up to the nerves that take sound waves to the brain. The brain then interprets and balances sounds to give you an accurate depiction of the real world. Hearing loss lessens the sound that enters the brain, and in turn, a person loses the capacity to process it. Hearing aids retrain the brain to process sounds normally. They do not replace or cure original hearing, but they do greatly improve it.
Training the Brain at Home
It is best to start retraining your brain through hearing aids at home. With consistent use, your brain will practice picking up and interpreting background and amplified noises. Even if you are not watching a video or talking to a family member, you will pick up the subtle sounds of the air conditioning or furnace, footsteps around the house, birds singing, etc. Without the capability to hear and balance these noises out as background noise, you and your brain will feel overwhelmed when entering a noisy environment.
Entering the Public
With your retrained ability to pick up the smallest of background noises, you will be ready to enter more demanding listening situations. You may want to hear a speaker in a large room, or one person speaking in a crowded area. These different conditions require different listening capabilities. Consistent use is key for getting used to hearing in public also.
Improvement over Time
Consistency is essential because hearing improvement takes time. Someone who recently received new hearing aids should expect to visit the audiologist a couple of times to make final adjustments and check on progress. This period can take weeks or even months. However, if one practices consistently every day, the results will come sooner.
Trust the Experts at Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions
Need help with your hearing? Clarity Hearing can help. Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions is an independently owned and operated clinic that focuses on quality of care and personalized, friendly service to the surrounding areas of Ellicott City, Catonsville, Columbia. Our Doctors of Audiology are highly trained with advanced degrees and take the time to provide the personalized care and attention that you need and deserve. We provide advanced hearing aid options that are personally calibrated with cutting-edge digital technology to fit your hearing loss, your unique ear anatomy, and your individual listening needs.
You can call us today to schedule a FREE Hearing Protection Consultation at 410-698-6594! For more blog posts, news, and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.