How Long Does It Take to Get Used To Hearing Aids?

 According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), roughly 28.8 million adults in the United States could benefit from hearing aids. 

If you are someone with hearing loss who has just taken the leap to get your first pair of hearing aids, you should congratulate yourself on making an excellent choice that will benefit your physical, mental, ad emotional health.  

While hearing aids come with numerous benefits, they do take a bit of time to get used to. Let’s examine how long it can take new users to adjust to their hearing aids as well as tips to help make the transition easier.  

Be Patient During The First Few Months of Hearing Aid Use  

 It may take up to four months after your initial hearing aids fitting for you to adjust to your hearing aids fully. That doesn't mean that you won't notice some benefits right away because you will. It just means that you have to be patient with both your hearing aids and yourself. 

It's important to remember that with hearing aids, your brain and your ears are adapting to a new way of hearing. This, understandably, takes some time to get used to. You will also likely need a few additional adjustments from your audiologist or hearing professional after your first fitting as you get more real-world experience with your device and find out what sounds right and what doesn’t. 

Four Tips For Adjusting To Your New Hearing Aids  

There are several things you can do to make the process of adjusting to your hearing aids go more smoothly, including: 

• Wear them at home first. Before you head out to a busy restaurant or a big summer barbeque with friends, try getting used to your hearing aids by primarily wearing them around your home or in other quiet listening environments. Practice having one-on-one conversations with a family member or close friend or even read aloud to yourself to get used to how your voice sounds with hearing aids. 
• Stay consistent but take breaks. You’ll get the most benefit from your hearing aids by wearing them consistently during the day. However, when you are getting used to your device, it's OK, and even recommended, to wear them for just a few hours those first few days and slowly build up from there.  
• Be both positive and realistic. As with almost anything, approaching hearing aids with a positive attitude will allow you to find more success using them. Learn how to care for your device, use all of the features it offers and ask your hearing specialist about other steps you can take to improve your hearing health while also understanding that the goal of hearing aids is to help you hear better, but not perfectly. 
• Reach out to a specialist with any concerns. While adjustment periods are normal, if you are experiencing discomfort or pain in your ear, distracting whistling noises or uncomfortably loud volumes when using your hearing aids, contact your specialist. You may need additional adjustments or more guidance on how to use your device correctly. 

To learn more or to connect with an audiologist in your area, visit the TriHealth Audiology page.