7 Tips To Get Used To Your New Hearing Aids | Audien Hearing

7 Tips To Get Used To Your New Hearing Aids (Atom Series)

October 14, 2020

Buying new hearing aids can be stressful because you don't want to notice them when you're wearing them. You want to be able to hear everything you need to hear and forget about the device. But before they feel natural and become a regular part of your routine, you first need to get used to them. We have put together these 7 hearing aid tips to help you have as seamless a transition into your new hearing aids as possible.

1. Before anything, find the right fit

Before you ever turn on your new Audien Hearing aids, insert the device into your ear canal to find the proper fit. You should test the different sized ear tips and find one that creates a perfect seal in your ear when the device is inserted. Feel free to rotate or wiggle the device in different directions in your ear canal until you find the fit that is most comfortable. This way, you can find the perfect fit before you try to get the sound right - which will minimize feedback and irritation.

For some customers with smaller ear canals, our original Atom series may be too big for a comfortable fit, in which instance we'd recommend trying an upgrade to the Atom 2 series, which is even smaller.

2. Adjust to find the right volume level

Once you've found the proper fit, you can try to find the right volume level. We recommend starting out by adjusting the volume to only about 10%, close to the lowest possible volume setting.

By using the provided adjustment tool in your package, you can turn the volume knob counterclockwise to a low setting. Then, you can turn on the device and insert it into your ear. Doing this at low volume will minimize feedback (which can happen when inserting the device) and will provide you a safe and easy way to find the proper volume level for you. Listen to the sounds around you and test a few different types of sound (music, speech, TV), and decide if it's a suitable gain, or if you want to raise the volume.

Once you find the proper volume that's perfect for your needs, you will rarely have to change it!

3. Insert your hearing aids carefully to avoid whistling and feedback

Many experience whistling and feedback when inserting their pair of hearing aids. This is because often, users have the volume too high, so finding a suitable volume level as described in tip #2 is crucial to ensuring you can insert the device safely.

Additionally, when inserting the device, be careful to look for the microphone and to avoid putting pressure on it. If you insert the device at the proper volume level, and without putting pressure on the microphone, you should be able to minimize or completely eliminate feedback or whistling.

4. Only wear them a few hours a day (to start)

Many people think that once you get a hearing aid that works for you, you can wear it right away, all day, every day. But the truth is that even for a hearing aid that can work for you, you have to ease into it. Your ears need time to adjust to the physical feeling of wearing hearing aids, and your brain needs time to learn to process new sounds. That's why it's important to start out only wearing your hearing aids a few hours a day, so you can adjust gradually.

5. Expect a little frustration at first

Transitioning from no hearing device, to wearing an in ear device regularly, is no small change. Expect a little discomfort at first, as your ears adjust to the feeling of wearing a hearing aid. There could be slight irritation on your skin initially, but it will improve over time as the skin in your ear canals gets used to the feeling of a device in the canal.

6. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support

Making the change to wearing hearing aids isn’t easy. Sometimes you can feel alone, or like you don’t have anyone to turn to in your journey to better hearing. At Audien Hearing, we want to make you feel like we’re here for you every step of the way - and we are.

If you have any problems with your device, need a question answered, or anything else, our wonderful support team is available to help. Go to our Audien Hearing Support Center for FAQs and resources, or to contact us via chat support. You can also email us at support@audienhearing.com, or call 205-255-1112 for help from our phone team.

7. Gradually build up usage, and keep using your hearing aids

The hardest part about getting used to new hearing aids? To keep using them! Many people report getting frustrated with smaller errors, or just losing motivation to wear hearing aids. We want to encourage you to stick strong to your goal of having better hearing - and, as we’ve informed you, it takes time to get used to hearing aids. That’s why we recommend you have a consistent approach - start out slow, and gradually build up usage.

For the first week, wear them 1-2 hours a day. Week 1-2, wear them 3-4 hours a day. And after 3-4 weeks, you should be good to wear your hearing aids all day!

Once you get there, be consistent. Your ears and brain are now used to wearing hearing aids regularly, and if you stick to it, you’re bound to be more involved with your friends and family and just happier and healthier overall.

Here at Audien Hearing our #1 mission is to make hearing affordable for everyone.

So make sure to give your new hearing aids a chance! If you follow the steps above, we’re confident you’re going to find a device you love and use all the time!