You’ve put off far too long but you finally purchased a pair of hearing aids. Taking the first step to enhance your Quality of life is an awesome accomplishment. There are things you should learn to do and not to do with newer technology such as modern hearing aids. The list with hearing aids is not long, but it’s an important one.

There are other things to consider besides simply taking care of your hearing. The device will be less useful and your adjustment time will be slowed by the things you fail to do. Others in your shoes have made mistakes that you can learn from. These four things that you shouldn’t do should be taken into consideration.

1. Straight Out of the Box Into Your Ear

If you don’t check out the features that are included with the brand you bought and take the time to learn the basics of how your device works you could be missing powerful features. If you just turn on your hearing aids and start wearing them, it’s likely they won’t work effectively. You may also lose out on the best features such as Bluetooth and noise filters.

You can work on adjusting the hearing aid and ascertain how to get the best sound quality by being patient and reading the user manual.

When you purchase your hearing aids you will have a basic idea of what they can do. Now, spend some time learning how to use them.

2. It Takes Time For Your Ears to Adjust

Your eyes need to adjust to the shape of the frame and the difference in lenses when you get new glasses. There is also an adjustment period with hearing aids. High quality sound in a new hearing aid does not happen by magic. That’s not how it works.

There is an adaptation period your ears will need if you’re new to wearing hearing aids. Adjusting to your new hearing aids quickly is all about consistency.

After you put them in leave them in. You should resist the urge to keep removing them. Think about why you might be uncomfortable.

• Are you overwhelmed by the background noise? Every day when you first put them in you should go to a quiet place for a few minutes. Sit and talk with a friend. Ask them if you are talking too loud. By doing this, you can balance out the sound by making adjustments.
• If it is uncomfortable, take the hearing aid out for short time periods until you get used to it. If the hearing aids just don’t really fit right, go back to the retailer and have them examined.
• Is the audio too loud? Perhaps you should turn down the volume.

Giving up is the biggest mistake you can make. If you just forget about your hearing aids, shoving them in a drawer somewhere, they won’t do you any good.

3. Neglect Getting a Professional Fitting Upfront

There is a lot involved in finding the right hearing aids, and it begins before you even start shopping. While at your hearing exam at the audiologist, it’s important to be honest about what you can and can’t hear. Hearing aids that aren’t right for your type or level of hearing loss can be the result. Some hearing aids pick up a high-frequency sound by design for instance. These are not the right hearing aids for you if you don’t hear mid or low tones.

In some circumstances, hearing aids may not really fit your lifestyle. Perhaps you spend two-thirds of your day on the phone, so you will want hearing aids with Bluetooth technology.

While you are still in the trial period for your new hearing aids, take note of the times where you wanted your hearing aids to do something different or when it felt like they didn’t work right. Your hearing aid technician can discuss that with you if you take them back. An adjustment might be needed or you may need a different device.

Make sure to purchase your hearing aids from a retailer that does fittings, too. They won’t work if they are too big for your ears.

4. Sloppy Maintenance

Successful upkeep of your hearing aids starts with understanding how and when to do it. Take the time to learn how to care for your hearing aids even if this isn’t your first pair.

There are some things you don’t want to do with your hearing aids in like using hair care products when you have them in or taking them out without turning them off so read your documentation.

Additionally, read the troubleshooting instructions and the maintenance guide.

Understand precisely how to clean your hearing aids because that’s a big part of correct maintenance. Don’t quit at just cleaning the device, either. You also have to properly clean your ears.

If you want to get the most out of your hearing aids, the ball is in your court. The process begins as you are shopping for them and proceeds when you begin wearing them. Schedule an exam with a hearing professional to learn what type of hearing aid will best fit your needs.