Hearing loss is a serious problem. It drastically changes a person’s life. Fortunately, today there is an effective recovery method. We are talking about the daily wearing of hearing aids!
The choice of a hearing aid is not a simple task. It’s a complex process. Approach it with all responsibility to get the best result. Let’s look at the choice and purchase of medical devices in more detail!
Can I choose hearing aids on my own?
Each of us uses IT services, ordering products with home delivery. It is convenient and saves time and money. Many people prefer to look for hearing aids in the popular marketplace. Lack of knowledge and bright advertising do their job. Some want to buy hearing aids without consulting a doctor. Some are choosing devices on their own. They all make the same mistake. An inexperienced person shouldn’t choose hearing aids without the help of a professional. Hearing aids are medical devices, not electronic gadgets, like your smartphone or headphones. They do important work, namely, restoring hearing. Your health will depend on them!
The Hearing Care Professional selects and sets up the hearing aid individually for each patient. Yes, these electronic devices are individual and only 1 person can use them. The reasons are the individual structure of hearing organs and the degree of hearing loss. The doctor takes into account all the factors before inviting the patient to purchase them. Then comes a more complex process of configuration and adaptation. You won’t be able to do it at home!
This is the only way you get the best effect from hearing aids. You won’t get the desired result if you buy devices yourself. Your hearing won’t recover! Therefore, forget about such an idea. Do you want to restore your ear and return to a happy life without difficulties? Follow the following recommendations.
Hearing aids selection rules
Every hearing aid store offers various models from well-known manufacturers. Such a variety will confuse you. We’ve already mentioned why you should not choose hearing aids yourself. Follow the following steps to get the most convenient medical devices and return your hearing!
Refer to hearing care professional
The first step to hearing restoration is a consultation with a specialist. Only an experienced doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe effective treatment, including hearing aids.
Go through hearing tests
The audiologist will conduct a speech audiometry on the first examination. He’ll prescribe additional medical studies if there are signs of hearing loss. Today is the most popular tonal audiometry. This is an effective and painless Hearing Test, which shows the severity of your hearing. The test results indicate the state of your hearing for each ear. In addition, they help to determine the degree of hearing loss and choose the power of the hearing aid. This is the most important characteristic of a medical device that affects hearing restoration!
Report your hobbies and dress up
A modern hearing aid is a stylish medical device with various functions. Therefore, you must inform the attending doctor about your lifestyle, hobby, and wishes. The specialist will consider them when choosing a specific model. For example, if you like to swim, then you need to buy a waterproof model. If you like to run, then the intra-channel hearing aids are the best option. They are completely hidden inside the ear canal and do not interfere with playing sports.
Manufacturers also offer additional functions. Determine which of them suit you and which are not. Additional functions can greatly affect the price. Do not overpay for unnecessary functions.
Purchasing devices
It’s as simple as you can imagine. Select the model from the proposed options and order them. Wait for the delivery and go to the next step.
Hearing aid fitting
All hearing aids come to the market with stock settings. Yes, you can use them, but it is better to adjust them before it. The doctor will take into account all your personal characteristics. Hearing Care Professional does this using special equipment. Individual setting increases the efficiency and comfort of hearing aids.
Have you passed all the steps? Great job! There is one more step to healthy hearing. I’m talking about a period of adaptation!
What is a period of adaptation?
Buying and configuring hearing aids are important steps to healthy hearing, but not the last. You need to get used to medical devices before you can wear them all day long. Don’t try to use hearing aids for several hours at once, then they can cause discomfort and headache. What is the reason? Maybe the devices are not suitable for me? Relax, everything is fine. You just need to go through the adaptation period!
Our brain is constantly adapting to new conditions. The gradual decrease in hearing is one of the conditions that affect its work. When there are problems with hearing organs, the brain begins to rebuild its work. It turns off some areas and loads others. Thus, it adapts to new conditions. In most cases, hearing loss develops gradually, so you do not notice it. Symptoms of such changes in the brain is a decrease in human cognitive capabilities. The brain spends resources to hear and understand external sounds and it does not have enough resources for other tasks.
What happens when you wear hearing aids? You restore the opportunity to hear normally. For the brain, these are new and unfamiliar conditions. Therefore, patients always undergo adaptation before they begin to wear hearing aids for a long time. First, you begin to use devices in a familiar audiological environment, for example, at home. Moreover, time is limited to 30-60 minutes. Gradually you increase this time. Then, you change the audiological environment, gradually increasing the volume of the external environment. In such a way, the brain is rebuilding and adapting to new conditions.
Many factors affect the period of adaptation. The average time for getting used to new conditions is about 2-3 weeks. Follow all the recommendations of your attending Hearing Care Professional if you want to go through the period quickly and painlessly. The doctor will give you all the necessary tips.
At the end of the adaptation, the doctor will make the last settings. Congrats! Now you can wear your hearing aids all day long without any difficulties. Enjoy a crystal clear sound and the opportunity to appreciate surrounding sounds and your favorite voices!
