Hearing aids come with all sorts of pre-conceived notions that influence how our patients might feel when they receive their first pair. Hearing aids will make me look old; they will be bulky, uncomfortable; people will treat me differently if they find out. These types of negative worries can reduce confidence with using and wearing hearing aids. When patients have low confidence, we find that they wear their hearing aids less and this only their hearing health to get worse instead of better.

Here are some tips to help you build up your confidence and hear your best!

  • Be confident about operating your hearing aids! First and foremost, you want to be knowledgeable about how your hearing aids work, how to make adjustments and how to clean and care for them. Your audiologist will educate you on all aspects of your hearing aid. We also suggest that you prepare questions prior to your appointment, read your hearing aid manual and when possible bring a relative or close-friend as a second pair of ears and someone who can take notes.
  • Be patient with the adjustment period! At first you will work closely with your hearing care professional to make sure your new hearing aids have the right settings for your listening needs. This may require multiple follow ups. We recommend that you grab a notebook at home and keep notes on what you are experiencing in different listening environments to bring to appointments.
  • Be the first to mention your hearing loss! The more people you tell about your hearing loss, the less power the stigma has on you. Not only that but you also gain more practice with advocating for what you need to hear well.

Finally, remember that your hearing care professional is your partner on your journey to improve your hearing health and will be there to address your concerns and help you build confidence.