Choosing to begin treatment for your hearing loss can be an empowering experience. Hearing loss may sometimes feel isolating, but you aren’t alone in your experiences. Approximately 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from the use of hearing aids. Benefits you may enjoy from these devices include but are not limited to:
- Amplified voices
- Minimized background noise
- Increased awareness of your surroundings
- Better balance
Acclimating to new hearing aids can take some time. Noises may initially seem too loud, and you may find your hearing aids uncomfortable. Let’s look at a couple of ways to manage hearing aid discomfort for a better hearing aid experience.
What May Cause Hearing Aid Discomfort?
Identifying the source of your hearing aid discomfort is the first step to improving your treatment experience. Some reasons your hearing aids might be causing discomfort include the following:
- Allergies
- Improper placement
- Poor fit
- Unclean hearing aid
- Adjustment period
Let’s look at some simple solutions you can try to ease discomfort.
Hearing Aid Discomfort Solutions
Some simple solutions to hearing aid discomfort may include:
- If you’re allergic to the materials. Sensitivity to one or more of the materials in a hearing aid can cause discomfort, soreness or a rash. If you’re experiencing an allergic reaction to your hearing aids, talk to your hearing aid specialist to discuss alternatives moving forward.
- If your hearing aid isn’t in the right place. A misplaced hearing aid may tug on your skin and put pressure on your ear canal or surrounding areas. If you think you may be inserting your hearing aid incorrectly, contact your hearing specialist for help.
- If you have a poor hearing aid fit. Though many hearing aids are custom-made, it is possible your hearing aid is too large or small. If you feel this is the case, make an appointment with your hearing aid specialist for a new fitting.
- If your hearing aid needs to be cleaned. Make sure to clean your hearing aid regularly according to the device care instructions. Cleaning your hearing aid allows it to function properly and reduces the risk of infections, bacterial growth and irritation.
- If you haven’t adjusted to the devices. Similar to soreness from wearing headphones for too long, your hearing aids may cause discomfort from all-day use. Feel free to take the devices out for an hour at a time until you’re used to them.
Knowing how to address hearing aid discomfort will allow you to enjoy the benefits of hearing aids, like listening to birds chirping and wind blowing at Wildwood Park without irritation.
For questions about hearing aid treatment or discomfort, contact Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic today to speak to one of our hearing specialists.