tips for NEW HEARING AID USERS

1.Call your home insurance provider. Check that your new hearing system is adequately covered against loss and accidental damage.
2.Check for binaural balance every week using a constant sound source (on each side, listen to a ticking clock or dial tone – it should sound equal. If it doesn’t, call your dispenser straight away).
3.Use a dri-aid kit. A very economical way to protect your system. This slows down moisture ingress onto the receivers. Buy at http://www.hearingchecktoday.co.uk/
4.If you experience acute perspiration in the ear, it is safe to use a hair dryer on your aids once a week, to dry out the receiver. Only attempt this after personal instruction from your Dispenser.
5.If you produce a lot of earwax, consider using a wax-suction tool. Your Dispenser can advise on it’s correct use. Buy at http://www.hearingchecktoday.co.uk/
6.NEVER let problems develop – call your dispenser immediately things don’t seem right. It is so important that problems are dealt with quickly.
7.If you have a chronic wax problem, decide on a regular strategy and stick to it. Over-production of earwax will affect the efficiency of your instruments, but this is normal following a new fitting, as the body tries to reject the ‘foreign body’. Make sure you don’t let your aids get blocked up.
8.It’s a good idea to remove your instruments every 4 hours for a five minute break. Ears get hot and sweaty. The impact on the electronics of this moisture must be minimised.
9.It is quite normal for the amplification to seemingly reduce over time. This just means you’ve got used to that amount of new sound. You need to call your Dispenser who will increase the volume nearer to the full prescription level in stages, allowing you to adapt successfully.
10.Check that your television is set optimally for your hearing, that the speakers are not obscured and that it is functioning correctly. Your hearing aid audiologist can advise on these matters.
11.Check that your telephone is digital (most new ‘phones are), functioning perfectly and suitable for the hard of hearing (it has a volume control, preferably a loudspeaker function and/or a loop compatible with hearing aids). Hold the handset as instructed by your hearing professional. Hearing aid-compatible telephones are available at http://www.hearingchecktoday.co.uk/
12.You will notice you still say ‘pardon?’ and occasionally miss things. This is a habit that has formed over many years and is one that will take time and patience to break. Eventually, your brain will catch up!
13.You will notice it is very noisy outside and in busy places - because it’s all new to you. Your brain will find it near-impossible to work out all the sounds and to place them correctly. This is a skill that is learned gradually. Don’t worry. It’s important to understand that hearing better is a process that takes on average 3-9 months.
14.The adjustments a dispenser can make to sound quality in a modern artificial intelligence system are incredibly precise, so the more specific you can be in describing your experiences over the first few weeks, then the better he/she will be able to help you. Please be patient.
15.Do not tolerate ANY loss of sound quality, at any point – call your Dispenser!
16.Get an audiogram completed every year and keep each one on file.