One out of five people will be diagnosed with hearing loss in Lexington. Fortunately, most of them should be able to benefit from treatment with hearing aids. As great as these devices are, it takes a while to get used to wearing them and understanding everything they are capable of, as well as their limitations. Your Lexington audiologist recommends hearing aid counseling if this is your first experience with them.
The Benefits of Counseling
When you are diagnosed with hearing loss, it may feel like your whole life has been turned upside down. The truth is, it has – but you will learn to overcome the challenges associated with your hearing impairment and learn how to use your hearing aids so you’ll get the most benefit out of them. It’s important to understand that this is a process and it will take you time to adjust to a life with hearing aids – but you will get there!
Once your Lexington audiologist recommends hearing aids, you’ll be faced with the not-so-simple task of choosing a pair that is right for you. With such a wide variety of styles available, the decision-making process can feel daunting. In addition to picking out hearing aids, you’ll have to go through the fitting process, in which your audiologist will program your hearing aids and make adjustments to ensure you are getting the proper levels of amplification for your particular hearing needs.
This is a lot for anybody to take in, and one of the key reasons why counseling is so important. Your audiologist will help you decide on a pair of hearing aids based on a number of factors, including your type and degree of hearing loss, lifestyle, cosmetic preferences and budget. He or she also wants to make sure you have realistic expectations about your hearing aids and understand that there are certain limitations involved in wearing them.
Counseling usually begins before you even try on hearing aids for the first time. Your audiologist wants to prepare you for this dramatic change in your lifestyle and let you know that, while hearing aids will greatly improve your quality of life, they won’t magically make your hearing better. Learning what to expect before you start wearing hearing aids is critical to your long-term success.
Learning to Live with Hearing Aids
You’ve researched hearing aids, maybe tried a few different types out, decided on a style and picked out options and accessories. Now it’s time to start wearing them! First, your audiologist will check the physical fit to make sure they are comfortable. Then he or she will program them to match your hearing needs. An important part of this visit is determining your lifestyle and social activity levels. How often you go out, where you go and what you do will all factor into fine-tuning them, so they provide enough amplification to meet your needs.
Once they have been programmed, you’ll put your hearing aids in and turn them on. This gives your audiologist a chance to check the volume levels to make sure you are hearing a complete range of sounds. You’ll be given a demonstration on how to clean and care for your hearing aids in order to ensure they remain in good working order and last a long time. You will be taught how to put your hearing aids on and take them off, insert and remove the batteries and adjust the different settings. Finally, you’ll be provided with communication strategies to help ease your transition to a life with hearing aids.
This isn’t the last you’ll see of your Lexington audiologist, however. You’ll be scheduled for a follow-up appointment in a few weeks for any adjustments that may be needed. During this visit, your audiologist will answer any questions you may have. It can take a while to adjust your hearing aids to their optimal settings, so plan on making a few more trips to the audiologist’s office over the next several months.
By then, you’ll be a hearing aid pro!