Persistence pays

It takes time to get used to sounds. How long though, differs from person to person. For most people several weeks is not unusual, so don’t give up after a week or two. Some hearing care professionals recommend that you try to listen carefully to new sounds - for example the sound of a coffee maker or a clock ticking. By doing this you will learn to recognise these sounds once again, making it easier to get used to them.
 

Fine-tuning your hearing aid

Your hearing care professional has initially adjusted the way your hearing aid amplifies the sound to match your specific hearing loss.

After a period of use, your hearing aid may need to be fine-tuned. This is because most people need to become accustomed to using their hearing aids in different situations before they are able to explain details about sound quality and their preferences and needs.

Before your next consultation with your hearing care professional, it is a good idea to try to evaluate the sound quality of the hearing aid so you can describe it to him or her.
 

How to describe sound

Try to describe your experiences in as detailed a manner as possible so that you and your hearing care professional have something to go on. For example, sounds can be described as sharp, blurred, shrill, echoing or metallic and sound quality will often differ from sound to sound.
 

Discussing needs and expectations with your hearing care professional

At the fine-tuning session, discuss any concerns or questions you have with your hearing care professional and he or she will try to fine-tune your hearing aid so that the sound suits you.

Remember that all of your expectations may not be met by fine tuning. For example, you may notice sounds that seem unnaturally loud. This could be because you are now noticing sounds that were not audible to you before. In that case, you need to become accustomed to the sound and fine tuning will not be the optimal solution.