Anytime that you get something new it takes some time to get used to it. The same can be said of hearing aids, though the learning curve can be a bit longer than most things. With you put your hearing aid in for the first time, chances are you are going to be overwhelmed with a variety of sounds that you have not heard in a while, especially if you gradually lost your hearing over time. Your brain is going to need some time to readjust to hearing and interpreting those sounds properly. So, here are three tips that will help ease into wearing hearing aids.

Tip #1: Don't Get Discouraged

Don't expect for your hearing aids to immediately feel comfortable or to instantly hear and identify every single sound. The hearing aids will feel a bit weird in your ears—and this may continue for several days or weeks—and the sounds that you hear may seem strange as well. It will take time for everything to go back to normal, but don't get discouraged. Give things time while your brain is getting reacquainted with the world.

Tip #2: Wear Them for Only a Few Hours a Day

It takes practice to get your hearing skills back—just like it would if you needed to learn how to walk again after a severe car accident. So, when you first start wearing hearing aids, try wearing them for only a few hours a day. Each day, wear them a little longer. After all, the longer that you wear them, the better you will become at identifying and interpreting sounds and voices. At the same time, though, as a first-time hearing aid user, you don't want to overwhelm or exert yourself.

Tip #3: Read Out Loud

Before you received your hearing aids, your family and friends probably told you to stop shouting a lot, and this is a normal occurrence when you lose your hearing. With hearing aids, you can get back to a normal volume, though it can take time. To help determine the correct volume of speech, you can read aloud with your hearing aids in. Reading out loud will also help you improve your ability at recognizing sounds again.

All in all, it is important to be patient because the process does take time. If you need help adjusting the volume of your hearing aids or have any questions at all, reach out to your doctor.