Many of the topics covered below are also dealt with in your hearing aid manual but it is always helpful to go over a few of these again.
Tips for the first time hearing aid wearer:
Knox Audiology has found that an “ease into it approach” for the first time wearer, allows time for the wearer to get used to the amplification of sound. Better long-term outcomes are often found beginning with a volume set below the desired prescription then increasing as you are ready. We will do all we can to help with your initial experience. Following are suggestions you may find beneficial.
Wear time:
Most manufacturers of hearing aids suggest initial wear times of approximately 4-5 hours per day for the first 1-2 weeks before increasing from there. This allows time for your brain to adapt to amplified sound gradually.
What we find more important though is that it decreases the chance of creating sore spots in the ear canal. To appropriately fit hearing aids, some aspect of the device has to be placed in the ear canal, either a plastic tip or custom ear mould. These are both foreign bodies in the ear, and beginning on a routine of 4-5 hours per day allows the skin of your ear canal to adapt to their presence. Should your earpieces cause discomfort, please return to the clinic for necessary adjustments.
Volume control use:
Being able to adjust the volume of your new hearing aid is very important to achieve a positive outcome. Practically all aids fitted at Knox Audiology come with some form of volume adjustment, either via remote control or on the aid itself. Not only does it give you the ability to be in control of your hearing, but it can also provide excellent feedback to the Audiologist as to what adjustments need to be made at your next appointment. So don’t be afraid to use it.
Choosing areas in which to wear:
When starting off it is best to wear your aid simply around the house. This allows time to adjust to lower levels of environmental noise such as your newly discovered squeaky floorboards! Once you’ve gathered some experience around the home, venturing out to noisier locations such as shopping centres, work and halls should be a lot easier.
Room positioning:
The vast majority of hearing aids fitted by Knox Audiology are fitted with directional microphones. This technology combines the sound from two separate microphones to achieve focus in background noise. This focus is directly in-front of the wearer, which can be used to your advantage. If you are in a noisy environment and wearing your aids, position yourself such that your back is facing the majority of the noise in the room. This will allow the hearing aids to suppress more of the background noise making it easier to have a conversation.
Where you can wear your hearing aid:
Hearing aids are electronic devices – as such they do not react kindly to water. They are not to be worn in the shower, the bath or while swimming. They can handle damp weather but the general rule is: if you are getting wet, so are they. They are also not to be worn while sleeping. Hearing aids can be worn quite safely through x-ray machines and during plane travel.
Taking care of your Hearing Aids:
At least once a week before your aids are stored in their box, brush over the aids with a tissue or the black brush provided paying particular attention to the piece that goes inside your ear and the microphone covers.
At least once a week it is recommended that you dry your aids. The vast majority of aid breakdowns are moisture related. The majority of Knox Audiology patients are provided with some form of drying accessory. Either a drying beaker with absorbent salts, or the ‘Cedis’ Electronic dry aid kit. Please do not be afraid to use these.
Changing Batteries:
The vast majority of hearing aids currently being manufactured run off batteries and typically last for 7-14 days. This varies patient by patient depending on the size of the battery, wear times and the degree of your hearing loss.
Your hearing aid will tell you when it is approaching time to change a battery via way of emitting two audible beeps approximately 30 mins before the battery goes completely flat.
Hearing Aid batteries are different to your usual alkaline batteries from the supermarket. They are designed to provide an even power supply until just before they run out of power so you can enjoy a steady volume of hearing.
To get the most out of your batteries, it is important to let them breath with the tag peeled off before placing in your hearing device. The zinc air combination found in hearing aid batteries are unique in that they require 2 minutes of oxygen to enter the battery to reach their optimum. Doing so can increase your battery life by many hours.
Troubleshooting when things go wrong:
If you believe your hearing aid is not working, there are a number of things you the wearer can do to fix it:
- First thing to do is replace your battery.
- Clean the hearing aid, especially the area which is placed in your ear.
- Change your wax guard if you have one. Many hearing aids are fitted with a wax protection cover; the most common are the cerustop or wax buster. If you are unsure on how to change this consult your manual or call our clinic to make an appointment. If you have run out of wax guards they can be purchased at our clinic with no appointment required.
Should this not rectify the problem, drop off your aids at the clinic where the Audiologist will assess the issue.
If your hearing aids have to be repaired internally, to avoid voiding your warranty they will be sent away for repair. Typical turnaround time is approximately 3-5 days and we will notify you when your aids are ready to be picked up.