{"id":1713,"date":"2023-02-17T16:04:44","date_gmt":"2023-02-18T00:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oregonent.com\/?p=1713"},"modified":"2024-07-11T16:26:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T23:26:48","slug":"what-to-know-about-your-first-hearing-aid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oregonent.com\/what-to-know-about-your-first-hearing-aid\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Your First Hearing Aid"},"content":{"rendered":"

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders<\/a> reports that \u201cAbout 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.\u201d But despite the prevalence of hearing loss, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America<\/a>,<\/span> only about one in five people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears one.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re among the population who could benefit from hearing aids but haven\u2019t yet made the investment, you may be wondering what you can expect. We review what to know about your first hearing aids below.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll See Your Audiologist Several Times\"Audiologist<\/h2>\n

Unlike getting a pair of prescription glasses, where you see your specialist once, get fit and take them home without needing to return for at least a year, you\u2019ll need to see your audiologist several times when you get your first hearing aid.<\/p>\n

The programming of your hearing aids is based on the results of your hearing test, which takes place in a soundproof booth. But when you encounter real-world situations, you\u2019ll likely find that you need slightly different programming in order to hear well. The purpose of follow-up visits is to get the programming just right.<\/p>\n

You May Need Two Hearing Aids<\/h2>\n

If you have hearing loss in only one ear, you may only need one hearing aid. But the vast majority of people require two. It\u2019s important that you invest in two if that\u2019s what your audiologist recommends and that you actually wear both. The reason for this is because they are calibrated to work together, and you need to hear well in both ears in order to localize sounds, especially in complex situations like dinner at Common Block.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll Start Wearing Your Hearing Aids for Short Durations<\/h2>\n

Though the goal is to wear your hearing aids during all waking hours, at first, you\u2019ll just wear them for an hour or two at a time. The reason for this is, the longer you waited to seek treatment, the longer it will take to adjust to hearing all the sounds around you once again. To prevent getting overwhelmed and giving up on the process, you\u2019ll take baby steps and work slowly up to wearing them all day long.<\/p>\n

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a hearing aid expert, call Oregon Ear, Nose & Throat Center<\/span> today.<\/p>\n