People experienced a steady deterioration in their hearing over time and have become accustomed to not being intensely aware of many of the common sounds, including the buzzing of a refrigerator and the dinging of trams. For this reason, people resort to hearing aids, small electrical devices you can wear in or around the ear. It can be quite a surprise to realize and remember many of the sounds we’re suddenly tuning back into as your audiologist turns on your hearing aids for the first time. Here are a few worth considering.
The Sound of Your Hair
You may not be used to the swishing sound when you brush your hair, pull it back into a ponytail, towel-dry it or run product through it. Indeed, hair does produce noise. And you might be more conscious of it if you wear your long hair behind your ears, which is where your hearing aids are located. Your microphone rubbing on your hair is the cause of this. This is an excellent technique to verify that your hearing aid is operating properly, so feel free to consider this.
The Way Your Garments Move
Many sounds originate from our clothing and shoes that you may have forgotten about, including swishing textiles, clicking heels and crinkly corduroy. Save that water-repellent rain jacket for month two and get used to being aware of your footfall.
Road Traffic
You might be shocked by how loud distant cars, trucks, trams and trains seem once you put your new hearing aids in. You may haven’t heard these in a while and have tuned out to be aware of them. You will gradually get used to them as you adjust to your new environment, even though they could initially seem bothersome.
Ticking Clocks
A ticking clock is one of those sounds in a quiet room that you initially don’t notice but can’t get away from once you do. Similarly, once your hearing aids are in place, everyday sounds like ticking clocks can become incredibly annoying. It’s a sound you’ll eventually grow accustomed to, so feel free to consider this.
Eating
Who would have imagined that chewing, biting and swallowing could be so unbearably loud? This is one of the most unexpected noises for many new hearing aid users to get used to. When the plastic of the hearing aid covers the ear canal and alters how you perceive sound, the occlusion effect might also cause it to be exaggerated, especially if you stopped hearing these noises as your hearing got worse.
Wind
Some hearing aid users may find wind noise disturbing because it interferes with the microphone and produces an unpleasant sound. Fortunately, you can get a solution for this. Along with wearing a helmet, some people find that having longer hair slightly over their ears is helpful. Thankfully, current hearing aid technology is far better than it formerly was at handling wind noise, although it could take some trying and getting used to for your situation.
Your Voice
Your voice can sound very different when wearing a hearing aid due to the occlusion effect, much like the sounds of eating. It might make you sound like you’re speaking into a small barrel. If you’re still concerned, talk to your audiologist, but the oddity should go away over time. Reading aloud can be a terrific technique to quickly become accustomed to your voice, so feel free to consider this.
Your Home’s Appliances
Your home appliances generate various sounds, which at first may appear distracting and overwhelming, such as the hum of a dishwasher, air conditioner, refrigerator or washing machine. When you first use your hearing aids at home, sit in a quiet area and listen while making a list of the sounds you hear. Over time, you’ll realize that certain sounds don’t disturb you as much when you look over your list.
You can visit your audiologist for more information if you are concerned about sudden sounds. Moreover, they can help you discover the appropriate hearing aid for your needs. Hearing aids can help with many different forms of hearing loss. For persons of all ages, audiologists offer patient-centered care in preventing, recognizing, diagnosing, and treating hearing, balance and other impairments.
With award-winning hearing aids from Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions, you can stay connected while engaging in the activities you enjoy. With our new hearing aids, you hear more ambient sounds. Call us at (973) 721-6520 and (201) 375-9081 to get in touch.
