Adjusting to a World of New Sounds
New Sounds
A hearing loss is typically acquired gradually over many years. You may
have become accustomed to an everyday life with fewer sounds, which
also means hearing less noise than people with normal hearing.
With your new hearing instruments you will experience many sounds that
you may not have heard for years. It will take time to get used to all these
sounds again. Some examples of these sounds are:
• The clock ticking
• Turning pages of the newspaper
• Children’s voices
• Whispers and soft speech
• Car noise
• Birdsong
• The sound of your own footsteps
How to adjust
If you are inexperienced with hearing instruments it is advisable to:
1. Use your hearing instruments every day
2. Wear your hearing instruments for just a couple of hours a day
during the first week
3. Gradually increase time you wear your hearing instruments.
It can take several months for your brain to get used to all the “new”
sounds around you. Start using your hearing instruments in mainly
quiet surroundings and start with a comfortable volume (the hearing
care professional will ensure this). Listen to and get familiar with all
sounds in your home, such as a ticking clock, water running in the sink,
or silverware used on a plate. In quiet surroundings, converse with a
person you know well. Listen to a TV or radio at home. After you have
used the hearing instruments for a while you will be ready for more
demanding listening situations, like conversation with a group of two
or three people.
