There are many different hearing aids on the market, and they give you a wide range of options to address your particular hearing loss situation.
However, even if you have the appropriate type of hearing aids, you will not be able to realize their full benefits if the settings are not correct.
How do you know when your settings are wrong?
It won’t take you long to determine if there is an issue with your hearing aids. If the settings are wrong, you’ll be unable to ignore the background sounds. Buzzes, beeps, the sound of the wind, and other distracting sounds will be very noticeable and may even overpower the sounds on which you want to direct your focus.
Voices and music may be muffled and very difficult to understand. Someone can be sitting right next to you in a vehicle, and you may not be able to discern what they are saying because you are overwhelmed by the reverberating sound of the windshield wipers nearby.
What causes these problems?
The settings on your hearing aids have to be adjusted appropriately for you to experience the best hearing possible using your hearing aids. If you’ve had your hearing aids for a while, it may be time for you to have them replaced.
However, while replacing the devices can result in you having the most recent upgrades in hearing aid technology, you’ll want to make sure you’re seeing a reputable hearing aid specialist to ensure your new devices are correctly programmed each time.
What can you do?
If you are experiencing issues with hearing, your first reaction may be to see if you can become accustomed to the sounds. Sometimes, when you have new hearing aids, the differences in the sounds that you hear may be the result of having a fresh battery.
The sounds may seem extra sharp and crisp, but you become used to this after wearing the new devices for a few days. If your hearing aids are too quiet, you should check that they’re on the right settings, and if they are, consider the possibility that your hearing may have changed. In these cases, it may be necessary to have an audiological test conducted or, at the very least, talk to your hearing aid provider.
When should you be concerned?
While most hearing aid and battery upgrades are uneventful, there are situations in which you should speak with a hearing specialist as soon as possible about adjusting the settings:
- Your problems with the hearing aids are interfering with your daily routine.
- It is beginning to negatively impact your quality of life.
- You are unable to perform your usual tasks.
- The degree of discomfort is too much to bear.
What should you do in the meantime?
If you are unable to see your hearing specialist immediately to have your hearing aids reset, you may want to try to lessen the effects of inadequate hearing aid settings yourself. In these cases, it may be necessary to place your hearing aids in sleep mode to limit some of the frustrating noises.
Make sure your hearings aids have the right settings
The side effects of improper hearing settings can range from merely annoying to incapacitating. If you hear distorted sounds or are unable to focus on the sounds you want to hear due to overbearing background noises, its time to schedule an appointment with your hearing specialist so they can recalibrate your hearing aids.