Hearing loss typically occurs very slowly and very gradually over time, sometimes causing you to forget everyday objects make sounds, like the refrigerator humming or clock ticking. For this reason, it can be quite a surprise to hear these sounds again the first couple of days with new hearing aids. Although they may initially seem bothersome, the brain gets used to hearing these sounds again with consistent use of the hearing aids. Below are a few more examples:

· Your own voice

· The sound of your hair brushing up against the device’s microphones (especially with behind-the-ear hearing aids)

· The sound of your clothing

· Footsteps

· Background road noise in the car

· Your car’s turn signal

· The sounds of eating and chewing different foods

· The wind

· Various appliances around the home

· Typing on a keyboard and the clicking of a computer mouse

It is recommended that you wear your new hearing aids consistently; ideally at all waking hours. This is so that you can get used to hearing these everyday sounds again, but also to stimulate the auditory areas of the brain and maintain good word understanding / processing. But the list doesn’t end here! To discuss even more benefits of wearing your hearing aids consistently, contact your audiologist at the Hearing Center at Jacksonville Hearing and Balance Institute!