Realistic expectations for hearing aids:
- Generally, two hearing aids are better than one. It can mean the difference between just hearing versus hearing and understanding.
- Your hearing aids should let you listen with less effort.
- It will take time to get used to your hearing aids.
- Your hearing aids will not restore your hearing capabilities to the way they were before you developed hearing loss.
- Not everyone will get the same benefit from hearing aids. The amount of improvement is determined by the nature of the hearing loss.
- Hearing aids do not eliminate background noise.
- In quiet environments, your hearing should get better.
- Your hearing with moderate background noise should improve.
- Your hearing with background noise is not going to be as good as your hearing in a quiet environment.
- You should be able to hear when people speak softly.
- You should feel comfortable when others speak normally.
- Loud speech should sound loud, but not uncomfortable.
- You may begin hearing soft sounds that you couldn’t hear before. Examples include footsteps, whispers, crickets, etc.
- Your hearing aids/earmolds should not hurt.
- You shouldn’t hear feedback when your hearing aids rest in the correct position in your ears.
- Your voice should be different, but acceptable to you.
You may be interested in learning about the National Council on Aging’s hearing aid study of 2,000 people on how the devices affect quality of life.
Or, in seeing a certified audiologist.
