User manual

19
Key #1 — Patience
New hearing aids can be a big adjustment. Your brain has to re-learn how to
hear and listen. After many years of not hearing well, it takes time and practice
to redevelop these skills. Medical studies show that your brain requires
approximately 21 days to adjust to your new Hearing Aids. During this time:
• You may initially notice lots of background sounds. These sounds have
always been a part of your environment. In time your brain will recall how
to process these sounds by prioritizing foreground over background sounds.
• You may nd that a quiet environment is more comfortable in the
beginning of the adjustment period.
• Your voice may sound too loud. This effect is very common for new
hearing aid users, but most people get used to it over time.
• You voice may also sound 'plugged up' or like you’re talking in a barrel.
This occlusion effect is normal. The sensation usually goes away in the
rst few weeks.
• In noisy environments, you may nd it easier to understand speech by
facing the speaker. Reading lips and observing facial expressions and
body language reinforce the sound communication.