A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology reports, “Although a large number of adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids experience some degree of negative side effects, those effects tend to be mild.”
However, even if the side effects you experience are mild, they can still be barriers to wearing your hearing aids, even when dining out with friends at L&J Cafe. Below we address solutions for common hearing aid side effects.
Sore Ears
It’s completely normal for you to be constantly aware that your hearing aids are in or on your ears when you first start wearing them, but you should never experience pain from wearing your hearing aids.
If you have sore ears, this is a sign that your hearing aids don’t fit well. An audiologist at Tinnitus & Hearing Experts can refit them for you.
Itchy Ears
Again, hearing aids may not be the most comfortable thing in the world at first, but if your ears are itchy, there could be a couple reasons. One is that you have impacted earwax, and another is that you’re sensitive to the material your earmolds are made of.
An audiologist can both expertly clean out your ears and remake your earmolds with another material to address itchy ears.
Feedback
Feedback is that unpleasant whistling or screeching sound that happens when hearing aids misdirect or trap sounds. While this is a common problem with older hearing aids, we rarely hear complaints about this with newer models.
If you’re experiencing feedback, first try turning down the volume. If this doesn’t work, talk to an audiologist at Tinnitus & Hearing Experts about reprogramming or upgrading your devices.
Headaches
When you’re not used to hearing certain sounds you were missing before hearing aids, or if you’re not used to hearing familiar sounds at an increased volume, it can cause mild headaches when you first start wearing hearing aids. The longer you wait to treat your hearing loss, the more likely you’ll experience this side effect.
Headaches should disappear within the first few weeks of wearing your hearing aids. Try wearing your hearing aids for just a couple hours a day at first, and work slowly up to wearing them all day long. If this doesn’t work, see your audiologist to have your devices reprogrammed so sounds aren’t quite so loud.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with an audiologist, call Tinnitus & Hearing Experts today.