Why do you think people put off correcting their hearing?   Right off the bat… many will say that it is because hearing instruments are expensive.  While that may be an underlying concern… usually it is not the primary reason.   Often patients actually admit that they put off getting their hearing corrected due to the anxiety of being able to learn how to put a hearing aid in their ears.  Now, before you shake your head... if you wear hearing instruments; think back to the first time you attempted to figure out how to put them in and if they were in correctly. 

Everyone is different.  Some people have poor or no feelings in their fingers.  Perhaps they are missing fingers and this causes extra concern.  It’s possible that only one hand works.  Some people can not see well enough to even be able to tell the difference between right and left.  Others have bad arms and shoulders and find it impossible to raise their arms high enough to get the instruments to their ears.  Perhaps their hands shake.  People can just be “nervous” about learning new things.  There can be some memory problems so they fear they won’t remember how to put them in...even though they learned it at the office.  

Whatever the reason; with proper guidance we can help you to overcome the fear of “Not being able to get my hearing aid in.”  How?  Well, there is not “one” right way to put in a hearing aid.   We take our time and work with you.   We give you instructions and show you how...then we watch what you do with your hands as you attempt to do what we have shown you.  This shows us what method will help you insert the instrument with the greatest ease.   Ear canals can be straight or crooked.  They can curve and go up or down.  Some are long and some are short.  It really is pretty easy to put in most hearing instruments...once we figure how you are going to do it.   We are also firm believers in showing a loved one how to put in the instrument or at least to check it to make sure it is placed correctly.  

Here are a couple of tips: When you hold your hearing instrument, hold it as if it were sitting on or in your ear. 

Then take your hands straight back.  Do not tip or rotate your hand.  As you put the component in your ear...make sure and point it slightly forward toward your nose.  Once you feel it enter your ear canal...take away your thumb and push with the tip of your finger (inside the ear canal) toward your nose.  Let your finger do the work.  If you have a custom instrument with nothing behind your ear that may be all you have to do.   To double check that it is in properly... you could take your hand (same hand as the ear...right ear/right hand) pull up and back on the bowl of the ear and while pulling, use the ring finger and push on the aid.  Pulling up on the bowl area of ear will straighten the ear canal and thus help the hearing instrument to slide into place.   If you have a component that also goes behind the ear and you choose to put the part in your ear first then you must hold it in the canal so it doesn’t pop out while your are placing the device over the ear.  You can also place the device over the ear first and then find the ear bud and wiggle it in.  There are many ways to do this...but always, we can help you make it simple and stress free.   Don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from enjoying life. 

To Hear Better Is To Live Better!

By: Roseann B. Kiefer, B.A., BC-HIS