How to Use Your Hearing Aids Controls

Hearing aids can be a life-changing experience with the right technology and settings. However, it’s important you understand how to correctly use your device and the controls to ensure you get the most out of the technology.

How do you adjust a hearing aid volume?

The design of a hearing aid enables it to adjust to various listening conditions faultlessly. Therefore, regardless of your location, from a windy park to a busy coffee shop, your hearing aid automatically adapts to the changing surrounding.

Lenient sounds such as keyboard typing should be silent but audible, as loud sounds such as a vacuum should be loud but comfortable. Hearing aid users prefer the control of the devices' memories and volume.

For example, some users have the advantage of having volume controls to increase the volume when they are watching television and minimize the volume when they are in a noisy event or occasion. Some devices also possess the feature to access various memories by pressing a button.

There are many methods of adjusting memory and volume. It depends on the type and style of the hearing aid device:

On-board hearing aid

Several hearing aids have rocker switches, pushbuttons or volume wheels. Your hearing aids audiologist can design the device to perform various functions such as switching between memories and adjusting volume.

Using a mobile application

The structure of some hearing aids devices enables them to pair with your smartphone, allowing you to control them remotely by using a mobile application. The app allows the user to change the memory and the volume and make the custom and geotag memories without making any contact with the devices.

Some small devices lack push wheel on-board hearing aids or push buttons. Users can only download the app to change the memory and volume using their smartphone.

Automatic hearing aid volume control

A hearing aid is most likely to possess a built-in automatic control. Therefore, the hearing aid automatically adjusts to the changing sound surrounding. Loud sounds picked by the devices are less amplified than the soft sounds. The amplification level depends on the user's hearing loss.

Manual hearing aid volume control

The user may also prefer to adjust the hearing aid volume manually. Several hearing aids also possess manual volume control features whose shapes resemble small levers. Some use tactile switches: hence their response is audio and tactile, for instance, feeling fingers.

Some devices also have a push-button for programs on the bottom and a toggle key for volume on the device’s topside to divide the interaction intuitively. This feature enables the user to use one finger for program toggle and the other for volume adjustments.

You can apply the following tips for using manual volume control devices:

• Push the upper part of the control or the level upwards to increase the volume slowly.
• Push the lower part of the volume control or the level downwards to minimize the volume slowly.
• Unless you have deactivated the tones, you will hear a beep sound whenever you operate the volume control.
• If you increase the volume, you will experience a higher beep-tone during every step that the volume is raised.
• Decreasing the volume creates a lower beep-tone during each step.
• The device produces a steady sound whenever the volume reaches the minimum or maximum point.
• Devices also cancel any volume settings when they are turned off or when you change a program. You can only adjust the volume using the volume control on just one hearing aid in some devices. For instance, if you adjust the volume control on the left, the volume automatically changes on the same level on the right side.

Getting used to hearing aid volume levels

You may take some time getting used to hearing aids. During the first days, the sound produced by the devices may be somehow overwhelming and you may experience some struggles when distinguishing and recognizing various sounds. You will slowly get used to the new sounds as you use the hearing aids.

The following are some tips you can apply to transition easily:

• Wear the devices for one or two hours at a time.
• During the first days, use the devices in condition with few persons and little noise.
• Begin slowly using hearing aids for longer times and louder environments.

Are you ready to improve your hearing ability, or are you looking for a reputable audiologist? Contact a hearing aids audiologist at Peninsula Hearing. To learn more about Peninsula Hearing, contact us today at Poulsbo: 360-697-3061 and Port Townsend: 360-379-5458