Hearing Aid Fitting
See how we will help customize and fit a hearing aid to your specific needs.
Hearing Aid Fitting
See how we will help customize and fit a hearing aid to your specific needs.
The key to having a great hearing technology experience is getting a precise fit from an expert. We’ll take the time to understand your concerns about your hearing, and use that information in combination with your test results to tailor your technology to precisely meet your needs. That’s what we do, because that’s what you deserve.
Try a one week no-risk hearing aid demo.
What to expect at your hearing aid fitting
We want to make sure that you come into our offices confident about your hearing aid fitting. It’s important to get everything right so you can hear your best. Your hearing aid fitting appointment will take approximately 45 minutes.
Program
During your appointment, we program the hearing aids to match the type of hearing loss identified in your audiogram.
Measure
Your audiologist will then measure how your new technology is working.
Learn
We want you to have a great experience with your hearing aids after you’ve left the practice. We’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to care for your aids.
One week no-risk hearing aid demo.
Studies have shown it takes people an average of 7 years to come in for a hearing evaluation after first noticing difficulty hearing. Together, we will pick a product to try and let you wear it for a week to see if it's right for you.
1. Diagnose
Detect if a hearing loss is present and explain your options based on your lifestyle.
2. Demo
All patients will be eligible for a free (no payment out of pocket) week demo of hearing aids.
3. Decide
After the free week demo, we'll assess if the hearing aids helped improve your hearing loss or tinnitus. If you decide you are not ready to trial hearing aids, simply return the demo devices.
The hearing aid fitting process
Programming your hearing aids
The first step to a proper hearing aid fitting is to program the hearing aids in accordance with the results on your audiogram. We do this by using special software that is designed by the hearing aid manufacturer that made your device. The software works with hearing aid fitting algorithms that identify and prescribe settings that are unique to your hearing loss. When the hearing aids are programmed to these settings, the devices are then set to maximize your hearing potential in the situations where you need to hear your best.
Measuring hearing aid performance
After we’ve programmed your devices, we then measure whether the hearing aids are providing the improvement you need. We do this by using an objective testing process called a Real Ear Measurement (REM).
The REM test uses a thin tube that slides into your ear and past the end of the hearing aid. That might sound strange, but we assure you that it is a quick, painless test that won’t cause you any discomfort. The REM’s tube is connected to equipment that measures loudness at different frequencies and is designed to ensure the correct amount of amplification at specific pitches is matched to the hearing loss you experience.
But we don’t rely on testing equipment alone. Just because a computer says that your hearing aids are set properly, doesn’t mean that they sound great to you. There’s no better judge as to a hearing aid’s accuracy than the person who wears it.
So, in addition to the algorithm-driven software prescription and the objective real ear test results, we also get subjective input from you. We listen to your feedback about sound quality and adjust the devices to a comfortable level. If you’ve had an untreated hearing loss for many years, the suggested amplification may seem too loud at first. In that situation, we start at a softer level of amplification and gradually increase it over time to match the original prescription so that you can adjust to rediscovering missing sounds while gradually maximizing support from your devices over time.
Caring for your hearing aid
Once the effectiveness of your hearing aids have been measured and we make any necessary initial adjustments to the devices, we will then move on to show you how to better understand the basics of being a hearing aid wearer.
This will include seemingly simple things like inserting and removing the hearing aids (if they are in-canal devices) or the insertion and removal and any molds or domes you may have, depending on the style you have been fit with.
Proper care, cleaning and maintenance of your hearing aids will also be reviewed. If your hearing aids use traditional batteries instead of rechargeables, we will show you how to insert and remove them. If your hearing aids are a rechargeable model, then we’ll go over how to store them properly so that you understand how to make the most out of their battery life so you never find yourself in a situation with improperly charged devices.
Many hearing aids have additional features and adjustments that may be relevant to your hearing health goals, and many also have accessories, apps, and other controls that we’ll want to go over in order to improve your hearing aid experience. Our team is well-trained across most all hearing aid manufacturers and can help guide you through all the different options available to you.
Ready to see all the ways hearing aids can help you?
Hearing aid follow-up care
You contacted the practice. Your hearing has been thoroughly tested. You took our recommendation on wearing technology and have been fit with devices. But your hearing journey is not over! In some ways, you’re just getting started experiencing your best hearing.
One-Week Follow-Up
Remember: your brain is adjusting to your new technology, so the sounds that initially seemed very loud when you first started wearing your technology will soon soften.
Because of this, your one-week follow up appointment is designed to make any necessary fine-tuning adjustments and to offer more guidance on inserting and removing your aids, cleaning and storage, and so on.
We will also discuss how your hearing has been in the last week, and how well you feel you’ve been in the specific situations you most wanted it to improve.
Based on your feedback and the adjustments we’ve made at your one-week appointment, we will schedule your next follow up and keep in close communication with you for the first month or two to make sure you continue to wear your technology and that you’re getting the most out of it.
As Needed Adjustments
Once you are comfortable and confident with how to use your hearing aids and feel that they are set correctly for you, we will then schedule any new appointments on an as-needed basis.
We do suggest coming in at least every six months to have the hearing aids professionally cleaned and inspected. This will ensure that your aids are supporting your hearing in the way that they should and that you’re getting the most out of your investment.
Additionally, we recommend an annual hearing evaluation for anyone who is over the age of fifty, and especially for those people who wear hearing technology. This also allows us to continue to fine tune and adjust the hearing aids if your hearing changes.