Why Hearing Aid Fittings are Important

The hearing aid fitting process takes between one and two hours. This appointment is an exciting one for many people because it enables them to hear better for the first time, often in years. In fact, research shows that many people who discover they are candidates for hearing aids wait seven to 10 years to actually get the hearing devices.

What tests to expect

The hearing aid fitting appointment will most likely require one more round of testing. This test is called an ear real measure. The real ear measure determines the amplification entering the hearing aids and measures if they meet your hearing loss needs. A probe is placed into your ear canal next to, but not touching, your hearing aid. A sound or calibrated tone will be sent through the probe into the hearing aid for you to hear. Your hearing provider will measure whether the loud sounds are too loud, the soft sounds are loud enough and if the average noises sound comfortable.

Understanding your hearing aids

After the real ear measure, expect to have a long discussion with your hearing specialist about your hearing aids. By the end of the appointment you will be an expert on your hearing aids, knowing how and when to clean them, how and when to change the batteries, what to do if they get wet and how to use any accessories. If you are receiving your first pair of hearing aids, your hearing care professional will likely provide you with a wearing schedule for the first week of having your hearing aids. This schedule will allow your brain time to adjust to receiving sounds it hasn’t heard for many years.

Adapting to new hearing aids

Because your brain does need time to adapt, its important to have the expectation that adjustments aren’t always 100 percent successful the first time. At the end of your fitting your hearing practitioner will schedule a follow-up appointment for you to check the amplification of your hearing aids. More than likely you will find you will require an adjustment.

According to a 2012 study by English and Kasewurm, patients who have a relationship of “high trust” with their hearing specialist were likely to follow their hearing specialist’s recommendation 90 percent of the time, while those who called their relationship as one of “low trust” followed their hearing specialist’s recommendation 50 percent of the time.