3 Things To Expect During Your Hearing Aid Fitting

A hearing aid fitting is a meeting with an audiologist to make sure you get the right hearing aids for you. It is also the time where you will be able to ask questions about your hearing aids, ensure you understand how to use them and most importantly, guarantee that they are effective. There are a number of things that you can expect at your hearing aid fitting that you should be aware of.

Receiving your hearing aids

This is probably going to be the first time that you receive your hearing aids. Your audiologist will show you the devices, pointing out how to switch them on. They will then place them comfortably in your ear, to make sure that they fit correctly. If they don’t fit correctly, the audiologist may take the hearing aids back and provide you with a temporary pair while this issue is resolved. Once the hearing aids are switched on and put in your ear, you will always notice a substantial difference in your hearing. You will be able to hear again for the first time in years, with a level of clarity that you may not have expected. Technology for hearing aids has evolved significantly.

Demonstration of the hearing aids

Once the hearing aids have been fitted into your ear, your audiologist will use a hearing aid fitting to show you how the devices work. It is important to understand that modern devices can be quite complicated and there may be a number of features for you to learn about. This could include how to switch between programs for different environments, how to connect your hearing aids to Bluetooth-enabled devices, how to direct the focus of your hearing aids in the direction you want and how to lower or adjust the volume.

More basic advice will include showing you how to clean the hearing aids without damaging them, replacing or charging the batteries and how to properly place the hearing aid in your ear. Do be aware that if the hearing aid is not placed correctly, they may not work as they should. This is also your chance to ask questions about anything that you don’t understand and ensure that you do know how to work the devices effectively before you leave with them.

A long lesson

You may have realized that hearing aid fittings are going to be substantially longer than your typical appointment with an audiologist. This is simply due to the fact that there is a lot of information to cover. As well as making sure they work, they must make sure that you know how to use them and look after them as well. While your hearing aid comes with instructions, it is far better to have someone there who can tell you all the issues and even help you troubleshoot some of the problems that can occur with your hearing aid. Paying close attention during a hearing aid fitting can help avoid you needing another appointment a matter of days after you receive your hearing aids. Typically, these appointments last around one hour.