What to Expect at Your Hearing Aid Fitting Appointment

Your first hearing aid fitting appointment can be a very exciting moment in your life. This is because it is the start of a new chapter for you, where you might be able to hear much better. Hearing aids can be truly life changing for many people who have significant hearing impairments. So, here are some things to expect at your hearing aid fitting appointment.

1. Hearing aid tests

At your appointment, your audiologist will perform a number of tests to see if the hearing aids are a good fit for you. The first test will simply be for you to just try on the hearing aid and to make sure that it fits in your ear. However, after that, the audiologist will run a number of tests to make sure that the sound quality is good, and that the volume is correct. Any adjustments that are necessary will be made based on the results of the tests.

2. Learning to use your devices 

After your audiologist completes the necessary tests and adjusts the settings, he or she will likely provide instructions for you on how to use your hearing aids properly. A lot of these instructions will revolve around how to adjust the hearing aid settings to optimize hearing in different environments. For example, you may need one setting in quiet places, and another in noisy places such as crowded restaurants. Your hearing aids may also have different advanced features that need to be explained to you. So, your audiologist will take care of that too.

3. Maintenance and care

Just as knowing how to use your hearing aids properly is very important, so too is knowing how to maintain and care for them. Because of this, your audiologist is likely to spend some time at the end of your appointment explaining how to care for and maintain your hearing aids. This can include information about how to clean them and store them. It can also include information such as when you should change the batteries and other upkeep tips.

It is normal for fitting appointments to last an hour or a little longer. There is a large amount of information covered during the hearing aid fitting, so make sure listen carefully and ask any questions you may have. Your audiologist will schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure your hearing aids are working in optimal condition.