Hearing aid fittings are the process of adjusting a hearing aid to an individual’s specific hearing loss, needs, and preferences.
This includes programming it to match the individual’s hearing test results and making any necessary physical adjustments for a secure and comfortable fit.
Getting a professional hearing aid fitting is important because it ensures that the hearing aid will provide optimal benefit for the individual’s specific hearing needs.
At South County Hearing Services, our fitting process allows for the fine-tuning of the hearing aid’s settings to provide the most natural and clear sound possible for your hearing.
With professional hearing aid fitting, our goal is to provide improved communication and enhanced overall hearing abilities.
What happens during a hearing aid fitting?
After your hearing evaluation, you work with the audiologists at South County Hearing Services to select the hearing aid solution that best meets your needs and takes into account your lifestyle, hearing loss patterns, and budget. We then make an appointment for your hearing aid fitting for when the hearing aids arrive. Typically, hearing aids can take between 3 and 14 days to arrive at our office.
At the hearing aid fitting appointment, your hearing professional will program them based on a prescription, to meet your hearing needs. We ensure the devices are meeting your hearing needs using an objective verification measure called Real Ear Measurement.
One of our goals for this appointment is that you leave hearing better than when you walked in but that sound is not crashing down around your head. After determining the target settings for your devices, we will turn them down to a comfortable setting.
Over time the devices will gradually automatically progress up to the target settings, all you have to do is wear them. This gradual adjustment technique allows your brain to adjust and recalibrate to hearing in a gentle and gradual manner.
During this appointment your hearing professional will explain how to use the devices, put them on and remove them, how to change/charge the batteries, and how to clean the devices. We review quite a bit of information and bringing a family member or friend who can help support you is a great idea.
Adjusting to hearing aids
Adjusting to hearing aids can be a challenging but rewarding experience for those with hearing loss.
We utilize a unique gentle fitting process that allows patients to wear their hearing instruments all day every day right from the beginning. After determining the target settings for your devices, we will turn them down to a comfortable setting. Over time the devices will gradually, automatically, progress up to the target settings, all you have to do is wear them.
This gradual adjustment technique allows your brain to adjust and recalibrate to hearing in a gentle manner. Our patients find this process allows them to get used to hearing better easily and more quickly.
At first, many people report that the sounds picked up by the hearing aids seem unnatural. This is actually normal, as the brain is, gradually relearning to process sounds that it has either not heard properly or heard at all for some time.
When new to hearing aids, background noise can be distracting at first, but with time and continued use, the brain will relearn sounds and begin to differentiate between speech and background noise.
The amount of time the process of adjusting to hearing aids is unique to each individual. Some may get used to hearing aids after a couple of weeks, while some may take months to fully adjust to hearing aids.
Patience, determination, consistency, and support from your hearing professional and family all play a big role in hearing aid success.
How long does it take for a hearing aid to be fitted?
The length of time the Hearing Care Process takes varies depending on several factors, including the complexity of the hearing loss and the type of hearing aid.
On average, a hearing aid fitting can take several hours spread out over several weeks, as it covers the hearing assessment, hearing aid consultation, fitting and programming, demonstration and training, and follow-up and adjustments.
The hearing care process is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process that may require follow-up appointments and adjustments. The goal is to ensure that the patient is comfortable and satisfied with their hearing aid and that it is providing the best possible results.
What Is Real Ear Measurement?
Real Ear Measurement (REM) is a process used in audiology to verify the performance of hearing aids in a patient’s ear. It is a highly accurate method of measuring the sound output from a hearing aid within the ear canal and comparing it to the patient’s prescription.
Every individual’s ear canal is unique, and the shape and size of the ear canal can greatly affect the sound output from a hearing aid.
During real-ear verification, your hearing professional will insert a small probe microphone into the patient’s ear canal and measure the sound output from the hearing aid. The results are then compared to objective targets determined by the patient’s hearing test results. This allows us to ensure that the hearing aid is providing the correct amplification for the patient’s specific hearing loss.
If the hearing aid is not providing the correct amplification, your hearing professional will make necessary adjustments to the device’s settings until the desired output is achieved. This is a crucial step in ensuring that the hearing aid is providing the best possible results for the hearing aid wearer.
Hearing Aid Fitting at Narragansett, RI
Hearing aid fittings are an essential part of hearing aid success. At South County Hearing Services, we pride ourselves in providing the best possible hearing improvement through accurate hearing aid fittings and other audiological services.
Contact us today to book an appointment!
