How to get the most from a Hearing Aid Fitting appointment
Hearing aids that are optimised for performance from the initial appointment provide better user satisfaction and require fewer follow-up visits. To get the most from your hearing aid fitting make sure you are aware of the following:
What to bring to a hearing aid fitting appointment
You may have thought of additional questions for your Audiologist following your hearing aid assessment, make a note of anything you want to ask and bring this with you to the clinic.
If you wear glasses, bring them with you so your Audiologist can make sure your hearing aids and glasses fit comfortably.
If you have chosen hearing aids with app connectivity, make sure your phone is on the latest firmware version and bring it with you so your Audiologist can set it up and demonstrate the features.
Comfort check
It is normal to be aware of hearing aids in the ears initially, however, they should not feel uncomfortable. If you experience any discomfort from your hearing aids, tell your Audiologist so they can adjust the fitting.
Feedback measurement
As part of the initial set up the Audiologist should perform a feedback measurement to check for any sound leakage and ensure there is sufficient available gain, so that you can turn up the volume if required, without the risk of the hearing aids whistling.
Real Ear Measurements (REMs)
For sound to be heard from a hearing aid, it must first travel through the ear canal. Ear canals are different shapes and sizes with varying degrees of bends and slopes, all of which effect the volume of sound received at the eardrum.
Standard hearing aid programming software applies ‘average’ ear size estimations to your audiogram results to calculate your required amplification levels, so unless your ear is the same as the size used for the calculation, the likelihood of receiving the correct amount of sound from basic programming alone is low.
Make sure your hearing aid fitting appointment includes REMs. This involves positioning a thin flexible tube close to the eardrum to measure sound coming from the hearing aid, the Audiologist is then able to make frequency specific, detailed adjustments to ensure you receive optimal amplification.
Once all measurements are completed the Audiologist should check that you are happy with the level of volume and clarity of sound.
Fitting technique
If your hearing aids are not inserted correctly, it will affect volume, sound quality, comfort, and risk feedback from sound leakage.
It is common to need to practise putting hearing aids in, some people find it helpful to use a mirror to check positioning until they get used to how the aids feel when they are inserted correctly.
Adapting to new sounds
It is normal for speech to sound different once your hearing aids are fitted, some people describe it being clearer, sharper or a bit tinny initially. You may also be more conscious of incidental everyday noises like your footsteps, the kettle boiling, or cutlery being used.
It takes time for the brain to adapt to the new sounds it is receiving, speech will soon become more natural and incidental sounds will fade into the background as the brain relearns how to filter all the additional information from your hearing aids.
During this period, although you may perceive sound differently, it should still be comfortable to listen to, if it is not, or you are finding it the amount of change off-putting, tell your Audiologist as they may need to adjust the acclimatisation level of your devices.
Support
Your Audiologist should book an initial follow up appointment to assess how well your hearing solutions are meeting your communication needs.
During the time between your fitting and follow up appointments it is important to wear your hearing aids as much as possible as you go about your daily activities. This will assist your ears to adapt to the hearing aids more quickly, your brain to become familiarised with new sound stimuli and provide you and your Audiologist with a more detailed insight into your initial experience with amplification.
At a follow up appointment, your Audiologist should check the fit and comfort of your devices, how easily you can insert & remove them, how long you have been using the devices for each day and in what listening environments.
The more information you can provide about your experience the better, as this assists the Audiologist in making any fine-tuning adjustments or revising initial settings to further personalise your devices and improve performance for your needs.
If you have noticed a change in your hearing or are considering hearing aids and would like to book an appointment, please get in touch with your nearest location today.
- Belfast |028 9066 7030
- Ballykelly |028 7707 6050
- Donaghadee |028 9188 4188
- Holywood |028 9085 9900
- Newtownabbey |028 9085 9900