Hearing Aid Fittings and 4 Benefits

Being diagnosed with hearing loss can leave you wondering what steps you should take next. Fortunately, this article can help. Part of the process will involve getting a hearing aid fitting. Here, an audiologist will perform a series of tests on your ears and then use that information to recommend a particular device or settings selection. Then, they will fit the hearing aid and program it for your type of hearing loss.

Hearing aid fittings are standard for people with mild-to-profound hearing loss. Hearing aids remain among the best interventions to improve your hearing and help you continue enjoying a high quality of life. This post discusses the four main benefits of getting a hearing aid fitting. You’ll learn why they are critical and why it is much better to get them in person than online.

Choose From Various Styles and Features

First, in-person hearing aid fittings let you choose hearing devices in various styles and offer a tremendous array of features. You can choose the size, color and functionality of hearing aids to suit your needs. Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are the largest and offer advanced technologies, such as directional microphones, noise reduction and feedback cancellation. They may also have Bluetooth connectivity and rechargeable batteries.

Smaller hearing aids that fit the ear canal without external or behind the ear components may have fewer features, but they offer discretion. They are also a good option for people who play sports.

Personalized Sound Quality

In-person hearing aid fittings also let you calibrate your hearing aids based on your specific hearing loss profile. Audiologists can take the output of the audiogram and use it to discover which sound frequencies you can’t hear as well. Then, they can program the hearing aid to amplify these ranges more, giving you a smoother hearing experience.

They can adjust the compression, amplification and other parameters to match your audiogram. With some minor tweaks, you can eventually achieve a superior hearing experience personalized to your diagnosis.

Get a Comfortable Fit

You can also achieve a more comfortable fit when you go to the audiologist. They ensure your hearing aid fits your ear canal snugly, reducing the risk of friction. Getting a good fit involves taking molds and measurements of your ear and ear canal. Audiologists will sometimes send these to the lab to fabricate equipment that fits the shape of your ears perfectly, improving all-day comfort.

You can discuss the best earmold material with your audiologist first. Hard and soft varieties are available, depending on your preferences.

Get Ongoing Support and Routine Follow-ups

The final benefit of hearing aid fittings from an in-person audiologist is the ongoing support and follow-up care. You may need to return to the clinic for adjustments and tweaks. You may also need to go back for troubleshooting if any problems arise with your device. Having a trained audiologist there to help you if you have a problem with your device can be extremely helpful. They can also provide emotional and psychological support.