If you’ve recently gotten a hearing test revealing a loss of hearing that could be treated with hearing aids, the next step is to get a hearing aid fitting. Hearing aid fittings involve three steps: selecting the hearing aid, programming the hearing aid and adjusting the hearing aid.
Selecting the Hearing Aid
Your audiologist will use a lot of information to select a hearing aid for you.
First, they’ll look at your audiogram, which is a visual representation of your hearing loss. The audiogram shows what type and degree of hearing loss you have. If you have conductive hearing loss, you may require a bone-anchored hearing aid, while if you have sensorineural hearing loss, a traditional hearing aid will likely serve you well. They’ll recommend a style of hearing aid based on your degree of hearing loss, as more severe hearing loss requires a more powerful (and bigger) device.
Second, they’ll ask you questions about your lifestyle and budget. These factors will determine what features your device will include. Some of today’s hearing aid features are:
- Directional microphones.
- Background noise reduction.
- Bluetooth connectivity.
- Smartphone compatibility.
- Automatic programming.
Someone who lives an active lifestyle and enjoys going out to The Bite will require more features than someone who lives a quiet lifestyle and spends most of their time at home.
Programming the Hearing Aid
Your audiogram is also used to program your device, as it shows exactly how loud sounds have to be in order for you to hear them across various frequency ranges. This information is uploaded to a computer, which programs the device to the exact specification of your hearing loss.
Adjusting the Hearing Aid
Sound booths that hearing tests are conducted in are much different than real world situations you’ll find yourself in with your hearing aids. Because of this, you may find that certain sounds are still too quiet or others are uncomfortably loud. Part of the hearing aid fitting process is to return to your audiologist to have the programming tweaked until it’s perfect for your listening needs.
You’ve already seen your audiologist for your hearing test, so it makes sense to take the next step and get your hearing aids fitted by them, too. For more information about hearing aid fittings or to schedule an appointment with a hearing aid expert, call San Francisco Audiology today.