Digital Hearing Aid Prescription & Fitting

Our audiologist will begin the selection process by conducting an in-depth consultation with you to learn more about your lifestyle, your expectations, your personal preferences and your thoughts on any previous experiences with hearing aids. Your hearing test results, along with this information, will help the professional pull together some options for you to review.

Your hearing test results play a crucial role in determining the most suitable hearing aid styles for you. The degree of hearing loss influences whether smaller models, ideal for mild hearing loss, or larger models, which can accommodate all levels of hearing loss, are recommended.

• RIC (Receiver-in-Canal) models are great for mild to moderate hearing loss, particularly with high-frequency issues.
• BTE (Behind-the-Ear) hearing aids with earmolds are excellent for severe hearing loss or steeply sloping losses.

If mid-frequency hearing loss is more prominent, advanced hearing aid features might be necessary for better sound clarity and comfort.

Your lifestyle plays a significant role in selecting the right hearing aid. If you are frequently in noisy environments or enjoy social gatherings, a more advanced model designed for complex listening situations may be ideal. Alternatively, if you prefer quieter settings at home, basic hearing aids with simple features may suit your needs.

• Active Lifestyles: Choose hearing aids with advanced noise-canceling features for those who often deal with background noise.
• Homebodies: If you primarily stay indoors with minimal background noise, more basic hearing aids can offer sufficient support.

Your hearing aid should match your personal preferences, whether in aesthetics, technology, or usability. Some factors to consider include:

• Design Preferences: Would you prefer nearly invisible hearing aids, or do you want something bold and colorful to make a statement?
• Control Options: Do you want manual control over the volume, or would you prefer an automatic adjustment feature?
• Additional Accessories: Would you like remote controls or wireless accessories to enhance your hearing experience?
• Battery Life: Consider whether you prefer a rechargeable battery or are comfortable with frequent battery replacements.

Our audiologist will discuss these preferences to ensure that your hearing aids fit your lifestyle and abilities.

After your consultation, we’ll present a range of hearing aid options within your budget. In some cases, you may be able to try a demonstration model for a few hours or days before making your final choice. Once you’ve made a decision, we’ll order your hearing aids and schedule a follow-up appointment for programming.

If you choose custom-fit ITE (In-the-Ear) or BTE styles with earmolds, our audiologist will take an impression of your ear canal to ensure a perfect fit.

Adjusting to hearing aids takes time. Some people only need a day or two but most people need a few weeks to a few months to adjust to using hearing aids. The important thing to remember is to wear them, even if just for a few hours the first day, an hour longer the following day, and so on until you are wearing hearing aids all day.

During this time of adjustment, you’ll want to see your audiologist for as many follow-up visits as you need to fine-tune the sounds you’re hearing, adjust the fit in your ear and talk about the situations that are most challenging for you.

Hearing aids work extremely well when fitted and adjusted properly. They should be comfortable to wear and provide good sound quality. It is important to remember that hearing aids do not restore normal hearing and are not as good as normal hearing. At first, you will be aware of hearing aids in your ears and your voice will sound “funny.” The quicker you ramp up to wearing them all day, like you would wear a pair of eyeglasses, the faster your brain will re-program itself to ignore the sounds that are meaningless to you. Before you know it, you’ll only be able to hear the refrigerator humming if you concentrate and listen for it!