Hearing Aid Fittings
Hearing Aid Fitting
Minimize the impacts of hearing loss and get the most out of your hearing aids
The majority of hearing aids are not set to the proper prescription. Ears come in all shapes and sizes, so your hearing aids need to be adjusted based on the way they sit in your own ears.
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At Acoustic Audiology, we measure and adjust your hearing aids to the way they are in your ears. We use small microphones to evaluate sounds as they are transmitted through your hearing devices, so we can gauge how well your hearing aids are performing and complete custom adjustments. This process
(called real ear measurements) is essential to ensure hearing aids perform as expected, yet it is a step that is often skipped.
Every hearing aid that is prescribed at Acoustic Audiology is fitted using real ear measurements
What To Expect
Hearing instrument evaluation
Duration: 30 to 45 minutes
Following a recommendation for hearing aids, our team will work with you to choose a hearing aid style, technology level and accessories that will suit your hearing loss, lifestyle and budget.
After selecting your hearing aids and accessories, everything will be ordered from the manufacturer. This can take anywhere between 5 to 14 days, depending on whether custom molded products are required.
Hearing Aid Fitting
Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours
Devices arrive from the manufacturer with no prescription programmed. They are set to their default mode and require custom programming to match them to your hearing prescription.
For all hearing instruments that we prescribe, we complete real ear measurements to adjust the devices based on the way they fit and function in your ears. Research in audiology has showed that this step is essential, but far too many hearing aids are fitted without real ear measurements.
We use specialized microphones that are designed for the human ear canal to measure the output of your hearing aids when they are in your ears. You can expect to hear all sorts of sounds during the fitting process. Many of them will be enjoyable, but do not get discouraged if some sounds are annoying or too loud. The hearing aid fitting process involves measuring how the hearing aids are processing all sorts of sounds.
Following real ear measurements, your hearing aids will be set to your prescription.
We may make further adjustments to give your brain time to adapt to the extra sounds (including making the hearing aids quieter at first). Over time, we will work towards reaching your hearing loss prescription. This process and length varies for every individual, but Acoustic Audiology will provide the support to help you reach your highest potential.
Follow-up
Depending on how the initial fitting went, a series of follow-up appointments will be booked during your trial period. The majority of people are seen approximately 2 to 4 weeks following initial fitting, with subsequent appointments made as necessary.
The trial period is a sensitive time for your hearing and nervous systems. We encourage you to book any appointments that are necessary to help you adjust to the extra stimulation and improve the comfort and outcomes of your devices.
Long-term follow-up
Once we have determined that your hearing aids are helping you hear better in most situations, we suggest you to return to Acoustic Audiology to clean and maintain your hearing aids every 6 months and retest your hearing every 1 to 2 years.
Hearing aids need to be continually readjusted as your hearing changes. This means that as your lifestyle and daily routines change, we can optimize your hearing aids based on the situations where your hearing needs support. And when your hearing prescription changes, we can adjust the devices to match.
Why Acoustic Audiology for your hearing aid fittings
Just as hearing aid technology has evolved at an incredible pace, diagnostic and fitting processes have also changed. Acoustic Audiology follows the latest standards of care in audiology to ensure your hearing aids are performing the best they can for you.
We always complete real ear measurements during our hearing aid fittings. This process measures the output when hearing aids are in your ears, so they can be adjusted to match your hearing loss prescription.
Even though real ear measurements are essential, the majority of hearing aids are fitted without performing this extra test. It is another example of how Acoustic Audiology goes the extra step for every patient that visits our clinic.
