4 FAQs About Hearing Aid Fittings

Your hearing is arguably one of the most important senses that you’ll ever use. Not only does it help you perceive the sounds around you, but it also assists in helping you stay balanced and can keep you safe in a number of different situations throughout life. It’s certainly not a sense that we should be neglecting, but very few of us understanding the consequences of poor hearing and even fewer notice the signs of degraded hearing.

The first step to take is to visit an audiologist. Once this meeting is out of the way, you’ll be asked to attend a hearing aid fitting. The process is relatively simple and the advantages are plentiful. However, you might be curious about what the hearing aid fitting process involves, so consider some of the most frequently asked questions about this appointment.

1. What sort of questions should I ask at my fitting?

Your audiologist will be prepared to answer many of your questions, so this is a good time to try and get a better understanding of your hearing situation. You’ll typically ask questions such as “how often do I need to return to perform maintenance on my hearing aids?” or “will I be given spare hearing aids, and if not, how much do they cost?”.

You generally want to ask questions that you personally want to know the answers to. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of details either – your audiologist will be happy to answer.

2. What happens at a hearing aid fitting?

In most cases, your audiologist will already have determined your level of hearing loss during a previous appointment, so they’ll likely show you their recommended hearing aids, fit them on your ears to ensure they’re comfortable and also explain how it works. They may also need to adjust some settings to make sure you’re happy with it.

3. Will I need to visit my audiologist again in the future?

Yes. You’ll need to visit again to maintain your hearing aids, repair them and potentially adjust any settings that are incorrect or need altering. This won’t happen very often, but it will happen often enough that you should think of it as a doctor or dental appointment. You’ll typically have follow-up appointments to see how you’re doing after the fitting, but after that, you should require fewer appointments unless something happens like the hearing aids stop working.

4. Are there any problems I should be concerned about regarding my hearing aids?

Hearing aids are quite simple in nature, but they do take some adjusting. They’re also rather small and can easily be damaged if you don’t take care of them correctly, meaning they are prone to damage. They can also be lost due to their size, so make sure you store them in a pouch or box. You’ll also want to learn about how you can clean your hearing aids to keep them in good working condition at all times and also prevent dirt from blocking it up and causing issues.