How Hearing Aid Fittings Help You Adjust

Hearing aids are typically the device of choice to use when it comes to hearing loss. Compared to hearing aids in the past, modern hearing aids are comfortable, lightweight and very discreet. However, hearing aids don’t work well unless they’re fitted properly to the user. This is because each person’s level of hearing loss is different, and their preferences can also change depending on their lifestyle. For example, someone might prefer a bulkier hearing aid because it has a longer battery life, and others might prefer discreet hearing aids to avoid drawing attention.

Hearing aid fittings are designed to help you adjust to your hearing aids better. To help you understand the process better, we’re going to explain how hearing aid fittings help you adjust to your hearing aids.

Assessing Your Needs

First, your audiologist will likely ask you about your needs and lifestyle. They’ll ask you what kind of job you work, the activities you engage in and also how often you’ll need your hearing aids. These questions are important when it comes to determining what type of hearing aid you need and how it will fit into your lifestyle.

Additionally, your hearing test results will be used to determine the right hearing aids for you. For instance, smaller models are generally better suited for mild hearing loss while larger ones work better for any level of hearing loss. Your needs and lifestyle choices may end up limiting your choice of hearing aids, but your audiologist will pick what is best for your needs.

Adjusting to Your Hearing Aids

Another important part of the fitting is helping you adjust to your chosen hearing aids. Even after your needs have been assessed and your audiologist has chosen the perfect pair, there is an important adjustment period.

During this time, you’ll be asked to follow a couple of simple steps to help you get used to the hearing aids.

• You’ll need to wear the hearing aids at home and in the situations that you plan to use them in.
• Your audiologist will recommend only wearing them for a couple of hours at first, only ramping up if they feel comfortable.
• You’ll be asked to practice with your hearing aids in the situations that you need them in.
• You’ll be asked to take part in a hearing aids orientation class
• You might find it difficult to adjust to background noise, so it might take a while to get used to.

You’ll be seeing your audiologist many times throughout the adjustment period and you’ll likely have to attend several fittings if changes need to be made.

Hopefully, this article has given you an idea on just how important hearing aid fittings are at helping you adjust. Hearing aids are fantastic to combat hearing loss, but they need to fit perfectly with the user’s lifestyle in order to be effective. The fitting and adjustment process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, but it’s best to let your audiologist know about even the slightest problem so they can help you get more comfortable with your hearing aids.