If you are experiencing a mix of emotions before your hearing aid fitting appointment, you’re not alone. Most people feel excited and hopeful that the hearing aids will improve their hearing. However, it is also normal to feel nervous or anxious. Most people are concerned around the fact that in order to use hearing aids, one must learn new things. And this learning process is full of unknowns that can seem overwhelming and scary.
The good news if your hearing healthcare provider has done their job well, you should leave your fitting appointment feeling confident and excited about your new hearing aids. In this article I will outline the necessary steps that must be taken so that your journey to better hearing begins with an exceptional hearing aid fitting appointment.
Prior to this appointment, your hearing healthcare provider should have looked in your ears, making sure there was no wax or obstruction to the eardrum, and confirmed that the eardrum appears healthy. Next, they should have done a thorough test of your hearing. This includes assessing your ability to hear different tones as well as measuring your ability to understand speech at an amplified level. This test is necessary to program your hearing aids at your fitting appointment.
A hearing aid fitting appointment takes about 60 minutes to complete. To begin, your hearing healthcare professional will have your hearing aids programmed to a recommended setting. We do this through a wireless connection between the hearing aids and the computer, using the hearing aid manufacturer’s software.
The next set is crucial to an excellent hearing aid fitting: Real Ear Measurement. This involves sitting in front of a speaker with small tubes in both ear canals, just beyond the hearing aids. These tubes collect the sound from the hearing aids, allowing your provider to verify they produce enough sound for your hearing loss. A speaker plays a recording, and the hearing aid’s amplification appears on a graph. The provider then adjusts the settings until the hearing aids meet the recommended targets for your hearing loss.
It is normal to feel that the sound is a little loud, or that your voice sounds different. There is no wrong way to feel about the sound quality of your new hearing aids, and your provider will make adjustments to improve your perception of the sound. It is common for a hearing loss to develop for ten years or longer before a person takes steps to treat it. Therefore, it is normal to need the hearing aid’s volume reduced from the prescriptive target. As you acclimate to hearing, your hearing healthcare provider can gradually increase the hearing aid volume until your hearing improves. The time this process takes varies for each person, and your provider will assist you with these adjustments during routine appointments every few weeks or months until you fully correct your hearing.
It’s important to know that your voice will sound different when you are fitted with hearing aids. Not only are you hearing other people better, but you are also hearing your own voice better. You might think, “But I hear myself fine now!” However, you’re probably not hearing the full spectrum of your voice. Certain pitches aren’t as clear to you as they should be due to your hearing loss. Wearing hearing aids will correct your hearing loss, and by doing so you will hear your voice more accurately. Although this change may seem startling, most people adjust within two weeks. I remind my patients that they sound the same to others and will quickly get used to their own voice. Knowing this can be comforting as patients relearn how their voice is supposed to sound.
Once we adjust the hearing aids to your satisfaction, the next step is learning how to use them. Using a mirror, the provider will teach you how to take the hearing aids out and put them in. You will practice this in the office until you feel confident you can do this on your own. Next, you’ll learn to change your batteries or place rechargeable hearing aids on the charger overnight. If you use Bluetooth, we’ll pair your hearing aids with your smartphone and demonstrate the technology.
Your hearing healthcare provider will also teach you how to clean your hearing aids. This is important to keep them functioning well, and at our office, we teach the simple task of brushing off earwax from the hearing aid at the first appointment. At follow up appointments, we will go into greater detail on other methods to clean the hearing aids. There will be a manual for you to reference if you forget any of the lessons taught that day, so there is no need to write things down.
Your success with hearing aids depends on consistent use, allowing your brain to adapt to the new sound quality. Make notes of any questions, concerns, as well as any interesting observations. Many people will notice the TV is at half volume or hear certain sounds much louder than before. Hopefully you are saying “what” much less frequently! Maybe you forgot that your door squeaked when opening, or it is fun to hear birds sing again! Good or bad, make note of your experiences so your hearing healthcare provider can help you through these changes.
Remember, treating your hearing for the first time is a journey. It’s not nearly as simple as putting on eyeglasses, however with proper care and support, it can be an enjoyable process.
If you have concerns regarding how your hearing aids are fit and in need of assistance, or if you feel ready to treat your hearing impairment, call our office at 712-775-2625 to schedule an appointment with one of our hearing healthcare providers.
712-775-2625