Hearing Aid Fitting & Counseling
When your hearing care professional recommends hearing aids, selection is only the beginning of the process. Equally important is the fitting, which involves programming your hearing aids and making adjustments to provide the correct levels of amplification for your particular hearing loss. Counseling is a necessary step to ensure you have realistic expectations, and is crucial for long-term success.
What Is Hearing Aid Counseling?
Before you ever put on hearing aids, you’ll receive counseling to prepare you for this change in your lifestyle. While hearing aids will undoubtedly improve your communication abilities, it is important to understand they are not a cure for hearing loss, and do have certain limitations. Learning what to expect beforehand will help you achieve the maximum benefit from your devices.
How Are Hearing Aids Fitted?
Your hearing care professional at DeFatta Hearing Aid Experts will check the physical fit to make sure they are comfortable. They will then be programmed and adjusted based on your hearing loss and lifestyle needs. The hearing aids will be placed in your ears and turned on, allowing your audiologist to measure the volume levels to ensure that you are hearing the full range of sounds properly.
Your hearing care professional will then discuss care and maintenance of your hearing aids. You will learn how to use them correctly and make adjustments for different hearing environments, insert and remove them, change the batteries and clean and care for them properly. You will also learn tips and strategies for better communication.
At your hearing aid fitting appointment, you will be provided with several supplies necessary to keep the hearing aid(s) functioning properly. Your hearing care professional will review the supplies, and the instructions for use. The audiology department is always available to assist you with the cleaning/maintenance of your aids.
- Dome – a dome is the small, plastic bell-shaped part that fits onto the end of your hearing aid. It is the piece that is inserted into your ear canal. Every so often, this part needs to be replaced.
- Earwax filters. Filters prevent earwax, a leading cause of damage to electronic components, from entering the hearing aid. This helps prolong the life of the instrument and provides you with clear, natural sound.
- Cleaning kits. Keeping your hearing aids clean can result in a longer life for your instruments. Cleaning kits give you a leg up on keeping your device in prime working condition. They typically include a wax removal brush and pick, a tube and vent cleaner, battery door opener and battery replacement magnet.
What Kind of Follow-Up Care Can I Expect?
A follow-up visit will be scheduled a few weeks after your initial fitting. During this appointment, your hearing care professional will fine-tune and adjust your hearing aids as needed and answer any questions you may have. It may take a while to adjust your hearing aids to their maximum effectiveness, so additional fitting appointments may be needed.
Call DeFatta Hearing Aid Experts at (715) 930-1940 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
