Overcoming Challenges in Hearing Aid Fittings

Recognizing the impact of hearing loss on your quality of life, acquiring hearing aids can be the initial step toward rediscovering the activities you once cherished before your hearing declined. Yet, this process necessitates a crucial hearing aid fitting. During this process, your audiologist evaluates your specific hearing needs to recommend the most suitable devices tailored to your condition. However, it’s essential to be aware that you might encounter some challenges during the hearing aid fitting process.

Be Transparent with Your Audiologist

The goal of your hearing aid fitting is to improve your auditory function. However, this will only be possible when you are transparent with your audiologist. During your assessment, you can expect to answer a series of questions; keep in mind that your audiologist needs the information to prescribe the right hearing aids. However, providing inaccurate information can lead to the selection of hearing aids that may not meet your needs effectively.

Furthermore, it may hinder your ability to carry out daily tasks smoothly, potentially requiring you to repeat the fitting process. To ensure you receive the most appropriate and long-lasting solution, it’s essential to provide a comprehensive explanation of your hearing situation, enabling your audiologist to offer the best possible fit and performance for your specific needs.

Understanding What Your Audiogram Says

After your tests, your audiologist will likely give you an audiogram, which accurately diagnoses your hearing loss. However, the challenge is that this document is not written. Instead, it resembles a chart with graphs that show what sound pressures you can hear at different frequencies. In your audiogram, you will find the horizontal axis representing frequency and the vertical axis showing intensity. You may find it difficult to interpret your audiogram, which is why your audiologist is there.

Make sure you ask questions if you don’t understand certain things about your results. They will explain if you have mild, moderate, severe or profound hearing loss and what hearing aids will suit you better. Your audiologist will answer any questions you may have about your hearing test results, helping you have a better understanding of your hearing.

Considering Style and Function When Choosing Hearing Aids

There are several styles of hearing aids are available on the market, the most common being in the canal (ITC), behind the ear (BTE) and in the ear (ITE). Each model has the type of hearing loss it will be most suitable for. For instance, BTE hearing aids are suitable for mild-to-profound hearing loss. If you are experiencing mild-to-moderately-severe hearing loss, ITE hearing aids will be the perfect solution for you, whereas ITC hearing aids are for mild-to-moderate hearing loss. ITC and ITE hearing aids are smaller compared to BTE hearing aids, so if you have dexterity issues, BTE hearing aids may be the right choice for you.

While your hearing aid fitting is essential to get the right hearing aids. You may encounter some challenges like the environment you are in or issues with your hearing aids. Your audiologist will help you through the fitting process making sure your hearing aids are in optimal condition for your needs.