Congratulations! You’ve now gone through the most challenging part – recognizing the signs of hearing loss and seeking treatment to improve your hearing abilities.

Now that you’ve had your hearing evaluated and your audiologist has recommended hearing aids, you might be wondering – what’s next? What are the steps to finding the best hearing aid?

Here at Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services, we are excited to take you through the simple steps of finding and fitting hearing aids, the last leg on your journey to better hearing.

What to Expect at a Hearing Aid Fitting

Depending on where you are in the process, there are several steps to a hearing aid fitting with your audiologist.  The fit of the hearing aids is crucial to providing you the correct amplification that will benefit your hearing.

You’ll have already undergone a series of hearing tests to determine your current hearing abilities. Your audiologist will have used the results of your audiogram (a visual representation of your hearing abilities) to determine the best hearing aid options for you – taking into account your lifestyle as well. At your hearing aid fitting, your audiologist will have different hearing aids that offer a series of features to address your hearing needs.

At the hearing aid fitting, you will try on the different hearing aid options, and discuss the features and listening experience of each one with your audiologist. Working with your audiologist, you will make the decision on the best hearing aids for you. Hearing is a very subjective experience – inasmuch as it is measurable and scientific – and as such, your input is crucial in this time.

After you’ve made your hearing aid selection, your audiologist will make earmold impressions of your ears (sometimes hearing aid manufacturers require a mold of your ear, depending on the style of hearing aid you’ve chosen).

When your customized hearing aids have arrived, you will return to your audiologist’s office, where you will try on the hearing aids. Your audiologist will conduct a series of tests called Real Ear Measures. These tests allow your audiologist to measure the sounds as they appear in your ear canal. This process is not invasive – it just requires a painless tube to be inserted you’re your ear canal to measure the sounds.

During this process, you want to indicate how comfortable the sounds appear to you. Keep in mind that at first, sounds may be louder and clearer than you’ve experience in a long time – especially if you have been experiencing changes in your hearing for a while. Your audiologist will ensure that the volumes and settings on your hearing aid are comfortable and capturing sounds accurately.

Adjusting to Hearing Aids

During this hearing aid fitting, you will also learn about how to adjust to your hearing aids, and also how to care for them.

Your audiologist will show you how to change and discard batteries from your hearing aids. Sometimes hearing aids have very small parts that require careful motions to replace batteries. If you have rechargeable hearing aids, this is not a step you need to worry about.

Additionally, hearing aids offer many different features and programs. You may change between the programs depending on the sound environment, as well as between programs such as telecoil (to connect to induction loop systems for amplification) and tinnitus sound therapy. Your audiologist will instruct you on how to make these adjustments, as well as adjustments to volume. If your hearing aids have wireless compatibility, your audiologist will also show you how to connect wirelessly to your smartphone or other electronic devices (be sure to bring them to the fitting!).

Learning how to care for your new hearing aids

Maintenance is an important part to ensuring that your hearing aids are in good working order. Your audiologist will show you simple cleaning steps that should be taken daily. You will also learn about the intricate construction of your hearing aid and when to avoid self-repair – sometimes, it is the best option to bring your hearing aids in for repair at our offices.

We’ll send you home with your hearing aid instruction guide, as well as tips to adjusting to your hearing aids. You may want to begin by wearing them in the house for a few hours at a time, before taking them out for a spin. We’ll give you tips on what to look out for, what is a normal part of adjusting, and what is problematic. You’ll be given cleaning tools as well as a supply of batteries and a safe storage case.

And of course, remember that you’re not alone! We will follow up with you in the ensuing days after your hearing aid fitting to make sure that you are adjusting comfortably to your new hearing aids. 

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, we invite you to call our office directly.

OC Physicians’ Hearing Services 

Call us at: (949) 364-4361