When your audiologist recommends hearing aids, the 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 specific type of hearing loss.
How Are Hearing Aids Fitted?
When fitting patients for hearing aids, we use real-ear measurements, which provide a level of accuracy unavailable with software programs. The gold standard of hearing aid fitting considers an individual’s unique anatomy, such as ear canal volume, providing a true measurement of a hearing aid’s effectiveness for that patient’s specific hearing loss. Without an accurate assessment of a hearing aid’s amplification levels, a patient can walk away with a hearing aid that delivers substandard performance.
Wearing hearing aids is an adjustment at any age. They are foreign objects in the ears that are initially awkward and cry out for adjustments. The staff at St. Cloud ENT Clinic offer high quality hearing aids. They are experts at making adjustments by correctly fitting and fine tuning these delicate instruments. I am now enjoying hearing life that I would have missed.
L.O. – Patient of St. Cloud ENT for 9 years.
Your audiologist at St. Cloud ENT – Main Clinic & The Hearing Clinic will check the physical fit to make sure your hearing aids 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, which allows your audiologist to measure the volume levels to ensure that you hear the full range of sounds correctly.
You will then learn about the care and maintenance of your hearing aids. You will learn how to use them correctly, adjust for different hearing environments and insert and remove them.
What Kind of Follow-Up Care Can I Expect?
You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment a few weeks after your initial fitting. During this appointment, your audiologist 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 appointments for adjustments may be needed. We then see you for routine follow-up appointments every three to six months to ensure the hearing aids are working their best for you.
Call St. Cloud Ear, Nose & Throat for more information or to schedule an appointment. (320) 252-0233