Fitting a Hearing Aid
Fitting a Hearing Aid
You have chosen a hearing aid. Make
sure you understand the features of the aid you’re buying. This includes the trial
period,
the warranty, and the return policy. You will then start the process of having it
fitted.
The hearing aid will be custom-made for you. A special graph of your hearing loss
(audiogram) will be used as a guide.
Making a mold of your ear
The hearing aid must be fitted to
the shape of your ear. A bad fit can cause sound feedback. It can also cause irritation
in the ear canal. A mold of your ear canal may be made. This is painless. The
audiologist or hearing aid specialist will put a soft material into your ear. It firms
up in a few minutes and is easily removed. This creates a mold of your ear. The mold
is
then sent to the company that will make your hearing aid.
Checking the fit
When your hearing aid is ready, the
fit will be checked. To get ready for the fitting, make a list of questions you have
about your hearing aid. Having your questions in writing will help you remember them.
The audiologist or hearing aid specialist will make sure it feels comfortable in your
ear. The aid will be checked to make sure it works correctly. Tests will be done to
check your ability to hear sounds while wearing the aid. After the hearing aid is
fine-tuned, you can start wearing it. Ask for instructions about how to care for it.
Also find out how to keep hearing aid batteries out of reach of children and pets.
They
can be deadly if swallowed.
Online Medical Reviewer: Ashutosh Kacker MD
Online Medical Reviewer: Marianne Fraser MSN RN
Online Medical Reviewer: Daphne Pierce-Smith RN MSN CCRC
Date Last Reviewed:
7/1/2019
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