Overview:

Have you recently been diagnosed with a hearing disorder? Or have you completed a hearing aid evaluation and are wondering what hearing aid is best suited for your lifestyle? A hearing aid fitting with us might be just what you need to experience an improvement in your overall wellness. Here's what you should know about hearing aid fittings.

What is a Hearing Aid Fitting?

Hearing aids are small electronic devices that amplify sound, allowing patients with hearing loss to hear more clearly and communicate better. Not every patient with a hearing disorder will require a hearing aid, which is why it's highly recommended to receive a comprehensive hearing aid evaluation by a certified physician or trained audiologist.

Hearing aids are most beneficial to patients who experience hearing loss as a result of damage to their inner ear hair cells. This can be caused by several reasons, including infection, injury, working in high-noise environments, or aging. There are three main types of hearing aids—the best one for you depends on several factors, including lifestyle and communication needs:

• behind-the-ear hearing aids, which are recommended for patients that experience chronic ear wax buildup
• canal hearing aids, which are specifically made to fit your ear canal
• in the ear hearing aids, which fit in your outer ear

What Are the Benefits of a Hearing Aid Fitting?

There are multiple benefits to opting for a hearing aid fitting. Hearing aids are always custom-fitted, and the type of hearing aid recommended will differ from one patient to the next.

Hearing aids can help patients with mild to severe cases of hearing loss and improve their overall quality of life by allowing sound to be heard clearly. For some patients with hearing loss, getting fitted for a hearing aid can also improve the comprehension of speech.

What to Expect During Your Initial Hearing Aid Fitting

If you've never had a hearing aid fitting, you might wonder what to expect during your first appointment. A certified audiologist at Emanuel Kontos, DMD will initially begin with a hearing aid evaluation to help determine the degree of your hearing loss as well as the best type of hearing aid for you.

A mold of your ear or inner ear will also be taken to ensure the hearing aid best fits you—for some patients, two hearing aids, one for each ear, may be recommended to help with a feeling of balance of hearing between the ears. Your actual fitting process will also involve several diagnostic tests, including electroacoustic measurements, to ensure that your hearing aid is set up correctly and fine-tuned.

It's normal for several follow-up visits to occur—most patients typically report it taking anywhere from four to six weeks to feel comfortable listening to sounds with your newly fitted hearing aid.

For more information about hearing aid fittings contact Emanuel Kontos, DMD at (727) 939-2099.

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Resources: 

• https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids
• https://www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov/Encyclopedia/142,83644_VA
• https://hearing.wustl.edu/Hearing-Aids/Expectations-at-the-Initial-Fitting