Hearing Aid Dispensing and Fitting

Hearing instrument fitting

Virtually all contemporary hearing instruments are computer-programmable and digital.  On the day you start to use the instruments, we program them very precisely according to your hearing levels and your loudness tolerance.  The digital processing chips in the instrument make this possible.

Much of the sound being delivered to your ears is regulated automatically by the hearing instruments, so you don’t have to do much of anything but wear them.  Sometimes we encourage you to use a volume control to “lighten” the sound as you adapt to the aids during the first few days.

The “automatic” self-adjusting behavior of today’s hearing aids is so efficient that we seldom see the longer adaptation periods that we saw in previous decades.

Every person getting new hearing instruments notices that his or her own voice sounds sharper when the aids are turned on for the first time.  This is entirely normal because you have been walking around with dull hearing and now, suddenly, you are hearing better, including yourself!  This sensation of a change in your own voice generally fades very quickly.  Keep in mind that wearing the instruments helps you to better monitor your own voice and thus avoid the “loud talker” status that betrays people who have hearing trouble.

We will make sure you know how and when to change the battery, and how to put on and clean the hearing instruments.  We then schedule a progress check-up visit for a few days later to see how you are doing, make minor sound quality adjustments if necessary, and answer any questions.  Further follow-up is scheduled as needed.

Binaural hearing (listening with both ears)

There are exceptions to every rule, but in the majority of cases, conversations are heard clearest and with the least effort when the audibility is maximized in both ears. Two-eared (“stereo”) hearing is so important that even many lower-cost pairs of hearing instruments now have some degree of wireless interconnection in order to coordinate the hearing between the two ears.

Cosmetics

Forget about what Grandma used to wear.  Today’s hearing instruments are smaller, way more comfortable, far less conspicuous, and vastly better performing than in decades past.  In many cases the hearing instruments are nearly invisible when worn.  In our opinion, hearing instruments should be thought of as “eyeglasses for the ears”. 

Hearing instrument brands

From among many hearing aid laboratories, we focus on a few that have the highest user satisfaction, best reliability, and most user-friendly service policies.  Their instruments are featured on this site.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)

Science and engineering have given us many electronic accessory devices that can be employed to help persons with diminished hearing levels to function better in challenging listening situations.  Some people are more gadget-oriented than others, and we can help you decide whether an ALD is useful to you and manageable on a practical basis.

Bringing a family member or friend

Two heads are better than one!   We are very happy when you bring someone who is supportive of you.  This is especially true if you have limits on your manual dexterity or eyesight, or you are starting to be perhaps a bit forgetful.  Your family member, friend, or assistant will be able to see how the hearing aid fits into your ear, observe the improvement in your ability to converse, and serve as a back-up resource for you to remember the simple instructions you are given on the day of the fitting.  And the person who accompanies you can see your ear much better than you can!

Insurance

Insurance and health care coverage issues presently are in such a state of nationwide flux that it is not currently possible to make generalities.  Our office staff stands ready to advise you on an individual basis.

Appointments

In order to give you focused and efficient attention, we ask that you call to make an appointment, even if you think “it will just take a second”.

Follow-up

“We look good when you hear good” (sic).  We want to see you at any time that you suspect that something has changed in your hearing or your hearing instrument, so please don’t hesitate to make an appointment for follow-up.