The selection process for hearing aids relies on past health history and current evaluation results. Vero ENT Associates helps people with hearing loss find the right treatment options for their specific needs. An in-depth consultation covers the most important aspects of the fitting, including how to use your devices, proper handling and storage, and how to clean and maintain them. The more informed a patient is about the treatment, the better experience they’ll have moving forward.
Assessing the usefulness of hearing aids
Lifestyle habits and previous experiences with older hearing aids will help narrow down device preferences. There is a large selection of hearing aid models to choose from, all with their own pros and cons. Take home evaluations are possible for a few models and will help narrow down preference for specific features. All of this is possible due to the data provided by the hearing evaluation. An audiologist uses this information to better understand the impact of a hearing device.
Current habits and needs
Audiologists have to look beyond the test results when recommending hearing products. A patient’s personal habits and needs will shape the recommendation for multiple reasons.
Rechargeable hearing aids will be a priority, not only for convenience but for health reasons. Arthritis and shaky hands make it difficult to swap out depleted batteries. A rechargeable option will prevent this from being a monthly problem.
Patients that have a lot of home Bluetooth options will want a device that can connect with their systems. Wireless streaming technology is a valid reason to choose one hearing device over another.
Hearing aid fitting
The hearing aid fitting is when the patient receives their new device for the first time. Bringing a loved one or friend to the meeting helps with stress levels. There is new information to take in during the fitting, and a lot of it has to do with proper use of the hardware. Patients are encouraged to ask questions so that they’re more comfortable during daily usage.
Live speech mapping
Although the hearing aids come preprogrammed from the manufacturer, they still need to be fined tuned. Live speech mapping is a new way to program modern hearing devices. The technology gives a visual representation of what the patient is hearing in real-time. Any adjustments that need to be made to audio and mic quality become more accurate when using live speech mapping. This is an improvement over older processes that relied on multiple tests to get the right sound quality.