Personalizing Your Hearing Aid Fitting Experience: Fitting Insights

Think you may need a hearing aid? Many people don’t realize that there are many styles of hearing aid. On top of this, custom molded hearing aids are an option. Taking advantage of these personalization options is important for ensuring your happiness and comfort while wearing your hearing aid.

Choosing Your Style

Different styles of hearing aids have their pros and cons. An audiologist will be able to guide you through these and help you find a style that is right for you. The major hearing aid styles to choose from include:

• In the ear (ITE): These hearing aids fitted in the outer bowl of your ear. They are easy to put in and can contain various different settings. This style of hearing aids is discreet.
• Behind the ear (BTE): These are made up of a microphone casing that sits behind the ear to pick up sound more clearly, and a separate speaker attached to a plastic tube that fits into the ear. These devices can have many settings.
• In the canal (ITC): These hearing aids fit deeper in the canal, making them suitable for an individual experiencing mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Due to their size they are the least visible hearing aid available. If you have dexterity issues, these might not be the right hearing aid for you.

Custom Hearing Aids

When choosing your style, you may also have the option of considering a custom hearing aid. These hearing aids can be molded to the shape of your ear, which could provide greater comfort and minimize issues like feedback and whistling. The first appointment will usually involve choosing your style and taking a mold of your ear. When your hearing aid is ready, you can then return for a hearing aid fitting appointment where you will be told how to use and maintain it by an audiologist, as well as getting the chance to try it out before you take it home.

Different Technological Features Available

When getting fitted for hearing aids, various technological features are available to cater to individual needs. Some hearing aids offer directional microphones, allowing better focus on sounds in specific directions, beneficial in noisy environments. Others provide telecoil technology, enabling compatibility with hearing loops or assistive listening systems in public places. Bluetooth connectivity is an option in certain models, facilitating direct streaming from smartphones or other devices.

Additionally, some hearing aids offer noise reduction and feedback cancellation features, minimizing background noise and unwanted whistling sounds. Exploring these diverse technological features during the fitting process helps tailor the hearing aids to best suit one’s hearing preferences and lifestyle.

Today’s range of different hearing aid styles combined with the option of custom molded hearing aids can make choosing a hearing aid a much more personalized decision. Take your time to explore the different options so that you select the right hearing aid, and make sure to ask your audiologist any questions that you may have about the different styles.