Your Hearing Journey Explained
- Hearing evaluation: You will have a comprehensive evaluation of our outer, middle, and inner ear health, as well as your brain’s ability to process speech in noise.
- Communications needs assessment: We will review your lifestyle and hearing needs; you’ll be part of the team to determine the best treatment plan for your communication needs.
- Select your treatment plan: Your plan could involve referral for medical treatment, educational materials about best communication strategies, hearing aids, and tinnitus management strategies, among many other options.
- Select your hearing devices: If hearing aids are part of your treatment plan, this is when you get to pick out the style, color, etc.!
- Device customization: Your ears are unique, and we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to hearing care. Your hearing aids need to be the most precise physical fit possible, whether that means a customized behind-the-ear device or a custom-molded in-the-ear device.
- Individualized programming: Just like your ear anatomy, your hearing ability is also unique. Your devices will be programmed to your hearing acuity and appropriate sound levels will be verified with Real Ear measurements while the hearing aids are active in your ears, ensuring that nothing is under- or over-amplified.
- Initial fitting: You will learn all about your new hearing aids, how to clean them, change or charge batteries, insert and remove them, and more. At the end of this visit, you get to take them home to see the difference they can make in the real world. Your 60-day adjustment period begins!
- Real-world expectations: While hearing aids can make a world of difference in how you communicate with others, it is important to have realistic expectations for their performance, both in terms of what they can do for you, and what their limitations are. Good communication strategies are still important!
- Better hearing starts here: For your first week with your new devices, you are likely to experience all sorts of new sounds. It’s a good idea to keep track of your experiences to help your audiologist know whether any adjustments are needed.
- Real-world adjustments: Based on your observations as you use your new hearing aids, your audiologist will make any necessary adjustments over the next few weeks to optimize your hearing experience so that you can hear and live your best.
- Performance evaluation: Around three months after you take your hearing aids home, you will have a visit with your audiologist to ensure everything is still going well. The devices will be given a deep cleaning, and you will start on a six-month cleaning schedule.
- Ongoing adjustments and device maintenance: Your twice-a-year cleaning schedule is designed to keep your devices performing optimally. You should also have your hearing re-tested periodically; if you experience hearing changes, your devices can be re-programmed to your new hearing ability. You will also receive a notification at the end of your device’s warranty expiration, with the opportunity to renew it if desired. Around your five-year anniversary is a good time to have your listening needs re-evaluated. This will give you the chance to learn about new technology advancements that could improve your communication ability and continue your lifetime of better hearing!