The Importance of Customized Hearing Aid Fittings

If you’ve been prescribed hearing aids, the simple act of wearing them can be a new and novel experience. In many cases, customized hearing aids will be fitted to your ear. Depending on the model you have, this can vary in different ways. For example, a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid will have a tube that is hooked behind your ear as described.

An in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid may be the idea of what a hearing aid looks like to you, a functional model resting against the outer ear. Meanwhile, in-the-canal (ITC) models are inserted more deeply into the ear canal and may look like a simple earbud with a smaller stature. All of these models can be custom fitted to the particular dimensions of your ear. In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of customized hearing aid fittings.

What’s the Importance of Customized Hearing Aid Fittings?

When you have a hearing aid that fits your ear, it’s less likely to fall out. Hearing aids are robust in construction but contain many sensitive electronic components that need to be handled carefully. As such, the last thing you need is to repeatedly juggle hearing devices falling out of both ears. Luckily – custom-fitted hearing aids have been designed to resist a relatively intensive amount of day-to-day movement while being worn. This way, you never have to worry about the right fit while you go around living your life and you won’t have to change your lifestyle when wearing a custom-fitted hearing aid.

Are There Any Fitting Accessories I Can Use?

In some cases, domes and tips can be fixed to certain models of hearing aids in order to offer a better fit in your ear. These can be attached to the tip or back-shaped area of your hearing aid in order to provide a snug fit. While this can be very helpful in a pinch, it’s true to say that nothing really compares to a custom mold. After all, as good as accessories can be, none of them are designed for your specific ear shape and dimensions. Talk with your hearing instrument specialist (HIS) about fitting accessories and see if they would be right for you.

How Are Hearing Aids Molded to My Ear?

It all begins with a consultation in your hearing instrument specialist’s office. They’ll be able to evaluate the full scope of your hearing ability and decide which type of hearing aid is suitable for the severity of your hearing loss. If hearing aid use is suggested and consented to, then the mold will be designed after your hearing instrument specialist determine the exact characteristics of the hearing aid you’ll use.

To start with, an ear impression is taken, most often using a soft, silico-based material. This will help to capture the exact, accurate contours of your ear as well as the size of your outer ear canal. This impression will need a little time to set, so you’ll need to be patient. Thankfully, it shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to achieve this.

When the impression is removed, your hearing instrument specialist will inspect it for accuracy, and submit it to the hearing aid manufacturer for production. When completed, your HIS will fit your hearing aid and make sure everything fits correctly. From there, they’ll be able to test and tune your hearing aid appropriately.

What if My Ears Change Shape?

Ears can change in shape and size over time. This is especially true of those who may be in their older years. Never fear, for you can always book an appointment with your hearing instrument specialist if you feel that your hearing aids are not fitting properly.

For the most part, however, this is a non-issue. Ears rarely grow so fast that you’ll need to cycle hearing aids each year, at least not for this particular purpose. Scheduling regular appointments with your hearing instrument specialist can help you clear up any questions you have and get specified advice designed for you and only you.

Contact Hear More Medical Centers of America today!

At Hear More Medical Centers of America, we aim to match our clients in need of hearing aids with the best and most useful devices possible. This includes finding the perfect impression and matches for your hearing aid each time. We won’t rest until we get it right, or if you need a change remedied. Our friendly team of experts would love to set up an appointment with you. You can contact us at (352) 877-9243 today!