What to Expect During Your First Hearing Aid Fitting in Westport
Getting hearing aids marks a significant step toward better hearing health, but the quality of your fitting can make all the difference in your success. At Fairfield County Audiology, we believe a proper hearing aid fitting requires time, expertise, and advanced verification methods to ensure your devices work optimally for your unique hearing needs.
The Path to Your Fitting Appointment
Before your fitting appointment, you've already completed a comprehensive hearing evaluation where we assessed your hearing loss and discussed your lifestyle needs. During that consultation, we talked about where you struggle most with hearing, what activities are most important to you, your medical and family history, and your hearing concerns. Based on your test results and lifestyle requirements, we recommended specific hearing aid technology and worked with you to select the devices best suited for your situation.
You had time to consider your options, ask questions, and make an informed decision about which hearing aids would work best for you. Your fitting appointment is when we program and verify these pre-selected devices specifically for your hearing loss.
Understanding the Fitting Appointment
Your first hearing aid fitting typically takes 60-90 minutes. This is a comprehensive appointment where we program your devices according to your prescription, verify their performance using precise measurement techniques, and teach you everything you need to know about using and caring for your new hearing aids.
We begin by reviewing your hearing loss pattern and the specific prescriptive targets your hearing aids need to meet. Each frequency range requires different amounts of amplification based on your audiogram, and we'll program your devices to deliver exactly what your ears need.
Precision Programming with Real Ear Measurement
At our practice, we use Real Ear Measurement technology during every hearing aid fitting. This advanced verification procedure measures exactly how much amplification your hearing aids deliver inside your ear canal, accounting for your unique ear anatomy. This is where professional fitting truly differs from retail or online purchases.
Here's why this matters: everyone's ears are shaped differently, and these variations affect how sound travels through your ear canal to your eardrum. Two people with identical hearing loss can require different hearing aid settings due to these anatomical differences. Without Real Ear Measurement, hearing aids are programmed based on manufacturer averages rather than your specific needs.
During the REM procedure, we place a thin probe microphone in your ear canal alongside your hearing aid. This microphone measures the actual sound levels reaching your eardrum while we present calibrated test signals. We compare these measurements to scientifically established targets for your specific hearing loss, then adjust your hearing aids until they match these targets across all frequencies.
Think of it like following a prescription. Your hearing test provides the prescription for what your ears need. Real Ear Measurement ensures your hearing aids are delivering exactly that prescription, not an approximation. This precision fitting significantly improves patient outcomes, with research consistently showing that hearing aids verified with Real Ear Measurement provide better speech understanding and greater satisfaction.
Learning to Use Your Hearing Aids
Once your hearing aids are precisely programmed and verified, we'll teach you how to use them effectively. You'll learn how to insert and remove them properly, change batteries or charge them correctly, adjust volume and programs, and troubleshoot common issues. We'll make sure you feel confident managing your devices before you leave.
You'll likely notice that sounds seem different at first. Voices may sound sharper or higher-pitched than you remember. Background noise you haven't heard in years might suddenly be present. These sensations are normal as your brain reacclimates to sounds you've been missing. We'll discuss what to expect during this adjustment period and answer any questions you have.
Professional Care vs. Retail Experiences
The difference between a professional hearing aid fitting at an audiologist-owned practice and a retail experience is significant. At Fairfield County Audiology, we dedicate the time needed to verify your hearing aids are working precisely as prescribed. We're not rushing through appointments to meet quotas. We're focused exclusively on your hearing health and optimal outcomes.
Retail environments often skip verification procedures like Real Ear Measurement due to time constraints or lack of proper equipment. Without this verification, hearing aids may not be optimally programmed for your hearing loss. Follow-up care may be inconsistent or unavailable. Staff may have limited training in hearing healthcare.
Ongoing Support After Your Fitting
Your first fitting appointment is just the beginning of our relationship. We'll schedule a follow-up visit within two weeks to assess how you're adjusting and make any necessary modifications. Many patients need several adjustment appointments during the first few months as their brain adapts to amplified sound and they discover which situations need fine-tuning.
We provide ongoing support through regular check-ups, professional cleanings, and performance verification. Hearing loss can change over time, and your hearing aids may need reprogramming to match these changes. We're here to support your hearing health for the long term.
Why Choose an Audiologist-Owned Practice
As Westport's only audiologist-owned practice, we focus exclusively on hearing healthcare. Dr. Jamie Marotto is a Fairfield County native from Norwalk who understands our community and is committed to providing the personalized, unhurried care our neighbors deserve. We use best practices including Real Ear Measurement and Speech-in-Noise testing because we believe you deserve optimal results from your hearing aids.
Schedule Your Hearing Aid Fitting in Westport
If you're ready to take the next step toward better hearing, we invite you to experience the difference that professional fitting makes. Call Fairfield County Audiology today at (203) 628-2142 to schedule your comprehensive hearing evaluation or fitting appointment. We'll take the time to ensure your hearing aids are precisely fitted, verified, and optimized for your unique needs.
