How to Adjust a Hearing Aid

Quite a number of people face the problem of adjustment of a new hearing aid. It is associated not only with the complexity of the device, but even more with ambient sound distortion.

There are two types of hearing aids:

• Digital
• Analogue

According to the way the device is fixed, there can be:

• in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids
• behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids
• pocket hearing aids

Analogue devices are designed to amplify the sounds on all frequencies, which is why one may sometimes hear different noises along with the speech. The advantage is that they rarely break; they are quite affordable and perfectly suit elderly persons.

Digital hearing aids allow focusing on a separate frequency and correcting audio signals which are most hard to hear. In such devices sounds are processed by a computer, so that separate speech frequencies can be corrected. The devices are equipped with a microphone that can be adjusted in directional or omnidirectional mode.

The very first adjustment can be made by a hearing care professional just in a few steps:

• in an isolated room the user should record the sounds heard at different frequencies with an audiometer;
• a hearing care professional should perform the adjustment based on the received data
• the user cannot change any settings on his/her own, except for volume

Computer programs make the process of adjustment highly productive. With a device connected to the computer, a hearing care professional can quickly set all the parameters, all you need is answer his questions.

In 1-2 weeks the adjustment should be repeated. It is required for optimized parameter correction and comfortable sound perception.

If you buy a hearing aid on your own, you should prefer to address licensed hearing care centers which can give you certified products. Besides, there you can ask for a free consultation, adjustment and after-sales service.

Hearing aids vary a lot in terms of price – there are expensive imported devices and more affordable still qualitative domestic ones. The most important thing for a hearing aid is that it should operate for 4-6 years provided that the appropriate preventive maintenance is carried out.