What Happens at a Hearing Aid Fitting Appointment

A hearing aid fitting is the appointment where a hearing aid goes from a box on the bench to a device set up for one person's ears. If you have never been to one, it can be hard to picture what the time is actually spent on. This article is a plain-English walk through the steps that fitting appointments generally include, written as general information. Clinics differ, so it describes the common pattern rather than any one clinic's process.

Fitting Comes After the Hearing Test

A fitting builds on earlier appointments. A hearing assessment comes first, and the results of that test are the starting point for how a hearing aid is programmed. Our article on what to expect at your first hearing test covers that stage. The fitting is the next step: choosing the device is done beforehand, and this appointment is about setting it up and learning to use it.

Step 1: A Conversation Before the Devices Go In

Many fittings begin with a chat about what the devices do, what everyday use looks like and what to expect in the early days. The Department of Health notes that it can take time to adjust to wearing a device, and conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program.

Step 2: Checking the Physical Fit

Next comes the practical part: how the device sits. For a behind-the-ear device, that means checking the tubing, dome or ear mould and how the device rests on the ear. For a custom in-the-ear style, it means checking the shell in the ear canal. The aim of this step is simply that the device is comfortable and sits as designed.

Step 3: Programming From the Hearing Test

Hearing aids are programmed using fitting software on a computer. The hearing care professional enters the hearing test results, and the software works out a starting point for how much amplification the device provides at different pitches. Settings can also take lifestyle needs into account. The devices are connected to the software and turned on, and the hearing care professional checks the sound levels they produce.

Step 4: Real Ear Measurement

Real ear measurement is a way of checking what the hearing aid actually delivers in your ear, rather than relying on the software's estimate alone. The hearing care professional places a very thin tube microphone near the eardrum and plays speech-like sounds at several volumes, measuring what reaches the ear canal at each pitch. The result is compared against the target the programming was aiming for.

The reason this step exists is that ear canals differ in size and shape, even between a person's left and right ear. Real ear measurement takes that into account. The person being measured sits still and faces a loudspeaker, and the tube is removed afterwards. Not every clinic or situation uses the method, and where it is not suitable the device is verified another way.

Step 5: Learning to Use the Devices

A fitting is also a training session. Clinics typically cover how to put the devices in and take them out, how to change or charge the power source, how to clean them, how to change programs or volume, and how to pair them with a phone if the model supports it. The Department of Health describes a similar session for program clients, showing how to control the device, place it in the ear, clean it and change the batteries, and conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program. For a closer look at the connectivity side, see staying connected with hearing aids and smartphones.

Step 6: Follow-Up Visits

A single appointment is rarely the whole story. Clinics generally book a follow-up visit some weeks after the first fitting to check how things are going and fine-tune the settings. One university clinic notes that adjusting to hearing aids takes time and more fitting visits may be needed. Under the Hearing Services Program the provider books a follow-up appointment to check the fit and settings and make adjustments, and conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program. Follow-up timing varies between providers.

Fittings and the Hearing Services Program

Eligible people, including pensioner concession card and DVA card holders, may access fitting and follow-up appointments through the Australian Government Hearing Services Program. Devices that are fully subsidised are paid for by the Australian Government, and conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program.

You can read more on our Hearing Services Program page, and a broader look at the device options is on the hearing aid solutions hub.

A Quick Summary

• A fitting builds on the hearing test results.
• It generally covers a chat about what to expect, a check of the physical fit, programming and real ear measurement.
• Learning the controls, charging or batteries, and cleaning is part of the appointment.
• Follow-up visits are common, and timing varies between providers. Program follow-up is available to eligible clients, and conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program.

If you'd like to chat about your hearing, the friendly team at CQ Audiology in Rockhampton is here to help. You can read about hearing aids in Rockhampton, call (07) 4848 6528 or book online.

This article is general information, not personal medical advice. For advice about your own hearing, speak with your GP or a hearing care provider.

Sources: University of the Pacific hearing clinic (fitting steps, real ear measurement); Australian Government Department of Health (Hearing Services Program voucher services).