Want to get the best performance out of your hearing aid? You can take comfort in knowing that real-ear measurements taken during the fitting process will ensure that your hearing device lives up to its full potential.
Hearing Aid Fitting
When fitting patients for hearing aids, real-ear measurements provide a level of accuracy unavailable with software programs. The gold standard of hearing aid fitting considers an individual’s unique anatomy, such as ear canal volume, providing a true measurement of a hearing aid’s effectiveness for that patient’s specific hearing loss. Without an accurate assessment of a hearing aid’s amplification levels, a patient can walk away with a hearing aid that delivers substandard performance.
Not all hearing specialists use real-ear measurements—the process can be time-consuming, especially for experts who are unfamiliar with the equipment, which can be expensive.
Some hearing specialists may believe that fitting algorithms included with regular programming software are accurate enough, but these do not allow for real-ear target matching to measure the correct amount of hearing aid gain and output required, based on the patient’s level of hearing loss as well as their natural ear anatomy.
Fitting Process
The process is straightforward and, once mastered, should take fewer than five minutes per ear. A probe microphone is inserted into the ear, and hearing aid output is measured on a chart, where different test results (directional, noise reduction, feedback suppression and frequency lowering) can be compared. This objective process utilizes scientific data rather than guesswork to provide true data.
Golden State Hearing Aid Center treats patients on an individual basis with their unique ear acoustics in mind, which is why we offer real-ear measurement. We always go the extra mile to verify that your hearing aids are performing to the highest standard possible.
Call Golden State Hearing Aid Center at (209) 287-3272 for more information or to schedule an appointment.