The Steps To Better Hearing
Many people are unaware or in denial that they have a hearing loss. A hearing test by a Hearing Healthcare Professional will quickly determine whether you have a hearing loss and to what degree. The consultant will be able to assess and inform you as to the best course of action open to you if needed.
THE PROCESS:
Step one is to find a licensed hearing healthcare professional and make an appointment. BC Hearing Services provides a test and evaluation free of charge.
THE INITIAL CONSULTATION
At the consultation, a relevant medical history is obtained. Your ears are examined for possible physical causes such as excessive wax build up, infection, growths or any abnormalities. A hearing test will then be performed in a sound booth using calibrated test equipment to measure your ability to detect sounds at various frequencies. Further tests are done to help determine possible abnormalities and medical conditions. Specific tests are also conducted to determine your suitability for amplification should that be required. The test normally takes about 30 minutes and is not painful.
Following your test, the consultant will go over the results with you and discuss the options available to you. Don't hesitate to ask questions and try to be as open and relaxed as possible. Based on your hearing loss and your discussion with your consultant concerning your lifestyle and hearing needs, a customised solution will be developed that meets your needs and budget.
If you decide to order hearing instruments, ear impressions may be taken to allow custom fit earmolds or instruments to be made for you depending on the style of hearing instrument you choose.
THE FITTING
Depending on the hearing instruments that you have selected, an appointment for the fitting of the instruments is scheduled for approximately two weeks later. If there is any urgency, the instruments can be prioritised and fitted within a few days. The fitting appointment typically lasts an hour.
At the fitting appointment, the hearing instruments are fitted to your ears and checked for a comfortable fit. The instruments are then programmed while you are connected to our new state-of-the-art real ear test equipment which ensures that we achieve optimum results for your hearing loss.
Our test measurements utilise a probe microphone that measures the sound reaching your eardrum and the resulting screen display allows the consultant to change the hearing instrument settings and immediately see the changes in sound at your eardrum. Unlike older test equipment that utilise beeping tones to make measurements, we use actual speech to take measurements which allows a more accurate measurement of real everyday situations that you may face. We can even simulate a noisy environment and see how the instrument changes and reacts in that situation.
It allows for a truly customised hearing solution and ensures that we are able to actually utilise the capabilities of modern state-of-the-art hearing instruments. The result is that you need fewer follow up appointments to achieve the results you want and allows us to address difficulties that you may be experiencing more efficiently and objectively.
Once your hearing instruments have been programmed and you are satisfied with the sound and volume levels, the consultant explains how to use the instruments effectively, how to change batteries, how to insert them and clean them as well as explaining the different parts of the instrument and their functions. Follow up appointments are then scheduled to monitor your progress as needed.
THE FOLLOW UP
If you are a new user of hearing instruments, the hearing instruments are initially turned down from your prescription levels to allow your brain to adjust to the new sounds and ease into the new world of sound that you may have been missing for many years. The objective is to allow you to be able to wear your aids for as many hours as possible to allow your brain time to adjust. Initially, your brain is very aware of all these new sounds which it doesn't recognise but the more you wear the instruments, the sooner your brain learns to recognise the sounds and 'push them into the background' so that they become less distracting.
Typically, we allow a 2 week period for this adjustment. We therefore book a follow up appointment for two weeks at which time adjustments are made to the sound if needed and we move the instrument levels up a little to get closer to your prescription levels. Depending on your rate of adjustment and comfort, we do a few more follow up adjustments and each time move you closer to your prescription levels until they are achieved. This method allows you to reach your prescription levels easily and comfortably.
The first two weeks provide the most dramatic change and it is very important to wear the instruments as much as possible for this period. By the end of this initial two week period, you will normally find that sounds have settled down and you no longer find the new sounds as strange. At your follow up visits, the changes in the settings are now more subtle and as you approach your prescription levels, hearing improves and the adjustment on your part is much easier.
Now you are finally getting the improvement that you need. Typically, if we had set you at your prescription level on day 1, you would find the changes overwhelming. Taking this slower approach means that you only really achieve the optimum benefit after a few weeks, but the process is far more successful than the old 'just get used to them' approach.
LONGER TERM FOLLOW UP
All our new hearing instruments have a 3 year warranty which is backed by the manufacturer even if you are not in Victoria. Our commitment to you goes beyond this warranty as we provide free adjustments, follow up tests and consultations for as long as you have the instruments. It is important to maintain your hearing instruments functioning at optimum levels. You are always welcome to pop in at any time at no additional charge for a clean and check or minor repairs. Our front staff or a consultant will be able to do this while you wait and you don't need an appointment.
