3 Signs That Your Hearing Aid Fitting Needs Adjusting

Hearing aid selection and fitting is a long and tedious process. It may require several visits to your hearing care professional’s office, as well as a lot of ongoing discussions. Ideas will be bounced back and forth and several tools and equipment may be involved. Most importantly, hearing aids and their fitting cost a lot, so plenty of financial planning will also be part of the entire hearing aid fitting process.

Despite the in-depth consultation sessions and the thorough training and education of your hearing care professional, there might still be some loopholes that remain unfilled. A misunderstanding, technical or human error, or a simple act of negligence may lead to a scenario in which you end up with a bad hearing aid fitting.

Warning signs

Fortunately, any good hearing care professional will guarantee proper fitting and adjustment until you are completely satisfied. While some initial adjustment problems are typical for first-time hearing aid wearers, there are a few warning signs that indicate bad fitting that should be fixed as soon as possible.

1. A Sore spot where the hearing aid sits

It might be uncomfortable to have a hearing aid attached to your ear in the initial few days. However, some people complain of pain. If you feel that you have developed a sore or a tender spot where your hearing aid sits, it might be a sign that there is something wrong with the shape of your earmold. Make sure you see your hearing care professional immediately so that he can grind away the part of the earmold that is causing you pain.  

2. A constant whistling sound being heard

 Another indication of a bad earmold is a whistling sound being heard after you get fitted with your hearing aids. Sometimes the earmold is too loose in the ear, causing some of the sound to escape. This, in turn, causes a whistling sound. Your hearing care professional may need to take a new earmold impression and develop a fresh earmold for this problem to go away.

3. The sound volume is wrong

A lot of people complain of either the sound being too loud or too low for them to hear. Experts believe that during the first few days this problem is completely normal and goes away with a little getting used to. You may even find it beneficial to alter the volume adjustments to meet your needs. However, if you still feel discomfort and fatigue in hearing despite all efforts, there might be a need for reprogramming your hearing aids. Take them back to your hearing care professional, regardless of how long you have been wearing them, and get the issue fixed.

If you’ve recently had your hearing aids fitted and are still experiencing troubles acclimating to sound again, don’t hesitate to contact a hearing care provider in your area.