If you suffer from hearing loss, your primary care provider might recommend you to a hearing instrument specialist. These professionals are qualified to ensure you end up with the best hearing aid for your specific circumstances and will walk you through the steps of finding the best one. But for your peace of mind, here are a few things you can expect when you first start seeing your specialist of choice.

Getting tested

If you have been to an audiologist before, this step will be familiar to you. First of all, you will be asked to provide some information. Your hearing instrument specialist will want to know as much as they can to help direct their tests and to help you choose the right devices. First, you will be asked about your medical history and lifestyle, including a paper questionnaire to fill out. You don’t have to answer any questions you’re uncomfortable with, but the information can greatly help with the rest of the process. From there, you will undergo a series of hearing tests and evaluations with the specific aim of getting to better understand the condition of each ear and to narrow down the range of hearing aids worth recommending.

Trying out different hearing aids

Here, your specialist will begin to talk more in-depth about the different hearing aids they recommend based on your results. There is a wide range of hearing aids, including larger ones positioned behind the ear and more discreet options that fit directly inside it. Which is chosen depends not only on preference but also whether your hearing loss is mild, moderate, or severe. You will also learn a lot about how the device actually works, how to care for it, how to operate it and much more. If you have any questions about hearing aids, this is the best time to ask them. You will also likely experiment with a few different ones, including a few free trials to help you find the best fit.

Getting fitted and learning more

Once you have chosen a hearing aid, the fitting process will begin. The fitting might include one more test just to make sure that the hearing aid is fully operational and providing the level of assistance that it should be. It might include, for instance, testing eardrum vibrations with the insertion of a thin tube, once without the hearing aid and once with it. Again, you will likely receive both verbal and written instructions and advice on how to operate and care for the device. It’s not unusual for a follow-up appointment a few days or a week down the line just to see how you are getting on with your new device. They may take some getting used to, so some initial discomfort or difficulty is expected.

Beyond the process outlined above, your hearing instrument specialist can also provide plenty of helpful information on how to avoid any further hearing loss and tips when communicating with friends and family. As some of the foremost hearing health specialists, there are few more experienced to help you with your journey.