Hearing aids are highly personal. The right model, fit and subsequent adjustments can make them life-changing. On the flip side, uncomfortable, poorly fitting hearing aids lead to a suboptimal experience.
In this guide, Miracle-Ear Audiologist and Product Marketing Specialist Dr. Alitta Boechler, AuD offers a step-by-step look at the hearing aid fitting process and why it’s so important in getting the best performance from your hearing aids.
After your hearing exam, your HCP will ask some questions about your lifestyle. How active are you? Do you like to swim, jog, or boat? Do you enjoy listening to music or spend a lot of time in crowded meeting rooms?
“Not every hearing aid is a good match for every lifestyle,” Boechler says. “For example, if you are very active, you may need a product that will sit very securely in your ear and be very water resistant.”
Understanding your lifestyle and what’s important to you gives your HCP more data to get a better fit and help you choose among different styles of hearing aids.
You and your HCP will also discuss your hearing aid preferences. Do you want a hearing aid that sits fully in the ear and is nearly invisible? Do you prefer something with advanced features like group conversation assistance?
“These days, hearing aid wearers can choose from dozens of different styles of hearing aids. The choice can feel overwhelming, and that’s exactly why your HCP takes time to discuss your hearing aid preferences during this first visit. They will present you with their recommendations and the different options based on your hearing test results, preferences and lifestyle considerations. They can walk you through the benefits of each and answer any questions you have.”
Once you have all the data from your hearing test and conversations, it’s time to choose your hearing aid model. Miracle-Ear has solutions for every lifestyle and budget, including discreet in-the-ear (ITE), receiver-in-canal (RIC) and behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid models.
Yes, the hearing aid fitting process can differ depending on the type and style of the device. Each hearing aid type—whether BTE, RIC, ITE or other specialized options—requires unique considerations during fitting.
For example, BTE and RIC models involve fitting components like tubes or receivers that connect to custom earmolds or domes, while ITE devices are custom-molded to fit directly in the ear canal.
The fitting process also accounts for non-electroacoustic factors such as physical comfort, ease of use, ear canal shape and cosmetic preferences. These elements, combined with audiological assessments and patient input, ensure the hearing aid is tailored to the individual’s needs.
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If you decide on a hearing aid style that includes a custom earpiece, your HCP will take a mold of your ear. “It’s kind of like a dental mold,” Boechler says, noting that it will capture an exact impression of your ear’s shape.
Your HCP will put a small piece of cotton or foam in the ear canal to protect your eardrum and then insert soft silicone into and around the ear. It takes about five minutes to harden. The mold ensures perfectly fitting hearing aids that are secure and comfortable in your ear, providing the best possible sound quality.
Before you leave your initial hearing appointment, you’ll schedule a time for your hearing aid fitting appointment. Fitting hearing aids happens after your custom-ordered device comes in.
Once your hearing aids are ready, you’ll revisit the Miracle-Ear office for a hearing aid fitting. Your HCP will have already received your hearing aids and checked them over to make sure everything is working.
“When you come into the office, we will put the hearing aids on you and program them specifically to your hearing loss,” Boechler says. “We will check the physical fit and make sure that it’s comfortable for you to wear, and then we can start doing programming.”
Custom hearing aid programming ensures your hearing aids are calibrated to your specific hearing and lifestyle needs, with different program settings available for different sound environments.
One critical step in the fitting process, according to Boechler, is the real ear measure (REM) test, which measures how the hearing aid is working inside your ear. “That’s going to make speech the clearest [so] you’re going to hear the best and you’re going to have the best quality sound.”
Once your hearing aids have been properly fitted, your HCP will walk you through all the buttons, capabilities and instructions for caring for your new hearing aids.
They’ll ensure you understand how to replace your hearing aid battery (or charge it, if it’s a rechargeable style) and how to clean your hearing aids to keep them working their best. They’ll help you download the Miracle-Ear app on your phone and help connect your hearing aids, so you can easily make changes to programming from your phone. There, they’ll show you how to connect to Bluetooth® devices if you have Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids, and show you how to make adjustments for different listening environments and even navigate pre-set programs and settings.
Before leaving, you’ll also learn about Miracle-Ear’s industry-leading three-year warranty and the lifetime aftercare services* available when purchasing Miracle-Ear hearing aids.
As you leave the office, remember: you’re not alone. It can take time to adjust to your new hearing aids. With these new devices, you’ll hear in a way you haven’t heard before. As you go about daily life and use your hearing aids in all types of real-world settings, you may find you need to make some tweaks or adjust hearing aid settings.
“In a couple weeks, come back to the office, and we can continue to make adjustments and make it better for you,” Boechler says. “If you’re struggling to hear on the phone or to hear your grandchild’s voice, we can continue to refine the fitting [and programming] so it fits your specific needs.”
Boechler’s number one recommendation? Give yourself time and space to get used to hearing sounds in a new way. “It might be exhausting, but it’s a process that really pays off when you’re able to hear your grandchildren more clearly,” she says.
After your hearing aid fitting, audiologists provide training, education and ongoing support for you and your care partners. You’ll learn about using and maintaining your hearing aids, including battery care, cleaning, connecting to devices and warranty details.
They’ll also explain what to expect, such as the adjustment period, how performance varies in different settings and strategies for effective communication.
Expect to spend one to one-and-a-half hours at each of the initial appointments (hearing test and fitting). Follow-up appointments should take about 15 to 30 minutes.
Yes. For the most part, hearing aids need to be fitted for the best sound and results possible.
Even if you choose a hearing aid style with a silicone dome earpiece versus a custom-molded earpiece, you’ll still need to get the device fitted to your specific hearing loss needs through custom programming.
Some over-the-counter hearing aids exist for people with mild hearing loss, but they fall more into the category of sound amplification versus actual hearing improvement.
Yes, hearing aids are custom-fitted to ensure comfort and effectiveness. Factors like ear canal shape, size, skin sensitivity and cosmetic preferences are considered.
While some styles may use universal domes, like receiver-in-canal (RIC) and behind-the-ear (BTE) models, others, such as in-the-ear (ITE) and completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids, are fully custom-made to fit the wearer’s ear.
*Miracle-Ear® lifetime aftercare not included with hearing aids purchased utilizing some insurance benefits.
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