Getting Hearing Aids

Seeing a Professional

Good health practice requires that a person with a hearing loss has a medical evaluation by a licensed physician before purchasing a hearing instrument. This physician can refer you to a Hearing Care Professional for a hearing instrument evaluation.

If you suspect a hearing loss, you can consult the following Hearing Care Professionals:

• Audiologists
• Hearing aid practitioners
• Otolaryngologists

The Hearing Evaluation

A hearing evaluation will help to determine if you have a hearing loss and the degree and type of your loss. Only then can an appropriate treatment be recommended. The Hearing Care Professional will examine your ears for possible physical defects like excessive wax build-up, infection, or growth. A hearing evaluation also includes an audiogram. An audiogram will measure your ability to detect sounds at various frequencies or pitches. It takes about an hour. It doesn't hurt and will help a Hearing Care Professional find a solution to suit your particular hearing needs.

The Ear Impression

Many hearing instruments are custom-made to fit your ears. Your Hearing Care Professional custom fits hearing instruments or ear moulds by making an impression of your ear(s), which is an exact duplicate of the contours of your ears. The Hearing Care Professional sends the impression to a hearing aid manufacturer, such as Siemens, to make your hearing aid. At Siemens, impressions of your ears are carefully replicated for the best fit possible.