Hearing aid fitting is the process by which it is adjusted to the client's hearing needs. This is carried out by specialists in prosthetics using special programs on a computer. In addition to programmable devices, there are models that are manually adjusted using trimmers. The setting is required so that the user of such a device can perceive different sounds as comfortably as possible in any acoustic environment.
Setup steps
Before hearing-impaired people can use matched hearing aids, they must be properly adjusted to their hearing needs. This procedure is carried out in a specialized center. It is usually carried out in two stages:
- Performing initial setup.
- Corrective action to be taken after four weeks (as needed).
The procedure is carried out on the basis of an audiogram.
Features
According to the methodsettings distinguish between the following two types of hearing aids:
- Programmable, which are adjusted using special programs based on human audiogram data.
- Non-programmable devices are configured using a trimmer.
Any person who uses this device for the first time must learn to perceive the surrounding sounds correctly. Modern gadgets are very convenient, miniature and have a large number of functions, and in addition, opportunities. Nevertheless, the comfort of sound perception to a greater extent may depend on the individual competent setting of the device. This is a rather painstaking work that requires extensive practical experience and careful attention to each situation separately.
Modern specialists are perfectly aware of all the features of the adjustment of hearing aids currently on sale, they are accurately able to determine which gadget can suit a particular client in the best way, how it can be used with maximum efficiency in the adjustment of the features of the residual the patient's hearing for maximum benefit. Thus, in order to be sure of the quality of the settings of your device, you should only contact specialists you trust.
Instructions
Step-by-step adaptation to the device involves the following steps:
- Temporary wear of the device with primary addiction to it.
- Adaptation of a person to a conversation immediately withseveral people.
- Get used to noisy environments.
- Listening to TV and audio recordings.
- Trial wear.
When audiologists are unsure whether the device is right for a person, they may offer to wear it for another two weeks as part of the hearing aid fitting. If the specialist is a professional, then he knows how to adjust the hearing aid for proper operation. And he will do it very well, so that the general audibility in it is comfortable for the patient, regardless of the conditions. And to distinguish the voice of different people, identifying sound sources, has yet to be learned.
The adjustment of such devices will be required after the first period of adaptation of the patient, for which they give an exercise to determine the speaker, when to determine who exactly is talking in the room. After this stage is mastered, it is recommended to visit a noisy place in which there is music along with the wind and many talking people. You should not go to the subway right away, but just go outside.
For a person who needs hearing correction and uses devices for this, watching a TV show, as well as listening to music or some kind of conversation, is a very difficult task. And it does not matter at all the quality of the device and how accurately the adjustment of the hearing aid is made. It is worth noting that all these recommendations are general, they were developed for all people, but only high-class specialists are able to make an individual program within the framework of rehabilitation.
How to fit hearing aids correctly?
Programming a complex device in such a way that you never have to do it again is almost never possible in practice. Time passes - and the device needs a new adjustment. For sensitive gadgets, it can be easily knocked down. Directly external factors can also influence.
When do I need to reconfigure?
This is required in some of the following situations:
- If a person's hearing has improved or worsened.
- A whistle appeared in the machine.
- The nature of the signal and its level have changed.
- A new earmould has been made. It in itself is an important part of the device: it is he who transmits sounds to the middle ear, and the operation of the device must be debugged.
If the device is configured correctly, then a person quickly gets used to it, starting to train those parts of the cerebral cortex that are responsible for the accurate perception of the corresponding signals. And for these reasons, fitting your hearing aid should always be remembered and done on time.
Home setup
Adjustment of the hearing aid at home is possible only if you have a trimmer type of hearing aid. If the patient has an audiogram, then the device with fixed trimmers is set up for normal operation using special templates. If it does not have a fixed position, then it must be rotated clockwise.
Hearing aid for the elderly
Most elderly patients, despite having hearing problems, do not want to use such devices. They are afraid that they will not cope with them, break them and waste money. Indications for wearing such a device at this age are:
- Presence of any form of hearing loss. The exception in this case are patients with epilepsy and convulsive syndrome.
- Old people who suffer from acute nervous diseases.
The following gadgets are provided for this category of patients:
- Analogue, which can only amplify the sound, so noise that was previously perceived as normal begins to sound loud. Such devices are used less often because they have limited functionality. For older people, such gadgets often cause headaches.
- Digital views are devices that amplify sounds and transform any incoming information. Speech becomes louder, and unnecessary noise is completely suppressed.
As a rule, the price of a hearing aid for an elderly person fluctuates in a fairly large range and ranges from seven to one hundred thousand rubles.
Widex
Today it is one of the largest manufacturers of hearing aids in the world. Devices of this brand are sold in more than a hundred countries. The sound after fitting a Widex hearing aid is rated by consumers asthe most natural. Prices for this brand start from twenty thousand rubles.
Bernafon
For more than sixty years, this Swiss company has been providing patients with a very wide range of hearing aids that combine unique technologies along with excellent sound quality and attractive design. The developments of this company have long had a significant impact on the industry of the gadgets in question. Fitting Bernafon hearing aids is intuitive and easy. Thus, today the company offers high-quality devices that are based on the latest technologies. Their cost ranges from twenty-five to one hundred thousand rubles.
Repair
It is worth noting that absolutely any electro-acoustic device has its own fixed working resource. True, with technical competent maintenance, its service life can be significantly extended. Timely detected problems, along with professional repairs by certified specialists, guarantee the stable operation of gadgets at minimal cost. To repair and adjust hearing aids, you must contact the service centers for maintenance of hearing aids.
Thus, age-related hearing loss is directly related to the fact that ear hair cells eventually begin to die off in people. Special cilia, which are responsible for the transmission of sound, simply lose their elasticity and sensitivity. In addition, the reasonsloss of normal hearing is different. Special devices that must be selected by specialists help people restore their hearing.
