Hearing Device Discussion

A hearing device discussion is a personalised consultation with an audiologist to talk about different hearing aid options and how they can help with your hearing loss. The discussion covers the types of hearing aids available, their features, and how these might  relate to your lifestyle and hearing needs.

During a hearing device discussion, your audiologist will assess your hearing needs, your preferences and your lifestyle. The audiologists will be able to help you make a decision regarding the most suitable technology to help you hear at your best.

There will be a discussion of the real-life situations you need to wear your hearing aids in, such as hearing in noisy restaurants, on the tennis court, or sailing on the Derwent. This will allow the audiologist to consider special features such as the hearing aid’s ability to perform well in background noise and whether the hearing aid will be waterproof if it’s likely to come into contact with spray from the sea or sweat during a tennis match.

Wearing hearing aids can improve your ability to hear conversations, music, and everyday sounds. They can also help reduce the strain on your brain when trying to listen, especially in noisy environments, and may reduce the risk of cognitive decline linked to untreated hearing loss. Most hearing aids also stream from your mobile, allowing for better hearing when on the phone.

Hearing in noisy places is one of the biggest challenges for people with hearing loss. Hearing aids at higher levels of technology have more features to improve sound quality in various environments. During a hearing device discussion, you can learn the differences in how each device will perform in a noisy environment, in order to optimise your hearing.

Yes, most modern hearing aids come with Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to pair them to the phone to stream phone calls and even music and media (e.g. a video from Facebook or music from Spotify). Most hearing aids also have the ability to pair up with a smartphone app. These apps give you control over volume, custom programs for different listening environments, and in some cases even mix the amount of amplification at different pitches (e.g. turn up the bass or turn down high-frequency sounds) directly from your phone.

For many people, wearing hearing aids can provide relief from tinnitus by amplifying soft background sounds which can reduce the perception of ringing in the ears. Some hearing aids also have the option of a dedicated tinnitus program, which some people find helpful to manage their symptoms.

If you have hearing loss in both ears, we always encourage fitting a hearing aid to both ears. This ensures the sound is balanced and enables high-end features such as noise reduction to be utilised at their best (some of these features rely on comparing signals from the microphones on both aids). Fitting hearing aids to both ears also prevents one ear from being deprived of sound input, which can ultimately worsen your potential for hearing well with a hearing aid in the future on that side. 

For those with complete deafness in one ear, there are devices specifically designed to transmit sounds from the affected ear to the better-hearing ear. This is called a CROS (‘contralateral routing of signals’) and this system can help you pick up more sound on your poorer-hearing side. A hearing device discussion can provide guidance on these specialised options.

We always schedule a follow-up appointment two weeks after getting new hearing aids for any fine-tuning required We also encourage an annual review of your hearing aids, as your hearing will change over time. During these appointments, your audiologist may perform real ear measurements to ensure the hearing aids continue to provide the best sound quality. There are also recommended maintenance procedures that your audiologist will walk you through so that your device performs optimally over time.

For your hearing device discussion, it's helpful to bring any previous hearing test results (if you were not tested at Hobart Hearing Care), a list of situations where you’ve noticed hearing difficulties (like background noise or conversations), and any current hearing aids you may be using. Additionally, if you're using a smartphone app to control your hearing aids, bring your phone so the audiologist can assist with settings or troubleshooting. Most importantly, we encourage you to bring a loved one along; your husband, wife, son, or daughter - someone who you communicate with on a regular basis and who understands your needs. It is always helpful to have ‘a second set of ears’ to help listen to new information, as well as to help make a decision about what the best device may be for you.