Hearing Services: Digital Technology Fittings

By Author: Nancy Duncan
Total Articles: 6
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Hearing aids have come a long way in their technology, and digital technology has taken over where analog used to be the standard. With the rise in technology, hearing aid providers have expanded their services and been able to offer more precise and specialized hearing devices. These devices must be personalized for each user for maximum performance, and going to a fitting is the first step. Your fitting will get you on the way toward top-notch performance from your aid and any other digital hearing-related accessories.

When you get digital aids, your hearing aid provider will have to calibrate them to your unique needs, setting it based on the results of your hearing test. Today’s best aids use digital technology, to not only amplify sounds in a frequency in which you are weak, but also in different auditory environments. For example, your hearing aid may know to amplify voices in quiet settings or amplify the loudest noise in settings with a wider range of auditory input. Many digital hearing aids allow you to have precise control over what the instrument does, and your fitting will give you a chance to learn about ...
... those features.

One of the major perks of digital aids is how easily they interact with other devices to improve the quality of the sound you hear. Many of the things you listen to these days come through digital devices, such as cell phones, televisions, computers, and music players. Rather than hearing these sounds through the microphone on your hearing aid, which reduces their clarity, your hearing professional can show you how to receive digital signals directly in your hearing aid to get increased clarity in the sound from the amplifier.

Digital technology goes beyond hearing aids, as assistive listening devices become more popular for people with mild hearing loss or hearing loss that is only noticeable in some situations, like while watching TV. Digital technology has made assistive listening devices available to a wide range of people, particularly through Bluetooth technology. Because so many devices are already equipped with Bluetooth, it’s easy for you to get an amplifier that digitally taps into that wireless signal so you can hear more clearly.

At your digital technology fitting, you will not only have your hearing device calibrated to your needs, but you’ll learn how to get it to digitally communicate with other devices. This digital signal is the best way to get clear sound to your ear. After your fitting, you’ll feel more confident and ready to participate in a wider range of activities and environments.

Dr. Duncan is a 1991 graduate of Somerset High School. She attended Worcester State College in Worcester, MA and received a Bachelor of Science (B.S) degree in Communication Disorders and Psychology in 1995. Dr. Duncan is available to give lectures and informative seminars to groups and organizations at your request. She resides in Somerset with her husband Andy and son Cooper. To stay updated on the latest hearing aid technology visit our blog.