Hearing Loss So you realize you have a hearing problem... What happens next? Fortunately, there are many ways to help people with hearing loss. Although only a very few of the problems can be improved by medication or surgery, most people do benefit from hearing instruments. Special listening devices - such as phones that amplify speech - can also help. Although even the most advanced hearing aids cannot fully restore your hearing, they can improve it considerably. If you take the necessary time to adjust to wearing professionally fitted instruments, you will see a definite improvement in the quality of your life. Finding a solution After determining the exact nature of your hearing loss, it's time to review the results together, and talk about how your condition will affect you. The hearing care professional will present the various solutions - hearing aids or other assistive listening devices - and discuss them with you in detail. Together, you will talk about your lifestyle, and the way the hearing aids perform, in order to make the appropriate selection. The instruments should meet your personal preferences in terms of cosmetic appeal and convenience. Your future requirements will also need to be considered. Once you and your hearing care professional have selected the instruments best suited to your hearing loss and lifestyle, a few additional steps are needed. Your hearing care professional will: * Take an exact impression of your ear to provide a custom fitted In-the-Ear instrument, or an earmold for a Behind-the-Ear instrument. A soft, putty-like material will be inserted into your ear canal and will fill up the outer portion of your ear. This is not painful, although you may experience a temporary fullness in your ear during this 7-10 minute procedure. The material firms up after a few minutes and is then gently removed. The impression is then sent to the hearing aid manufacturer or earmould lab to create a custom fit for your ears * Your hearing care professional might provide written material about your new instruments. He will certainly tell you what to expect from them * You'll make an appointment to return in 1-3 weeks for the initial fitting. Your hearing care professional will either program the hearing aids (using a computer), or make manual adjustments (using small screwdrivers) to provide the appropriate loudness and tonal quality for your hearing loss * After demonstrating how to insert, use, and look after your new instruments, your hearing care professional will review your listening needs and expectations * A follow-up appointment can be scheduled for a few weeks later to monitor your progress and discuss your experiences. If necessary, your hearing care professional can adjust the settings on the instruments as you become used to hearing more sounds * You can arrange additional follow-up appointments to address your personal needs, your adjustment to this new amplification, and to evaluate your overall satisfaction