Hearing Aid Fittings

Hearing loss isn’t just frustrating — it’s a medical issue that can impact your communication, relationships, and quality of life. Left untreated, it’s been linked to cognitive decline, memory issues, social withdrawal, and other long-term health concerns.

If hearing aids have been recommended for you, a personalized fitting is the next step. At Grand Rapids Ear, Nose & Throat, we’re here to help you find a comfortable, effective solution — and make sure it fits your hearing, your lifestyle, and your goals.

If you’re ready to explore your options, schedule your hearing aid fitting today.

You might benefit from hearing aids if you:

• Have been diagnosed with mild to severe hearing loss
• Struggle to follow conversations in noisy environments
• Frequently ask others to repeat themselves
• Turn up the TV or phone volume higher than others prefer
• Feel socially withdrawn or frustrated due to communication challenges
• Experience ringing in the ears

We’ll help you choose the right type of hearing aid or tinnitus device based on your hearing test results, ear shape, budget, and daily needs.

A hearing aid fitting isn’t just about putting a device in your ear — it’s a personalized process that includes:

• Choosing the right hearing aid based on your hearing loss and daily listening needs
• Selecting a hearing aid that fits your cosmetic preferences and budget expectations
• Physically fitting the device to ensure a secure and comfortable fit
• Teaching you how to put in, remove, clean, and care for your hearing aids
• Testing how you hear in real-world environments, including quiet and background noise
• Fine-tuning the device settings based on your follow-up hearing tests and comfort
• Answering your questions and setting realistic expectations for adjustment

The fitting usually takes about an hour, and you’ll leave with everything you need to get started confidently.

There’s no one-size-fits-all hearing aid — and that’s a good thing. We’ll help you choose a device that fits your hearing needs, comfort level, and lifestyle. Common styles include:

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) — rests behind the ear and connects to a custom earpiece
• Receiver-in-canal (RIC) — smaller than BTE, with a more discreet profile
• In-the-ear (ITE) — custom-molded to fit entirely inside the outer ear
• In-the-canal (ITC) or completely-in-canal (CIC) — even smaller devices that fit partly or fully inside the ear canal

We’ll also go over features like rechargeability, Bluetooth streaming, and smartphone compatibility — so you can choose the combination that works best for you.

It’s normal for things to sound a little different at first — your brain needs time to get used to hearing certain sounds again. We’ll guide you through the adjustment process and schedule follow-ups to check your progress, fine-tune settings, and answer any questions.

Many people notice:

• Better speech understanding, especially in groups
• Improved awareness of environmental sounds
• Increased confidence and reduced listening fatigue
• A stronger connection with loved ones and day-to-day life

We’re here for the long haul, whether it’s your first hearing aid or your fifth, or you need reliable hearing aid repair and maintenance.