Do I need an audiologist for hearing aids?
It all depends on how the hearing aid has been optimised to your specific hearing loss.
An amazing piece of technology and nano-engineering that handles 600 million calculations a second, can be mis-calibrated and not give you the functionality you expected - leading to extreme frustration.
When considering hearing aids for yourself, your friends’ poor experience may put you off entirely. Why won’t the hearing aids work?
This is where our hearing experts come in.
Treatment of hearing loss is rarely as simple as plug-and-play. It can be overwhelming to consider all the different brands, shapes and functions of hearing aids - too many options can make it all very confusing.
Your bloom™ hearing clinician is an expert on available devices and technologies across a number of brands - they will conduct a comprehensive assessment and determine what specific hearing needs you have. This is crucial in programming your hearing aid so it can deliver the best possible performance for you.
Think of the first time you drove a car - turning it on isn’t too hard, but without knowing what to do with it, you might not make it out of the driveway. Your clinician is a driving instructor, mechanic and valet - all in one. But you still have to get behind the wheel. The best experience you can achieve is to combine 3 core elements: you, your device & your clinician.
Let’s break this symbiotic trio down a little:
Clinician
Patience
The patience to listen to your concerns and understand your needs, while counselling you on what to expect.Experience
The experience to know how to solve problems and maximise benefits.Knowledge
The knowledge to keep abreast of all the latest technology and be able to match device features to your hearing needsMotivation
The motivation to go the extra mile for you, whether that be having enough time to meet your needs in the appointment, or being keen to experiment to see what works best.Attitude
The attitude which enables you to feel relaxed so that you can work as a team and enjoy your time together
You
Motivation
The motivation to push through the teething phase, when you must retrain your brain what is “normal” to hear again. This takes time and effort.Understanding
The understanding that getting hearing back can be a shock to the system, and while hearing aids are amazing technology they are an “aid” and not a “cure”. Your specific hearing loss and its cause will set a limit on how close you can get to normal hearing again.Positive outlook
The positive outlook that it is good to hear the birds in the trees. Some sounds are more useful than others, yet they are all sounds in the world that help us be aware and connect with our surroundings.Honesty
The honesty to tell your clinician at the follow-up appointment what is working and what is not with your new device. The more specific you can be, the more specifically they can set the devices to your needs.
Device
Artificial intelligence
The artificial intelligence to automatically adapt to your varied surroundings without you having to manually change settings.Processing
The processing excellence to suppress unwanted background noise while honing in on those talking to you clearly.Power
The power capability to be able to match your hearing loss volume and be returned to manage future decline in hearing.Convenience
The convenience to do away with batteries and charge in their case, and to connect wireless to smartphones and TVs if that interests you.Design
The design excellence that gives you a sleek and discrete device you can feel comfortable with, while being robust against wear and tear.Comfort
The comfort to be able to wear all day and forget they’re there.
Article by Nicholas, bloom™ hearing Audiologist, QLD Clinical Leader
