If you have never visited a hearing instrument specialist before, then you are likely somewhat perplexed about what is going to happen during the appointment. After all, it’s not a practice that is discussed in general life; knowledge about hearing instrument specialists (HIS from hereon) only tends to emerge from direct need.

You will usually be referred to a HIS following a hearing test that has identified a decrease in your hearing capacity. If illness has been ruled out as the cause of your hearing loss, then you will be referred to a HIS to help with the choice and fitting of hearing aids.

In an effort to provide some clarity to the whole process, let’s explore what you should expect when you go for a consultation with a HIS.

You will be asked to provide a life and medical history

The role of a HIS is to provide you with the hearing assistance you require. That means they are going to need to know about your life, your hobbies, and any relevant medical information.

You will usually be asked to complete a questionnaire, which the HIS will then refer to when making suggestions about which devices work for you. The questions may be detailed; but if there’s anything you don’t feel comfortable asking, you can just skip on to the next one and inform your HIS of this. The information is only going to be used to find the right hearing solution for you, so the more information you provide, the better.

You will learn about how hearing aids work

A hearing aid is not a particularly complex device. Essentially, it sits either on or inside your ear and helps to amplify sounds to allow you to hear better. However, you will need to learn how to operate a device, how to care for it, and how to use it.

You will learn how hearing aids work and the different kinds of aids available. This will give you an insight into what kind of device you might want, and how you should go about caring for it.

You will experiment with different hearing aids

With the information gathering complete, your HIS appointment will then move on to practical matters. You’ll be offered the opportunity to experiment with different hearing aids, see what feels right to you, and check how different devices look in your ears.

In most cases, you will be able to be fitted for a hearing aid the same day as your appointment and will leave with your new handy helper in place. However, if you need time to mull over the decision, then just inform your HIS of this. They’ll understand; after all, a hearing aid is a big commitment, and you have to be 100 percent satisfied with the choice you make.

As you can see from the above, an appointment with a HIS is a great experience that will furnish you with the knowledge you need to adjust to life with a hearing aid. If everything goes well, you should be able to leave the appointment with a new hearing aid thanks to the expert advice of a professional HIS.