A Guide for Hearing Aid Settings and Customizations

Modern hearing aids can respond to your environment - whether it’s busy and loud or quiet - by adapting to a pre-programmed setting that is already featured in your hearing aids.

The standard programs can be useful, but when moving through different environments there may still be challenges. In these cases, ask your hearing instrument specialist to customize your hearing aid settings by adding unique programs based on the places that you frequently visit.      

What to know about Customized Hearing Aids

• Hearing aids generally feature a default setting that is meant for listening to speech sounds.
• These default settings may not be ideal for hearing speech in noise, for example, if you are with a group of people in a crowded area. 
• The default settings also may not be useful if you listen to music, where you anticipate hearing a wide range of sounds. 

Getting Your Hearing Aids Programmed

This process starts with your hearing instrument specialist’s help. After undergoing a hearing test and choosing hearing aids, the test results are imported into the hearing aids. This information helps the hearing aid determine where additional volume is needed. Hearing aids are not simply designed to amplify every noise in an equal manner, but it carefully calculates where the volume level goes up and where the different pitches are needed.

When the hearing test results are imported into the hearing aids, the hearing aids recognize whether to add a small amount of volume if there’s only mild hearing loss, or a significant amount of volume if there is severe hearing loss. 

This is when the hearing aid fitting occurs, and the hearing instrument specialist discusses programs and settings. 

A number of these settings are automatically available, with the hearing aid shifting from one program to another without the need to manually switch device settings from the user. The hearing aid will transition in and out of programs while figuring out how much more volume should be added.          

When soft sounds are detected, the volume gets raised on the hearing aids. In other instances, if you hear a loud sound with the volume setting at the maximum level, the hearing aid can detect that the volume is very high, and won’t add excess volume.   

Hearing aids are meant to keep each range of sound in its natural state. 

If you want more control rather than rely on automatic adjustments, users can manually change channels to their optimal setting.  

Hearing Aid Modes, Programs, and Settings

The programs and settings that are found in your hearing aid are based on the style and brand of device that you own. There are three to five programs that come with the devices, like a program for quiet environments and another one to block out background noises during conversations. 

Here are some examples of hearing aid programs:

• Car program - this makes adjustments to where the microphone is directed, which helps you hear what the other person in the car is saying.  
• Reducing feedback noises - to suppress the whistling sound that reverberates in your ears.
• Reducing wind noises - this program helps block out loud windy noises that are captured by the microphone. 

Everyone’s listening needs are unique. Contact us at Pure Sound Hearing to discuss the difficulties that you, or a loved one, are experiencing with hearing.     

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