Hearing aid adjustment is a normal and expected part of the hearing journey. When you first start wearing hearing aids, your brain needs time to relearn how to process sounds it has been missing. During this adaptation period, your hearing aids may need several rounds of fine-tuning to achieve the perfect balance of clarity and comfort. At SoundClear, all adjustments are included with your hearing aid purchase, with no additional charge for follow-up visits.
Even after the initial adaptation period, your hearing may change gradually over months and years. Regular adjustments ensure your hearing aids continue to compensate accurately for any changes in your hearing profile. We recommend a comprehensive hearing review every twelve months, at which point we reassess your hearing and update your hearing aid programming accordingly.
When You Might Need an Adjustment
Soon After Initial Fitting
The first few weeks with new hearing aids are a period of neurological adaptation. Sounds that initially seem loud or sharp typically become more natural over time. Your audiologist will schedule follow-up visits at one week, one month, and three months to progressively fine-tune your hearing aids as your brain adapts to amplified sound. This gradual approach ensures a comfortable transition.
Changes in Listening Environments
If your lifestyle changes, such as starting a new job, retiring, or taking up new social activities, your hearing aids may need reprogramming to optimise performance in your current listening environments. We can add or modify programmes specifically for new situations you encounter regularly, whether that is a noisy workplace, a hobby with specific audio demands, or new technology you use.
Perceived Changes in Hearing
If sounds seem muffled, certain frequencies feel harsh, or you notice a decline in speech clarity, these are signs your hearing aids may need adjustment. Rather than living with less-than-optimal sound, book an appointment so we can investigate the cause and make the necessary changes. Sometimes the solution is a simple reprogramming, other times it may indicate a change in your hearing that warrants a retest.
Annual Review
We recommend all hearing aid wearers attend an annual review appointment. During this visit, we conduct a hearing re-evaluation, clean and check your hearing aids, replace any worn components like domes or wax guards, and update the programming to match any changes in your hearing. This annual maintenance helps extend the life of your hearing aids and ensures they continue performing optimally.
What Happens During an Adjustment Appointment
Detailed discussion of your experience
Your audiologist will ask about specific situations where hearing has been difficult, any discomfort, and your overall satisfaction since the last visit.
Software programming adjustments
Using the manufacturer's fitting software, your audiologist adjusts frequency-specific gain, compression settings, noise reduction parameters, and other features to address your feedback.
Real-ear verification if needed
For significant adjustments, we repeat real-ear measurement to verify the changes are delivering the correct sound levels to your eardrum.
Physical maintenance check
We inspect and clean microphones, replace wax filters, check tubing and domes, and ensure the physical condition of your hearing aids is sound.
Adapting Over Time
Your brain's ability to process sound is remarkable, but it takes time to adjust to hearing aids after years of reduced auditory input. Most people need four to six weeks to fully adapt to new hearing aids. During this period, everyday sounds like rustling paper, running water, and birdsong may seem surprisingly loud. This is completely normal and usually settles within the first fortnight. Our gradual adjustment approach means we start with conservative settings and increase amplification over successive visits, giving your auditory system time to recalibrate without overwhelming you.