A hearing instrument specialist is another professional who works within hearing care in order to help and treat those experiencing hearing-related issues, from testing hearing to recommending, fitting and repairing hearing aids.
You should always check that your local hearing instrument specialist holds the relevant certification from the National Competency Examination Board and is identified with the credentials BC-HIS.
Further testing might be needed, and hearing instrument specialists can perform more specific testing while they will also help you with selecting and fitting your hearing aid should you require one and they can also repair any damaged hearing aids.
Hearing Assessments
You may be required to attend an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist for testing designed to assess the extent of your hearing loss. These tests are designed to identify the type of hearing aid you require and are a necessary part of your overall hearing treatment, similar to seeing an optician in order to assess what glasses you need.
Some of these tests are like that of other hearing tests and are used to evaluate the performance of the ear specifically and how it relates to the hearing aids that you are to receive and some are also trained in earwax removal.
Dispense Hearing Aids and Molds
One of the primary tasks of a hearing instrument specialist is to identify the exact type of hearing aid that you might need to bring your hearing back to a reasonable level. Hearing instrument specialists are experts in hearing aid knowledge and perform some simple tests in order to find the best device for you.
This is usually done by examining your ears to determine the correct size and for assessing any molding needs for custom hearing aids. A hearing aid is usually fitted right away in the office and you can take this time to go through the necessary steps in order to assess the hearing aid and make sure that it’s working how it should.
Repair Hearing Aids
Given that they are experts in hearing aids, hearing instrument specialists are also able to identify, troubleshoot and repair problems with your hearing aids both as they relate to your perception when using them and the actual damage that they have taken. A hearing aid expert will usually aim to repair a broken hearing aid first rather than replace them.
Dirt particles, moisture and earwax are all common factors that can damage your hearing aid and a hearing instrument specialist might simply need to clean your hearing aid of any debris that has accumulated. However, in some circumstances the hearing aid might be beyond simple cleaning and might need re-casing.
