Even with the same hearing loss, the required hearing aid settings are different for each person.

Hearing aids are different from glasses. Just as wearing glasses directly improves vision, fitting and adapting hearing aids to an individual's ears begins the moment they are worn. This was emphasized by Lee In-wung, the representative of a hearing aid outlet in Seoul's Seocho-gu, who has over a decade of experience in assisting patients with hearing loss in selecting and adapting to their hearing aids.

Lee stressed that the importance lies not just in the cost of the device, but also in the expertise of the fitting and the ongoing management. The same level of hearing loss can result in varying degrees of sound reception for different individuals. Some may be more sensitive to loud sounds, while others may be less sensitive. The necessary settings depend on the frequency range and ability to distinguish speech from background noise.

The environment one lives in also affects the fit. People who spend most of their time in quiet homes cannot be fitted with the same settings as those who live in noisy areas like workplaces or markets. The representative explains that merely adjusting the device to sound pleasant does not guarantee successful fitting. It requires testing in real-life situations, such as cars, restaurants, markets, and workplaces, and periodic adjustments over a period of 1-2 weeks.

Initially, hearing aids may amplify one's own voice or sound overly loud, leading users to immediately discard them. However, adjusting the volume, size of the device, and frequency-specific output can alleviate discomfort. Above all, it takes time for the brain and ears to adjust to new sounds. The representative advises users to remove their hearing aids after breakfast and before bedtime to make the habit of wearing them natural, and to adjust the fit by increasing comfortable settings and reducing uncomfortable ones.

He warns against automatically increasing the volume when users say they cannot hear well, as the device's output may be too high after being fitted elsewhere. In such cases, changing the ear mold or receiver may be necessary. The representative stresses that users should not buy hearing aids based solely on price or brand. It is crucial to find a professional with expertise in ear assessments and ongoing fitting and post-care management.

This is especially important as hearing aids typically last 5-7 years, and both hearing and device conditions may change over time. The representative recommends checking hearing and speech discrimination abilities annually, as well as the functionality of microphones and receivers. He emphasizes that buying a hearing aid is not the end of the journey, but rather the beginning of a lifelong process of adjustment and adaptation.