I want to buy hearing aid, what should I do?

You shouldn't just walk into a shop and buy a hearing aid without proper evaluation first. If you suspect there's a problem with your hearing, the right first step is to see an ENT doctor, who will begin with a thorough ear examination to rule out any underlying issues.

From there, the process generally follows a few clear steps. First, the doctor will advise a hearing test called Pure Tone Audiometry, which establishes the type and degree of hearing loss you have. You can read more about what these different degrees mean on our "degrees of hearing loss" page. Based on these results, the doctor will provide a prescription or recommendation if a hearing aid is indeed needed for your situation.

Next comes the device trial period, where you get to actually try out a hearing aid rather than committing to a purchase right away. This trial is genuinely useful, since it helps determine which type of hearing aid actually suits your specific hearing loss and lifestyle, rather than guessing based on price or appearance alone.

Finally, once a suitable device is identified, the fitting stage takes place, where the audiologist adjusts the settings to match your hearing needs precisely. Skipping these steps and buying a hearing aid off the shelf, without proper testing and fitting, often leads to poor results and wasted money, so it's worth going through the process properly from the start.