When people invest in modern hearing technology, they naturally expect it to perform exceptionally right out of the box. But here is an industry secret that many patients aren't aware of: even the most advanced hearing aid on the market will underperform if it isn't precisely verified against your unique ear anatomy. At Denison Hearing in Arvada we use best hearing aid fitting practices by completing Real Ear Measurement.
Buying high-tech hearing devices without objective verification is like buying a high-end pair of prescription eyeglasses based on a general estimate rather than your exact lens prescription.
At Denison Hearing, we believe your hearing investment deserves exact precision which is why Dr. Margaret Denison utilizes Real Ear Measurement (REM) for every hearing aid fitting.
Why Ear Anatomy Changes Everything
No two ear canals are shaped exactly alike. The length, curve, width, and volume of your ear canal fundamentally alter how sound waves bounce around before reaching your eardrum.
When a hearing aid is programmed using only default manufacturer software, it relies on an "average" ear model. However, an average ear model doesn't account for your specific ear canal acoustics:
- Smaller ear canals trap sound pressure, potentially making certain frequencies uncomfortably loud or harsh.
- Larger or previously operated-on ear canals absorb sound energy, leaving key speech frequencies under-amplified and difficult to understand.
Without physical verification inside your ear canal, fitting a hearing aid relies heavily on guesswork.
What Is Real Ear Measurement?
Real Ear Measurement (REM) is the clinical gold standard in audiology for verifying that a hearing aid is delivering the exact sound prescription your brain needs.
Here is how the process works in our Arvada office:
- Placing the Probe Tube: A tiny, highly flexible probe microphone is gently placed into your ear canal alongside your hearing aid.
- Measuring Live Sound: We play calibrated speech samples or real-world sound passes through our equipment while the microphone measures the exact sound pressure level hitting your eardrum in real time.
- Fine-Tuning Frequencies: On-screen software displays a visual map comparing your targeted hearing prescription against the actual output of the device. Dr. Denison then micro-adjusts individual frequency channels until the sound curve matches your prescription perfectly.
The Result: Speech Clarity You Can Count On
When hearing aids are calibrated using Real Ear Measurement, the difference in speech clarity is immediate:
- No More Over-Amplification: Soft sounds become audible, but loud sounds remain comfortable.
- Optimized Speech Intelligibility: High-frequency consonant sounds (like s, f, th, and sh) are tuned accurately so words no longer sound muffled.
- Maximum Value from Your Tech: You get the full performance capabilities of your device's advanced processors and noise reduction features.
If you currently wear hearing aids but feel like you still struggle to understand conversations or frequently have to ask people to repeat themselves, your devices may simply need to be verified against your true ear acoustics.
Schedule Your Precision Fitting in Arvada
Get the most out of your hearing health investment with evidence-based care. Contact Denison Hearing today at (303) 424-3274 or book your appointment online at www.drdenisonhearing.com to experience the difference Real Ear Measurement makes.