Evaluation for Hearing Aids

A hearing aid evaluation connects your hearing test results with the conversations, activities, and sounds that matter to you. It helps you understand whether hearing aids may help and which options fit your hearing needs, comfort, daily routine, and budget. For people in Asheville and Hendersonville, that might mean following a restaurant conversation, hearing family at home, or staying connected on the phone.

The terms below describe different purposes, even when they are discussed during the same visit. Ask which type of appointment is appropriate for your concerns and what it will include.

Hearing screening: A brief check that can indicate whether a more complete assessment is needed. It is not a substitute for a diagnostic evaluation.
Diagnostic hearing evaluation: A more detailed assessment of hearing ability. Depending on your concerns, testing may examine the softest sounds you hear at different pitches and how you understand speech. The appropriate tests depend on your history and symptoms.
Hearing aid consultation: A discussion of the results, your listening priorities, and suitable device options if hearing aids are appropriate. Choosing a device is a separate decision from identifying a hearing difficulty.

At a hearing evaluation, your history and the impact of hearing difficulties on everyday life help guide the discussion. Tell the provider about changes you have noticed, previous hearing care, and relevant health concerns. Learn more about our hearing testing information.

How to prepare: Write down two or three situations where listening is difficult, such as group conversations, television, or phone calls. Bring previous hearing test results if available, your current hearing aids and accessories, and the phone you use most often. Consider bringing a family member or friend who can help describe your everyday listening needs. Ask the office whether anything else is needed for your appointment.

Understanding your results and choosing technology

Your hearing test results help explain which sounds are harder to hear. Ask how those results relate to your own concerns and what the recommended next step is. A hearing aid recommendation should take both the results and your everyday experience into account, rather than rely on a device’s feature list alone.

Start with your listening priorities. Describe where you most want help: conversation in a quiet room, a busy restaurant, meetings, television, or calls. Then ask which features address those needs and what limitations to expect. Hearing aids can improve access to sound, but they do not restore normal hearing.

Comfort and handling: Consider how the device feels, how easily you can put it in and remove it, and whether the controls and charging routine are manageable.
Technology and accessories: Compare features in the context of your daily life. Explore our hearing aid technology guide and ask whether a separate accessory would be useful.
Phone compatibility: Check the exact hearing aid and phone models, operating system, app, and any required accessory. Bluetooth alone does not guarantee every calling or streaming feature. Our phone compatibility and accessories guide explains what to check.
Budget and ongoing care: Ask what the quoted price includes, which services may cost extra, and how maintenance, adjustments, and repairs are handled. A higher price does not automatically mean a better match for you.

The Hearing Guy is an independent practice working with multiple manufacturers. Our hearing aids guide can help you explore the options before discussing which are appropriate for your needs.

Questions to bring to your consultation:

What do my results tell us, and do I need any further evaluation?
Which options fit my most difficult listening situations, and why?
What should I realistically expect in background noise?
Will this exact model work with my phone and preferred accessories?
What are the total cost, warranty terms, and any trial or return conditions?
How will comfort, programming, and follow-up needs be addressed?

For general background, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders’ hearing aid guide explains styles, selection considerations, and questions to ask. Your consultation is the place to connect that information to your own hearing needs.

Ready to discuss your hearing? Schedule a consultation with The Hearing Guy in Asheville or Hendersonville, or call (828) 274-6913. Let the office know whether you are seeking an initial hearing assessment or help choosing hearing aids.

Hearing aid recommendation

If your hearing test reveals a permanent hearing loss, hearing aids may be recommended. Your Hearing Guy may explain what sounds you have difficulty hearing, and what hearing aids can do to help. It is usually at this appointment that you will get to see and touch different styles of hearing aids. You will also be able to demo a hearing aid. Your Hearing Guy will help you choose the best hearing aid style, features and level of sophistication based on your degree of hearing loss, lifestyle, and financial circumstances. Some hobbies and occupations may benefit from different hearing aid styles or features, so you will fill out a questionnaire to assist during the evaluation process. The final decision on which hearing aids are purchased is your choice, but your Hearing Guy will make recommendations on the best options for your particular needs.

Once you make a decision, your Hearing Guy may take impressions of your ears if you selected custom hearing aids or behind-the-ear hearing aids that require earmolds. Hearing aids must be ordered from a manufacturer and then programmed by your Hearing Guy to meet your specific hearing needs. There is an adjustment period when wearing hearing aids, so they may make additional changes to your settings to ensure you’re getting the best listening experience possible. Dr. Steele always says “We are always looking for improvement, never perfection.”