Real Ear Measurement:
Hearing Aid Fittings Tailored to you.
Your ears are unique. Your hearing aid fitting should reflect that.
Choosing a hearing aid is an important step towards better hearing.
Carefully fitting and checking it is just as important.
Real Ear Measurement, often called REM, allows us to measure how your hearing aids perform inside your own ears.
It gives us objective information to guide adjustments, helping us tailor the sound to your hearing needs.
What is Real Ear Measurement?
REM is a hearing aid verification procedure.
In simple terms, it checks the sound your hearing aid actually delivers into your ear canal while you are wearing it.
A hearing test tells us which sounds you find difficult to hear.
REM helps us check whether your hearing aids provide the prescribed amplification across different pitches and listening levels.
It is widely recognised as the gold standard for hearing aid fitting verification and is included as standard on all our hearing aid fittings.
Why does it matter?
The size and shape of your ear canals affect the sound that reaches your eardrums.
This means the same hearing aid settings can produce different results in different ears.
Hearing aid software provides an initial setting based on your hearing test.
REM lets us check that setting in your ears and identify where adjustments are needed.
We compare the measurements with evidence-based prescription targets calculated for your hearing loss.
This helps us assess whether softer speech is sufficiently audible, how everyday speech is amplified, and whether louder sounds require adjustment.
What happens during the test?
We explain each step and check that you are comfortable throughout.
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We examine your ears. We check your ear canals and look for anything, such as obstructing wax, that might affect the procedure.
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We position a fine, soft measurement tube. This sits carefully inside your ear canal, alongside your hearing aid, and measures sound close to your eardrum.
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You listen to recorded sounds. Speech-like sounds play through a speaker at different levels while the equipment records your hearing aid’s response.
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We adjust and check again. We use the results to guide changes to your hearing aid settings, repeating measurements to check their effect.
You do not need to press a button or judge any sound. The equipment takes the measurements while you sit and listen.
What difference can REM make?
REM can reveal areas where a hearing aid provides more or less amplification than intended.
This gives us a clear basis for refining the fitting.
Research has found benefits from fittings adjusted using REM, including better recognition of soft speech in some studies.
However, results vary between people, hearing aids and listening situations.
We see REM as a baseline which can then be used, if required, to further fine tune your hearing aid to your requirements.
Why we advocate for measured fittings
We believe you deserve to understand how your hearing aids have been fitted and checked.
REM gives us measurable information about their performance in your ears and your feedback tells us how that fitting works in your daily life.
Our approach brings together careful measurement, clinical judgement and a conversation about what you need to hear—whether that is family conversation, meetings at work or your favourite television programme.
FAQs
1. Is REM another hearing test?
No, your hearing test measures your hearing levels. REM measures the sound your hearing aid delivers inside your ear.
2. Will it hurt?
We take great care to ensure the probe microphone is inserted safely into your ear canal.
You may notice it as we place it in your ear canal, tell us immediately if anything feels uncomfortable so we can pause and check its position.
3. Does REM guarantee perfect hearing?
No. Hearing aids cannot restore normal hearing, and some situations can remain challenging. REM helps verify the fitting and along with your feedback and our ongoing support, it helps ensure you get the most from your hearing aids.
4. Can REM be used to check existing hearing aids?
Yes, it can help assess an existing hearing aid fittings. REM is included in our Hearing Aid Re-programming service, click hear for further details.