Anne O'Flaherty
At Walker Hearing Clinics, we’re all about clarity, precision and helping you hear your very best. That’s why we use Real Ear Measurements (REM’s) – a powerful step in hearing aid fitting that ensures your devices aren’t just good, they’re perfectly tuned to your hearing loss.
Real Ear Measurements (or REM’s) are a personalised hearing aid verification test that measures exactly what sounds your hearing aids are delivering to your ear drum in real life. Rather than relying on average settings or guesses, REM’s show us how sound behaves in your unique ear canal, then lets us fine-tune your hearing aids to match your hearing loss perfectly.
Why is that important? Because your ear anatomy is like a fingerprint: No two are alike. Tiny differences in canal size and shape change how sound reaches your eardrum, and those differences can make a big impact on speech clarity, tone balance and comfort. REM’s remove the quick fits and replaces it with data you can measure.
How Do REM’s Work?
The process is clever and comfortable.
A soft, super-thin probe tube sits gently into your ear canal, just ahead of your hearing aid.
We play speech-like sounds through a speaker. Soft, average and louder sounds.
A tiny microphone measures what actually reaches your eardrum.
Your hearing aid settings are adjusted until the sound matches your prescription targets across all levels.
This real-time, evidence-based approach ensures your aids are doing exactly what they should, right where it matters most.
Why REM’s Make Such a Big Difference
With REM’s, the benefits are clear both literally and figuratively. Patients who receive this level of verification often notice:
Sharper speech clarity in everyday conversations
Comfortable, natural sound balance
Less listening effort. Particularly in background noise. Your brain doesn’t have to work as hard
Greater confidence in your hearing aid performance
In fact, REM’s are considered the gold standard in hearing aid fitting and clinical best practice. This is because it provides objective proof that your hearing aids are amplifying the right sounds at the right levels for you.
Why We Use REM’s at Walker Hearing Clinics
One of the best things about REM’s? It’s quick and non-invasive. Most tests take around 10-20 minutes, and patients describe the sensation as quick and comfortable. There’s no discomfort, just results you can hear, feel, and most importantly measure.
Only about 30% of hearing aid dispensers and audiologists perform REM’s. Studies demonstrate that patients achieve 65% better hearing outcomes when REM’s are used compared to relying on manufacturer quick fits alone. The most common reason for hearing aid dissatisfaction isn’t the technology itself – it’s improper fitting without proper verification. It’s a key part of how we fit all of our hearing aids.
Whether you’re exploring hearing aids for the first time or updating an existing pair, ask us about real ear measurements. Let’s make your hearing as brilliant as it can be.
If you would like to book a hearing test, contact Walker Hearing Clinics today
