Real Ear Measurement (REM)

Real ear measurement is a clinical procedure used to verify that a hearing aid is delivering the correct amount of amplification in the ear canal of a specific person. Hearing aid programming software estimates the appropriate settings based on the audiogram, but the actual output in the ear canal varies between individuals depending on the size and shape of the ear canal. REM accounts for this variation.

The procedure involves placing a thin probe microphone in the ear canal, beside the hearing aid, and measuring the actual sound level at the eardrum as sounds are presented. This measured output is then compared to a prescriptive target derived from the audiogram. If the hearing aid is not meeting the target at any frequency, the audiologist adjusts the programming until it does.

REM is considered best practice in hearing aid fitting. Without it, the audiologist is relying on software estimates rather than actual in-ear measurements. Canadian audiological associations support REM as a standard part of the fitting process.