When it comes to your hearing health, there are many reasons why seeing a professional can be beneficial. Hearing professionals, such as audiologists and hearing aid specialists, are trained to help you understand your hearing loss and recommend the best treatment options.
If you’re thinking about buying hearing aids, whether over-the-counter (OTC) or through a professional, here’s why you should see an audiologist or hearing care professional first.
1. You will receive a thorough hearing test and ear exam
If you’ve noticed that it’s harder to hear than before, it’s time to see a hearing care professional. They will perform a hearing test to determine the extent of your hearing loss, review the results, answer questions, and make appropriate recommendations for you. These results are important information because they help you make informed decisions about your hearing health.
An audiologist may also perform special tests on the ear, called real ear measurement (REM), which will ensure that your hearing aids provide an adequate, comfortable and safe volume for your hearing loss. REM is considered the gold standard in ensuring your hearing technology delivers the benefits you need.
Hearing loss is not a unique problem. A thorough hearing test can determine whether the hearing difficulty comes from the middle ear or the inner ear, and whether one ear hears much better than the other. For example, asymmetric hearing loss may include a medical referral to rule out other health conditions.
2. You will learn the pros and cons of the different treatment options
A variety of treatment options are available for hearing loss, from OTC hearing aids to cochlear implants. An audiologist can help you understand the pros and cons of each option and recommend the best one based on the severity of your hearing loss and your lifestyle. Along those lines, working with a hearing care professional means you’ll get the best recommendations throughout the continuum of care. Hearing loss can change over time, and a hearing care professional can help determine when other options are more appropriate for your hearing loss.
Hearing aids come in many different styles, sizes and prices. Audiologists and hearing professionals are well trained and can fit hearing aids to your specific hearing loss, lifestyle and budget. No two ears or hearing losses are the same, and a hearing care professional is best qualified to provide expert advice on the best options for your unique situation. Audiologists and hearing aid specialists have extensive training and real-world experience with the latest hearing technology.
3. You will receive permanent help fitting the hearing aids
Hearing aids require a fitting process for several reasons. For many, hearing loss develops gradually over time. Especially for those with a gradual onset of hearing loss, the volume may need to be gradually increased over time as the ears adjust to the new sound. With proper hearing aids, the volume may seem too loud at first. Imagine sitting in a dark room and suddenly the lights are on. To continue the analogy, sometimes it’s more comfortable to turn the lights on slowly, rather than turning them on all the way. The same goes for new hearing aid users. A hearing care professional is trained to work with your comfort level to provide amplification that is appropriate for your hearing loss, but also takes your comfort into account.
In addition to adjusting to the sound quality and volume of your new hearing aids, it can also take time to get comfortable wearing the devices and learn how to care for and maintain them. Questions are bound to arise, especially in the beginning. A hearing care professional is the perfect guide to support your hearing journey and help you with questions and challenges, or support you in other ways.
4. You will receive personalized attention based on your lifestyle
One of the benefits of seeing an audiologist is that they can provide personalized care. They will get to know you and your unique needs to provide you with the best possible care. This is in contrast to buying an OTC hearing aid, where you’re essentially on your own when it comes to figuring out how to use and care for the device. If Bluetooth is important to you, your hearing care professional will show you how your hearing aids will work with your other Bluetooth devices. Or if you prefer to keep it simple, they can certainly adapt that too.
Hearing loss treatment is about more than technology. It’s all about finding the right solution for your unique hearing needs so you can live your life to the fullest. An audiologist or hearing care professional will work with you to help your hearing technology best meet your needs. For example, if you have more problems with background noise, your audiologist can make programming adjustments and specific personalized programs, such as music, or share helpful tips and tricks to help.
Also, hearing is more than just hearing. From recent work on hearing and cognition, we know that hearing loss and cognitive function are interrelated. The listening effort associated with hearing loss can add another layer of difficulty. While wearing hearing aids can sometimes help, there are other pieces related to hearing difficulty that can play a role. For example, you may still struggle to understand speech even with the correct amplification. An audiologist can discuss your best options to help you in these situations.
5. You will get help with technology
Your hearing care professional can provide you with the best size and fit options for custom molds or other retention options to help keep your hearing aid comfortably in place. They also help connect your hearing aids to smartphone apps and recommend other helpful devices, such as hearing aids.
If you are considering getting an OTC hearing aid, be aware that you may have less support available. Although OTC devices are an option for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, there are people who should not receive an OTC hearing aid. OTC hearing aids will not work well for those who are not comfortable with a smartphone hearing aid app, have more than moderate hearing loss, asymmetric hearing loss, or those who prefer in-person care.
When making decisions about your hearing health, it’s important to consider all factors to make the best choice for your hearing, needs and lifestyle.
Hearing professionals can explain in depth the unique nature of your hearing loss.
6. You will receive tinnitus support
Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a common symptom that accompanies hearing loss. For some, it can be quite annoying. Hearing aids are a management strategy. However, hearing care professionals also have other tools they can use to provide the best tinnitus management strategies and support. For example, your hearing care professional may customize specific programs in your hearing aid for tinnitus masking, adjust specific frequencies that contribute to your perception of tinnitus, or recommend other options.
7. You will receive follow-up care from hearing aids
Hearing professionals will schedule regular appointments for maintenance and follow-up care. These face-to-face appointments are a great opportunity to check in and see how you’re doing. Based on your input, your hearing care professional will continue to make changes or adjustments to your settings to keep you hearing your best. Sometimes it’s these little adjustments that can make all the difference.
In addition, hearing professionals will check and clean your devices at regular and consistent intervals. These regular appointments ensure that any part or part of the device that needs attention is taken care of. For example, your hearing care professional will notice signs of corrosion in the battery compartment or indicate when the microphone covers need to be cleaned or replaced. Keeping up to date with your technology will preserve the life of your device and help you get the most out of your investment.
Hearing healthcare is a journey
Hearing aids take time to get used to and they need adjustments and cleaning from time to time. Working with an expert provider will give you the best possible experience.
If you are considering purchasing a hearing aid, be sure to see an audiologist or hearing care professional near you. They can help you understand your hearing loss, recommend the best treatment options, and provide personalized care. With so many benefits, it makes sense to plan for this first step in your hearing health journey.