As soon as you start to experience changes in your hearing, you should make an appointment to visit your audiologist to get a better idea of why your hearing isn’t what it once was.
There are a number of reasons why we can start to struggle to hear properly aside from getting older, so when you’re sitting down with your doctor make sure you ask these three key questions before deciding on your next plan of action. For seniors, specifically, you can read how our behind the ear hearing aids can help you reengage with the world around you.
What’s causing the problems with my hearing?
Although we might automatically assume that the cause of our hearing problems is old age, there are several other conditions that can lead to disturbances or irregularities from time to time. From blockages caused by waxy build-ups to ear infections, your ear doctor will conduct an examination of your ear and ear canal to determine if your problem can be corrected with just wax removal or possibly an antibiotic.
Which ear is most affected?
It’s highly unlikely that the changes to your hearing are affecting both ears in equal measure, at the same time. In most circumstances, one ear is stronger than the other, so it’s important to find out which ear is the better of the two during your conversation with the audiologist.
It’s also worth asking your audiologist how they would grade your hearing loss in both ears, so you know what type of hearing aid to purchase: mild hearing loss, moderate hearing loss, severe hearing loss, or profound hearing loss. This knowledge can help you pick the correct product to give you excellent quality sound and restore your hearing confidence later on down the line.
Your audiologist can also provide you with an audiogram (hearing test) which will be helpful to the Otofonix staff in determining which hearing aid model will be best for you.
Would you recommend an over the counter hearing aid or a traditional prescription hearing aid?
For extra peace of mind, ask your doctor if they feel that an OTC (over the counter) hearing aid or traditional prescription hearing aid would be a suitable device to help you enjoy a better-quality sound once more.
For more severe hearing problems, your doctor might recommend a prescription hearing aid as a solution to help those with a high level of hearing impairment (profound hearing loss), but for those with mild to moderate hearing difficulties, an over the counter hearing aid could offer a cost-effective alternative to regain clear sound without undue expenditure.
Once you have this information following your visit to the doctor, you’ll be in a far better position to decide if an affordable, behind the ear hearing aid from Otofonix is the right solution for you.
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