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Your hearing is important. The ability to hear sounds will not only provide your brain with a wealth of information about the world around you, but it will also mean that you can hear lots of sounds that you love. Your favorite song, the voices of your partner, children, family, and your friends. Having good hearing means that you can take part fully in conversations. This, in turn, is good for you from a social perspective, and it can help your mental health. All in all, the ability to hear is a sense that should be valued.
To lose your ability to hear can be tough. When you are experiencing hearing loss, you may feel cut off or disengaged from those around you because you cannot fully take part in conversations. You may feel stupid or ashamed asking people to repeat themselves because you have not heard them. And mishearing things that people have said to you can become problematic.
But if you are experiencing hearing loss, it need not be the end of your ability to hear. A visit to an audiologist could result in an assessment of your hearing being made, and a hearing aid fitting which will allow you to hear better than you may have done for a very long time.
What Are The Signs Of Hearing Loss?
There are several different ways that hearing loss may affect you. You may struggle to hear what people are saying when they are talking to you. Sometimes it may be the odd word here and there that you miss and at other times, whole sentences may feel muffled. You may put it down to the person who is speaking at first. That they may be covering their mouth or talking quietly. But if you start to notice this in more and more situations, then this a sign that you may need a hearing test.
Having to have your TV turned up louder than is comfortable for anyone else is a sure sign that you are experiencing hearing loss. If your volume has slid up a few notches because you struggle to hear the TV or radio, then make an appointment with an audiologist.
A ringing, humming, or buzzing in the ears may indicate that you have Tinnitus. This is an uncomfortable experience for anyone who may be suffering from it. An audiologist may be able to help to manage the symptoms of this.
What To Expect When Visiting An Audiologist
If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms associated with hearing loss, then you should make an appointment with an audiologist as soon as possible. Hearing loss can affect anyone, at any point in their lives. There can be lots of different causes which may include infection, a build-up of ear wax, physical damage to your ear, or damage through exposure to loud noises. An audiologist will assess the cause of your hearing loss, and then examine your ears to measure the extent of it.
You’ll be asked a series of questions about your hearing loss, when it started, and what symptoms you are noticing. You’ll be asked about any illness and injury that you may have suffered, and the audiologist will also ask you about your life including any hobbies and work. All of this is to help get a picture of the cause of your hearing loss.
Once the audiologist has got to know a bit about you, they will start the hearing test. This may involve a few different tests, but is likely to include a visual inspection of your ear, and a test which will measure what types of sounds you are able to hear. This will involve wearing headphones and listening to a series of sounds, indicating which ones you can hear.
Following on from your hearing test, you may be given a few different options for treatment. For hearing loss relating to infections of blockages in your ears, antibiotics or having your ears drained may be a solution.
For other forms of hearing loss, the audiologist may suggest that you get a hearing aid.
Getting A Hearing Aid Fitted
Your audiologist will be able to recommend a suitable hearing aid that meets your specific needs. They will also help to fit it for you so that it is comfortable and is set to the right volume. Generally, hearing aids are designed with comfort in mind, and they are not bulky so they don’t stand out. They will improve the amount that you can hear quite dramatically though.
This post was a collaboration.