Common Questions about Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids
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There are also typical causes, which include aging, excessive noise exposure, and toxic medications. What many hearing loss patients do in order to regain their ability to hear sounds is to use hearing aids. Since many individuals have a lot of questions about the use of a hearing aid, we will go over some of the most common and we will provide reliable and simple answers.
Q: How do I recognize that I might be having hearing loss problems?
A: Generally, hearing loss begins gradually without any discomfort. To determine whether you are experiencing hearing loss, a few questions that you may ask yourself are:
1. Do I repeatedly ask people to repeat what they said?
2. Am I experiencing difficulty in following a conversation in a small group?
3. Is it hard for me to understand the speaker if he is not in front of me?
4. Am I struggling to hear things when I am in crowded places (e.g. restaurants, malls)?
5. Do I prefer a louder volume than others?
6. Am I experiencing difficulty in conversing over the telephone?
If you have answered yes to most of these questions, then it is possible that you are suffering from hearing loss.
Q: Who should I see when I have developed hearing problems?
A: You can visit one of these professionals specializing in ear problems:
1. Otolaryngologist – A surgeon who specializes in ear, nose and throat problems.
2. Audiologist – A health professional that identifies and measures hearing loss.
3. Hearing Aid Specialist – A licensed professional who checks one’s hearing, evaluates it, and fits a hearing aid.
These professionals would identify whether you are suffering from a hearing loss and will tell you which type of hearing loss you have.
Q: What are the types of hearing aids that I could use?
A: There are three types of hearing aids that are available in the market today:
1. CIC or completely-in-the-canal
2. ITE or in-the-ear
3. BTE or behind-the-ear
Q: How should I choose the right hearing aid for me?
A: Knowing the degree and type of your hearing loss is the major factor in determining the hearing aid that best fits your needs. Other factors include personal preference and lifestyle.
Q: Does using a hearing aid bring back my full abilities to hear?
A: Technically, it does not. They would only make sounds available to you through modified electrical signals but would not restore your hearing back to normal.
Q: Where can I purchase a hearing aid?
A: Hearing aids are available from different sources, which are operated by Hearing Instrument Specialists and licensed professionals (e.g audiologists, otolaryngologists, hearing aid specialist).
Q: Are there other devices available to treat hearing loss?
A: There are other devices that could complement the use of a hearing aid, such as devices that you could connect to televisions or stereos to make it easier for you to hear. Some alerts (e.g doorbells, smoke detectors, and alarm clocks) could have other signals that could be seen or felt.
About the author:
Ernest Poh founded The Hearing Centre Pte Ltd. The Hearing Centre is your one-stop centre for complete hearing aids and hearing conservation services. Ernest has been fitting hearing devices since 2004. Visit his website at http://thehearingcentre.sg to learn more about the different types of hearing aids and the possible causes of hearing loss.
Category: ENT
Hearing loss is one of the rapidly increasing health issues these days. People usually neglect time to time cleaning of the ear, which often results in excessive accumulation of ear wax. If you are dubious, about your hearing capacity, then without much delay you should seek for medical help. If you are not finding any good audiologist nearby you easily and are thinking to opt for online hearing test, which are quite popular these days, then I must say you should give a read to this post - http://www.hiddenhearing.ie/your-hearing/online-hearing-tests . After reading the same you can easily figure out the reason for not choosing online hearing test. Also, keep in mind that your ears are one of the most sensitive sense organ!
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