Difficulty hearing is a common problem that increases with age.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) You should see your doctor or hearing specialist if you:

  • Have trouble hearing over the telephone
  • Find it hard to follow conversations when two or more people are talking
  • Often ask people to repeat what they are saying
  • Need to turn up the TV volume so loud that others complain
  • Have a problem hearing because of background noise
  • Think that others seem to mumble
  • Can’t understand when women and children speak to you

Hearing Specialists

Hearing specialists who offer treatments such as hearing aids are a good community resource to learn more about your hearing.  Hearing instrument specialists are trained to provide testing necessary for the fitting and adjustment of today’s sophisticated hearing devices.  The details gained from their physical examination, history and pure tone testing will provide information about a need for medical referral and will offer a good snapshot of your hearing ability in both ears.   The evaluation will begin with a physical examination to look for signs of infection, congenital defects, or a buildup of earwax, all of which can affect your hearing. After that, the hearing professional will conduct:

  • Pure tone testing with headphones assessing the ability to hear different pitches of sound in each ear.
  • Bone conduction testing which is like a tuning fork test to determine if a medical referral for a treatable condition is necessary.

These tests will take a few minutes and are noninvasive and comfortable

Hearing Loss Treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with hearing loss, there is a wide variety of treatment options available. If your hearing is affected by a blockage of the ear canal with earwax, the doctor will soften and remove the earwax to improve your hearing.  If your hearing loss is due to repeated infections or traumatic damage, medical treatment including surgical procedures may be the answer. Hearing aids are among the most common noninvasive treatment used to improve hearing.  Today’s sophisticated devices offer positive outcomes for a large percentage of patients. For those with the most severe hearing loss, cochlear implants are giving amazing results for those who never thought they’d hear again.

Any hearing loss solution begins with a thorough hearing examination. To begin your journey to improved hearing, schedule a free appointment today.