The Effects of Hearing Loss can be minimized if:
- Your problem is correctly diagnosed;
- You receive the right type of treatment; and
- You and your hearing care team are committed to solving the problem
Step One: The Interview
Purpose: To help your physician or audiologist determine the extent of your problem and uncover any specific areas that may require further attention.
Some Typical Questions:
- Has anyone else in your family had hearing difficulty?
- Have you had any illnesses or injuries that might have affected your hearing?
- Have you taken any medications that might have affected your hearing?
- Have you been exposed to loud noises in your job or leisure activities?
Step Two: The Examination
Purpose: To help your physician or Audiologist determine whether your hearing loss is caused by an obstruction or damage to the ear canal or eardrum.
Step Three: The Testing
Purpose: To help your audiologist determine the nature of your hearing loss
Audiometric pure tone evaluation to measure your hearing at different frequencies.
Speech evaluation to measure how well you hear and understand ordinary conversation at different volumes.
Immittance middle ear evaluation to measure how your ear drum and hearing react to varying degrees of air pressure.
If you are suffering from a hearing loss, your results will be documented on an audiogram.
Step Four: Treatment Options
Hearing Aids
Hearing aids come in a variety of designs and with a wide range of functions and features to address an individual’s specific needs. The most basic components include a microphone, an amplifier, a receiver, and (in the case of digital hearing aids) a small computer. The unprecedented effectiveness of modern digital systems comes from a powerful combination of professional expertise, software, and hardware.