Individuals are more self-reliant than ever. Want to fix up your car? Just watch that YouTube video. Want to unclog your sink? Again with the YouTube. Want to learn how to do calligraphy? Yup…you guessed it…..YouTube.
Anything you want to know, you can find, and there’s great potential to teach and train yourself on the Internet. Does that mean you’ll never require a specialist ever again?
Well, not necessarily. Hearing aids are a good example. Imagine if you notice some hearing loss and find yourself in need of these helpful little devices. Does that mean you should just go out to the local pharmacy and grab a pair of over-the-counter hearing aids? It sounds fairly effortless (and gives you the impression of self-sufficiency), but there are a few considerable drawbacks. As a matter of fact, consulting a hearing specialist for hearing aids can help make your hearing aids more reliable and more comfortable.
What are the symptoms of hearing loss?
The symptoms of hearing loss may appear to be straightforward, even obvious. Things get harder to hear, right? While that may sometimes be the case, in other circumstances the symptoms can be less evident. In many situations, we are unaware of what to look for and we miss the symptoms of hearing loss.
Some of the most prevalent symptoms of hearing loss include the following:
- Asking people to repeat themselves: You’re frequently needing people to repeat what they said. This is a sign of hearing loss, even if it seems like the volume is the issue. You should consider whether it’s an issue with your ears if lots of individuals start to sound like their “mumbling”.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in noisy settings: When you’re out at dinner with friends and family, you have a tough time following along with conversations. You should definitely pay attention if you detect this symptom because it’s a pretty strong sign of hearing loss.
- The continual need to turn the volume up: Are you constantly turning the volume up on your television? Well, that’s a sign of hearing loss. This is one of the more obvious ones, but it tends to progress so slowly that it’s usually missed.
- Fatigue and headaches: Your brain often has to work overtime as it struggles to process sound. It’s like you’re constantly squinting with your ears as your brain works overtime attempting to process sound. Exhaustion and chronic headaches can be the result.
Obviously, there are other signs of hearing loss besides these. Everyone’s hearing loss experience is distinctive. But you should certainly come see us for a consultation if you are detecting any of these symptoms.
Why is a diagnosis useful?
So, you have the symptoms of hearing loss. Why not just go to the store and purchase an over-the-counter hearing aid? Well, that would be sort of like buying some corrective glasses without knowing your prescription. It may work sometimes. But knowing more about your condition is absolutely indispensable.
Everybody’s experience of hearing loss is distinct and complex. It’s not as if the volume in your ear is simply turned down. Actually, people tend to lose their hearing in specific frequency ranges as the stereocilia in the ear become damaged.
And it frequently goes undetected. Compensating for these types of changes is something that the brain is very good at. That’s why a hearing test is often required. You might not even know you have hearing loss but a hearing test can uncover any you might have. You’ll also have the chance to accurately diagnose which frequencies are fading the fastest (and be better capable of managing your symptoms because of this.)
Advantages of going to a hearing specialist
When you go and buy a hearing aid off the shelf, you’ll be doing your best to match what’s available on the shelf with what you require.
But when you visit a hearing specialist, your hearing aids can be customized to your requirements. We will help you pick the ideal device for your needs and we will calibrate it to boost the specific frequency that you’re having difficulty hearing.
Your hearing specialist will also have the following benefits:
- Confidence, that your device will be comfortable by getting a custom fitting.
- Adjusting your hearing aid more successfully is also something your hearing specialist can also assist you with. This is crucial to a good experience with your devices.
- Your hearing specialist will help you comprehend how to get the most out of your hearing aids if you’re having difficulty understanding how to best use them.
- Your hearing specialist can ensure that your hearing aids last as long as possible by helping you understand and plan proper upkeep and maintenance.
Even if you get lucky enough to select the best hearing aids for you, if don’t have the advantage of a hearing specialist, your hearing experience will probably be less than ideal.
In addition, hearing specialists will be able to help you control your hearing loss symptoms. Losing touch with family and friends due to hearing loss will be a lot less likely if you take the correct approach. You’ll be able to maintain those connections. And for the majority of people, that’s one of the most significant parts of life.
Not everything has to be DIY
Getting help with your hearing aid doesn’t mean you are in some way less self-sufficient. Quite the opposite, actually. The correct hearing aid can increase your independence and self-sufficiency.
Diagnosing your hearing loss, managing your symptoms, and choosing the correct hearing aids are all things that your hearing specialist will help you do.
In other words, if you think you have hearing loss, it’s time to call us!