People are becoming self-reliant more than they ever did. Does your car require some repairs? You can learn how to do that by watching a YouTube video. Want to unclog your sink? Again with the YouTube. Attempting to learn cursive writing? YouTube… look, you get the idea.
Anything you want to learn, you can find, and there’s great potential to teach and educate yourself on the Internet. So the real question is, are we finished needing specialists?
Not always. Hearing aids are a good example. Imagine if you detect some hearing loss and find yourself in need of these practical little devices. Should you run out to Walmart and pick up a set of over-the-counter hearing aids? It sounds fairly effortless (and gives you the impression of self-sufficiency), but there are a few significant drawbacks. In reality, your hearing aids will be more comfortable and reliable if you come in to get a consultation with us.
Hearing loss signs
You might think that hearing loss symptoms are fairly self-evident. You can’t hear as well, right? While that might sometimes be the truth, in other circumstances the symptoms can be less evident. Indeed, individuals often miss the indications of hearing loss because they don’t know what to look for.
Here are some of the most common hearing loss symptoms:
- Needing people to repeat what they said: You might frequently ask people to repeat themselves. This is a sign of hearing loss, even if it feels like the volume is the issue. If you begin to come across a great number of individuals who “mumble,” it might be your ears that are the problem.
- Trouble hearing conversations in noisy settings: Do you have a difficult time keeping up with conversations when you go out to dinner with friends or family? This is typically a fairly dependable sign that some degree of hearing loss may be occurring.
- Having to constantly crank the volume up: Are you constantly turning the volume up on your television? Well, there’s your first common sign. This is one of the more obvious ones, but it tends to progress so gradually that it’s frequently missed.
- Tiredness and headaches: Your brain frequently has to work overtime as it struggles to process sound. It needs to work extra hard to process information, it’s like squinting constantly, but with your ears. Tiredness and chronic headaches can be the result.
Of course, these symptoms aren’t always the only signs of hearing loss. Everyone’s experience will be a bit different. But if you are noticing any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to visit us to get a diagnosis.
Why is a diagnosis helpful?
So, you are realizing that you can’t hear as well as you once did. Why not simply go to the store and buy an over-the-counter hearing aid? Well, that would be sort of like purchasing some corrective glasses without determining your prescription. In the majority of circumstances, it will be crucial to have a detailed understanding of the precise nature of your condition.
Everybody’s experience of hearing loss is distinct and complex. It’s not as if the volume in your ear is merely turned down. Instead, as stereocilia in your ear get damaged, you tend to lose your hearing in parts at a time, that is, you usually lose the ability to hear high-frequency or low-frequency sounds first.
And it frequently goes unnoticed. The brain is really good at compensating for these things. Because of this, it’s typically necessary to get a hearing exam. This screening process can help you uncover hearing loss you might not even realize you have. You’ll also have the opportunity to accurately diagnose which frequencies tend to be fading the quickest (and as a result, you will be in a better position to manage symptoms.)
Seeing a hearing specialist has its benefits
Matching your hearing needs to the available selection on the shelf will be something you’ll need to do on your own if you go with over-the-counter hearing aids.
But when you go see a hearing specialist, your hearing aids can be customized to your needs. We will help you select the ideal device for your needs and we will tune it to boost the particular frequency that you’re having trouble hearing.
Your hearing specialist will also have the following advantages:
- Your hearing specialist will help you comprehend how to get the most out of your hearing aids if you’re having trouble understanding how to best use them.
- Certainty, that your device will be comfortable by getting a custom fitting.
- Your hearing specialist can also help you figure out how to program your hearing aid properly. In order to get the best experience from your hearing aid, this is crucial.
- Your hearing specialist can ensure that your hearing aids last as long as possible by helping you comprehend and plan proper upkeep and maintenance.
Even if you get lucky enough to pick the best hearing aids for you, if don’t have the advantage of a hearing specialist, your hearing experience will most likely be less than optimal.
Also, hearing specialists will be able to help you manage your hearing loss symptoms. Feeling isolated from friends and family due to hearing loss will be much less likely if you take the correct approach. You’ll be able to maintain those relationships. And that can be extremely important.
Everything doesn’t always need to be DIY
It doesn’t mean you’re less self-sufficient just because you require some help with hearing aids. As a matter of fact, it’s actually the opposite. The right hearing aid can increase your independence and self-sufficiency.
Diagnosing your hearing loss, managing your symptoms, and selecting the correct hearing aids are all things that your hearing specialist will help you do.
In other words, if you suspect you have hearing loss, it’s time to contact us!