When your hearing declines, your capacity to interact and connect with the world can be impacted. While some associate hearing loss exclusively with the elderly, this misconception doesn’t reflect reality. Hearing loss isn’t confined to age and can manifest at any point in life. This is where the role of a hearing healthcare professional becomes crucial. An audiologist is a dedicated expert in hearing healthcare, proficient in diagnosing and managing hearing loss. Now, the question arises: how can you identify the audiologist that best suits your needs?
What An Audiologist Does
An audiologist may work in a private practice or in other healthcare settings like a hospital, clinic or even a school. They are trained and qualified to examine peoples hearing and offer treatments. Some audiologists specialize in treating either adults, children, balance or tinnitus. Others can offer general diagnosis and treatment for all. Audiologists use an array of testing equipment to evaluate their patients’ hearing. This allows them to identify the cause of the hearing loss and recommend treatment plans. Treatments often include hearing aids, other assistive devices or sound therapies.
In addition to providing diagnosis and treatment, audiologists will also offer counseling and education. You’ll learn how to use and take care of your hearing aids, if you’re prescribed one. Understanding all aspects of hearing loss and knowing that you can live life well with treatment is often the best reassurance you can get from your audiologist.
Why Visit an Audiologist
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of hearing loss, it’s vital that you visit an audiologist. It can be difficult to face hearing loss head on but ignoring the problem can result in further damage to your hearing. When you receive the right treatment for your hearing loss, it can prevent your chances of developing other health conditions linked to hearing loss, like cognitive decline.
Choosing The Right Hearing Healthcare Professional
When you find the right hearing healthcare professional, you can rest reassured that you will receive the treatment that you need. Here are some ways you can narrow down your search.
Location
You’ll want to look for audiologists in your area. That way, if there’s an emergency, you know you can reach your audiologist quickly. It’s also more convenient if you need to take time off work for an appointment. You can get back to work quickly once the appointment is over.
Credentials
You should always make sure that your audiologist has the right credentials before making an appointment. Check qualifications and if the audiologist specializes in any particular areas. You may be able to check their qualifications on their website.
Experience
How much experience does your hearing healthcare professional have? Ask an audiologist what kind of conditions they typically work with so you can gauge their experience of treating patients in a similar situation to yourself. You can also look at testimonials and reviews that patients have left to see if they may be the right audiologist for you.
Ask For Recommendations
If you know of anyone who uses an audiologist, you can ask them about their experience with their hearing healthcare professional. An audiologist’s reputation will always precede them. Ask your general practitioner about an audiologist and if they would recommend them. If you can’t get recommendations, make sure to look at reviews online before making a decision.
Symptoms of Hearing Loss
Some individuals delay seeking help from an audiologist, assuming their symptoms aren’t significant. Yet even a minor decline in hearing warrants consideration for testing. Here are some prevalent indicators:
- Needing to turn the volume up on the TV or when listening to music.
- Asking others to repeat themselves often.
- Having difficulty hearing high pitch sounds, like a child’s voice.
- Having difficulty having a conversation in a crowded room.
If any of these symptoms apply to you, an audiologist will be able to determine the cause. For some people, it could be as simple as earwax build up and your audiologist will be able to provide proper treatment. Others may need hearing aids or other assistive devices.
Other Reasons to Visit an Audiologist
You could be experiencing symptoms related to hearing loss like a ringing or buzzing in your ears. This often points to tinnitus and an audiologist will be able to diagnose and recommend treatment options for your tinnitus. Audiologists also often see patients with balance issues or ear infections. Another common reason for visiting an audiologist is to help with speech and language development. Some children can take longer than others to develop their speech and an audiologist can help to improve progress.
If you think you need to see an audiologist or want to learn more about hearing aids, contact The Hearing Center at York ENT at (717) 850-9269 to arrange a consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
