Your hearing, ear and balance health is something worth taking very seriously. Your hearing specialist is here to help you do that, but like some people, you might think only to check in for a hearing test, maybe have a hearing aid fitted and then go on about your business without keeping us in mind. While a hearing specialist always aim to work to the convenience of their patients, they also believe there are significant benefits to establishing a more long-term relationship with your audiologist. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Get the Diagnosis and Treatment You Need
The most important reason to get in touch with your hearing specialist is to make sure that you’re able to get an appointment when you need to. Call in advance for a consultation to ensure that you get the treatment that you need. This typically involves arranging for a hearing test, during which, the audiologist will work with you to get a better understanding of your complete range of hearing. This can lead to an audiogram, which can be used by an audiologist to diagnose hearing loss.
After that, your hearing specialist will help you select the method of treatment best suited to your needs, usually a hearing aid and help you fit it so you can immediately experience the benefits of better hearing.
Learn How to Best Care for Your Hearing Aid
If you are fitted with a hearing aid, it’s well worth keeping in touch with your audiologist. Hearing aids can take a little time for some to get completely acclimated to and your hearing specialist can create a plan of increasing your use of them over time until you’re able to wear them all day.
Furthermore, your audiologist plays a vital role in helping you become comfortable with using your hearing aid. They offer guidance on how to take care of and clean your device and are skilled at addressing minor issues that might arise. With their expertise, you can establish a strong bond with your hearing aids, maximizing their effectiveness and lifespan, ultimately enabling you to derive the most benefit from them.
Deal with Other Hearing Health Issues
Most people visit a hearing specialist when they are experiencing the symptoms of hearing loss, but they can also diagnose other auditory issues as well. Tinnitus is a symptom that describes the experience of noises and sounds that have no external source, be it a whistling, a ringing, a thumping noise or otherwise. Tinnitus can have a range of different causes and each person experiences it differently, so getting it treated by an audiologist is recommended.
They might be able to find and treat the source, which can sometimes be due to things like earwax buildup or an infection, but beyond that, they have treatments that can help you acclimate to tinnitus to make it less noticeable. Audiologists can also help with balance issues, such as vertigo, which are often related to your ear health.
Develop a Comprehensive History of Your Hearing and Ear Health
Over time, your hearing and ear health may undergo changes, underscoring the importance of seeking care from someone who comprehends your medical history, including past consultations, diagnoses and treatments. Reiterating the same information to various professionals can be frustrating, making it essential to collaborate with an audiologist who understands the history of your hearing health.
Developing a long-term relationship with your audiologist will give them better access to not just your medical history, but they will have a personal history and memory of working with you as well. This can help you get straight to the useful information, diagnoses and treatments that allow you a better quality of life.
Work to Prevent Further Hearing Health Issues
Your audiologist can do more than treat what you’re experiencing now, they can also help you take better care of your ears and hearing health with preventative measures. Aside from important advice on how to protect your hearing, for instance, they can recommend hearing protection, such as earmuffs or even custom-designed earplugs, which they may be able to fit into your ears in-house. That way, you can ensure better hearing far into the future.
Begin Your Journey to Better Hearing Health Today
There’s no need to wait, we’re here to start that beneficial long-term relationship with you, today. Call our audiologist at The Hearing Center at York ENT at (717) 850-9269 today, and we’ll start to help however we can.
