People are more self-dependent than ever. Want to fix up your car? Just watch that YouTube video. Want to unclog your sink? YouTube video. Trying to learn cursive writing? YouTube… look, you get the point.
You can find any information you may want to learn and self-learning has never been more accessible. So the real question is, are we finished needing professionals?
Not always. Take, for instance, your hearing aids. Let’s imagine that you develop a need for these handy little devices. Does that mean you should just go out to the local pharmacy and grab a set of over-the-counter hearing aids? Although this may make you feel like you’re being self-sufficient and sound like the easy solution, there are a few real disadvantages. As a matter of fact, consulting a hearing specialist for hearing aids can help make your hearing aids more effective and more comfortable.
What are the signs of hearing loss?
You may think that hearing loss symptoms are pretty self-evident. You can’t hear as well, right? While that may sometimes be the case, in other situations the symptoms can be less evident. In many instances, we don’t know what to look for and we miss the signs of hearing loss.
Here are a few of the most prevalent hearing loss symptoms:
- Needing people to repeat what they just said: You’re often needing people to repeat what they said. This is an indication of hearing loss, even if it seems like the volume is the problem. If you begin to encounter a great many people who “mumble,” it may be your ears that are the problem.
- Exhaustion and headaches: Typically, when you have hearing loss, your brain fights to keep up. It’s having to work much harder to process information, it’s like squinting all the time, but with your ears. Tiredness and chronic headaches can be the outcome.
- Having to continually turn up the volume: Is your television volume continuously going up? Well, there’s your first common sign. This is one of the more apparent ones, but it tends to develop so slowly that it’s frequently missed.
- Trouble hearing conversations in noisy settings: When you’re out at dinner with friends and family, you have a difficult time following along with discussions. This is usually a pretty reliable sign that some amount of hearing loss might be occurring.
Naturally, these symptoms aren’t necessarily the only signs of hearing loss. Everyone’s experience will be somewhat different. But you should absolutely come see us for a consultation if you are detecting any of these symptoms.
Why is a diagnosis helpful?
So, you are realizing that you are unable to hear as well as you once did. Perhaps you should go out to your local box-store and buy an over-the-counter hearing aid. Well, would you go out and purchase prescription glasses without having an eye exam? It might work in some cases. But knowing more about your condition is absolutely indispensable.
Everybody’s experience of hearing loss is distinct and complex. It’s not like someone just turns the volume knob in your ear. Instead, as stereocilia inside of your ear become damaged, you often lose your hearing in parts at a time, that is, you normally lose the ability to hear high-frequency or low-frequency sounds first.
And most people don’t even detect it. The brain is quite good at compensating for these things. That’s why a hearing exam is often required. This screening process can help you expose hearing loss you might not even know you have. This will also help you understand which frequencies you’re starting to lose (and because of this, you will be in a better position to control symptoms.)
Benefits of working with 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 need.
But your hearing aids can be calibrated to your specific hearing needs if you go to a hearing specialist. Your hearing specialist can help you pick the best device for your symptoms and then customize that device specifically for the frequency you need help with.
Your hearing specialist will also have the following benefits:
- Your hearing specialist can also help you understand how to adjust your hearing aid properly. In order to get the best experience from your hearing aid, this is essential.
- Your hearing specialist can help you plan the appropriate maintenance for your hearing aid, ensuring that your devices last for as long as possible.
- The ability to help you personalize the overall fit of your hearing aid, making sure your devices are comfortable and work properly.
- Your hearing specialist can help you understand how to get the most out of your hearing aids if you’re having trouble understanding how to best use them.
Without the benefit of a hearing specialist, your hearing aid experience will most likely be less ideal, even if you do happen to select the best possible over-the-counter hearing aid for your symptoms.
You will also be better able to manage your hearing loss symptoms with the assistance of a hearing specialist. Losing touch with family and friends due to hearing loss will be a lot less likely if you take the correct approach. Those relationships will be preserved. And that can be incredibly important.
Everything doesn’t always have to be DIY
It doesn’t mean you’re less self-sufficient simply because you require some help with hearing aids. In fact, it’s actually the opposite. Your self-sufficiency and independence will be increased by using the correct hearing aids.
A hearing specialist can help you diagnose your hearing loss, regulate your symptoms, and select the correct device for your requirements.
So contact us so that we can help you address your hearing loss.