People are more self-reliant than ever. Does your car need some repairs? Just watch that YouTube video. Is your sink clogged? Again with the YouTube. Trying to learn cursive writing? YouTube… look, you get the idea.
Anything you want to learn, you can find, and there’s amazing potential to teach and educate yourself on the Internet. Does that mean you’ll never need a professional ever again?
Not always. Take, for example, your hearing aids. Imagine if you detect some hearing loss and find yourself in need of these practical little devices. Does that mean you should just drive up to the local pharmacy and grab a pair of over-the-counter hearing aids? Although this might make you feel self-sufficient and sound like the convenient option, there are some real downsides. In fact, going to see a hearing specialist for hearing aids can help make your hearing aids more reliable and more comfortable.
What are the symptoms of hearing loss?
You might think that hearing loss symptoms are pretty self-evident. Things become more difficult to hear, right? Well, yes, but the symptoms of hearing loss can be a lot more variable, and much less evident. Indeed, individuals often miss the indications of hearing loss because they’re unsure about what to watch out for.
Here are some of the most common hearing loss symptoms:
- Having to continually turn the volume up: Are you constantly turning up the volume on your television? Well, that’s an indicator of hearing loss. This one is frequently missed because it progresses gradually over a long period of time.
- Tiredness and headaches: Often, when you have hearing loss, your brain fights to keep up. It’s like you’re constantly squinting with your ears as your brain works extra hard attempting to process sound. Fatigue and chronic headaches can be the outcome.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in loud places: When you’re out at a nice restaurant with friends and family, you have a tough time following along with conversations. This is typically a fairly reliable indication that some degree of hearing loss may be occurring.
- Needing people to repeat what they just said: You might frequently ask people to repeat themselves. Even if it seems as if people are speaking quietly, it’s actually hearing loss that’s the issue. If you start to come across a great many individuals who “mumble,” it may be your ears that are the problem.
Needless to say, these symptoms are not necessarily the only symptoms 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 just go to the store and purchase an over-the-counter hearing aid? Well, would you go out and purchase prescription glasses without getting an eye exam? It may work in some cases. But knowing more about your condition is really indispensable.
That’s because hearing loss is a complex issue. It’s not as if the volume in your ear is merely turned down. Instead, as stereocilia inside of your ear get damaged, you often 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 often goes undetected. The brain is quite good at compensating for these things. That’s why a hearing test is often required. This screening process can help you discover hearing loss you might not even recognize you have. This will also allow you to understand which frequencies you’re beginning to lose (and be better capable of managing your symptoms because of this.)
Visiting a hearing specialist has its advantages
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 requirements and we will tune it to boost the specific frequency that you’re having difficulty hearing.
Here are some other advantages to seeing a hearing specialist:
- Certainty, that your device will be comfortable by getting a professional fitting.
- Adjusting your hearing aid more successfully is also something your hearing specialist can also assist you with. So that you can get the best experience from your hearing aid, this is crucial.
- When you have problems using or comprehending how to use your hearing aid, your hearing specialist can help take you step-by-step through the process and make sure you understand how to get the most out of your devices.
- Your hearing specialist can help you set up the appropriate maintenance for your hearing aid, ensuring that your devices last for as long as possible.
Without the benefit of a hearing specialist, your hearing aid experience will most likely be less optimal, even if you do happen to pick the best possible over-the-counter hearing aid for your symptoms.
Additionally, hearing specialists will be able to help you control your hearing loss symptoms. Feeling isolated from family and friends due to hearing loss will be a lot less likely if you take the right approach. Those connections will be preserved. And for most people, that’s one of the most significant parts of life.
Everything doesn’t always need to be DIY
It doesn’t mean you’re less self-sufficient just because you need some help with hearing aids. In fact, it’s actually the opposite. Your self-sufficiency and independence will be increased by using the right hearing aids.
A hearing specialist can help you diagnose your hearing loss, manage your symptoms, and pick out the right device for your requirements.
So give us a call so that we can help you address your hearing loss.
