7 Step Process for Management of Hearing Loss
7 Step Process for Management of Hearing Loss
Were you taken aback when you were diagnosed with hearing loss?
Well, many people in the world have hearing loss and do not realize it until much later.
However, hearing loss is a prevalent issue. It is a problem that can be helped if not cured entirely. Like most people with hearing loss use hearing aids to improve and enhance the quality of their life. If you have been recently experiencing hearing loss or have been diagnosed with it, this is just the blog for you.
In this blog, we will take you through all the steps from detecting a hearing loss to finding the right hearing aid as per your needs and the next steps you should take.
1. Online Hearing Test
Hearing loss is a pervasive problem. In India, 63 million people suffer from significant auditory loss.[1] Hearing health has several adverse effects on your body. With early detection and cure, you can dodge them. Hence, if you are experiencing even the slightest trouble in hearing, you should do a quick screening test. You can take this free 2-minute online test from the comfort of your home. To understand your hearing health status, take our free online hearing test at https://www.qualityhearingcare.com/online-hearing-test/ before your consultation.
2. Online / Offline Consultation
After you have taken the test, you should make an appointment for a consultation. Delaying the remedy for a hearing aid can worsen your hearing health. You should seek immediate help. You can now opt for online consultation as many audiologists offer an online video consultation option and avail of the same advice and services from your home. You can choose an offline consultation if preferred. It is imperative to get yourself checked at the earliest.
3. Audiometry test and Prognosis (In clinic visits)
One of the most crucial steps is to take an audiometry test. An audiometry test is an in-depth examination of your hearing condition. It tests multiple aspects associated with your hearing. With these tests, doctors can measure the intensity and tone of sounds, balance issues, and other factors related to your inner ear.
The patients are then asked to respond to these sounds. This test provides more substantial results than online tests. The online test is only accurate in detecting whether you suffer from any hearing problems, while a professional audiometric test can give you the exact extent of it.
4. Hearing Aid Selection and Consideration of Accessories
You should never settle for a hearing aid that is not your perfect match. Do not opt for a low-cost hearing aid that fits poorly on your ear. Click here to find out why you should invest in a high-quality hearing aid. There are 5-6 types of hearing aids. Discuss this with your hearing care professional and explain your requirements and budget so they can suggest the best hearing aid that suits your needs perfectly. Choose the one that fits your ear and feels comfortable too.
Discuss this with your hearing care professional and explain your requirements and budget so they can suggest the best hearing aid that suits your needs perfectly. Choose the one that fits your ear and feels comfortable too.
Try out your hearing aid, and if you feel discomfort or any other issue, talk to your audiologist. The right hearing aid will not hurt your ears or cause any discomfort. It will instead improve your hearing, and ultimately your life.
You can also add some accessories to your hearing aid, which can enhance the hearing aid experience for you. Microphones, Bluetooth connections, Remote controls are some hearing aid accessories that can make your life easier!
5. Hearing Aid Trials
Hearing aids are not ‘one size fits all’! What works for one person may not suit the other person at all. People have different kinds and degrees of hearing loss. Therefore, different needs require a different hearing aid.
To find your best match, you need to get hearing aid trials done. Try different kinds of hearing aids. In this process, you have to be very communicative with your audiologist as well. They need to understand your needs and concerns correctly.
If you are wearing the hearing aid recommended by your audiologist, it will take approximately 30 days to determine whether it is working for you or not.
6. Follow up Visit in 3 Months
After your initial consultation and selection of the right hearing aid, the process is still not over. To maintain your hearing health, we recommended that you do a follow-up consultation with your healthcare professional after three months. The audiologist has to assess how you are adapting to the new hearing aids. If any problem arises, the doctor will solve them as soon as possible. After that, you need regular follow-ups to ensure that your hearing health is not deteriorating.
7. Half Yearly Ear Examination and Hearing Aid Performance Review
After six months of regular use, you need to get a hearing aid performance review. Your audiologist will check your hearing aid’s performance and your overall hearing health with the hearing aid in this review session. Sometimes, you may not realize that a hearing aid isn’t working well for you. This can worsen your hearing condition rather than improving it.
Thus, this review is critical to understand your hearing health’s overall progress with a hearing aid.
Healthy hearing habits for the new hearing aid user
- Be patient with yourself
Audiologists often tell their patients to hear with the ears but listen to the brain. Hearing aids are sophisticated electronic instruments. Never compare your hearing aids to your spectacles. Wearing glasses may immediately enhance your vision by helping you see sharper images. On the other hand, it will take you some time to get accustomed to putting on hearing aids. Give yourself that time. Don’t expect your brain to instantly remember how to hear, identify and interpret.
- Start small & go slow
In most cases, you might initially find your voice sounding too loud or too low. This is very common to new hearing aid users. Talk to those around you, pay attention to their voices & patterns and adjust your voice accordingly. Read aloud to yourself to adjust your volume.
First time hearing aid users must try being in a quiet room for some days to get used to the new sound quality. Sounds like the beeping of a microwave, the humming of a computer or the ticking of a clock might initially seem very loud. Give your brain the time to adjust to these sounds better so that your interpretation becomes clearer.
- Don’t adjust the volume too much
Good quality hearing aids help you adjust to different listening environments so that you don’t need to manually adjust the volume every now and then. If you are a first time hearing aid user, you might get tempted to frequently turn the volume up or down according to the external noise. You might also want to hear faint sounds from far away by removing the hearing aid to check if your hearing impairment has improved. By doing so, not only are you interfering with the hearing aid process but you’re also making the hearing aid prone to further damage.
- Communicate with your audiologist
Once you start your journey with hearing aids, you must keep in constant touch with your audiologist. They can help you with various communication techniques and strategies for making subtle lifestyle changes that’ll aid you with better hearing. It is essential to take regular follow-ups with your hearing specialist. Take note of anything that bothers you regarding your hearing or hearing aid and communicate the same to your audiologist. This practice will help you make adjustments and customize your hearing aid to fit your unique needs.
If you have found this blog helpful, do share this with your friends and family. If you have any other queries or wish to schedule a hearing appointment with us, visit https://www.qualityhearingcare.com/.