4 Things to Ask Your Audiologist About Hearing Loss

If you are having difficulty with your hearing, you may need to speak to an audiologist. An audiologist can test your hearing to find out what the problem is, what’s causing it and whether there are any possible treatment options. The likely issue is going to be hearing loss. Contrary to popular belief, hearing loss can occur at any point in your life. Discovering that you are suffering from hearing loss can be a daunting experience, and you may feel overwhelmed. Here are four questions that you should ask your audiologist about this condition.

Is hearing loss reversible?

In most cases, hearing loss is not going to be something that you can reverse. However, there are rare occasions where surgery or medical treatment can provide the answer, particularly if your hearing loss has a physical cause. For instance, you might find that your inability to hear has been caused by a buildup of earwax in your ear canal. When the earwax hardens, it can make it difficult to hear and may even cause additional problems such as tinnitus. An audiologist can recommend a treatment option and make sure that the earwax is removed. Usually, this is accomplished by softening the wax with a warm liquid.

Will my hearing loss get any worse?

You also need to think about whether your condition is going to deteriorate over time. If you speak to an audiologist, you may find that they will tell you that as you get older, your hearing will get progressively worse. You may start to lose further frequencies, or if you are suffering from a condition like tinnitus, your symptoms will increase as you lose more of your hearing. However, it is also possible that additional issues can be avoided if the right lifestyle choices are made. For instance, an audiologist may recommend that you take better care when protecting your hearing from loud noises.

What treatment options are available?

You may also want to ask your audiologist about possible treatments. As already mentioned, in some cases ear cleaning can provide the answer, in others it may be necessary to get a hearing aid or an implant. There are various different types of hearing aids, from ones that fit behind your ear to ones that are invisible in the ear canal. Your audiologist can discuss these possibilities with you and give you information on which ones will be available. Be aware that some hearing loss treatments will not be available if your issues are severe.

Does my insurance cover the cost of treatment?

Lastly, you may be worried about how much your treatment for hearing loss is going to cost. It could be at least a few thousand, depending on the option that you choose. You may want to question whether your insurance coverage will provide for the costs of a treatment like this. An audiologist can give you all the information you need and make sure that you get the treatment option that is affordable and will help with your loss of hearing.