Video: Hearing Loss & Cognitive Well-Being
Hearing loss is the third most prevalent health issue among older adults.
By: admin | April 22, 2021
Hearing loss varies in severity and can lead to severe challenges during communication. People of all ages can experience hearing loss, but it is more prevalent in older people. It leads to profound psychological, social and educational problems; that's why it is necessary to have hearing tests done regularly by an audiologist. Hearing tests are painless, noninvasive and measure your ability to hear varying frequencies, sounds and pitches.
If you suspect that you are experiencing hearing loss, the next step is booking a hearing test with an audiologist. You will notice warning signs of hearing loss when you have to ask people to repeat themselves during a conversation or slowly increasing the television volume daily.
You begin reading people's lips and experiencing headaches after lengthy conversations. Since hearing loss is gradual, you may not realize that you're experiencing it until it becomes severe or someone points it out. The hearing tests enable your audiologist to determine the level of severity and how to find the best solutions for you.
When you visit your audiologist, you will fill some forms and provide details on personal information and medical history. Audiologists ensure they are thorough with their queries because hearing loss occurs due to many reasons, including the following:
When giving your medical history, ensure you provide the audiologist with helpful information to determine the cause of hearing loss and the best hearing tests to undergo. This information could be about genetic disorders, previous head injuries, allergies and infections.
Your audiologist will also ask questions about your current lifestyle. It will help them determine if your workplace environment is too abrasive and advise on changes to make.
Before conducting hearing tests, your audiologist will use an otoscope to take a look into your ears. The device is minimally invasive and allows the audiologist to see your ear canal by zooming in and using light to establish potential issues. Some of the problems are a buildup of earwax or infection.
The sole purpose of booking an appointment is to have a series of hearing tests conducted by the audiologist. Hearing tests are of two types: audiometric and middle or outer ear tests. They include:
As you undergo the hearing tests, your audiologist takes down notes and your results are displayed on an audiogram. From these results, the audiologist diagnoses you by determining the degree and kind of hearing loss. If the audiologist diagnoses you with hearing loss, they will recommend the best treatment, hearing aids and advice.
Depending on your results, the audiologist will work with you to get proper hearing aid devices such as behind the ear (BTE), in the ear (ITE) or in the canal (ITC) that work for your budget, lifestyle and preference. Most of these hearing aids offer multiple features such as microphones and noise reduction.
If you notice that you're experiencing hearing loss or one of your friends points it out, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with an audiologist. Be open about your personal information and medical history to enable the audiologist to determine causes and the best way to go forward. When you go through a series of tests, your audiologist diagnoses and establishes if you need to use hearing aids and those that suit you.
Learn more about Brentwood Hearing Center or contact us at (615) 866-0431 to book an appointment with an audiologist.
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Schedule an appointment today with one of our Doctors of Audiology. We’re ready to assist you on your journey to better hearing!