Want the Best Hearing Care Possible? See an Audiologist

While hearing loss can’t always be avoided, consulting a certified audiologist can ensure you have access to the most effective diagnostic tests and treatment options. Specializing in hearing-related disorders, balance problems and hearing loss, audiologists are the only medical professionals who can take a comprehensive and detailed approach to hearing issues.

When to see an audiologist

Most patients don’t seek help from an audiologist until they start to experience a noticeable amount of hearing loss. While patients may consult their primary physician regarding ear pain or discomfort, patients can be somewhat reluctant to acknowledge or accept progressive hearing loss. However, consulting an audiologist as early as possible can make treatment easier and give you a better outcome. As well as diagnosing hearing problems and prescribing hearing aids, audiologists have extensive experience in hearing restoration and auditory rehabilitation. If it’s possible for your hearing to be restored, seeking advice from an audiologist quickly may increase the efficacy of subsequent treatments. In addition to this, your audiologist will be able to conduct several diagnostic tests to determine what the root cause of the issue is. While hearing loss is often a result of the natural aging process, it can be caused by various other problems, such as a balance disorder, the side-effects of unrelated medication and even metabolic or cardiovascular diseases. By seeking advice from an audiologist, you can determine the cause of your hearing loss and other related hearing-disorders, rule out any serious root causes and obtain effective treatment. However, you don’t have to wait until an issue occurs to seek treatment from an audiologist. By having regular check-ups, your hearing function can be monitored regularly, and your audiologist can identify any hearing loss before you’re even aware of it, however small it may be.

What does an audiologist do?

As a trained and certified medical professional, audiologists can carry out a wide variety of testing and treatments. Your hearing function will be assessed in a variety of ways, and your audiologist will use diagnostic tests to understand what’s causing any symptoms you’re experiencing. While audiologists are adept at diagnosing and treating hearing loss; they deal with many other issues and conditions too. Our ears are often connected to our balance, for example, and one can affect the other. If you’re experiencing dizziness or balance problems, your primary physician may recommend you consult an audiologist to determine whether the issue could be linked to your ears or hearing function. In addition to this, audiologists regularly treat patients who are suffering from the symptoms of tinnitus. By assessing the cause of these symptoms, your audiologist may be able to resolve the symptoms entirely or provide an effective treatment plan to minimize them considerably. With an array of diagnostic tools and tests, audiologists can diagnose a variety of conditions and provide effective solutions based on any conditions you may be experiencing.

Managing your lifestyle

Even if you aren’t currently experiencing hearing loss or ear-related issues, an audiologist can help to ensure your lifestyle doesn’t have a detrimental effect on your long-term health. Many people are who are regularly exposed to loud noises go on to develop hearing issues in the future, for example. If you work in a particularly loud environment, such as on a construction site or in the music industry, an audiologist will be able to suggest preventative measures which will enable you to work productively without damaging your ears or your hearing. Custom earplugs, molds, and monitors are an effective way to achieve this, and they can help to avoid the need for future treatment. Similarly, swimmers may experience ear-related problems and hearing issues due to the time they spend in the water. With water-resistant custom-fitted earplugs, your audiologist can help to reduce the amount of water which enters the ear canal or prevent it from happening entirely. As a result, you can swim safely without the risk of recurrent infection or subsequent hearing loss.

Maintenance and long-term hearing care

While an audiologist can help with short-term hearing issues, they also provide on-going treatment and hearing care to those who need it. In addition to providing regular hearing tests and checks, your audiologist will modify your treatment according to your needs and assist with the maintenance or repair of any hearing equipment you require, such as hearing aids or implants. To find out more about hearing care, contact The Hearing and Tinnitus Center now at 303-534-0163.