If You Have A Hearing Loss, Do You NEED Hearing Aids?

For most Americans, once they reach the point where they acknowledge that their hearing is not what is used to be, the first thing they think of is "I guess I need a hearing aid".  Although hearing aids are extremely useful devices, not every hearing loss needs hearing aids, and not every hearing loss can be helped by hearing aids.  Rather than shopping for a good hearing aid, or a good hearing aid price, the FIRST thing that a person looking for hearing help should do is get a proper diagnosis of their hearing condition.  This is best accomplished by making an appointment with an Audiologist or an ear-nose-and throat (ENT) physician.  Audiologists (who have earned either a Master's degree or a Doctorate in Clinical Audiology) are specifically trained to conduct a variety of hearing tests and analyze a patient's case history to zero in on the cause of a hearing loss condition.  If the audiologists suspects that medical or surgical intervention may be in order, they can refer to an ENT for follow-up.  If the cause of the hearing loss is due to wax in the ear, the audiologist can remove it.  If the cause of the hearing loss can not be corected with medicine or surgery, then the audiologist can recommend appropriate rehabilitative options that include such things as hearing aids, assitive listening devices, cochlear implants and/or auditory training therapy. 

Until an appropriate diagnosis is made, the proprer course of treatment action can not be effectively determined.  Make sure you have your hearing condition thoroughly examined by an audiologist BEFORE you make any decisions about treatment, including the purchase of hearing aids.