Say Again? How to Solve Your Hearing Problem
It's not always easy to know right away if you're having trouble hearing. You might turn up the volume on your TV or ask people to repeat themselves all the time. Experiencing hearing problems can be frustrating, but you might not want to admit that there could be a problem. Having to face up to a problem, take some hearing tests, and perhaps wear hearing aids is difficult to adjust to. But if you're having trouble hearing, addressing the issue as soon as possible is the best thing to do. There are many reasons you might be struggling to hear, including plenty that aren't permanent hearing loss. If you're having hearing problems, follow the advice below to find the right solution.
Signs You Might Have Hearing Loss
Not sure if you're having trouble hearing or not? You might have thought that your hearing is different but brushed it off. If you don't know whether you're struggling to hear, think about your experiences, behavior and feelings lately. Have you had to turn up the volume on the devices that you use? Have you had to ask people to speak louder or repeat themselves? Perhaps you have misunderstood what someone has said to you a few too many times. You might be finding it more difficult to socialize and be in busy places because you have to use extra energy concentrating on hearing people talk. All of these signs could point to potential hearing issues.
See a Doctor
When you're having problems hearing, seeing a doctor will help you to find out what the cause might be. There are different services that you can use when you're finding it hard to hear. Qualified doctors include audiologists, who specialize in the hearing and balance system, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists. You can find other hearing health professionals who aren't doctors but can offer a range of services related to hearing loss and hearing health. Crucially, seeing a doctor can help you to check for underlying causes or related problems. Your primary care doctor might be your first visit, and they can refer you to other specialists if you need to.
Receive Treatment for Temporary Hearing Loss
Sometimes if your hearing isn't great, it might only be a temporary problem. An underlying issue could be making it hard for you to hear, whether it's earwax buildup, an ear infection, or something else. If it's just a temporary issue making it hard for you to hear, the first thing to do is get the right treatment. Once the underlying issue has been successfully treated, you should find that you're able to hear again. If not, you can then follow up with your doctor for further tests. One such method for helping with the treatment of hearing loss you can try at home is to use supplements like Cortexi, which is a natural supplement that will improve hearing ability and protect your inner ear hair cells from inflammation, which can help with any infections and blocked ear wax.
Get a Hearing Test
If there's no short-term solution to your hearing problems, it could be because you have experienced some hearing loss. Hearing loss can be detected with a hearing test, which will tell if your hearing has deteriorated, how much, and what type of hearing loss you have. A hearing test includes several parts, including a physical examination of your ears, testing with pure tones and speech testing. You might also have the function of your eardrum, and other parts of your ear tested. When testing using pure tones, the test might include an air conduction test and bone conduction test, which can help to reveal what type of hearing loss you have, if any.
Be Fitted for Hearing Aids
If you do have any hearing loss, your audiologist (or whoever carries out your hearing test) will talk to you about what you can do next. An audiogram is a chart that plots the range of your hearing, showing the volume and frequency at which you are able to hear. It will show whether you have mild, moderate or severe hearing loss. Hearing aids might be an option for you. They won't fix your hearing, but they will help you to hear better. When you're buying hearing aids, it helps to know what types are available. There are different styles that are suitable for different levels of hearing loss. Some look more discreet than others, and you can also choose from a range of features and technologies.
Protect Your Hearing
Don't forget to protect your hearing too. Whether or not you have hearing loss, it's important to avoid anything that might damage your hearing. This includes protecting yourself against loud noises and injuries that could affect your hearing.
A problem with hearing could be temporary, or it could be permanent. Whatever the issue is, it's better to address it right away.
