Top Questions to Ask Your Audiologist
A 2020 Mayo Clinic report stated that 21,000 people have appointments with the audiologist annually. This makes it essential to prepare before your hearing appointment with the audiologist. Maybe you already have one scheduled and want to have some questions at hand. Although this is not a physician's advice, hopefully, it would be relevant to your quest.
Will the hearing loss progress?
Usually, it depends on the severity of loss experienced and how early it was diagnosed or detected. Hearing loss ranges from mild to moderate, severe, and profound. Therefore, if you were diagnosed with a mild condition, the likelihood of it progressing further will depend on how early you sought treatment. Moreover, another factor to be considered is whether hearing loss is common in your family.
Therefore, if your parents had profound hearing impairment, you have a higher chance of progressing from one stage to the next. This is why the audiologist will select the best hearing aid type to improve your auditory functions.
What techniques can compensate for hearing loss?
Usually, it is recommended that persons with hearing loss learn techniques to boost their listening skills. Some examples are as follows:
Maintaining eye contact during conversations
Reading lips
Learning sign language
Although it can be a daunting task to learn sign language, especially when hearing loss develops later in life, it is worth the effort. That is not to say your hearing will disappear entirely at some point. On the contrary, it will be your backup communication plan if things go down south.
What precautions must be taken daily?
Unfortunately, there is the temptation not to protect the ears when the hearing is already impaired. However, the fact that you are experiencing some degree of loss does not mean the tiny hair cells are inactive. Therefore, when you fail to protect your hearing with ear muffs or other acceptable protectors, you risk damaging what's left of your inner ear's functions.
What should be expected at the fitting appointment?
If this appointment is your first ever, it's understandable to feel quite nervous about it. First, if you see an audiologist, such as work hearing test doctor fairfield texas, it is likely for a hearing loss issue, regardless of its severity. Various tests will be conducted to determine your auditory functions and the degree of impairment. Most importantly, at your fitting, the audiologist can determine the best hearing aid type for you. Indeed, the decision will be made with your contribution to what feels comfortable (aesthetically and medically).
Do you need to attend the fitting with anything important?
The audiologist does not need you to bring anything to the fitting appointment. Before attending, however, you might want to go along with cash, especially if your fitting is not covered under your medical or health insurance.
This information is relevant because it will save you from any embarrassment at the audiologist's office. On a lighter note, you may want to jot your questions down on paper for easy recollection. Better yet, you can use your phone and have it all typed out. The quality of your hearing is necessary for your overall well-being.
