As it’s Hearing Health Awareness Month, the team at Audicles is on a mission to provide you with as many details as possible about our amazing services. When you recognize a hearing loss, the first step is always a comprehensive hearing assessment.
Here, doctors of audiology can diagnose your particular condition and prescribe the most effective treatment. This is what happens when you begin your hearing journey with Audicles.
A Simple Chat
When you are first introduced to your doctor of audiology, they’ll just want to find out about how your hearing concern has been affecting you. They may also want to know about your family’s medical history, as like many conditions, hearing loss can be hereditary.
This will give them a sense of what might be causing your problems, highly useful for when they conduct further analysis.
A Closer Look
Next, your doctor of audiology will make a more detailed inspection of your ear. They will look at both the inner and outer parts to ensure there are no foreign objects or wax build-up blocking your ear canal.
They’ll also be looking to see if you have any fluid behind your eardrum, which may indicate you have an infection. Once they’re sure that your ear is looking healthy, they’ll then move forward to a series of precise hearing tests.
The Hearing Tests
For this stage of the assessment, you’ll put on a pair of headphones in the sound booth. Initially, your doctor of audiology will play you a range of different sounds and tones, which will decrease in volume. All you have to do is press a button when you can hear something.
Afterward, they’ll ask you to repeat certain words and phrases in the presence of background noises. This will demonstrate how well you can listen and interact in more challenging situations.
For some patients, a specialist will also conduct a tympanometry test. This will reveal whether your eardrum is operating correctly. Once these have been completed, you’ll be brought back to your specialist’s office where they’ll discuss the results in detail.
The Best Solution
After you complete your hearing assessment, your doctor of audiology will provide you with a full diagnosis. They’ll happily refer you to an ENT physician if your condition could benefit from surgical or medical treatments.
But if you’re a great candidate for hearing aids, often they can fit you with a device and improve your hearing right away. Their most important concern will be that you receive the best hearing solution for your particular circumstances.
Once you’ve gained the right care, you won’t believe the difference it can make to your life.
Are you concerned about a hearing loss or know someone who might be? Contact the team at Audicles and they’ll be ready to assist you in an instant!