Hearing Aids Types » detect hearing loss

When should I have my hearing checked?

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:00:55 +0000

If you don’t notice any hearing problems and you’re young and healthy, you should be ok. But if you are over age 65, get your hearing checked. Many people lose their hearing slowly as they age. Just look at the statistics, 1 in 3 Americans between ages 65 and 74 has a hearing problem and 1 in 2 Americans over age 75 has a hearing problem. As people age, they will notice some hearing loss. If you have hearing loss, you aren’t alone. Start by asking your doctor for a hearing test. Talk to your doctor and he may refer you to a hearing specialist.

What do I do if I think I have a hearing loss?

megdilts — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:22:31 +0000

If you think that you have a hearing problem, schedule an appointment with your family doctor. In some cases, he or she can identify the problem and prescribe treatment.

Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist. This doctor and surgeon has special training in problems of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck.

An otolaryngologist will try to find out why you have a hearing loss and offer treatment options. He or she will ask you for your medical history, ask if other family members have hearing problems, do a thorough exam, and prescribe any needed tests.

Your doctor may also recommend that you visit an audiologist. An audiologist is a health professional who can identify and measure hearing loss.

The audiologist will use a device called an audiometer to test your ability to hear sounds of different pitch and loudness. The tests are painless. Audiologists do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. If you need a hearing aid, an audiologist can help you choose the right one.

Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine

How do I know if I might have a hearing loss?

megdilts — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:11:50 +0000

Ask yourself the following questions. If you answer “yes” to three or more of these questions, you could have a hearing problem and may need to have your hearing checked by a doctor.

* Do I have a problem hearing on the telephone?
* Do I have trouble hearing when there is noise in the background?
* Is it hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once?

* Do I have to strain to understand a conversation?
* Do many people I talk to seem to mumble or not speak clearly?
* Do I misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
* Do I often ask people to repeat themselves?
* Do I have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
* Do people complain that I turn the TV volume up too high?
* Do I hear a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound a lot?
* Do some sounds seem too loud?

Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine