The average person waits seven years before they seek help for their hearing loss. While seeking treatment as early as possible is ideal, whenever you decide to finally buy a hearing aid is the right time. Before making that purchase, there are six things you should do.
Get Your Hearing Tested
In order to select which hearing aid will work best for you, your audiologist will first need to determine your type and degree of hearing loss. This is done through a comprehensive hearing evaluation. There are a number of hearing tests your audiologist may order, including:
- Pure tone testing
- Bone conduction testing
- Speech testing
- Tympanometry
- Acoustic reflex testing
- Auditory brainstem response
- Otoacoustic emissions
Think About Your Hearing Needs
Each person needs something different from their hearing aids. There are those who spend most of their time in small groups and need help improving their one-on-one conversations and others who frequently attend large events and require their hearing aids to help distinguish speech from background noise.
Talking with your audiologist about your hearing needs can help them in their hearing aid selection process.
Put Together a Financial Plan
Hearing aids are an investment in your health and future. While they may be expensive, there are a number of financing options available, including insurance, payment programs, grants and charitable organizations.
Understanding your options and determining your out-of-pocket costs beforehand will help eliminate sticker shock on the day of purchase.
Get Medical Clearance
While the most common causes of hearing loss are exposure to noise and aging, there are some medical conditions that include hearing loss on their list of symptoms. Meeting with your primary care physician to get a clean bill of health before you start the hearing aid process can ensure you are getting the right treatment for your type of loss.
Set Realistic Expectations
Rather than restoring your hearing to what it once was, hearing aids work by amplifying sounds to a level your damaged ears can hear. This means many things may sound different from what you remember. Knowing this beforehand will help ensure success, as you are less likely to get overwhelmed and give up.
Find the Right Audiologist
Treating your hearing loss is a process; it is important you find someone you trust to help guide you through it. The team at Chelmsford and Nashua Hearing Group provides the highest quality diagnosis and treatment possible, creating a longstanding relationship with you in a caring and compassionate environment. To learn more about treating your hearing loss or to schedule an appointment with an expert, contact us today.