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So
you realize you have a hearing problem...
What happens next?
Fortunately,
there are many ways to help people with hearing loss. Although
only a very few of the problems can be improved by medication
or surgery, most people do benefit from hearing
instruments. Special listening devices - such as phones
that amplify speech - can also help.
Although
even the most advanced hearing aids cannot fully restore your
hearing, they can improve it considerably. If you take the necessary
time to adjust to wearing professionally fitted instruments, you
will see a definite improvement in the quality of your life.
Finding
a solution
After determining the exact nature of your hearing loss, it's
time to review the results together, and talk about how your condition
will affect you.
The
hearing care professional will present the various solutions -
hearing aids or other assistive listening devices - and discuss
them with you in detail.
Together,
you will talk about your lifestyle, and the way the hearing aids
perform, in order to make the appropriate selection. The instruments
should meet your personal preferences in terms of cosmetic appeal
and convenience. Your future requirements will also need to be
considered.
Once
you and your hearing care professional have selected the instruments
best suited to your hearing loss and lifestyle, a few additional
steps are needed.
Your
hearing care professional will:
- Take
an exact impression of your ear to provide a custom fitted
In-the-Ear instrument, or an earmold for a Behind-the-Ear
instrument. A soft, putty-like material will be inserted into
your ear canal and will fill up the outer portion of your
ear. This is not painful, although you may experience a temporary
fullness in your ear during this 7-10 minute procedure. The
material firms up after a few minutes and is then gently removed.
The impression is then sent to the hearing aid manufacturer
or earmould lab to create a custom fit for your ears
- Your
hearing care professional might provide written material about
your new instruments. He will certainly tell you what to expect
from them
- You'll
make an appointment to return in 1-3 weeks for the initial
fitting. Your hearing care professional will either program
the hearing aids (using a computer), or make manual adjustments
(using small screwdrivers) to provide the appropriate loudness
and tonal quality for your hearing loss
- After
demonstrating how to insert, use, and look after your new
instruments, your hearing care professional will review your
listening needs and expectations
- A follow-up
appointment can be scheduled for a few weeks later to monitor
your progress and discuss your experiences. If necessary,
your hearing care professional can adjust the settings on
the instruments as you become used to hearing more sounds
- You
can arrange additional follow-up appointments to address your
personal needs, your adjustment to this new amplification,
and to evaluate your overall satisfaction
This
article courtesy of Oticon
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Sensorineural
Hearing Loss
Also
known as nerve deafness, this type of hearing loss involves the
deterioration of the inner ear.
Signs
of Hearing Loss in Children
If you are experiencing that your child exhibits one or more of
the following signs we would advise you to contact your family
doctor to have your child's hearing checked.
Hearing
Loss Indicators -
There are conditions which may occur before birth, during infancy
or in childhood that may affect a child's ability to hear normally.
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