Frequently Asked Questions

Find out the answers to all your queries and concerns related to hearing loss, hearing evaluation, and hearing aids.

Check out the answers to some of the most FAQs from our patients.

How do I know if I suffer from hearing loss?

Many times, determining whether you or your loved one is experiencing a debilitation of the aural senses can be difficult. Because it’s a slow and regressive mechanism, identifying that the problem exists may take up to seven years, and ultimately seek treatment.

Your hearing loss is more likely to be detected by those around you than your own self. Your minor changes in responding to situations are noticed by them, allowing them to make a better judgment.

The following symptoms might be a signal to visit a hearing professional.

Asking people to repeat their statements often
Hearing mumbling sounds when people are talking to you.
Asking others about the details of an interaction that just took place or a meeting you just attended.
Playing the TV and music at a relatively higher volume than normal
Inability to hear the doorbell or telephone ringing or surrounding sounds such as birds chirping.
Concentrating on people’s faces when they are speaking makes it simpler to understand their words.

What are the reasons for hearing loss?

There is no one reason for disruptions in the auditory system. In fact, almost 20% of the population in the US report some degree of hearing loss during their lifetime.

Hearing loss can be due to a number of factors:

Aging process
Excessive exposure to loud noise – both occupational and recreational
Medications such as Viagra and chemotherapy drugs
Body infections
Injury on head or ear causing nerve damage
Congenital or genetic factors
Certain diseases or illnesses that result in high fever

What is the process for Hearing Loss diagnosis?

You need to see a hearing aid specialist if you speculate any hearing losses. A thorough hearing evaluation will be conducted, and the results would enable the audiologist to determine what sort of hearing aid solution would be the perfect fit for your specific needs.

Your hearing evaluation test results are represented by an audiogram. This graph provides a comprehensive visual of your hearing potential across various pitches and frequencies. The audiogram helps the professional assess your aural condition and prescribe instruments accordingly.

Additionally, the professional will ask you a few questions regarding your lifestyle, particular symptoms, and financial circumstances to evaluate what hearing aid device to recommend.

Who is a Hearing Instrument Specialist?

A Hearing Instrument Specialist is a professional who is trained to carry out hearing tests to evaluate the degree of hearing loss in the patients and determine the peculiar requirements for hearing aid devices.

The requisites of licensing for a hearing instrument specialist include a certification program, state requirements, and extensively supervised on-job training.

What types of tests and treatments do Hearing Instruments Specialists conduct?

Hearing instrument specialists have expertise in all sorts of hearing technology and assistive learning devices. They provide a number of services related to their field:

Hearing tests and evaluation
Fitting of Hearing aid
counseling and selection of hearing aids
Repairing of hearing aids
Assistive listening devices

What are the different degrees of hearing loss?

A Hearing Instrument Specialist evaluates the degree of hearing loss using an audiogram. In this graph, loudness is plotted on the y-axis and frequency/pitch on the x-axis. The unit used for measuring hearing loss is decibels and can be categorized into a few brackets.

Most hearing specialists use the following hearing loss divisions in their assessment of hearing loss in patients.

Normal hearing – 0-25 dB HL
Mild hearing loss – 26-40 dB HL
Moderate hearing loss – 41-70 dB HL
Severe hearing loss – 71-90 dB HL
Profound hearing loss – greater than 90 dB HL

What are the different types of Hearing Losses?

There are three main types of hearing loss that people suffer from. Each is caused by a different factor and requires different hearing aid solutions and treatment to provide an optimal experience to the patient.

Sensorineural hearing Loss

The major cause of hearing loss in adults primarily happens due to inner ear damage or issues with the auditory nerve. Any issue in the nerve pathway from the brain to the inner ear can cause hearing loss. This is caused by factors such as increased exposure to noise and aging. Resulting in the inability to hear softer sounds, sometimes loud voices can also be difficult to hear, and sound muffled.

Conductive hearing loss

This arises when there is a problem transferring sound waves along the pathway of the ear and which are unable to be sensed by the middle ear (ossicles), tympanic membrane, and external layer of the ear. If there is any issue in the ear canal, such as wax blockage, or perforation in the eardrum, or any disease in the tiny aural bones, you are likely to suffer from CHL. There are multiple solutions to this problem, including hearing aids, medical implants, and surgery.

Mixed hearing loss

If a conductive hearing loss occurs along with a sensorineural hearing loss, it is known as mixed hearing loss, implying that there are issues in both the inner and middle ear. In this case, the treatment options need to be meticulously selected depending on the symptoms and nature of hearing loss impairment experienced.

How to assess the style of hearing aid I need?

With the advancements in technology, hearing aids today have become quite compact, sleek, and innovative – offering a diverse array of solutions. Depending on your ease, you may choose in the ear style or behind the ear style device.

However, we recommend analyzing the features you would need in the hearing aid before selecting one. Equipped with the premium features along with diminishing the size of internal components, consider the benefits you can avail.

Ranging from directional microphones to Bluetooth connectivity to waterproof devices, select what aligns with your personal needs.

Keep these factors in mind when selecting the style of your Hearing Aid.

Type and intensity of hearing loss
Power requirements
Finances and budget
Cosmetics and aesthetics
Lifestyle requirements
Manual dexterity and visual abilities

What are the signs of hearing loss in children?

Hearing loss in children is not rare. It might be congenital and present from birth or maybe acquired at some stage of life. Possible causes of this could be severe ear infections, head injury, certain medications. In some cases, hearing loss might be present genetically and is triggered by any of these factors.

If your child exhibits these symptoms, consider taking him to a hearing aid professional for a comprehensive checkup.

Failed newborn hearing screening
Frequent infections in the ear
Unresponsive to loud sounds
Not turning to the source of the sound – post six months
Delays in babblings, speech, and language acquisition
Not making eye contact
Inability to efficiently follow verbal instructions
Frequent inability to hear complaints from the child himself
Loud volumes of TV and music
Failed school hearing screening
Concerns raised by school teachers regarding low responsiveness and inability to follow directions