4 FAQS for Your Hearing Healthcare Professional

Have you been experiencing problems with your hearing? If everything sounds muffled, or you have a constant ringing in your ears, then it makes sense to see a hearing healthcare professional. They provide all the tests and treatments needed to diagnose and solve your problems.

During your appointment, it’s advantageous if you ask them certain questions. Doing this can help you learn more about your hearing health and gain more from your time there. So, here are a few frequently asked questions for your hearing health professional:

Is my hearing loss permanent?

Clearly, if you’re suffering from hearing loss, you’ll be keen to know whether or not this is permanent. Some hearing loss will stay forever and get progressively worse, while others can be temporary. Temporary hearing loss is usually caused by things like blockages in the ear, exposure to loud noises or ear infections. It’s vital to know whether or not your hearing loss will be around forever, or if it’s just something you’ll have to deal with for a short while. Ask your hearing healthcare professional, and they’ll give you all the answers you need.

What causes hearing loss?

When you can’t hear as well as you used to, you’re naturally curious as to what’s causing your hearing loss. As mentioned above, many factors contribute to a temporary loss of hearing. However, there are also lots of other things that can cause permanent hearing issues. The most common cause of hearing loss is age – as we get older, the inner part of our ear stops working as it used to. This usually causes problems that slowly makes your hearing get worse and worse. By asking your hearing healthcare professional this question, you’ll understand what caused your hearing problem and why you’re in this situation.

Do I need to attend a hearing aid fitting?

In many cases, your hearing care provider will diagnose your hearing loss and suggest that hearing aids are the best course of action. Here, it’s a good idea to ask whether or not you need to attend a hearing aid fitting. This is an appointment where you get your hearing aids fitted, and the hearing healthcare professional tells you how to use them, and so on. While this appointment isn’t mandatory, it’s often very convenient as it helps you adjust to life with these new devices in your ears.

Should I clean my ears every day?

When you think about hearing and ear health, you usually turn your attention to ear cleaning. Is this something you need to do every day? As your hearing care provider this question, and they’ll usually inspect your ears for you. Most of the time, they’ll say that regular cleaning isn’t necessary as your ears can clean themselves. But, if you’re prone to excessive earwax production, then you may have to get professional ear cleaning every month or so to remove it.

Never be afraid to ask questions during your hearing appointments. The more questions you ask, the more you learn! Remember, if you notice any issues with your hearing, then see a hearing healthcare professional right away.