Hearing Center - Getting Assistance for Your Disability

It's become almost a dirty word to refer to any disadvantages a person has as a "disability", but those dealing with auditory loss are often all too willing to call it what it is. The truth is that when your ears don't function the way they should, it can make life very difficult. These challenges can present themselves in ways that those with perfect ears can scarcely imagine. Anyone who works at a hearing center can tell you a million stories, all of them painting a life of auditory loss in different colors. Thankfully, there are devices that can help and treatments that work (in some instances). Here are some of the people that can help you.

Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor

Known medically as an otolaryngologist, an ear, nose, and throat doctor specializes in the care of these three inter-connected pathways. If you suspect that you are suffering from auditory loss, a good ENT doctor should probably be your first stop. It's important to start thinking about what you can do to cope with your loss, but in some cases, the loss is a symptom of a greater illness or even a problem as benign as ear wax blockage. It makes little sense to get a listening aid when a wax flush may be all you need to restore your ability to hear, so don't try to diagnose yourself.

Audiologist

An audiologist is a professional concerned with the ability to hear. Often working closely with doctors in the field, these professionals have undergone extensive education and training to prepare them to work with those with auditory loss and impairment. They are able to run tests that can help determine the presence and extent of your impairment and offer suggestions on what you can do to cope with the issue.

Hearing Center

A hearing center has been licensed by the state to test for auditory loss and fit listening aids to those who need them. Did you know this was a regulated industry. Indeed. You can walk into any drugstore and pick up a pair of reading glasses, but listening aids are tightly regulated, meaning you'll need to visit one of these specialized businesses to get one. The technicians who work in such an establishments will have training and experience in dealing with customers like you and will be able to give you good advice as it pertains to picking up some assistive devices. As long as you've ruled out the possibility of treatment, this may be your best stop for assistance.