A hearing aid evaluation is the start of your life becoming more comfortable. Hearing loss presents many different and difficult challenges to our lives but with the help of an audiologist, it can return to normal. The evaluation is going to be much like other medical evaluations in that you will be put through some tests in order to find out what treatment works best for you. You’ll be given a range of options to choose from so you feel comfortable with the hearing aid you will be using from here on out.
Welcoming and questions
Before you select hearing aids, you will be welcomed into the Allison Audiology & Hearing Aid Center. We pride ourselves on being understanding and warm, so you feel you can trust us with your care. You’ll become familiar with your audiologist who will form a rapport with you before the evaluation begins. After you’ve gotten to know each other, you’ll begin by answering a few questions about your lifestyle.
The questions may include things like:
What kind of job do you have? Is it a noisy environment? Is it physical? Do you communicate with people a lot during the day?
What’s your lifestyle like, outside of work? Do you go to the gym? Do you have any hobbies or activities that are physically demanding?
What kind of lifestyle do you have verbally speaking? Do you go to sporting events and sit in large crowds? Do you like to travel? What kind of household do you have, i.e., how many children do you have?
The hearing test
Firstly, we’ll begin with a video otoscope. This gives the audiologist the ability to take a look at your outer ear. The external part of the ear as well as the tympanic membrane. The aim is to evaluate the shape and condition of your outer ear. We’ll look for a multitude of things such as skin conditions, the shape of the ear, the rigidity of the skin, and cartilage and we aim to help you with better earwax management.
Then we’ll check for Otoacoustic emissions which will spell the signs of properly functioning cells in the cochlea. The test won’t require any verbal reactions from you as there are no questions involved. This makes the test very tolerable for those with autism, infants, and people who have been affected by a stroke.
There are no less than four other tests that we will do, to make sure we give you a well-rounded evaluation and leave no stone unturned.
Your options
Not everyone who is experiencing hearing loss needs to wear hearing aids. It could be due to your lifestyle or environment. The audiologist may tell you to not listen to music so loud, or perhaps ask your boss for hearing protection at work.
However, some people will need to be given hearing aids as their hearing loss is either due to aging or injury. When we narrow down what the cause of your hearing loss is, we’ll present to you a range of options. There are lots of different styles of hearing aids and each of them gives you advantages. There are low-visibility hearing aids such as invisible in canal (IIC), invisible and extended wear, and microphone in helix (MIH). These options will usually require taking a mold of your ear so the device can be made to a custom fit.
If your hearing loss is advanced, you will be given larger and more powerful hearing aids that fit behind the ear (BTE) and in the ear (ITE). You’ll be given time to explore all your options, so don’t feel as if you need to make a decision at the evaluation itself.
A period of reflection
If you’re ready and willing, you can try on the hearing aids and we’ll try to set them to a general sensitivity so you can go through a number of things. Firstly, you’ll get to feel how each style fits and looks. You’ll also get to feel how powerful each style is and how your brain reacts to it. The maintenance costs and other aspects of living with a hearing aid will be fully explained to you beforehand.
It’s best to give it some thought and speak openly with your audiologist if you have any questions. We understand this is a big change in your life so we want you to feel as comfortable as possible.
Our hearing aid evaluation is easy as pie. It’s just four simple steps, which you are guided through by our highly experienced professionals. To learn more about hearing aid evaluations, speak with us at the Allison Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, P.C. by calling: Houston: 713-827-1767.
