Most people take healthy hearing for granted. And few people think about health until trouble comes to them. But the hearing organs are a complex system. They can be easily damaged. Modern lifestyle often negatively affects our hearing. First of all, this is true for residents of large metropolitan areas. After all, even at night, there is no peace and there is always a noise load. What then to say about professions that are negatively affected by loud noises almost every day. For example, every second professional musician has hearing problems. Difficulties do not bypass both engineers and builders. Literally, everyone is at risk of getting one or another hearing problem.
Fortunately, today there are effective methods and means that return lost abilities. Their effectiveness depends on various factors, including the degree of damage to the hearing organs. Therefore, the diagnosis of the problem made in time rises to the first role. This is a huge problem these days. And it’s not about technological progress. Everything is great with technology today. Most people are in no hurry to make an appointment with an audiologist. One of the reasons for this behavior is the poor awareness of the population about hearing problems and subsequent difficulties in life. You don’t want to lose your hearing, do you? Then identify or diagnose the problem in time!
What are the symptoms of hearing problems?
Before you seek help from a specialist, you may notice the first symptoms of a hearing problem in yourself or a loved one. We are talking about pronounced symptomatology, which is clearly visible in everyday life. What should be paid special attention to? Pay attention to:
- The need to increase the volume of the TV, smartphone, and other devices
- Constant requests to repeat what was said earlier in the conversation
- Complaints about fatigue at work
- Loss of concentration and orientation in space
- Reluctance to attend noisy public events
- Appearance of tinnitus with headache and dizziness
- Irritability and unwillingness to communicate
Such signs clearly indicate the presence of disorders. If you have them, then there is no time to waste. Remember, procrastination in testing and diagnosis prolongs the process of hearing loss recovery and treatment!
Check your hearing to be sure
Hearing loss and tinnitus are common diseases in the modern world. According to the WHO, about 500 million people suffer from them worldwide. And this figure is growing every year. Fortunately, modern medicine knows how to help people. The most common treatment is the daily use of hearing aids. If you have hearing loss, then you need to use these electronic devices every day. They completely restore the ability to hear and help to return to a happy life.
Don’t be afraid of hearing aids. They were big, uncomfortable, and conspicuous many years ago. Today, these are multifunctional, discreet, and stylish devices. They are individually selected for each person. A hearing care professional selects devices according to the wishes of the patient, including his hobbies, hobbies, lifestyle, additional features of the devices, etc. Before the doctor starts choosing the right hearing aid model for you, he’ll conduct an appropriate diagnosis, the whole picture of the disorder. A hearing test is the first step in restoring lost hearing.
Use online tests
Today, everyone has the opportunity to test their hearing without leaving home. This is a personal decision for those who suspect that they or a relative have a hearing problem. Sometimes, for one reason or another, people are afraid to go to an audiological clinic.
You can evaluate your health with an online hearing test. By answering the questions and the beep test, you’ll receive information about the state of your hearing. If you really have any problems, then testing will show it.
An online hearing test helps to make the initial check. The results, of course, will largely depend on how the sound is calibrated, whether there is third-party interference, and what volume is initially set. However, such diagnostics can also show the presence/absence of a problem. Its main advantages are:
- Easy to hold
- Availability
- Qualitative result
Thus, you can independently check your hearing health at any time. And if there is a problem, you should immediately seek help from an audiologist for further treatment of hearing loss.
Pass pure tone audiology testing
Among the different types of audiological diagnostics, tone audiometry occupies a special place. It can be used to diagnose many hearing problems. That is why it is the most popular and effective hearing test procedure. Audiologists use it for adults and children, if necessary. Such a procedure is mandatory.
To conduct tone audiometry, you’ll need special equipment. Don’t worry, many audiology clinics have it. The equipment performs the process of generating pure tones of varying intensity and purity. It allows the attending physician to determine how advanced the function responsible for conducting the sound signal through the inner and outer ear is. The procedure itself is not performed simultaneously, but for each ear separately.
There are no special preparation requirements for patients before undergoing pure tone audiometry. Doctors recommend avoiding places where a huge amount of noise accumulates (metro, concerts, etc.). It is advisable to refuse to listen to music through headphones the day before, as such things may distort the results of the examination.
The result of the study is an audiogram. I’m talking about a graph for each ear with certain indicators of the reaction of the hearing organs to the signals sent. By analyzing the audiogram, the audiologist concludes your hearing problems and treatment options.
Many people suffer from hearing problems. But today there are effective treatments. They restore the ability to hear surrounding sounds. The main thing is to recognize the disorder in time and start fighting it. Don’t be afraid and don’t be shy. Seek help immediately at the first symptoms. In addition, audiologists recommend that you have your hearing checked at least once a year, even if you do not feel any problems. These measures will help to avoid great difficulties and complications in the future. Take care of your health!
