Each year, most Americans take the time to visit their dentists, general practitioners and eye doctors for an annual exam. Many times, however, people leave their hearing unchecked for years—or sometimes for a lifetime. Due to this, approximately 29 million Americans live their lives with untreated hearing loss. An undiagnosed hearing impairment can affect many aspects of your life, including your physical and mental wellbeing. If you’ve never been checked for hearing loss in Portland, start 2015 out right by scheduling a quick, painless, easy and effective hearing loss evaluationn with a knowledgeable audiologist today!
The Basics of Hearing Loss Assessments
Hearing loss evaluations are simple, and your appointment should take under an hour. There are several common hearing tests used to diagnose the type, severity and location of a hearing impairment. Your Portland hearing loss doctor may perform one or more tests depending on your individual case, needs and medical history. If any hearing loss is detected, your doctor will determine if it’s high or low frequency as well as its degree in decibels. There are seven possible decibel impairment levels that range from moderate to profound. During testing, your doctor will also determine if your impairment is related to the outer or middle ear (conductive), the inner ear (sensorineural) or a combination (mixed).
Using Hearing Loss Tests to Create a Treatment Plan
Once you receive a diagnostic assessment of your hearing loss, your Portland audiologist will explain the available treatment options. Hearing aids are Portland’s most popular hearing loss solution, though other therapies and technologies are also available. Today’s hearing aids are tiny, technologically advanced digital devices that have gone through some major changes and improvements over the past decade. If hearing aids are the right solution for your condition, your doctor will explain the many options to choose from. Different styles of hearing aids offer patients a wide variety of choices to meet everyone’s cosmetic, comfort, functionality and dexterity needs.
If you’ve never been checked for hearing loss in Portland, the upcoming year offers a great opportunity to take charge of your hearing health. Don’t hesitate to include hearing evaluations as part of your annual health and wellness plan, especially if you’re over the age of 50. Schedule a hearing test with our expert Portland hearing loss doctors at PDX ENT & Audiology Group right away by calling our offices at (503) 222-3638.
