Associated ENT Specialists
2802 Leonard Ave.
Valparaiso
(219) 531-0355 or (219) 531-0625
Although some people might be intimidated by the losing their hearing, choosing a hearing aid doesn’t have to be a difficult process, said Audiologist Michele Watts, a member of the Porter Physician Group who has been practicing audiology since 1981.
Signs you might need to have your hearing checked by a professional include having difficulty following conversations, listening to the television on a higher volume and hearing ringing or buzzing in the ears, she said.
“You might be a candidate for hearing aids if you feel like you can’t participate in conversations,” she said. “An audiologist will evaluate you to see if there is hearing loss and what type of hearing loss you have.”
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Hearing tests include testing speech perception as well as testing the ability to hear at different frequencies. Not all hearing loss has to be treated with a hearing aid. Things like fluid in the ear or a malformation in the middle ear might be able to be corrected medically, she said.
Watts said your audiologist should work with you to evaluate your listening environments as well as what you expect out of your hearing aid.
There also are several styles of hearing aids, including a custom in-ear hearing aid, the more traditional behind the ear hearing aid, and a receiver in the ear canal.
“We look at things like what type of environments they’re having the biggest problems in,” she said. “We also look at their dexterity, their ability to handle small objects. Hearing aids today also have Bluetooth capability, so they can connect to the phone, TV or iPad. We talk about whether they want that technology or not.”
Watts said it is important to remember there is an adjustment period to any new hearing device, and it can take the brain up to six months to learn how to process all of the new information.
“We provide a 45 day adjustment period and we assist people as much as possible through that period,” she said. “There are millions of adjustments that can be made, because the hearing aids are computer-driven today.”
