What Are The Best Ways To Manage Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is a very common experience across the world. It is something that happens to most of us to some degree or another at least in later life, if not before. However, it can happen at any time and to anyone, and it’s just one of those things that can occur. With proper treatment and management, hearing loss is not actually a problem to be solved and it is not only possible, but perfectly straightforward, to live a happy and full life despite having hearing loss of some degree.

In this post, we are going to discuss some of the most effective and popular ways to manage hearing loss. Just knowing about some of the following should help you to have a better sense of the ways in which hearing loss can be managed. If you have been concerned about your hearing loss, hopefully this will help to calm you and in general it is all information that is just really useful to know.

Hearing Aids

The single most common and most popular way to manage hearing loss is through the use of hearing aids. These devices come in a wide variety of types and forms, and there is always going to be one that suits your needs exactly. Not only that, but you will also usually have an audiologist to fit and install your hearing aid, so that it is made to measure and suits your hearing needs exactly. As such, this is a very useful solution to the very common experience of hearing loss.

Generally, hearing aids come in three major types. These are:

• In the ear (ITE): ITE hearing aids is as discreet as possible, which can be important to a lot of people with hearing loss. Generally, ITE fits in the outer part of the ear in a shell, and while they are larger than some, they are a good size for what they deliver.
• Behind the ear (BTE): They are generally contained almost entirely in a small plastic case that sits behind the ear itself. This style is often chosen for young children, because it can be used for many different types and sizes of ear easily. BTE hearing aids are also quite sturdy and quite easy to be cleaned and maintained.
• In the canal (ITC): These are, as you might expect, practically invisible to someone looking in the ear. The cases that they come in fit partly or completely in the ear canal, depending on the specific type. This makes for a discrete option, although if you have dexterity issues, these might not be the best fit for you because they are a smaller option.

As you can imagine, there is generally a hearing aid for everyone, so these are just some examples of the styles you can get. Your audiologist will be able to find the right type for you and ensure that it is installed as perfectly as can be, so that it helps you as much as possible.

Cochlear Implants

Another common way to manage hearing loss in the long term is to have a cochlear implant installed. These are for those with hearing loss so profound that even a hearing aid can’t help in the right way. A cochlear implant works by picking up on the sounds externally and converts them into electrical impulses in the ear, stimulating the auditory nerve. Often, a cochlear implant can help someone to read lips more effectively, and it can be most effective in someone who has previously used a hearing aid successfully or who has only recently lost their hearing.

Other Management Types

Apart from those interventions, there are many other ways in daily life that an individual with hearing loss can hope to manage with it more effectively. These days, there are so many pieces of technology that such a person can use for many different everyday scenarios they may face. That might include having a visual doorbell alarm, for instance, or a telephone which displays the words being spoken on a large screen.

Then there is closed captioning for television and movies, and other management of that kind. As you can see, there are a lot of options for those with hearing loss, so all is not lost if you have it yourself. To find out more about your options, and to have your own hearing tested, don’t hesitate to seek out the help of an audiologist such as Hearing & Balance Services of Reston. Call today at 703-260-6192.