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If you are facing hearing loss, your Sonora Hearing Care team has answers for you. Just make sure you’re asking the right questions.

It is natural to want to be involved in the process of evaluating your hearing and taking steps to hear better and enhance your quality of life. Ask these questions at your next visit to get a better understanding of your treatment. Once you understand, you’ll be empowered to take control of your hearing health.

1. What Kind of Examination Will You Do?

To determine the type and extent of your hearing loss, your audiologist will perform a hearing evaluation. The hearing care professional will most likely take your medical history and then perform a physical exam, looking for signs of infection or other mechanical damage to the ear.

Then you may get one or a number of auditory evaluations. Ask your audiologist what they are doing and why. Possible exams may include:

  • Pure tone audiometry
  • Otoacoustic emissions test
  • Middle ear tests

Each test has a slightly different function, so ask what the audiologist is doing and why. It could provide clues to the nature of your hearing loss.

2. What Kind of Hearing Loss Do I Have?

Once Sonora Hearing Care exams are completed, of course you’ll want to know the results. It is important to note that there are different kinds of hearing loss, and they are treated in different ways.

The forms of hearing loss are:

  • Sensorineural hearing loss—This is the most common type of hearing loss. It is an inner ear problem with either the cochlea, which converts vibration sound waves into electrical impulses, or the auditory nerve, which transmits electrical impulses to the brain.
  • Conductive hearing loss—This type of hearing loss can be caused by obstructions in the outer or middle ear.
  • Mixed hearing loss—A combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

3. Is Hearing Loss Permanent?

While some hearing loss is temporary, due to a health condition or an obstruction in your ear, hearing loss due to aging or prolonged exposure to excessive noise can unfortunately be permanent. That’s why learning how to protect your hearing is so important. Visiting with an audiologist regularly can help you prolong your hearing, as well as keep your ears healthy and clean.

4. Do I Need Hearing Aids?

If you have sensorineural hearing loss, a hearing aid can probably help. Hearing aids magnify sound waves, which can then be picked up even by damaged cochlea or auditory nerves. 

Hearing aids have become more advanced over the years, with features like bluetooth connectivity, noise reduction and rechargeable batteries, making it easier for you to reclaim your hearing and your quality of life.

5. How Do I Find The Right Hearing Aid Model For Me?

Many different types of hearing aids are available, many things should be considered when choosing the best option for you. If you are thinking about getting hearing aids, a good first step is scheduling an appointment with an audiologist. They will help you determine the cause of your hearing loss, and they will be able to test your hearing to determine the correct hearing aid for you. Once you have established which type of hearing aid you will need, your audiologist will be able to adjust the device to your specific hearing needs, ensuring that you will get the most out of your hearing aids.

6. How Much Will My Hearing Aid Cost?

In some cases, hearing aids are covered by insurance, and in some cases, they’re not. Your first step should be contacting your insurance carrier to find out if hearing aids are covered in your plan. If not, speak with your audiologist about payment plans or manufacturer vouchers to help you out with costs. Some insurance programs have discount hearing aid benefits, which means you will need to work with one of their contracted providers in order to utilize this benefit.

If you are experiencing hearing loss, request an appointment at Sonora Hearing Care in Tucson, AZ. Our expert audiologists can recommend a device that’s right for you.