Top Reasons to See an Audiologist

Do you know when to see an audiologist?

Despite the fact that hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the U.S., the number one birth defect and the most commonly reported work-related injury, many people aren’t sure when to see an audiologist.

They cover all hearing health matters

After all, it’s not always easy to determine when to see an audiologist, but often times, people might wonder if they should go for an earache or if loved ones and friends – most often spouses – constantly suggest that you need hearing aids.

Ear health is connected to overall wellbeing

Seeing an audiologist is as important as seeing your primary care physician. As such, it is important to schedule an annual check up with an audiologist or other hearing healthcare professional. While your primary care physician typically looks into your ears and can determine whether or not you have excess earwax buildup, seeing an audiologist provides more in depth analysis and understanding of your ear health, just like an optometrist provides more information about eye health.

Specific advice relating to the ears

Should your primary care physician take a look into your ears and comment on the amount of earwax in the ear canals, it is important to follow up that check up with an audiologist appointment. While earwax is a normal, even beneficial, substance, too much of it can cause temporary hearing loss. It is important not to try to remove the earwax yourself by inserting cotton swabs or any other sharp utensil into the ear canal. Doing so actually pushes the earwax farther back into the ear canal, causing impaction and additional temporary hearing loss.

Other conditions associated with hearing health

Another reason to see an audiologist is tinnitus — a condition characterized by a ringing, buzzing, whistling, whining or screeching noise in the head or ears when no such noise is actually present in the immediate or surrounding environments. Most often, tinnitus is a symptom of a bigger pnroblem, most often hearing loss.

Audiologists specialize in ear health

If, for some reason, you experience sudden hearing loss, go to an audiologist as soon as possible. Trauma to the ear, recent flight travel or physical causes like sneezes are a few of the possible ways that sudden hearing loss, usually called sensorineural hearing loss, happens. Sometimes, sudden sensorinueral hearing loss isn’t accompanied by pain or suffering; when this is the case, many people tend to think the hearing loss isn’t an emergency. However, whenever you experience hearing loss, it is important to get to the audiologist as soon as you can.

Undiagnosed and untreated hearing loss can cause many issues, especially in later life. Hearing loss can lead to social isolation, depression, mental fatigue and more.