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Visiting a hearing care professional

Visiting your local hearing care professional is the first step you need to take if you suspect you have a hearing loss. There's no reason to wait; A hearing test is quick, simple and completely painless. In most cases, your hearing care professional can give you the results immediately after the test and advise you on how to rediscover your hearing.

What to expect during the consultation with a hearing care professional?

A full professional hearing evaluation usually takes less than an hour.

1. Your hearing care professional will probably start by asking you a few questions about your general health and lifestyle, and the health of your ears.

2. Next, he’ll look into your ear to examine the canal that runs to the eardrum. He’ll be looking for more clues about your hearing health. The ear examination doesn’t hurt at all.

3. For the actual test you’ll be asked to wear headphones and listen to a series of tones to evaluate the sensitivity of your hearing at different frequency levels.

The hearing test results are shown on an audiogram, a graph that, in most cases, will be presented to you right after the test. If you do have a hearing loss, your hearing care professional will be able to tell you if it can be treated with a hearing aid, and if so, which type of hearing aid will suit you best. 

What is an audiogram
When your specialist describes your hearing loss, he or she will always refer to the severity of the loss and its “configuration”, which means the pitches or frequencies you are unable to hear. These tones will be placed on a graph called an audiogram. 
 
An audiogram shows which frequencies you are able to hear, and at what volume. The audiogram gives your hearing professional a good idea of how severe your hearing loss is, and helps your professional select the best treatment options for you.
Hearing care professional advising a patient and showing an audiogram.
What if I have hearing loss?
The hearing evaluation will give you a clear idea of whether you have a hearing loss. If you do have a hearing loss, your hearing care professional will be able to tell you if it can be treated with a hearing aid, and if so, which type of hearing aid will suit you best. 

There are different types of hearing aids. The type of hearing loss you have, your lifestyle and your personal preferences in color and style will all influence the hearing aids you ultimately purchase. 
Pair of ReSound red hearing aids on a table.
Types of hearing care professionals

When it comes to diagnosing and treating hearing loss, finding the right specialist can be hard. There are three types of hearing care professionals you can choose from for diagnosing and treating hearing loss: Audiologists, Hearing aid specialists and Ear-Nose-Throat doctors. The professional you choose depends on your medical needs as well as your personal preference. 

Fill in the form linked below and we will help you find a hearing care professional close to you.

ReSound health care professional