Age-related hearing loss is a condition that becomes increasingly common among adults as they age. While only about 5% of adults ages 45 to 54 have hearing loss at levels that require a hearing aid, that number increases to 22% of adults ages 65-74. Among seniors who are 75 and older, hearing loss occurs at a frequency of 55%.
As you get older, it becomes increasingly important to get your hearing tested regularly. Even if you don’t notice any symptoms of hearing loss, audiology tests can set a baseline in case your hearing becomes an issue in the future.
If you do find yourself asking friends, family, and coworkers to repeat themselves, struggling to hear conversations in loud environments, or hearing a persistent buzzing noise in your ear, you may benefit from getting a hearing aid to restore your hearing.
How Can a Hearing Aid Help You?
Hearing aids pick up sound in your environment on a microphone and convert it to a digital signal. An amplifier enhances this signal, which is then reproduced through a speaker. All of these parts are combined into a hearing aid which fits neatly on your ear, with some models even fitting invisibly into your ear canal.
Most importantly, hearing aids restore your sense of hearing Wearing one can reduce your anxiety when you’re conversing with friends, loved ones, and colleagues, improve your experience when you’re listening to music or enjoying other media, and help you feel more comfortable in your day-to-day life.
How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid for Your Needs?
In order to choose the right hearing aid, make sure that you start by going to the right place. Audiology clinics can help you find the right hearing aid, but many of them are tied in one way or another to a hearing aid manufacturer.
Independent audiologists are your best option for hearing aids in Toronto. They look at the results of your audiology test and make their recommendations from there. An independent audiologist can start with your particular needs in mind.
What Is an Audiology Test?
There are several different methods that can be used in an audiology test. Essentially, an audiology test will present a patient with a variety of tones and volumes to see how they respond. Different tests target different areas of the ear. For example, tympanometry examines the status of the middle ear, while otoscopy looks at hearing in the outer ear.
What Do You Learn When You Get an Audiology Test?
The results of these tests are placed onto an audiogram and reviewed with the patient. The audiogram gives a comprehensive look at the degree of hearing loss and allows the audiologist to prescribe an appropriate hearing aid solution if needed. It also provides information about a patient’s word recognition, and ability to hear in noisy situations. All of this information is required in order to provide appropriate hearing solutions and recommend solutions for the hearing loss.