It will be a shock, and at first it will seem very scary, but a hearing disorder diagnosis in this day and age is not the end of the world. There are plenty of ways that the world has learned how to accommodate those with hearing impairments, and you will have a lot of help along the way as you adjust. Research is being performed constantly to root out the cause and cures for many a hearing loss diagnosis, as well as on-going advancements of new technology to provide better hearing for those who need it. Plus, there are a multitude of professionals found within audiology services across the United States who are on-hand to help you in your journey through your hearing loss. This list offers a few tips for navigating a hearing disorder diagnosis.
Hearing Care Centers
Upon receiving a diagnosis that your hearing has been impacted, a center for hearing care is likely to be your first port of call. Audiologists here will usually diagnose you with a more specific type of hearing disorder, normally after your doctor has referred you to a hearing specialist for further investigation. Simply put, regardless of whether this is your first time or fortieth time visiting such a place, you will be in good hands.
Hearing Health USA is the largest group of hearing care clinics in the United States. While they have many hearing health professionals and specialists in their employ, a typical hearing care centre under Hearing Health USA's operation will look to ensure that your treatment is tailored to you, as well as ensuring that you have a great experience. The first step to better hearing will be to have people looking after you that understand how intimidating having a new hearing disorder can be, but through their collective years of experience you will also get peace of mind regarding the future of your hearing health.
Hearing Devices
Another element of Hearing Health USA that sets them apart from the others, is that they are not connected to any hearing aid or hearing device manufacturers. As a result, any rechargeable hearing aid that you are offered is done so because it is the right hearing aid for you, and is to get you the best help going forward. Again, their efforts to ensure that you have peace of mind in addition to new hearing aids (should that be the best solution to your hearing health issues), is at the forefront of the service they give. They can also help you figure out how to pay for hearing devices, should this be something that you are not familiar with.
Changes At Home
It is only when something is missing, that we truly learn how much we rely upon it. Within the home, there is a myriad of working parts that are ultra-reliant on your hearing for them to be of use. Doorbells, kettles, burglar alarms, smoke detectors, TVs and telephones are the main elements of every household upon which you rely on the noise they make for them to carry out their primary function. With many, there will be alternatives, but the hard part is first knowing where to look.
There are plenty of add-ons to help you when you are using your phone, as an example. The most obvious one is that it will vibrate when it receives a notification. If you are on an important call, you can use a text to voice relay service, or ask the caller to revert to an alternative means of communication. However, it can sometimes be a little bit limiting (not to mention frustrating), if you miss a call and a voice only message is left by someone who is unaware that you might not be able to hear it. Plus, in many instances, cold calling and telemarketers will show either as a "private number" or "unknown caller" on the caller ID (or omit a phone number completely) making it much more difficult to add them as scammers to your contact list.
To ensure that you are receiving the genuine calls from private numbers, and how to know who called you, take a look at a Future Insights article on this very topic.
Beyond unknown phone numbers, there are plenty of other day-to-day appliances that you should look into as a top priority. There are smoke alarms that alert you through means other than sounds, as well as door bells that flash a light as well as making a chime noise. Also, though it may seem like a strange idea, there are animal services that can help here too, such as dogs that are trained to come and get you when the doorbell rings.
There is also a lot of advice available though Hearing Health USA's website on where to look for these services.
