The First Step to Better Hearing
In the next few issues of the “Long Island Sound,” we’ll take a quick look at the six key steps to better hearing as covered in my book, “Better Hearing With or Without Hearing Aids.” The first step is Assessment of Needs. At Hearing Center of Long Island, we consider this an extremely important step for anyone who is seeking help for the first time, as well as for those who have already taken steps to improve their hearing and are interested in making further improvement. What Do You Really Need? Everyone who suffers hearing difficulty has their own unique type of hearing loss and hearing concerns. As such, treatment is tailored to fit each individual’s needs and priorities. In order to determine the best possible solution for your case, a thorough communication assessment — not just a simple hearing test — should be conducted by an expert. Besides standard tests of loudness and clarity, some of the information that will be needed includes test results showing how much background noise you can tolerate before it significantly affects your ability to understand speech, analysis of specific
listening situations that are most important to you, and how you rate your satisfaction with your hearing ability in each of those situations. In some cases, the information gathered during this process may indicate that a customized hearing aid will remedy the problem. However, in other cases, alternative solutions like other assistive devices or communication strategies may be more useful. Often, a combination of these strategies will be most beneficial. If hearing aids are considered, this information, along with further conversation with your audiologist, will be crucial in helping you make the most appropriate choice by solving the hearing aid selection puzzle that involves cosmetics, cost, performance, and ease of use. At Hearing Center of Long Island, during this step in the journey to better hearing, we also determine the extent of your hearing loss and whether medical attention is needed. Then, we collaborate with you to determine your real-life listening needs, setting the stage for our discussion about possible solutions to your hearing problems. Sudoku
In our office, we find that during this phase, many people gain a greater understanding of the impact hearing loss has on their quality of life and that of their friends and family. We encourage a family member to be present for this interesting and sometimes enlightening consultation. Throughout this process, it is important to keep a positive attitude. Too often, we find that people with hearing difficulty — whether they are seeking help for the first time or have been wearing hearing aids for years — incorrectly assume nothing can be done to solve their hearing problems. In either case, many patients are pleasantly surprised to discover how satisfying the results of proper hearing care can be, once they have the help of experts. By considering key data and taking your concerns into consideration, our team can help guide you to the best solution.
On Listening The Sound of Laughter Two artists had a contest. It ended in a draw.
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“Listening is the only way to entertain some folks.”
–Kin Hubbard
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