How to Treat Hearing Problems

Hearing problems can greatly decrease your quality of life and present a danger in everyday situations. From watching movies to hearing car horns, hearing is an important sense to which you need to pay attention. By treating hearing problems early, you can address and possibly correct them before they become too serious.

Instructions

• 1

  Evaluate your hearing problem. Before seeing a doctor, you need to be able to present the duration and severity of the hearing problem to her. Keep a careful log of when the problem began, whether it has gotten worse or better since the initial onset and its approximate severity. Certain problems, such as clogged ears caused by flying in an airplane, will require different treatment than a gradual hearing loss taking place over the past year.

• 2

  See an ear, nose and throat doctor. These doctors specialize in hearing problems, among other things, and can help evaluate the severity of your hearing problem. Your general practitioner should be able to recommend one in your area if you have never seen an ENT. Your GP may wish to evaluate you beforehand; in this case you should present your log to him and describe your hearing problem in detail.

• 3

  Ask your doctor questions. You need to understand your condition to know how to treat your hearing loss. Ask your doctor about the significance and degree of hearing loss as well as his opinion regarding what is causing it and if a hearing aid may be right for you.

• 4

  Consider devices to improve your hearing loss. For mild to moderate hearing loss, hearing aids can help you recover some of the perception you have lost. Evaluate your options with your doctor; you may choose a behind-the-ear device, an in-the-ear aid or an aid that goes in the ear canal.