The Role of Hearing Health Professionals in Providing Protection Advice

Hearing health professionals are an important part of the ear health industry, offering expert advice and guidance for those with hearing concerns. While it’s important for everyone to get their hearing checked, not everyone does or has attended a hearing test before. With that in mind, if you’re curious about getting your hearing tested, then it’s useful to know what an audiologist does and what advice they can provide on hearing protection.

Why Are Audiologists Important for Ear Health?

Audiologists are qualified to assess the hearing of an individual in order to determine whether there’s any cause for concern or need for action. There are many contributors to ear health and therefore it’s important for an individual to get assessed ideally on a yearly basis. By having an audiologist check your hearing, it can improve each person’s quality of life as a result.

Ear care is something that’s extremely important, especially as your ears are vulnerable to damage easily. Any sound over 70 decibels that’s prolonged, can begin to harm to an individual’s hearing. There are several ways in which you can protect your hearing health without needing to see an audiologist first. These include:

• Wearing hearing protection.
• Lowering the volume while listening to music or watching television.
• Keeping your ears clean and dry.

What to Expect When You Visit an Audiologist

When it comes to providing hearing protection for your ears, it’s worthwhile speaking to an audiologist. Audiologists evaluate and diagnose those with hearing loss and balance disorders. They can provide detailed guidance and expertise on what protection might be needed to keep your hearing in good shape but also what options are available where hearing loss has occurred.

So, what should you expect from your first appointment with a hearing health professional? An audiologist will first speak to you about your medical history, the environment you work in and your lifestyle. After asking a few questions, your audiologist will then conduct a number of tests in order to assess your level of hearing. Once the tests are over, you should get the results immediately and then your audiologist can go over your options.

If you don’t need any assistive devices, then you might be recommended some tips in order to keep your hearing protected.

Types of Hearing Protection and Advice

Along with what you’ll already know about keeping your hearing protected, your audiologist might recommend a number of hearing protection options. These include:

• Earplugs
• Custom-molded earplugs
• Earmuffs
• Noise-canceling headphones

It’s worth making sure you purchase any of the above, should they be recommended. This might be encouraged if you’re in an environment where you are going to be exposed to prolonged loud noises. Your hearing is something that you should take as seriously as your eye health or dental health.

Getting checked over by an audiologist regularly is important, as is checking in with them whenever you feel it’s necessary. Don’t put your hearing tests off, especially if you’ve got any concerns.