Unraveling the Mystery: Exploring Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Treatments
Like ice cream that is sold in many places with many flavors, sometimes knowing where to treat your tinnitus and hearing loss and what type of technology is best for your cognitive needs, can leave people feeling confused and indecisive. Frankly, it is overwhelming.
Let’s start with the most important question: where do I go to start the process of addressing my tinnitus (and hearing loss)?
Go to www.excellenceinaudiology.org to get started!
Like everything in life, there are ‘bad apples in every orchard’. When a hearing healthcare provider offers an inexpertly applied, standardized solution, it tends to be cheaper than the fees of a specialist who offers custom prescribed treatment plans. When it comes to treating tinnitus (and nearly all medical conditions) cheaper, it usually implies there is economic pressure to cut corners and compromise care.
The medical treatment provided for tinnitus and hearing loss has permanent, lifelong, and life-impacting consequences. This concerns your health, including your risk of dementia, risk of falls, your ability to feel accepted and socialize with others, and your career longevity.
When possible, you always want to choose an audiologist or hearing specialist that focuses on the medical treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss.
Second, you may be asking: how do I know if my hearing healthcare provider is an audiologist or hearing specialist?
It is a great question and a critical one to ask as you seek treatment for your hearing loss and/or tinnitus. Accredited hearing healthcare practices and certified tinnitus specialists can be found online at www.ExcellenceInAudiology.org. You can find an approved specialist in your area who focuses on providing the right medical treatment for your tinnitus, hearing, and cognitive needs.
Finally, most people will wonder: “how do I know which technology I should use to treat my hearing loss”?
This question does not have a simple answer. Just as we are all different, so too is it true that all patients who experience tinnitus and hearing loss are different. Genetics, noise exposure, medications, medical history, and co-morbid disorders (i.e., diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc.) all play a role in your tinnitus and hearing loss. Thus, there is no ‘one answer’ to this question. But there are guidelines that you must follow and should be sure to review with your hearing healthcare specialist.
First – the correct medical recommendation never considers age or cost. A thorough evaluation that determines the cause of your tinnitus and its impact on cognitive function is the gold standard in hearing healthcare. Accept nothing less.
Second - traditional hearing aids suck. I hope you will excuse our being so blunt, but it had to be said! Because we spend every waking minute of every day with every patient working to provide the medical treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss, sometimes we can’t help but be offended by traditional hearing aids that do nothing but burn a hole in your pocket. These types of devices make sounds louder – and anybody with tinnitus will tell you – the last thing they need is to be overwhelmed with sound that will likely trigger their tinnitus! Like everything in life, when it comes to traditional hearing aids – you get what you pay for!
Third – always ask if the technology you are being recommended is custom-prescribed to address your tinnitus, your hearing loss, and your cognitive needs. In recent years, with the advances in AI and brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, treating tinnitus and hearing loss has never been easier and more satisfying for the patient.
"In hearing healthcare, the gold standard isn't just a measure of excellence; it's the symphony of sound quality, compassion, and expertise that harmonizes to create a world where every voice is heard, and every life is enriched."
--Excellence In Audiology Member Clinics