[vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”2/3″][text_output]The Ear, Nose, and Throat physicians and audiologists at Central Park Ear, Nose, and Throat know that you have many choices when it comes to caring for your hearing. Oftentimes our patients are inundated with information about hearing technology in mass direct mail advertisements, through the newspaper, and of course on the internet. Unfortunately these advertisements erroneously depict hearing instruments as a retail-type audio device and employ misleading discount and markdown schemes.
Hearing loss is a serious medical condition that can significantly compromise your quality of life. The professionals you consult should be well trained in differentiating types of hearing loss (age-related, noise, infection, etc.) and making appropriate referrals for the best course of treatment. ENT physicians will make medical decisions regarding medication or surgery if necessary. Once the medical consultation is complete and clearance has been obtained, the patient with hearing loss should consult with an audiologist about their options for better hearing.
The hearing healthcare field was modeled after Ophthalmology, establishing equivalents to optometrists and opticians. For example, both can dispense corrective lenses. Within hearing healthcare, there are audiologists (Master’s or Doctoral-level training) who fit and dispense hearing instruments and hearing aid dispensers/specialists (minimum requirement of a high-school diploma). According to Consumer Reports, “our suggested choice is a medical office headed by an otolaryngologist (ENT physician) who employs an audiologist. Both types of people (audiologists and hearing aid dispensers) can evaluate your hearing and fit your hearing aids. But their training varies significantly. Newly minted audiologists must have a doctoral degree (generally the Au.D.), pass national and sometimes state tests, and have more than 1,000 hours of clinical training.
You might not necessarily know when you walk in the door which professional you are dealing with. Our shoppers occasionally encountered two or three types working at the same office. Our survey respondents had a difficult time even making distinctions among professionals; 87 percent said they’d visited audiologists, though many had gone to vendors known in the industry to be staffed primarily with hearing-aid specialists.
Does it matter whether the office is staffed by an audiologist or a hearing-aid specialist? Audiologists have broader training and, unlike hearing-aid specialists, can treat auditory conditions that might be better addressed without hearing aids, such as balance problems.
Audiologists made fewer serious fitting errors than did hearing-aid specialists; in about two-thirds of all of the fittings, patients ended up with incorrect amplification.
Consider practical things, too. Check with your state to make sure the professionals’ licenses are current, and with the Better Business Bureau or state attorney general’s office for complaints.”
The audiologists at Central Park Ear, Nose, and Throat thank you for your consideration and look forward to assisting you in your journey to better hearing.[/text_output][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][image type=”none” float=”none” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”540″][/vc_column][/vc_row]