subject: What Happens After A Hearing Test? [print this page] Having a hearing test is step one in getting the help you need. You are not alone in feeling some loss is occurring. By the time most people are age 50, about one-third will be unable to hear well. By the time individuals reach age 65, that number increases and about half of all individuals have some level of loss of the ability to hear. Even if you are younger than this, you could be experiencing loss due to damage from the sounds you've been exposed to. When this happens, you shouldn't put off getting help. Rather, you should seek out help to improve the situation.
There Is No Cure
One of the hardest things to hear your doctor say after a hearing test is that you have some damage to the nerve endings in your ear. The reason is that there is no way to fix the problem permanently. In many cases, it will get worse over time, though your doctor may tell you about ways you can prevent it from getting worse as quickly. Because sounds can damage the very fine nerve endings that are on the eardrum and these cannot be fixed, this is a condition most people have to live with for years.
Can a Device Help?
A variety of devices are available that could provide you with the help you need in getting back some of the lost ability to hear that you had. These devices often amplify the sounds you are exposed to. By making them louder and directing them into the ear more effectively, it is possible to hear better. A variety of devices can help, each one slightly different in how it works and whom it can work with.
After your hearing test, your doctor will discuss your condition with you. If you are seeing an audiologist, he or she will also be able to provide you with a fitting for such a device. Don't worry. Many will fit well into the ear canal. They are easy to use and work well, but no one has to know they are present unless you tell them about the presence. You will learn how to use them, care for them and how to get help for them if they should stop working.
Only you know how bad your ability to hear is. However, once you go to a hearing test, you can learn about your condition and what you can do about it. Though there is no cure, there are ways to improve sound so that you can get back to living and doing the things that you enjoy doing. You do not have to through life without sound in many cases.
