Your hearing matters! But hearing loss is a common health condition facing Americans and an issue that many of our patients here at Light ENT in Brighton Beach face. Along with other ear, nose, and throat issues, we help with hearing loss treatment, including hearing aids and offer free hearing aid consultations. Continue reading to learn more about your hearing loss treatment options, and if you’d like to schedule an appointment with our ENT doctor, contact us today.
Why Treat Hearing Loss?
As we age, most of us lose at least some of our ability to hear. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek treatment! Hearing loss negatively impacts learning and social engagement, and also makes it difficult to follow day-to-day conversations. Those who suffer from hearing loss may begin withdrawing from friends and family as well as activities and other things they enjoy. Untreated hearing loss for older adults has also been linked to psychological issues, such as cognitive decline and depression.
Earwax Build-Up
Hearing loss can also be caused by the build-up of earwax, which can cause fluid in the middle ear or a perforated eardrum. This is called conductive hearing loss and usually requires treatment from an ENT doctor, like those at Light ENT. Earwax blockage can be removed using suction or a small tool, or it may require a minimal surgical procedure.
Hearing Aids
If your health care professional, like an ENT doctor, recommends hearing aids, they will work with you to make sure they fit your unique needs. This process is called a hearing aid fitting. Hearing aids don’t cure or restore hearing, rather they simply amplify sound. Today’s hearing aids are very high-tech, and they can amplify the sounds you want to hear while minimizing those you don’t. You can even connect them to your phone via Bluetooth so you can hear videos, music, or phone calls.
Cochlear Implants
More severe hearing loss that is only minimally helped with hearing aids may benefit from a cochlear implant. Unlike a hearing aid that simply amplifies a sound, a cochlear implant bypasses the damaged/non-working areas of the inner ear and stimulates the hearing nerve. You’ll need an audiologist and a specialized doctor to discuss the potential risks and benefits of a cochlear implant.
Surgical Procedures
Some types of hearing loss can be treated with surgery, and an ENT doctor can help you understand your options. Abnormalities in the eardrum or bones or chronic sinus infections may be causing your hearing loss, and surgery may help.
Light ENT – Boynton Beach ENT Doctor
At Light ENT, we treat hearing loss, as well as other ear, nose, and throat issues such as allergies and sinusitis. When it comes to ENT issues, you need someone who is experienced, understanding, and supportive. We work together as a team to ensure that we are responsive to your needs. Our ENT services include:
- Allergy treatment
- Sinusitis treatment
- Balloon sinus dilation
- Deviated septum treatment
- Hearing loss treatment, including hearing aids
- Sleep health
- And more
Dr. Light is a double board-certified physician in Otolaryngology and received his training at NYU Medical Center. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.