Do You Need to See a Doctor for Your Hearing Health Symptoms?

It's not always easy to know when to see a doctor or sit it out when it comes to hearing. Minor things can make for temporary hearing issues that aren't so serious. Others are much bigger and important to have looked at.

If you've had a history of hearing issues or are having trouble for the first time, there are things you'll want to consider when deciding whether or not it's time to call the doctor. If you or a family member or friend are noticing hearing issues, read more to find out when it's time to make that call.

Hearing Aids and Other Devices

If you've had trouble with your hearing for years, you may know that it's time to make a call to an audiologist. But there are plenty of reasons by someone, nevertheless, ignore their hearing health needs. Some people don't want to feel like a bother. Some don't want to take time out of their lives. Others are worried about COVID-19 and exposure from leaving the house. For these reasons, they may suffer or wait unnecessarily instead of advocating for their hearing.

If you have a hearing device and it isn't working for you, never put your hearing health on hold. You came this far for better hearing and shouldn't let anything get in the way of your old or new hearing aids doing their job for you. Whether you need medical experts to look at your device for a tune-up or you think something may be going on with your hearing loss, it's important to give your audiologist a call and ask for an appointment if you are experiencing increased hearing loss or think there may be something wrong with your hearing aids.

Second Opinions

No matter when you call about hearing symptoms, if you don't like what you hear or think a doctor is wrong, never hesitate to get a second opinion. With MediFind, you can easily locate doctors and specialists who will work with you to access your situation. It's okay to decide one doctor or the other isn't the right fit for you. You know your body and ears best. If something feels off, don't hesitate to reach out to ask for a second opinion.

Your overall quality of life depends on having a working relationship with top doctors you trust. Finding the right doctor for you will go a lot further than a routine hearing test and basic exam. The right doctor will help with informed health decisions, exploring treatment options, work with you to get your best hearing, and be apprised of new treatments, and even keep you in the loop on new research. All of these things are important to better care; something you not only have a right to but deserve. Doctors are only human and do make mistakes. Trust your gut and never hesitate to ask for a second opinion or to search for one using the algorithm in the MediFind symptom checker.

Overall Symptoms and Hearing Health

If you've noticed changes with your hearing either over time or out of the blue, it's time to call your doctor so that he or she can order hearing tests to determine the underlying cause. Untreated hearing loss can be serious and establishing a personal connection with a specialist will pay off.

While minor symptoms like water in the ear, advanced age, a head cold, or other reasons for normal acute hearing loss may not be reasons to call the doctor, others are. Never feel bad about advocating for yourself or your loved ones. An ear infection hurts and could lead to trouble down the road. Don't let anyone else decide when it's time to make that call if you're not sure. If you can't decide, err on the side of caution. At the end of the day, your hearing is serious and your health is important. If you believe you need to see your doctor, don't hesitate to call for a check-up.