Millions of American suffer from hearing loss. For many, this necessitates the purchase of hearing aids but these expensive devices aren’t always a necessary solution. Aural rehabilitation is the process of helping an individual cope with and treat hearing loss.
The reason for decreased sensitivity to sounds can arise from a wide range of causes including physical damage to the ear, a hereditary condition, developmental disability, or the normal aging process. Hearing rehabilitation programs can help restore patients’ hearing ability.
The primary purpose of administering listening rehabilitation is to determine the best possible solution for hearing loss. In most cases, patients are treated by a hearing care professional in several steps, which if necessary, may lead to the selection of the proper hearing aid device.
Diagnosing Loss of Hearing
The first step in rehabilitation of an individual suffering from loss of hearing is to determine the cause and extent of the problem. People who are born with limited auditory reception capability are usually diagnosed with a defective hearing mechanism, perhaps stemming from a genetic disorder. Others may have been exposed to disease during fetal development and have a lessened degree of hearing capability because of brain damage.
The health care professional performing tests will determine what ability the patient has concerning the auditory sense. He or she can then recommend rehabilitation or a proper method of amplifying sounds through the use of a hearing aid.
Therapy For Hearing Loss
With therapy, the patient may undergo training and strategies for listening enhancement and rehabilitation. Services may be offered in a provider’s office or even offered as a home program. It is like physical therapy for the patient’s ears. Early diagnosis of hearing loss is critical in order that an appropriate rehabilitation program be designed for the individual.
Listening rehabilitation programs have helped tens of thousand of people improving their hearing and listening skills by up to 40%. Listening enhancement therapy helps patients develop the skills and strategies necessary to deal with situations when hearing is inadequate. These programs can also benefit those whom already have hearing aids, helping those affected get more out of life.
If a hearing device is needed, hearing aid orientation may involve several visits to a specialist for the purpose of learning how to correctly wear the hearing aid as well as how to take care of it. Hearing aids are designed specifically for the individual and have their components adjusted according to the level of amplification needed.
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This article was contributed by Jason Nelson on behalf of Nilsson Hearing Center. They can be found online at http://www.nilssonhearingonline.com.
