People suffering from hearing loss can get tested and receive a fitting for a hearing aid at several locations in Orlando, Florida. Today's digital technology makes hearing aids smaller and more inconspicuous than ever. Hearing aids can have individualized settings to reduce feedback and filter out background noise. Hearing aids are available in different casing designs and colors.
Local Hearing Centers
An otherwise healthy senior with age-related hearing loss might want to keep treatment simple. Arranging doctor or hospital visits may take awhile and incur unneeded expenses. A visit to a locally owned hearing center can save time and money. These centers specialize in administering hearing tests and fitting hearing aids, so they'll have many aids already in stock in the facility. These centers offer hearing evaluations and tinnitus screenings, just like an ENT doctor. Florida Hospital Hearing Centers has two locations in Orlando, one in Altamonte Springs and another in east Orlando. Staffed by Au.D. (Doctors of Audiology) , they can write treatment plans and prescribe hearing equipment.
Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors
People of all ages with hearing loss, tinnitus or other ear problems can obtain a thorough examination from an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor, also called an otolaryngologist. An ENT will give you a physical examination and hearing test, and take your medical history. This will help the doctor to rule out causes besides hearing loss. If the doctor determines that a patient needs a hearing aid, he will take a mold of his ear to ensure best fit and function. The Florida Otolaryngology Group, with offices in Orlando and Winter Park, has four licensed audiology doctors. It offers vocational rehabilitation for patients whose hearing loss impedes their livelihood.
Clinics
General health care clinics can examine patients for ear infections, tinnitus and other problems. A walk-in clinic, such as Urgent Med in Orlando, may not have all the specialized audiology equipment of a hearing center or private ear, nose and throat doctor, but it can refer patients to a specialist. Depending on his credentials, the doctor on duty may be able to write a prescription for a hearing aid. If not, the patient will have to visit an ENT or Au.D. to obtain a prescription.
National Hearing Aid Chains
Hearing aid centers with stores across the country can serve patients with highly specialized testing and hearing aids. A full-service international chain of hearing aid providers, Beltone, opened its first store in Chicago in 1940. The chain has several locations in Florida, including one in Clermont, just west of Orlando. Its up-to-date facilities feature the latest computerized hearing tests and in-the-ear hearing aids. Since it is an international chain that offers only hearing tests and hearing aids at its locations, wider selections of models and special devices, such as hearing aids that work with cell phones and MP3 players, are available without a long waiting period.
Hearing Aid Fittings
A hearing evaluation involves an audiometric hearing test, which assesses how well the patient hears tones and spoken words. A doctor will play various recordings while the patient listens through headphones. The doctor will perform a bone conduction test if the hearing test indicates poor hearing. The bone test determines if the hearing loss results from a middle or inner ear problem. A putty-like material is molded to the ear and sets for 10 minutes. It's taken out and sent to a lab, where technicians customize a hearing aid.
