Finding an audiologist that meets your requirements takes more than searching for a hearing test near me and choosing the first clinic to appear in the search results. Use these tips to make an informed choice.
Check Their Registration
All audiologists practising in the UK are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You can check an audiologist’s registration on the HCPC website using their name or clinic. If they are not registered then look elsewhere.
Understand What the Test Involves
A simple hearing screening test will tell you whether or not there is a problem with your hearing, but it will not tell you the nature and degree of any hearing loss that you may have. This requires a full diagnostic hearing assessment, which will plot your hearing loss across all frequencies and provide you with a full explanation of the results of your test. When searching for a Hearing Test Near Me make sure to ask if a diagnostic audiogram test will be carried out at your appointment, or if a simple pass or fail screening test will be conducted.
Independent Audiologists vs Retail Chains
When comparing Independent audiologists to Retail Chains there is the odd occasion that a high-street store may carry out your free hearing test and then immediately try and sell you hearing aids, however Independent audiologists will spend more time with you to determine your exact needs and also do not get tied down to any particular manufacturer, if your needs are not met by a particular product they can recommend an alternative from another manufacturer.
Ask About Aftercare
A hearing aid is only optimised for your ear after fine-tuning sessions. So, it is very important to ask for the fine-tuning sessions and also for the annual check-ups and the repairs that are needed.
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Match the Clinic to Your Needs
Every type of hearing loss is different and requires different treatment. If you suffer from tinnitus, a balance disorder or another type of complex hearing loss, it is very important to check whether the independent audiologist has experience treating your type of hearing loss before booking an appointment.