Most cases of hearing loss are permanent and cannot be helped through medication or surgery. For these types of hearing loss, hearing aids typically do help. If you are experiencing temporary hearing loss, or hearing loss due to a medical condition, you should speak with your hearing professional abour whether a referral to a medical doctor is appropriate.
For permanent hearing loss, keep in mind that hearing aid technology has advanced significantly in recent years. For example, in the past, fitting people with high-frequency hearing loss (a common type of hearing loss due to noise exposure and/or aging) was challenging. This was because of issues with whistling (called feedback) and a "plugged-up" feeling (called occlusion). Today, open-fit, behind-the-ear models have been designed specifically for high-frequency hearing losses. They have technology that reduces or eliminates feedback, and tiny earpieces that leave the ear canal open so occlusion isn’t a problem.
Before making assumptions about your candidacy for hearing aids, have a complete hearing evaluation by an audiologist or a hearing instrument specialist. A current examination will determine the type and degree of your hearing loss, and whether or not you are a candidate for hearing aids. Some people still mistakenly believed that hearing aids aren’t for people with “nerve” losses – yet these are exactly the people who hearing aids are usually designed for!
