11 Red Flags That Mean You Need a Doctor Before Hearing Aids

Not everyone who comes to me should be sold a hearing aid.

Before any fitting, I screen for 11 red flags. They come from my College's own protocol. If you have one of them, the next step is your doctor, not a hearing aid.

Six you can spot yourself

1. Sudden hearing loss. Hearing that drops suddenly, gets worse quickly, or comes and goes. Don't wait it out. The sooner it's treated, the better it goes.

2. Bleeding or discharge. Any fluid or blood from your ear in the last 90 days.

3. Ear pain. Ongoing pain or discomfort in the ear.

4. Ringing in one ear. Ringing in only one ear, or ringing that pulses with your heartbeat.

5. Dizziness. Dizziness that keeps coming back or won't go away, or balance that keeps getting worse.

6. Facial weakness. Weakness or drooping on one side of your face. This one needs urgent attention. Contact your doctor or go to emergency right away.

Five only a proper hearing test can find

7. Shape of the ear canal. An ear canal that's formed differently, or changes in it that nobody has looked into.

8. Something in the canal. A foreign object, or wax built up enough to block it. If I can't see your eardrum, I can't discuss your hearing.

9. One ear much worse. A difference of 30 dB or more between your ears.

10. Conductive loss. The test shows sound being blocked on the way in.

11. Word recognition. One ear understands words much worse than the other, even though the hearing levels match.

What happens if I find one

I stop and refer you to your family doctor, who can send you on to a specialist. Once you have medical clearance, we go ahead with the testing and fitting.

I bring the whole clinic to your kitchen table across West Kelowna, Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland and Penticton. Call me at 778-215-5261. I'm open every day, 8am to 6pm.