What is the value of an Ear Nose and Throat doctor before the purchase of a hearing aid? This question has come up many times  about the importance of seeing an Ear Nose and Throat before starting the journey of finding a hearing aid.  Internet sales and over the counter products are denying patients the proper healthcare.  Many people have the misconception that seeing a Specialist is more expensive and that the hearing aids they offer are higher in price.  Nothing is further than the truth.  Your ENT doctor offers competitively priced aids for all budgets that even compete with big markets like Costco and Sams.  Another bonus is that ENTs employ Doctors of Audiology to diagnose and fit your hearing aids.  Audiologists have a total schooling of 8 years to provide you with that service and assist doctors with balance and other testing.

Unfortunately, we have had patients skip the ENT starting point and come in with hearing loss that could have been surgically treated.  Acoustic tumors are another condition that has been missed because the patient was not referred properly to see a doctor before being fit with the hearing aids.  My question to you as the patient is if your ear problems are important to see a Specialist, why would you tolerate less for the hearing aid part?  You can have both!  Happy Hearing!

ear nose and throat doctor looking into a woman's ear