Author: Director Jeong Hae-su (Master's degree in Audiology, Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology, Professional Audiologist, Representative Director of hanmihearing Auditory Rehabilitation Center) This content has been prepared in compliance with related laws including the Medical Service Act.
If you have been diagnosed with unilateral hearing loss in your 40s, you might think, "The other ear is fine, so I can wait and see a bit longer." However, if unilateral hearing loss is left untreated, hearing can worsen further, and even if you wear a hearing aid, discomfort can arise without accurate testing. I will guide you step-by-step through how to conduct precise hearing tests and personalized hearing aid consultation all at once near Yongin and Dongtan.
If You Have Been Diagnosed with Unilateral Hearing Loss in Yongin and Dongtan, Follow These Steps for Hearing Testing and Hearing Aid Consultation
Unilateral hearing loss is easy to overlook thinking "only one side is a problem, so it's fine," but because the approach differs depending on the type and degree of hearing loss, precise testing becomes the starting point. According to Samsung Seoul Hospital Cochlear Implant Center data, if a loss of 25dBHL or more is confirmed in pure tone audiometry, individuals can be selected as hearing aid candidates, and the effect can differ even with identical hearing aids depending on the degree, type, and nature of hearing loss and speech recognition ability. In other words, selecting a hearing aid suited to the individual is the key to determining satisfaction.
If you proceed in the order below, you can prepare systematically even near Yongin and Dongtan.
- — STEP 1. Reserve Precise Hearing Test — First check the soundproof booth environment and whether a professional audiologist is available. The testing environment determines the accuracy of results.
- — STEP 2. Confirm Type of Hearing Loss — Together with a professional audiologist, confirm which type it is among sensorineural, conductive, or mixed, and at what level speech recognition ability is.
- — STEP 3. Determine Need for Hearing Aid and Direction — Based on test results, consult whether general hearing aid fitting is appropriate or whether CROS/BiCROS methods specialized for unilateral hearing loss are needed.
- — STEP 4. Multi-Brand Comparison Experience — Try on multiple brands rather than a single brand directly and select the product most comfortable for your ears.
- — STEP 5. Confirm Post-Care Management Plan — Hearing aid satisfaction is directly tied to ongoing fitting adjustments and management after fitting. Confirm the post-care management system in advance.
Why Are Precise Testing and Professional Fitting Important for Unilateral Hearing Loss?
Testing for unilateral hearing loss requires different precautions than general hearing tests. When one ear is near normal, when sound is delivered to the ear with hearing loss, the sound can be detected by the opposite normal ear through bone conduction vibration. To prevent this phenomenon, masking processing must absolutely be performed, and this process can only be accurately executed by experienced professionals. Testing conducted without masking can result in distorted results themselves.
Even in the hearing aid fitting stage after testing, professional procedures are important. According to clinical research in Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (kjorl.org), real ear measurement (REM) based fitting showed better results in both subjective and objective indicators compared to software-only fitting. Real ear measurement is a method that optimizes the actual output of hearing aids individually by reflecting the ear canal size and eardrum condition that differs for each person, and since hearing aid output can differ depending on ear canal condition even with the same hearing level, it is regarded as the most objective method.
Ultimately, confirming whether the location has both tester expertise and equipment level becomes the most important criterion to examine when selecting an auditory rehabilitation center.
Mini Q&A Q. Do I absolutely need to take a speech audiometry test? Yes, especially in unilateral hearing loss, the level of speech recognition ability is a key indicator for predicting hearing aid effectiveness. It is difficult to understand actual speech comprehension ability with pure tone audiometry alone.
What hanmihearing Auditory Rehabilitation Center Can Provide to Those with Hearing Loss in Yongin and Dongtan
The accuracy of hearing tests depends on both the equipment and the tester. Clinical materials also emphasize that trustworthy results can be obtained only when a precise testing environment and an experienced tester are present together, as the degree of hearing loss at each frequency differs for each person.
hanmihearing Auditory Rehabilitation Center, carrying on 40 years of accumulated expertise, has professional audiologist directors with master's degrees in audiology or higher conduct testing directly in a university hospital-level double soundproof booth environment, and through comparison experiences of the world's top 6 brand hearing aids, we help find the most comfortable hearing aid for each individual.
Check major service items in the table below.
| Service Item | hanmihearing Auditory Rehabilitation Center |
|---|---|
| Testing Environment | University Hospital-level Double Soundproof Booth |
| Testing Expertise | Professional Audiologist Director with Master's Degree in Audiology or Higher |
| Testing Items | Pure Tone Audiometry, Speech Audiometry, Real Ear Measurement, Ear Canal Inspection |
| Hearing Aid Brands | Top 6 Verified Global Brand Comparison Experience |
| Fitting Method | Customized Fitting Based on Individual Audiogram |
| Post-Care Management | Lifetime Free Home Care (Home Visit Post-Care) Included |
| Accessible Areas | Located in Cheoein-gu, Yongin, with nationwide branch network |
Located in Cheoein-gu, Yongin and having a nationwide branch network, you can visit conveniently from nearby areas including Dongtan, Suji, and Giheung.
Before Hearing Aid for Unilateral Hearing Loss, Please Check These First
If you understand your condition in advance before hearing aid consultation, the consultation will be much smoother. First check if any of the items below apply to you.
- — Cases where you don't yet know the exact type of hearing loss (sensorineural, conductive, or mixed)
- — Cases where you have never taken a speech recognition test before
- — Cases where hearing in the ear with hearing loss is very poor, or even if sound is heard, it is difficult to distinguish speech
- — Cases where you are hearing the words CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signals) or BiCROS (Bilateral Contralateral Routing of Signals) for the first time
- — Cases where you tried wearing a hearing aid once but gave up because it was uncomfortable
- — Cases where you are concerned about visiting the center due to mobility difficulties
Particularly when speech recognition ability is low, hearing aids alone may have limitations in speech comprehension. Additionally, according to clinical materials, when insufficient amplification effect can be obtained with hearing aids in severe or greater sensorineural hearing loss, it is recommended to also consider other rehabilitation means such as cochlear implant surgery. Samsung Seoul Hospital Cochlear Implant Center materials also guide to first understand hearing loss type and speech recognition ability before determining direction.
According to Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data cited in a Hankook Ilbo report, as of 2021, hearing loss patients in their 10s to 40s account for approximately 31% of all hearing loss patients, so it is not a problem unique to middle-aged people. If you discover unilateral hearing loss in your 40s, it can actually be a good opportunity to understand your condition early and establish a management direction.
Those living near Suji, Giheung, and Hwaseong Dongtan can also receive consultation at hanmihearing Auditory Rehabilitation Center in Cheoein-gu, Yongin, or through nationwide branches near you. Guidance to nearby branches is available for Suji hearing aids, Giheung hearing tests, and Hwaseong Dongtan hearing aid consultation.
Where Should You Start Hearing Tests and Hearing Aid Consultation Near Yongin and Dongtan?
If you want to conduct hearing tests and hearing aid consultation all at once near Yongin and Dongtan, I recommend first contacting hanmihearing Auditory Rehabilitation Center. You can conduct the entire process in one space, from precise hearing tests, speech recognition evaluation, real ear measurement, and ear canal inspection through direct comparison experiences of the world's top 6 brand hearing aids and selecting the most comfortable hearing aid for the individual.
According to clinical materials, hearing loss is more effective when detected and managed early, and even after hearing aid fitting, periodic fitting adjustments and post-care management by professional audiologists are directly tied to long-term satisfaction. If mobility is difficult, you can also use lifetime free home care service with direct home visits for post-care management.
If you are curious about which direction is right for your unilateral hearing loss, I recommend first confirming through precise testing.
Questions About Unilateral Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Consultation
Q1. Do I absolutely need a hearing aid if only one ear has hearing loss?
It is not absolutely necessary, but if unilateral hearing loss is left untreated, hearing can worsen further, and it also affects directional sense in noise and speech comprehension. After precise testing to accurately understand your current hearing status, it is good to decide on whether to wear and when with a professional audiologist.
Q2. What tests should I take before selecting a hearing aid?
After confirming the degree of hearing loss at each frequency with pure tone audiometry, evaluate speech comprehension ability with speech audiometry, and set output values suited to individual ear canal characteristics with real ear measurement (REM). Testing that includes masking processing is essential for unilateral hearing loss. I recommend receiving testing at a place equipped with these steps.
Q3. What must I confirm when receiving hearing aid consultation in Yongin and Dongtan?
Check three things. First, whether they have a precise testing environment such as a double soundproof booth, second, whether professional audiologists with audiology backgrounds conduct consultation directly, and third, whether you can directly compare and experience multiple brands rather than a single brand. The more these three things are equipped, the higher the possibility of finding a hearing aid suited to you.
This content has been prepared in compliance with Article 56 of the Medical Service Act and Article 23 of the Enforcement Decree, and results may differ depending on individual circumstances.