Advice on when to seek health care services FDA Guidelines (Opens in New Tab)

Some people with hearing loss may need help from a hearing healthcare professional. How do you know if you need to see one?

• You can’t hear speech even if the room is quiet.
• You don’t hear loud sounds well, for example, you don’t hear loud music, power tools, engines, or other very noisy things.
• You have tried an Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aid and it hasn’t helped you.
• Even people with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss can benefit from the individualized care provided by a hearing care professional.

WARNING: When to See a Doctor

If you have any of the problems listed below, please consult a physician.

• Your ear has a birth defect or an unusual shape. Your ear was injured or deformed in an accident.
• You saw blood, pus, or fluid coming out of your ear in the past 6 months.
• Your ear feels painful or uncomfortable.
• You have a lot of ear wax, or you think something could be in your ear.
• You get really dizzy or have a feeling of spinning or swaying (called vertigo).
• Your hearing changed suddenly in the past 6 months.
• Your hearing changes: it gets worse then gets better again.
• You have worse hearing in one ear.
• You hear ringing or buzzing in only one ear.

Visit Consumer Ear Disease Risk Assessment (CEDRA) (Opens in New Tab) to help self-screen for ear diseases before seeking a hearing device.