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(vii) Visible evidence of signicant cerumen
accumulation or a foreign body in the ear canal.
(viii) Pain or discomfort in the ear. Special care should
be exercised in selecting and tting a hearing
aid whose maximum sound pressure level
exceeds 132 decibels because there may be risk
of impairing the remaining hearing of the
hearing aid user. (This provision is required only
for those hearing aids with a maximum sound
pressure capability greater than 132 decibels (dB).)
Important Notice for Prospective
Hearing Aid Users
Good health practice requires that a person with a
hearing loss have a medical evaluation by a licensed
physician (preferably a physician who specializes
in diseases of the ear) before purchasing a hearing aid.
Licensed physicians who specialize in diseases of the
ear are often referred to as otolaryngologists, otologists
or otorhinolaryngologists. The purpose of medical
evaluation is to assure that all medically treatable
conditions that may aect hearing are identied
and treated before the hearing aid is purchased.
Following the medical evaluation, the physician will
give you a written statement that states that your
hearing loss has been medically evaluated and that
you may be considered a candidate for a hearing
aid. The physician will refer you to an audiologist or
a hearing aid dispenser, as appropriate, for a hearing
aid evaluation.
The audiologist or hearing aid dispenser will conduct
a hearing aid evaluation to assess your ability to hear
with and without a hearing aid. The hearing aid
evaluation will enable the audiologist or dispenser to
select and t a hearing aid to your individual needs.
If you have reservations about your ability to adapt to
amplication, you should inquire about the availability
of a trial-rental or purchase-option program. Many
hearing aid dispensers now oer programs that permit
you to wear a hearing aid for a period of time for a
nominal fee after which you may decide if you want to
purchase the hearing aid.
Federal law restricts the sale of hearing aids to those
individuals who have obtained a medical evaluation