Many mothers have had so much experience with children’s medications that they can not only diagnose but also medicate their kids without the help of a doctor. A large majority of people believe that self-treatment of diseases is actually cheaper. This proposition does seem true at first glance when you sum up the doctor’s fee, the cost of tests and analyses and the price of medicines.

However, self-treatment isn’t always cheaper when you dig a little deeper. One example substantiating this claim is that of hearing loss. A myth surrounding hearing loss treatment is that it can be made considerably cheaper if the treatment is done by the patient himself. Experts believe that this isn’t the case and here’s why:

You might miss treatable causes of hearing loss

Hearing loss is very common and the chances of developing it increase as we age. There are many reasons why one may develop hearing loss. Some of these may be permanent while others can be temporary. For example, a buildup of earwax or an infection in the middle ear may lead to hearing loss that is temporary and can be treated.

It is hard to identify the cause of hearing loss when you are self-treating. An audiologist may prescribe several tests and carry out a detailed analysis to uncover the root cause of hearing loss. If the cause is treatable, you can get rid of your temporary hearing loss. However, if you were self-treating your hearing loss, your next course of action would be to buy hearing aids or PSAPs, which would cost more than treating the infection or buildup of wax.

You may not be satisfied with what you buy

If you’re not seeing a doctor for your hearing loss, you’re probably thinking of buying some over-the-counter hearing aids or drugstore variety personal sound amplification products. These devices are cheap and affordable for most people, but there is one drawback. Over-the-counter hearing devices and drugstore variety hearing aids are not beneficial for all kinds of hearing loss. These devices are pretty rudimentary and only work to amplify all sounds. While they may be somewhat functional for people with mild hearing loss, they are not a good form of treatment for people who suffer from severe or profound hearing loss.

As a result, you may buy some over the counter hearing aids and realize they aren’t right for you after using them for a while. Unless you’re lucky enough to have your retailer take your hearing aids back, you will be stuck with sub-par hearing aids that don’t work for your type of hearing loss. Instead of making such a bad investment, it would be more worthwhile for you to see an audiologist and get hearing aids that are the right type and fit for you.