Recovery & Support for Hearing Loss

Hearing loss affects everyone differently. Some people prefer to adjust to hearing loss without a hearing aid or other assistive listening device. Many others prefer to explore medical or surgical options that are available to them.

NYU Langone physicians, audiologists, and counselors understand that hearing loss can have a profound effect on your everyday routines and social interactions. We offer programs and services to help you maintain your quality of life, regardless of what treatment option you pursue.

Lifestyle Changes

If the results of diagnostic tests indicate that your hearing loss is too mild to warrant a hearing aid, or if you prefer not to use a hearing aid, our experts can suggest lifestyle and environmental changes that may help you hear and communicate better.

For example, rooms that have carpeting and upholstered curtains absorb environmental noise better than rooms with tiled or wood-paneled floors, making it easier to hear someone who is speaking nearby. Choosing a restaurant or other meeting space that has a quiet environment may improve your ability to participate in conversations.

Facing the person you’re speaking with may also be helpful. Similarly, choosing a seat close to the front of a lecture hall or theater maximizes the amount of sound that reaches your ears.

Being open about your hearing loss may relieve stress and anxiety about your condition. Millions of people of all ages experience hearing loss, and your family, friends, and colleagues are likely to support you by making adjustments in everyday situations.

Cochlear Implant Support

If you’ve had a cochlear device implanted in one or both ears, our team of physicians, audiologists, and counselors at NYU Langone’s Cochlear Implant Center continues to work with you throughout the months after surgery.

Cochlear implants are sensitive devices that require careful calibration, which is a series of adjustments that enables the device to process sound well. Our cochlear implant audiologists ensure that the device is calibrated as frequently as needed for optimal performance. Our physicians and specialists are also available to answer any questions you have about using the device.

The NYU Langone Cochlear Implant Center has locations in Manhattan and across New York State, making our experts available if traveling into the city isn’t convenient for you.

Psychotherapy and Support Groups

Even with treatment, adjusting to hearing loss may cause stress, anxiety, and depression. Talking with a professional therapist about how hearing loss affects your emotional wellbeing may help. Our doctors can connect you with NYU Langone psychiatrists and psychologists who specialize in helping people through similar situations.

Our doctors can also recommend national organizations that offer regular meetings designed to connect people with hearing loss to each other in local support group settings. Surrounding yourself with people going through comparable experiences with hearing loss may provide comfort and camaraderie.

Integrative therapies offered at NYU Langone, including acupuncture, acupressure, and meditation, may also help to relax the body and alleviate physical and emotional tension.

Hearing Loss Research Studies

Doctors and researchers at NYU Langone are continually investigating methods to improve the treatment of hearing loss, including new cochlear implant and hearing aid technologies.

Your ENT doctor or audiologist can provide more information about the possibility of participating in research studies at NYU Langone.