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A hearing care professional should advise a
prospective hearing aid user to consult promptly
with a licensed physician (preferably an ear
specialist) before dispensing a hearing aid if the
hearing care professional determines through
inquiry, actual observation, or review of any
other available information concerning the
prospective user, that the prospective user has
any of the following conditions:
i. Visible congenital or traumatic deformity of
the ear.
ii. History of active drainage from the ear within
the previous 90 days.
iii. History of sudden or rapidly progressive
hearing loss within the previous 90 days.
iv. Acute or chronic dizziness.
v. Unilateral hearing loss of sudden or recent
onset within the previous 90 days.
vi. Audiometric air-bone gap equal to or greater
than 15 decibels at 500 hertz (Hz), 1,000 Hz,
and 2,000 Hz.
vii. Visible evidence of significant cerumen
accumulation or a foreign body in the ear
canal.
viii. Pain or discomfort in the ear.
Warning to hearing care
professionals
