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(i) Audiometric air-bone gap equal to or greater than
15 decibels at 500 hertz (Hz), 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz.
(ii) Visible evidence of significant cerumen accumulation
or a foreign body in the ear canal.
(iii) Pain or discomfort in the ear. Special care should be
exercised in selecting and fitting 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
