April 26, 2011

Coming up, Better Hearing Month!

May is Better Hearing Month

Hearing loss currently affects more than 36 million Americans today, and is the third most common health problem in the United States. Although hearing problems are commonly associated with advanced age, more than half of all hearing-impaired persons are younger than 65. With the increased use of personal music players (MP3s) and earbuds, the number of Americans experiencing hearing loss at a younger age is growing.

On average, most Americans consider hearing loss a condition that is simply associated with aging, and don’t know how to recognize the condition or who is qualified to diagnose and treat the condition. In an effort to raise public awareness for the growing number of Americans suffering from hearing loss, the American Academy of Audiology in conjunction with Jacksonville Hearing and Balance Institute (JHBI) is celebrating Better Hearing Month this May.

“Hearing loss can be caused by exposure to loud noises; ear infections, trauma, or ear disease; harm to the inner ear and ear drum; illness or certain medications; and deterioration due to normal aging process,” explains [intlink id=”55″ type=”page”]Dr. J. Douglas Green[/intlink], Founder and President of Jacksonville Hearing and Balance Institute.

An audiologist is a highly educated and clinically experienced health-care professional who specialize in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating people with hearing loss and balance disorders. Hearing loss can affect patients of all ages—children, teens, adults, and the elderly.

You may have a problem with your hearing and need to [intlink id=”133″ type=”page”]see an audiologist[/intlink], if you have trouble hearing conversation in a noisy environment such as a restaurant, are unable to hear people talk to you without looking at them, or have a constant ringing or pain in your ears.

The first step in treatment of a hearing problem is a hearing evaluation by an audiologist. JHBI’s audiologists have areas of expertise which include, but are not limited to:

  • Performing hearing evaluations
  • Prescribing and fitting hearing aids
  • Conducting [intlink id=”97″ type=”page”]cochlear implant programming and counseling[/intlink]
  • Providing hearing rehabilitation training such as:
    • Auditory training
    • Speech reading
    • Listening skills improvement
    • Assistive listening device fitting and dispensing

Although most hearing loss is permanent, an audiologist can determine the best treatment, which may include hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and hearing rehabilitation.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, [intlink id=”129″ type=”page”]contact us[/intlink].

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