National Audiology Awareness Month
Early Detection And Treatment Of Hearing Loss
By Pat Gavin

WEYMOUTH - Over 36 million American adults have some degree of hearing loss. That is more than four times the number of people who live in New York City. The statistics are just as surprising in that more than 50% of these 36 million Americans are under the age of 65. Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the United States. Taking time to see an audiologist for regular hearing check-ups and recognizing the signs of hearing loss are critical to early detection and treatment. Make an appointment to get your hearing checked this October during National Audiology Awareness Month.

There are a number of causes of hearing loss. It can be caused by exposure to loud sounds, ear infections, trauma, ear disease, harm to the inner ear and ear drum, illness or certain medications. There is also deterioration due to the normal aging process. Exposure to loud noise and music is more frequent and more potentially damaging than most of us realize.

Do you avoid restaurants and social gatherings because it is frustrating to engage in conversation there? Do you keep to yourself in noisy environments? If you answered yes, you may have a hearing problem. Some tell-tale signs of hearing loss are:

• Difficulty hearing conversations in noisy environments such as a restaurant, shopping mall, in a car or at the movie theater.

• Friends, family or colleagues having to repeat themselves when speaking to you.

• Having trouble hearing people when they are not facing you or they are in another room.

• Having a sense that people seem to “mumble” all the time.

• Trouble following conversations.

• Turning up the volume of the TV to levels that most people find excessive.

• You have ringing, buzzing or hissing sounds in your ears.

On average, most Americans don’t know how to recognize the first signs of hearing loss or find a qualified professional to diagnose and treat the condition. If you think you may have a hearing loss, you need to see an audiologist. An audiologist is a licensed and board-certified doctoral-level professional who specializes in evaluating, diagnosing and providing non-medical treatment of people with hearing and balance disorders.

The first step in treatment of a hearing problem is to get your hearing evaluated. An audiological evaluation will determine the degree of hearing loss and what can be done. Although most hearing loss is permanent, an audiologist can determine the best treatment, which may include hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, hearing rehabilitation and medical treatment.

About The Author
Dr. David Citron received his Ph.D. in Audiology from Purdue University and founded South Shore Hearing Center 30 years ago this month. For more information or to schedule an appointment with an audiologist, contact South Shore Hearing Center at (781) 33 7-6860 or on-line at www.sshc.com.