Collin County Living Well Magazine May/June 2020 | Page 25

IT MAY JUST BE EAR
WAX…OR NOT!
By Elizabeth Brassine, Au.D.
Y
ou’ve seen the advertise-
ments; “it may just be ear
wax”-- but what if it’s not?
There are many causes of
hearing loss such as ear in-
fections, noise exposure, ear trauma,
sudden idiopathic hearing loss, ear
or auditory nerve tumors, Meniere’s
disease among many other possible
reasons. That’s where the skill of the
hearing professional comes into play.
So You Think
You’ve Heard
It All?
• Did you know that over 36
million Americans have a sig-
nificant hearing loss?
Our staff of licensed audiologists with
doctoral degrees in Audiology have
spent 8 years in school (4 years of un-
dergraduate and 4 years of a doctor-
al program including a full audiology
residency or externship) studying such
things as the causes of hearing loss,
the balance system, hearing instru-
ment technology, auditory processing,
anatomy and physiology of the audi-
tory system and non-medical treatment
of hearing loss. We often, as profes-
sionals, work closely with Ear, Nose
and Throat physicians.
Whenever you’re seeking hearing
healthcare, make sure you ask about
their experience, years of training
and type of training from the practi-
tioner. Not all professionals, unfortu-
nately, are created equal. We recent-
ly had a patient come in from a big
box store (where they had gone for
hearing testing and to look at pur-
chasing hearing aids) for a second
opinion and two different medical
conditions directly related to hearing
were missed. These are often medical
conditions that need medical treat-
ment and could impact not only a per-
son’s performance with amplification
but if treated, may eliminate the need
for amplification. Or there are cases
that could impact a person’s health in
general (such as a tumor). As audiolo-
• Did you know that only 6 mil-
lion have sought help?
• Did you know that hearing
loss has been cited as the
third most common health
related problem in America?
gists we will refer onto the ENT when
medically warranted.
Secondly, hearing healthcare isn’t
always about the price. You can see
some low cost ads that are referenc-
ing dated technology or perhaps very
little technology. Don’t necessarily be
fooled by the price and/or incentives.
You have seen our past articles that
discuss some of the recent hearing
aid innovations. We realize every-
one’s hearing and communication
needs are different so it’s important to
work with a hearing professional that
will walk you through the various op-
tions of styles and technologies avail-
able today.
• Did you also know that ac-
cording to the Better Hearing
Institute, 95% of people with
hearing loss can be helped
with today’s advanced tech-
nology?
It’s time to find your
personalized solution.
Finally, we want our patients to be
educated so that you can make the
best decision for your communication
needs. Just be comfortable with the
hearing professional that you choose!
Elizabeth Brassine is a Doctor of Audiology and the owner of Hearing Services of McKinney.
COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MAY/JUNE 2020
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