AUDIOLOGIST
PRACTICE SPECIALTY
More and more audiologists are becoming more focused on the specialty of hearing aids. The demand for hearing health care is going to grow exponentially, and there are so many options to choose from. It is important to keep up on the new technologies. The dispensing of hearing aids has become a large focus of my practice. Obviously, identifying hearing loss through diagnostic testing is the first step. But after identifying that someone has hearing loss, the process of selecting a hearing aid for that patient depends on a variety of factors. Lifestyle is typically the #1 thing we focus on. How often someone changes acoustic environments and is more active will factor into product selection. All hearing aids are not designed to be equal in performance. The selection process requires a professional.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PATIENTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
WHAT’S ONE TREND THAT IS CHANGING YOUR SPECIALTY TODAY?
“I want to be their resource for hearing health care. I am here to help and answer any questions to clarify their needs. There are so many options on the market today, as far as hearing aids, and I want to be their liaison to make a better decision. I have a strong technology background, and it is important to be consulted by someone who knows technology and how it relates to your choices when choosing hearing aids that fit your lifestyle.”
WAS THERE A DEFINING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER THAT GUIDED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
“The technology we use on a daily basis is requiring hearing aids to become compatible with these tools. Hearing aids are now Bluetooth and can be linked up to cell phones, iPads and TVs, and at the same time they are bec oming more discrete.”
WHAT’S MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR WORK?
“As health care providers, we all love what we do because we like to help people. It always hits home when someone you know or love has a problem and you can assist them. My wife’s grandfather, who was a Holocaust survivor, had a significant hearing loss, and I was able to help him. Being able to help him with his hearing needs and knowing what he went through in his life was a motivating factor to pursue moving forward into my own practice.”
“I always enjoy when a patient comes in and the stigma of hearing aids is the motivating factor for them not to pursue help. There are a lot of misconceptions about what hearing aids are and that they make people look old. When I can help someone break through that barrier and see that hearing better is a good thing and improves their quality of life, there is no better reward.”
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR PRACTICE?
“I can only imagine with the continued demand for hearing health care, because of the aging population, that we can only continue to grow.”
SHARED TIP
HEARING LOSS IS MORE VISIBLE THEN HEARING AIDS! Hearing loss is more prevelant then people think, and it is important to seek help. I can’t tell you how many times I see people, and they say, “I hear fine” … but their significant other is at their wits’ end. If you are dealing with someone who suffers from hearing loss, it’s important to have patience and understanding as to what they are going through. The biggest issue I see is frustration instead of support and understanding. When someone has hearing loss, the people who communicate with them don’t want to change the way they communicate— especially when they purchase hearing aids. Hearing aids are great tools that can improve hearing, but at the same time they do not cure hearing loss. The use of hearing aids only can improve whatever amount of hearing the person has left.
RECOMMENDED
TINNITUS can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head. It is usually described as a ringing noise, but in some patients, it takes the form of a high-pitched whining, electric buzzing, hissing, humming, ting-ing or whistling sound, or as ticking, clicking, roaring, “crickets.” If you suffer from tinnitus, I recommend Widex Dream with Zen therapy. The Widex Zen therapy treatment plan combines these elements, depending on your degree of tinnitus:
COUNSELING – helps you identify and challenge the way you
perceive tinnitus in your daily life.
RELAXATION EXERCISES – teaches you sleep strategies,
meditation, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation.
SOUND STIMULATION – listening to repetitive Zen fractal tones
can reduce your tinnitus-related stress.
AMPLIFICATION – amplified sound from hearing aids can be a
big help if you also have hearing loss.
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