Prevention reduces hearing loss

By Patricia Nugent

In 1927, the American Speech and Hearing Association declared May to be Better Hearing and Speech Month in an effort to bring awareness to hearing loss. And today the need for understanding has never been greater.

“From birth to seniors, the number of patients we diagnose with hearing loss is on the rise,” explains Dr. Jane Kukula, founder of Advanced Audiology Concepts in Mentor. “In the U.S., 48 million people have hearing difficulty starting as early as birth.”

Prevention plays a key role, especially with teens and young adults who wear earphones and buds.

“After seven minutes of being exposed to the maximum volume, a person incurs permanent damage to the delicate nerves of the ear,” she says.

Hearing loss occurs over time, slowly creeping up on people until they experience an a-ha moment. But there are good reasons to seek treatment early.

“Those in the workforce with untreated hearing loss earn up to $30,000 less than those who use hearing instruments,” she says, citing a recent study.

“For seniors, a lively conversation is as stimulating as doing a crossword puzzle, so when they lose that, it impacts their cognitive functions and even their memory,” she says.

The good news is that hearing aids hitting the market provide a far better user experience than their predecessors.

She references a focus group that she and Dr. Ashley Spisak ran last month on the Phonak Virto B-Titanium, which, thanks to feedback from local users, lived up to its claim of being the smallest, most durable aid ever.

Another model they studied, the Widex Beyond, connects directly to a patient’s smartphone.

“People raved about its ease and their ability to hear in noisy environments,” she says.

Advanced Audiology Concepts is located at 8897 Mentor Avenue in Mentor. Call the office to set up an audiogram to see how healthy your hearing is, 440-205-8848, or visit AAChear.org, for more information.