Why choose an audiologist?

By Patricia Nugent

October is both national Audiology Awareness Month and Hearing Loss Prevention Month.

Who better to address these issues than Dr. Jane Kukula of Advanced Audiology Concepts in Mentor?

She says she often hears about people going to a hearing aid dealer believing they are seeing an audiologist, with the understanding the two provide the same service. They do not.

“A hearing aid dealer license requires a general education degree and passage of a state-mandated test,” she explains. 

“An audiologist’s requirements include a doctorate level of education, which includes two years of clinical rotations and the passage of a national exam.”

What does this mean to the patient?

“There’s so much more to be concerned about than fitting a device to the ear,” she says. “Only an audiologist is qualified to identify medical problems that might be affecting hearing loss, and make sure the brain is processing sound properly.”

As for hearing loss prevention, Dr. Jane reports we are living in a louder-than-ever society, and hearing loss in teens is particularly on the rise.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative,” she says. “By the time kids have been listening to loud music over ear phones for several years, they are already exhibiting nerve damage in the ear.”

She says hearing loss due to noise exposure—from earphones to drag races and loud television viewing—is 100 percent preventable and recommends turning down or avoiding loud sound, and using hearing protection.

Another good prevention tip for adults is to schedule a baseline diagnostic hearing evaluation by age 45, as it helps to monitor your hearing from that point onward. 

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.