Heart for Hearing!
Many think of Valentine’s Day when they think of February. The Team at Elkhart Audiology Rehab (your EAR team) think about how heart health is essential for good hearing, and how being able to hear our friends and family touches our heart and soul! (picture credit to the author and illustrator of the children’s book above).
Your ear is an organ just like any other organ in your body and it relies on good circulation to supply proper blood flow and nutrition. Without adequate oxygen, your hearing and balance mechanisms in your auditory system will suffer. Completing a proper case history with us will help with your diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan for your hearing. Our team has been educated to ask the right questions and share information with your medical team, as needed, to keep you in the best overall health. To stabilize and even reduce poor heart conditions, exercise, proper nutrition, and taking medications as needed will help to reduce blood vessel damage from high blood pressure and cholesterol. Your heart will beat and push blood to your organs properly. We know exercise can sound daunting but as little as 30 minutes a day will provide results for better heart and hearing health!
Hearing properly has also been linked to a reduction in isolation and depression, as it allows you to hear the special words that speak to your emotional wellbeing, keep your mind sharp and engaged with your community. How do you know if you are hearing properly? An in-person test of course! Nothing can surpass the results of a calibrated test in a room treated for sound. The Elkhart team has our equipment professionally calibrated on an annual basis and daily sound checks are made to ensure our results are accurate. This is part of our commitment to you and recommended best practices.
Did you know you can find a 4-page list of recommended best practices at our website under client forms? Dr. Cliff is a nationally recognized audiologist from Arizona who is committed to supporting other providers performing best practices and compassionate care. He has a process to verify equipment, procedures and services offered so you know you are getting the best of the best for you hearing care. Put in a zip code and get results for the area. We are honored to be a part of his network. The check-list is a way for you to know what equipment and services you should ask for and expect from a provider committed to your communication success.
We know there will always be someone offering products and services that are less expensive, but we also know we offer the best value for your dollar when it comes to receiving the best in hearing care. We are EAR-replacable!
Did you know any hearing device can be verified to see if they are meeting your recommended prescriptive targets through real ear/ aided speech verification? There are also test boxes that can be used to measure gain, output, and distortion levels produced by a device. This testing and verification will become more important when over the counter hearing devices are finally cleared through the FDA/FTC. Most providers of these lower cost, over the counter options won’t have any equipment to measure benefit. We are ready to offer these services and when possible, modify devices for optimal benefit.Complete Functional Hearing Assessment
Pieces to the puzzle which impact your
Communication success!
Traditional Hearing Test
This is the test that you’re most familiar with—the “beep test” that determines the level of your hearing loss
Speech Understanding in Noise
This is the real-life element! We don’t communicate with beeps in a silent environment—we hear while things are going on all around us. This test shows the audiologist how you’re hearing in background noise, when people talk fast or mumble, and how well you understand voices. Basically, how much of the world around you are you understanding?
Cognivue
Long-term hearing deprivation can affect cognitive performance by decreasing the quality of communication with others. Limited cognitive skills may reduce the resources available for auditory perception, increasing the negative effects of hearing loss. Results on the Cognivue affect what level of technology is recommended and how the hearing aids are programmed.
Uncomfortable Loudness Level
This test, combined with the traditional hearing test, gives the doctor a range in which to program your hearing aids.
Acceptable Noise Level
This test gives the audiologist, Sharon, information on how well you tolerate the loudness of noise and where you hear most comfortably.
Consultation
Discussion with Sharon, our audiologist about the type and severity of your hearing loss and her recommendation moving forward.
Hearing Aid Experience Using Real-Ear Measurements
Your ear is as unique as your fingerprint.
Real-Ear measurements track the sound as it goes down the ear canal, allowing the doctor to see how much of the sound is making it to your eardrum. They can then make the proper adjustments so that you aren’t losing sound before it even gets to you!
Re-testing of Speech Discrimination with Programmed Hearing Aids
This is done so you can hear the difference properly programmed hearing aids can make for your ability to hear in real-world situations.
The Complete Functional Hearing Assessment we offer takes about 2 hours. The process is not covered by insurance as it is not related to diagnosing a medical condition. We are looking at elements which impact your overall communication success. In addition to testing, hearing handicap surveys are completed to help prioritize communication goals. The cost for this comprehensive visit is $195 for an initial visit. If you have a service plan with us, many of the elements are covered as part of your treatment plan. If someone has hearing aids from another provider, we complete the full exam prior to making any changes or recommendations. If we partner with one of the manufactures of their devices, we can make changes here to maximize their performance for an additional charge. If we do not partner with a company or a device has been “locked” by another provider, we will provide the data to the individual so they can return to where they purchased their devices and have any programming adjustments completed. This comprehensive approach makes us different! It offers you the best in hearing care! It makes us worth the trip!
Masks Required. Smiles Encouraged!
Considering our communities high covid numbers, we are asking that you continue to wear a mask in our medical-professional office, and call when you arrive so we can be sure we are able to allow for proper distancing before you enter. We continue to see people by appointment only… scheduling appointments with Sharon will be crucial to maintaining the level of care you deserve. We will do our best to see you in a timely manner and appreciate your flexibility when a scheduling change is required, or your preferred time is not available.
As this chilly, hearing and heart month continues, we hope you will be motivated to start or continue your journey to better health by getting a little extra exercise and giving someone you have not talked with in a while a call- you will both feel warmer and happier!
Sharon, Deb and Jill
