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August 27, 2007 -- Approximately 31 million Americans have some
type of hearing problem, but the problem often goes unrecognized
by the person suffering from it.
"Children and teenagers seldom complain about the symptoms of hearing
loss, and adults may lose their hearing so gradually they do not
realize it is happening, says Sue Ellen Boyer, AuD., a clinical
audiologist at Kimball Medical Center. She notes that the first
step in the determination or treatment of a hearing problem is a
hearing evaluation by an audiologist.
“Many people don’t really understand what an audiologist
is,” Boyer says. “We are hearing health care professionals
who can diagnose, treat and manage patients with hearing or balance
problems.”
At Kimball Medical Center’s Kimball’s Institute for
Rehabilitative and Occupational Health Services, Boyer provides
comprehensive audiological evaluations, industrial screenings and
newborn hearing screenings. Additionally, she offers computerized
balance and vestibular assessment and ototoxic drug monitoring as
well as educational consultation services.
“Audiologists use specialized equipment to obtain information
about a person’s hearing or balance function,” she says.
“Through various diagnostic tools, audiologists can learn
more about the patient’s hearing and balance function, and
they can also inspect the eardrums, perform limited ear wax removal,
and check for medically related hearing, balance, and processing
problems.
“After the evaluation is done, an audiologist will determine
the appropriate treatment and present the options to the patient,”
she adds. “Hearing aids are often part of the rehabilitative
program as many people with hearing impairment can benefit from
the use of hearing aids.”
Boyer earned a doctoral degree in audiology from Pennsylvania College
of Optometry and Audiology and completed pediatric training with
Utah State’s National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management.
Additionally, she attends ongoing vestibular training around the
country and she specializes in vestibular assessment — the
testing of inner ear and central balance function of the “dizzy”
patient — as well as pediatric evaluation.
“We are primary health providers, so we refer patients to
physicians when the hearing or balance problem requires medical
or surgical intervention,” says Boyer, who notes that hearing
loss is caused by medical problems about 10 percent of the time.
“Audiologists are trained to recognize these medical problems
and refer patients to ear, nose and throat doctors.”
She says that hearing loss can occur due to congenital or hereditary
factors, aging, exposure to loud noise, medications, infections,
head or ear trauma, disease processes and many other causes.
“It is a fact of life that we lose hearing acuity as we grow
older, and that hearing problems are commonly associated with the
elderly, like eyesight problems,” she notes. "But while hearing
loss is commonly associated with the elderly, we are finding more
and more Baby Boomers have hearing loss that is negatively impacting
the quality of their life, overall health, personal and professional
relationships and ability to effectively communicate. It is a problem
believed to affect one in 10 adults in the United States."
Children are also a focus of an audiologist’s attention, says
Boyer, who notes that ear infections are the most common problem
that children face today, and adds that hearing loss is the single
most common birth defect in America.
"Out of the 4,000,000 live births in the United States each year,
it is estimated that 10 percent are at risk for congenital hearing
loss, and of these infants, 30 to 50 of every 1,000 newborns will
suffer hearing impairment," she says, adding that the evaluation
of hearing in newborns requires specialized training and highly
advanced equipment.
Additionally, she points to untreated or undiagnosed ear infections
as a problem that could lead to hearing problems in the future.
"Good hearing is essential to the social and intellectual development
of infants and young children,” she says. “It is also
essential to their development of speech and language, as well as
their cognitive development.”
Audiologists are concerned that every person, regardless of age,
benefits from good hearing, according to Boyer, who provides individual
counseling to help patients with hearing loss function more effectively
in social, educational and occupational environments.
“We’re also concerned with the prevention of hearing
loss and quality of life,” Boyer says. “We are often
involved in implementing programs to protect the hearing of those
people at risk for hearing loss, including those with noisy hobbies
or occupations. Prolonged exposure to loud noise causes permanent
hearing loss, and because audiologists are concerned with the prevention
of hearing loss, they are often involved in implementing programs
to protect the hearing of individuals who are exposed to noisy industrial
and recreational situations."
To contact Dr. Boyer for a hearing or balance evaluation, or to
learn more about audiology services at Kimball Medical Center,
call 888-SBHS-123 (888-724-7123).
CONTACT: Kathleen Horan
Public Relations and Marketing
732-557-3909
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