Transcript Decoding” Food Labels

Hearing Loss…
The “Silent Disability”
Robert Grimshaw, MD FACP
A Lifetime of Quality Care That’s Convenient & Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care
Convenient
& Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care That’s
That’s Convenient
& Complete
Hearing Loss:
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care
Convenient
& Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care That’s
That’s Convenient
& Complete
The “Silent Disability”:
Hearing loss, "is the number one disability among the elderly," according to Dr. David Nielsen,
executive VP of the American Academy of Otolaryngology. People with it, he says, "just
muddle through, struggling with communication." We hear about it when another family
member complains about "being ignored" or about the TV volume being too loud. And all too
often patients with hearing loss are thought to be losing memory and "going Alzheimer’s" or
to be depressed. In a year 2000 survey by the National Council on the Aging, those with
untreated hearing loss and their families reported more sadness, depression, worry, anxiety
and paranoia.
The numbers are staggering: 20-26 million in the U.S.
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care
Convenient
& Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care That’s
That’s Convenient
& Complete
Causes of Hearing Loss?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Noise - loud noise over time can cause significant hearing loss, beginning in the higher
frequency ranges. This is a significant worry in fans of loud music who come back from concerts
saying their ears are "ringing." This means hearing is being damaged.
Wax - build up can easily be relieved by us or an ENT consultant
Smoking
Medications - some 200 drugs are known to damage the inner ear. Among the most frequent
are those used for cancer treatment or serious infections; the damage may be permanent. High
dose aspirin, quinine and certain "water pills" (such as Lasix/furosemide) can cause temporary
damage. More rarely prednisone-type medication, certain anesthetics and some mood-altering
drugs can affect hearing. Typically, high frequencies are lost first.
Otosclerosis is basically arthritis of the middle ear bones
Meniere’s disease affects the inner ear with deafness & vertigo
Trauma
Acoustic neuroma is a tumor affecting the nerve of hearing and balance
Autoimmune inner ear disease results from an attack by the body’s immune system
Aging is also a factor
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care
Convenient
& Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care That’s
That’s Convenient
& Complete
What Can Be Done?
First, Prevention:
• Limit Noise
• Clean out wax
• Don’t smoke!
• Regular hearing checks (which we’ll be glad to do!)
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care
Convenient
& Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care That’s
That’s Convenient
& Complete
The Future
Surgically implantable aids have been approved by
the FDA and cochlear implants (in effect, bionic ears)
are in study.
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care
Convenient
& Complete
A Lifetime
of Quality
Care That’s
That’s Convenient
& Complete