Mardi Gras and Progressive Audiology

Krewe of Zulu 2012 (New Orleans)

Thanks to all of you who voted for Donnie Henriques and Dr Jan Henriques as King & Queen of Mardi Gras in the Mountains in Jasper this past weekend.

While Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”) and the Carnivals, Parades, Music and Festivities that accompany the season between Epiphany (“Twelfth Night”) and Ash Wednesday is simply a reason for a great party for some, the Henriques come by their love of the festival honestly, having hailed from Louisiana and enjoying their share of beads, jazz music and red beans & rice, as well as a healthy dose of purple, gold and green.

The beginning of the Lenten Season that begins on Wednesday, February 22 and ends on Easter Sunday (April 8) is traditionally a time of sacrifice in several Christian religions.

But one should never sacrifice any aspect of their health, including their hearing.

If you have a question about whether you should have your hearing tested, ask yourself the following:

If you answer yes to more than two of the following questions, you should have your hearing evaluated further by a the professionals at Progressive Audiology Center:

• Do you have a problem hearing over the telephone?
• Do you hear better through one ear than the other when you are on the telephone?
• Do you have trouble following the conversation with two or more people talking at the same time?
• Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?
• Do you have to strain to understand conversation?
• Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy background?
• Do you have trouble hearing in restaurants?
• Do you have dizziness, pain, or ringing in your ears?
• Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves?
• Do family members or coworkers remark about your missing what has been said?
• Do many people you talk to seem to mumble (or not speak clearly)?
• Do you misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
• Do you have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
• Do people get annoyed because you misunderstand what they say?

Evaluation courtesy of the American Speech-Language -Hearing Association.

Find out more, or schedule your appointment by visiting the Progressive Audiology Center website or calling 770-592-4744 today.

Focus On Your Heart – And Your Hearing

With Valentine’s Day smack dab in the middle of it, it only makes sense that we celebrate Heart Month in February, emphasizing the need for individuals to get their heart and blood pressure checked to avoid common problems including high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

But in January, 2011, The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) joined forces with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) to promote those causes along with hearing health.

BHI Executive Director Sergei Kochkin, PhD, says he wants people to understand how closely heart disease is intertwined with other health conditions, including hearing health.

“Cardiovascular disease robs the life of about one American every minute, and heart disease is the #1 killer of women,” he says. “Yet, an alarming number of Americans don’t understand how serious the threat of heart disease is to them personally… We urge women and mean alike to know their risks and to take action today to protect their heart – and hearing – health.”

In study published in June 2010 in the American Journal of Audiology, researchers revealed the negative influence of heart disease on hearing. Researchers believe that, because the inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow, abnormalities in the condition of the blood vessels in the inner ear could be noticed earlier than in other, less-sensitive parts of the body.

A study of older adults revealed a 54% greater prevalence of hearing loss in people who suffer from heart disease, compared to the general population.

The key to maintaining your health is awareness. If you suffer from hearing loss and have not had your heart health checked, do so – and vice versa.

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Doctors of Audiology at Progressive Audiology Center!

“Silencing Ringing In the Ears”

If you have ever experienced “ringing in the ears” or other sounds that are not external, you may have Tinnitus.

A common side effect of noise exposure, tinnitus affects more than 250 million people around the world.

While there is not currently a cure for the affliction, The American Tinnitus Association is a wonderful organization whose mission is to educate individuals and their families, serve as an informational resource and to ultimately find a cure for tinnitus. Visit their website, or “Like” them on Facebook to find out more.

Tinnitus can have a serious impact on your quality of life. The doctors at Progressive Audiology Center can test your hearing, assess your situation and suggest steps so you can take control of your tinnitus.

For ringing in the ears, decreased hearing ability or any other problems you may have with your hearing health, we encourage you to contact Progressive Audiology Center, where we are committed to healthy hearing and improved quality of life.

Special Invitation

Hearing Loss Association of America

NW Metro Atlanta Chapter

OPEN Meeting

Sunday, January 22, 2012 — 2:00-4:00 p.m.

223 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock, GA

William G. Long Senior Center (next to fire station).

 

 

AT&T Relay Channel Mgr., Doug Burasco

Invites you to a visual presentation

of the new AT&T WebCapTel program.

Trouble hearing over the phone?

Don’t miss a word. Please come to learn more.

HLAA reaches out to those interested in self-help for people with hearing loss. Bring a friend or relative!

Marlenephillips15@yahoo.com or 770 517-2941

Now Hear This – Happy New Year!

As we venture forward with our New Year’s resolutions and take stock of the year just past, the doctors and staff at Progressive Audiology would like to take a moment to remind you that healthy hearing isn’t just a commodity – it is essential to physical health through proper balance, emotional health through decreased stress and relationship health through better communication.

We wish you a Happy New Year 2012 and look forward to seeing you soon!

Giving a Great Gift (Recognizing Hearing Loss)

We’ve been talking a lot about the holidays, and how friends and family with hearing loss are especially vulnerable to stress, anxiety and depression this time of year because of their inability to hear things clearly.

Because they don’t necessarily recognize the problem, or may feel embarrassed to admit that they have difficulty hearing, people with hearing loss often wait five years or more before getting help. That’s five years of missed conversations, everyday sounds and feeling anxious about attending events where crowds make the problems associated with hearing loss even more difficult to deal with.

Watch this video from the Hearing Loss Association of America. HLAA’s Deputy Executive Director, Barbara Kelly, explains the frustrations felt by people with hearing loss, as well as the frustrations of those around them.

If you want to give a great gift this holiday season, let someone know if you have noticed that they don’t respond – or respond incorrectly – during conversations, if they tend to keep to themselves during family gatherings or don’t participate in conversation, if they frequently have the volume turned too loud on the television or radio, or if they have a hard time understanding people who speak in higher frequencies, such as children.

At Progressive Audiology, we are dedicated to helping you and your loved ones enjoy the quality of life that comes with optimum hearing health!

(Safe) Holiday Sounds

It’s that time of year when gift wish lists include things like iPods, cell phones, car stereo equipment and high-definition television equipment – things that often come with a high price tag for both your wallet and your hearing health!

Did you know that  many personal listening devices feature a “safe volume” setting? Selecting a lower volume can actually enhance listening quality and enjoyment, so try to ensure that your high-tech gift recipient understands the long-term risks to their hearing if they are regularly exposed to high decibel levels.

If you’re gadget-savvy, you may also want to check out the “volume meter apps” that can be downloaded to your smart phones or electronic pads that monitor the decibel levels of your personal listening equipment.

Finally, make sure that the head phones you purchase are of good quality and are the right fit for the wearer.

For these and other tips, check out this video from Deafness Research Foundation, courtesy of The Balancing Act.com.

http://www.thebalancingact.com/story/?id=2619

Hearing Loss: It’s Not Just A Sign of Aging

With the increasing number of situations in which we are exposed to loud noises over a sustained period of time, hearing loss is affecting people at younger ages more profoundly than in the past.

As you enjoy holiday gatherings and share gifts with friends and family, remember that turning down the volume – on everything from background music to smart phones – is an important part of maintaining hearing health.

Watch this video from Katie Couric to learn more:

Katie Couric on Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss Is Third Most Common Health Problem

It plagues about 36 million Americans – more than half of whom are under the age of 65 – but people who suffer from this health problem often wait more than five years before they seek treatment!

Hearing loss is the third most common health problem among seniors (below arthritis and high blood pressure), and the problem is becoming more prevalent, probably because of our constant exposure to high-decibel noise, such as airplanes, automobiles, lawn mowers, music – even office equipment.

People often underestimate the effects of hearing loss on their day-to-day lives. Experts suggest that, because hearing loss occurs so gradually, patients become adept at masking the problem – turning up the volume on the radio or television, asking people to repeat themselves, even pretending to hear a conversation – particularly in a crowded room or where there is a lot of background noise.

As a society, vision decline has been addressed in grand fashion by the eye care industry. Corrective lenses have become a fashion statement (remember Sally Jessy Raphael’s signature red frames in the 80s?), while hearing aids still carry a social stigma.

A few simple facts may change public attitudes about addressing hearing loss:

• patients with untreated hearing loss suffer more depression from social isolation than their counterparts who wear hearing aids;
• people with untreated hearing loss earn less than those who wear hearing aids to correct the problem;
• people with untreated hearing loss often experience unnecessary fatigue and stress, possibly because of the additional effort required to compensate for missed sounds and conversations.

Whether you realize it or not, your hearing is an important factor in maintaining your quality of life. If you have never had a hearing screening, call to schedule yours now, so that you and your audiology professional can establish a “base line” that will allow for easier detection of hearing problems as they occur.

Progressive Audiology has offices conveniently located in Woodstock and Jasper, Georgia. We look forward to hearingfrom you! Call 770-592-4744 (Woodstock) or 706-253-7244 (Jasper) to make an appointment – and start hearing what you’ve been missing!

Hear What Our Patients Have To Say

One of the greatest rewards is knowing that our work has helped to improve someone’s life.

When a patient comes to us with hearing loss, they are often unaware of how profoundly the problem has affected their life, because hearing loss often occurs slowly, over time.

Please watch this testimonial video from one of our patients. We thank her for her kind words, and we thank you for watching!