3179 Solano Avenue
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 255-6383
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Hearing Instrument Specialist
Licensed by the State of California
Completed IHS Audioprosthology Course
Owner, 1st Custom Digital Hearing Aid Center
Hearing is one of the five senses.
It is a complex process of picking up
sound and attaching meaning to it.
The ability to hear is critical to
understanding the world around us.
Hearing loss is a sudden or gradual
decrease in how well you can hear.
Depending on the cause, it can be mild or
severe, temporary or permanent.
Population Over 65
Unadided
Hearing
loss
Aided
Hearing
loss
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Hearing loss is one
of the most
common conditions
affecting older
adults. Roughly
one-third of
Americans 65 to 74
years of age.
Only 20% of people with hearing loss seek treatment.
Anatomy of the ear
The ear can be divided into three parts leading up to the brain –
the outer ear, middle ear and the inner ear.
The outer ear consists of the ear canal and eardrum.
Sound travels down the ear canal, striking the eardrum
and causing it to move or vibrate.
The middle ear is a space behind the eardrum that
contains three small bones called ossicles. This chain of
tiny bones is connected to the eardrum at one end and to
an opening to the inner ear at the other end. Vibrations
from the eardrum cause the ossicles to vibrate which, in
turn, creates movement of the fluid in the inner ear.
Movement of the fluid in the inner ear, or cochlea, causes
changes in tiny structures called hair cells. This movement
of the hair cells sends electric signals from the inner ear up
the auditory nerve (also known as the hearing nerve) to
the brain.
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You turn the TV up too high
You can hear but your don't understand
You feel that it is more difficult hearing in crowds
You find yourself asking others to repeat themselves
You have your cellular volume turned up on high
Your loved ones complain that you don't hear them
You feel left out of conversations or avoid them
You withdraw from social interaction
You have pressure, pain or discomfort in your ears
You depend on loved ones to communicate for you
You cannot follow a group conversation
You have to strain to understand a conversation
You misunderstand what others are saying
You have trouble understanding the speech of women & children
You hear a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound
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It’s time to see a professional!
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Noise. Noise-induced hearing loss can happen slowly
over time. Being exposed to everyday noises, such as
listening to very loud music or using a lawn mower,
can damage the structures of the inner ear, leading to
hearing loss over many years. Sudden, loud noises,
such as an explosion, can damage your hearing.
Age. In age-related hearing loss, changes in the inner
ear that happen as you get older cause a slow but
steady hearing loss. The loss may be mild or severe,
and it is always permanent. Other causes of hearing
loss include earwax buildup, an object in the ear,
injury to the ear or head, an ear infection, a hole in
your eardrum, and other conditions that affect the
middle or inner ear.
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One of the most common causes of hearing loss is loud noise.
Loud noise can permanently damage the inner ear. Loud noise
also contributes to tinnitus, which is a ringing, buzzing, or
roaring sound in the ears.
More than 30 million Americans are exposed to damaging noise
levels every day. Already, 22 million American adults between 20
and 69 years of age have permanently damaged their hearing
due to exposure to loud noise.
Noise-induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable. You can
protect your hearing by paying attention to noises above 85
decibels in loudness, which can damage your ears. These include
gas lawnmowers, snowblowers, motorcycles, firecrackers, and
loud music.
Lower the volume on portable stereos and televisions. When you
are involved in a loud activity, wear earplugs or other hearing
protective devices. Be sure to protect children as well.
Hearing loss is the fastest growing work related injury!
Cochlear Nerve Damage
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Irritability, negativism and anger
fatigue, tension, stress and depression
avoidance or withdrawal from social situations
social rejection and loneliness
reduced alertness
increased risk to personal safety
impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks
reduced job performance and earning power
diminished psychological and overall health
Reduced intimacy & affection
Can be misdiagnosis as dementia
If a hearing loss is ignored &
untreated, it may get worse.
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Expect a clean professional environment.
Expect to be thoroughly questioned about your
lifestyle, your hobbies & your business.
Expect to receive an otoscopic evaluation
Expect to receive an audiometric evaluation
Expect to receive speech level evaluations.
Each step in the consultation process is
crucial to the hearing aid selection and fitting.
Parts of Speech
Normal Audiogram
One’s own voice will sound different
Along with other peoples’ voices and
environmental sounds, hearing aids amplify
one’s own voice. Therefore, one’s own voice
may sound different. This difference is also
part of the adjustment period.
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Hearing aids come in many shapes, sizes, and
styles. Some hearing aids fit inside the outer ear or
the ear canal, while others fit behind the ear.
This is NOT your grandmothers hearing aid!
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Frequency Specific Customization
Long Term Flexibility
Smart technology
No Feedback
Discreet Power
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You have to be 100% ready to commit to
every aspect of your hearing aid purchase!
When a patient is not 100% committed to the
purchase, fitting and customization process
he or she is not hearing aid candidate.
If a wife wants to purchase a hearing aid to
prove that her mumbling husband is really
the problem, I wont sell her a hearing aid.
Communicating with the person with hearing loss requires
patience and consideration for both speaker and listener.
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Face the person with hearing loss directly when you speak.
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Lighting should be directed on the speaker's face.
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Avoid talking from another room.
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Be aware that anyone will have more difficulty when fatigued
or ill.
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It is more important to speak slowly rather than louder.
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Keep your hands away from your mouth while talking.
Helen Keller
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"I am just as deaf as I am blind. The problems of
deafness are deeper and more complex, if not
more important than those of blindness.
Deafness is a much worse misfortune. For it
means the loss of the most vital stimulus-- the
sound of the voice that brings language, sets
thoughts astir, and keeps us in the intellectual
company of man. “
"Blindness separates us from things but deafness
separates us from people."
Thank You!
To receive a copy of this PowerPoint listing resources please call 707-255-6383
or write to 3179 Solano Avenue, Napa CA 94558
All material presented is either the professional opinion of Lindsay Groff or previously
published gathered data. For medical diagnostic testing please consult your physician.