You At Your Best

July 2017 • The Five Senses

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YOU AT YOUR BEST | nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST JULY - ThE 5 SEnSES | SATURdAY, JUnE 24, 2017 | 13 suring success with hearing aids," noted Dr. Dustin Rich- ards, Au.D., founder and audiologist of Wolfpack Hearing Clinic of Fayetteville. "By the time we complete the fitting and initial batch of follow-up appointments, they under- stand expectations, the immeasurable value of better hear- ing, and why we as staff work as hard as we do." Untreated hearing loss can cause embarrassment, so- cial stress, tension, and fatigue for the person with the hearing loss, as well as for family members and friends. In the case of children, untreated hearing loss can affect school performance and social development. Hearing loss doesn't have to restrict life activities, though. Properly fit- ted hearing aids with appropriate communication strate- gies can help drastically in many listening situations. Unless you're talking to an audiologist, most discus- sion on hearing is focused on problems with hearing. If you look at the wonders of hearing itself and break down how we use it in our daily lives, you can truly appreciate and understand the importance of our sense of hearing. We start with communication. Our brains respond to the human voice more than any other sound. The desire to understand and be understood is a fundamental human need. Accordingly, hearing is what allows us to connect with other people. Our ability to hear affects our relation- ships, decision-making, ability to work, and understand those we love. It directly impacts how we respond to the news on television or the sermon at worship service. Hear- ing is not just about the words used. It allows us to pick up on the way those words are said, or the intonation of speech. It's how we detect if someone is in need, the mood of our spouse, or if an unsavory character isn't telling the truth. Studies show that those with untreated hearing loss are far more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and anger, each as a result of social isolation. Hearing keeps us safe by keeping us in tune with our environment. Our vision alerts us to any potential hazard in front of us. Hearing allows us to look in all directions. We have our very own warning system, alerting us of a fast approaching ambulance, a tornado siren, or a loved one in distress. While we close our eyes to sleep, hearing never stops; actively survey- ing our environment to alert danger and wake us if neces- sary. Hearing also impacts our physical health. You may have heard about the research from Johns Hopkins University directly linking untreated hearing loss to increased risk of developing dementia. Those with hearing loss are three times more likely to experience a fall from imbalance. Hearing loss is even linked to obesity. Hearing directly affects our emotions. Music is the most obvious example. Remember Rick's famous line from Casablanca? "Here's looking at you, kid." Watching this iconic scene without hearing the slowing tempo of "As Time Goes By" in the background would have dras- tically changed the emotional response of the audience. Music can alter our mood by itself, lifting our spirits or reminding us of a happy memory. Now consider the way hearing day-to-day life impacts our emotions. This could be the birds singing, crickets chirping, or the joyful sound of clean contact with a golf ball on a long drive that stays on the fairway. Our sense of hearing is truly remarkable and impacts our quality of life every min- ute of the day. For these reasons, it is im- portant to treat hearing prob- lems and seek help if you are experiencing trouble hearing. Hearing aids can improve your quality of life, provide a more engaging lifestyle, heighten awareness and safe- ty, allow you to participate better in group situations, and help with your speech intelligibility. There are more than a few quality hearing aid manufacturers and each have different strengths, whether it be noise suppression tech- nology, feedback control, wireless connectivity, and even durability. Every patient is different and no two individ- uals hear the same, even if it appears that way on paper. Hearing is behavioral and subjective. "I aim to treat the hearing 'problem' of each patient rather than the hearing 'loss'," added Dr. Richards. "In order to accomplish this, we must identify specifically which situations each patient wants to hear better in." Whether it is to hear their chil- dren, grandchildren, husband, wife, or just to be able to hear re-runs of their favorite shows, Dr. Richards wants to help recommend a treatment option or brand that meets the individual hearing goals of the patient. Wolfpack Hearing, located at 2630 E. Citizens Dr., #7, (in the Kantz Center, at the intersection of Crossover and Mission Boulevard) in Fayetteville, was born from the basic principle that the good of the patient stands above all else. The staff at Wolfpack Hearing Clinic are joined together in a common goal — to help meet the needs of those with hearing problems. Each patient receives a long- term care plan developed specifically for his or her hearing goals, which Wolfpack Hearing identifies by listening to the patient. Wolfpack Hearing offers hearing evaluations, hearing aids, hearing aid adjustments, repairs, cleanings and maintenance, cerumen (ear wax) removal, tinnitus evaluation and treatment, occupational testing, and audi- tory rehabilitation. In addition to this, they also provide Assisted Listening Devices (ALD), ear molds and hearing protection, and self-care maintenance. New patients are currently being accepted at Wolfpack Hearing and an appointment may be made by calling (479) 957-9300. Wolfpack Hearing is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. If you or a loved one are ex- periencing hearing loss, don't delay — make the call to Wolfpack Hearing and let the Wolfpack team assist you with your hearing needs. our sense of hearing is truly remarkable and impacts our quality of life every minute of the day.

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