Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - Community Healthcare - (Page 18)

How Is Your Hearing? More than 24 million Americans with a hearing impairment don’t realize they have hearing loss. Audiology Services at Community Healthcare System can help identify hearing loss in newborns, children and adults. Hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects and it is one of the most treatable. Additionally, as people age the probability of experiencing hearing loss increases because of the normal aging process and environmental factors. Audiology Services are offered at Community Hospital, Munster; Community Hospital Outpatient Centre, St. John; and St. Catherine Hospital, East Chicago. These services are provided by licensed clinical audiologists who are educated in the prevention, identification, assessment and nonmedical treatment of hearing impairment. Services include hearing screenings and evaluations, middle-ear testing, otoacoustic emissions, videonystagmography and auditory brainstem response testing. Hearing aid services available include hearing aid evaluations, fittings, checks, dispensing and repairs. If you are missing the sounds of your life, now is the time to schedule an evaluation. MÉNIÈRE’S DISEASE What it is: A disorder of the inner ear that primarily affects balance and hearing. Symptoms: Vertigo (severe dizziness) characterizes this chronic condition, which is related to ﬂuid buildup in the inner ear. Hearing may ﬂuctuate, from a sudden loss to a return of normal hearing. What to do: See your doctor. Abnormal ﬂuid drainage, allergies, a viral infection or genetic predisposition can be culprits, so your physician must determine the best course of action. For example, a doctor may prescribe motion sickness medications to combat the vertigo. In severe cases, a surgeon removes speciﬁc nerves to reduce bouts of vertigo and improve hearing. ACOUSTIC NEUROMA What it is: A benign tumor that presses against cranial nerves that aid hearing and balance. It’s uncommon, so auditory problems like tinnitus and Ménière’s disease are ruled out ﬁrst. Symptoms: A loss of balance and hearing in one ear; tinnitus. What to do: See your physician, who may order a CT scan or an MRI to rule out other causes of hearing loss and zero in on the tumor. Treatment options include conventional surgery or radiosurgery, during which precise doses of pinpoint radiation are used to eradicate the tumor. OTOSCLEROSIS What it is: An abnormal growth of bone in the middle ear that interferes with passage of sound waves within the ear. The condition runs in families. Symptoms: A gradual hearing loss or the inability to distinguish between low-pitched sounds. What to do: Options include being ﬁtted for a hearing aid and surgery to remove the bone growth and replace it with a prosthetic device. PRESBYCUSIS What it is: The gradual loss of hearing as you age, beginning with high-pitched sounds and later other types of noises. Symptoms: Speech of others may seem mumbled or slurred, sounds such as “s” and “th” are difﬁcult to hear and distinguish, and conversations are difﬁcult to understand in noisy settings, among others. What to do: Visit an audiologist for a comprehensive hearing test. And don’t be afraid of getting a hearing aid. As the baby boom generation has grayed, there’s less of a stigma associated with age-related hearing loss. CALL Call Audiology Services at Community Hospital, 219-836-4527; Community Hospital Outpatient Centre, St. John, 219-226-2326; or St. Catherine Hospital, 219-392-7665. Schedule Your Hearing Evaluation 18 Vim & Vigor · SUM M ER 2 011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
When Stroke Strikes, Seconds Count
Rays of Hope Fight Cancer
Girl Talk
Say What?
Action Plan
Like This? Try That!
Being George Clooney
A Day in the Life of Your Heart
Unexpected Heroes
Get in Gear
A Real Lifesaver
A Real Lifesaver
Spotlight on Community Hospital
Spotlight on St. Catherine Hospital
Spotlight on St. Mary Medical Center
A Safer Hospital Stay

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - Community Healthcare