Are you struggling with hearing loss or a balance condition? When was the last time you scheduled an appointment with an audiologist/ear doctor to check your hearing? An audiologist is a licensed hearing doctor who can diagnose, treat, and prevent hearing disorders and balance problems.
Here at Penn Medicine Becker ENT & Allergy, we provide audiology services that help our clients manage issues affecting their balance and hearing. We are located in Cape May Court House, NJ, and offer the following audiology services:
- Hearing tests and exams
- Rehabilitation programs that focus on speech and hearing
- Treatment of balance disorders
- Treatment of tinnitus (a condition characterized by a ringing sound in the ear)
- Fitting, maintenance, and adjustment of hearing aids
Statistics about Hearing Loss
The timely treatment of a hearing disorder can help prevent further hearing loss. The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report that tabulated the estimated number of people suffering from hearing disorders in 2018 as well as future projections up to the year 2050. The estimates from the WHO are as follows:
- Six percent of the world’s population suffers from hearing disorders. This means that in 2018, there were 466 million people who had hearing loss disorder.
- Out of the 466 million people with a hearing disorder, 93 percent were adults. The number of men was 242 million while the number of women was 190 million, for a total of 432 million adults.
- Seven percent of the 466 million people were children, a total of 34 million kids.
- One-third of adults over the age of 65 years were affected by hearing disorders.
- The number of people suffering from hearing loss is estimated to increase steadily over the next years if immediate action is not taken. The projections indicate that the number would increase from 466 million to 630 million by the year 2030. After that, it is estimated that the numbers will rise to over 900 million by the year 2050.
-
- Real patient
Symptoms of Hearing Loss
If you suspect you may have a hearing or balance disorder, visit us at our offices in Cape May Court House as soon as possible. Here are some signs of untreated hearing disorder. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, reach out to us today and book an appointment so that we can help you understand what’s going on and potentially save your hearing.
- Trouble hearing or understanding others
- Decreased performance at work
- Stress, tension, fatigue, and depression
- Anger, negativity, and irritability
- A high risk to personal safety and reduced alertness
- Loneliness, withdrawal from social circles, and social rejection
- Avoidance of social encounters
Our Audiology Services
When you visit us in Cape May Court House, NJ, these are the audiology services and tests that you will receive from a hearing doctor:
Hearing Loss Evaluation
The loss of the hearing sense occurs differently in each person. There are three parts in each ear:
- The outer ear
- The middle ear
- The inner ear
If any of these three portions of the ear are damaged, you may develop a hearing disorder. At Penn Medicine Becker ENT and Allergy, our hearing doctor will carry out the necessary tests to determine the kind of hearing loss you may have, the degree of the loss, and the configuration of the hearing loss.
Children who suffer from hearing loss struggle a lot with learning how to talk, and they may perform poorly at school. Adults who develop hearing loss may have a hard time at work or in their daily lives.
If you suspect you may suffer from hearing loss or you know of a child or adult who is struggling to hear, call us for an appointment or refer them to our offices in Cape May Court House, NJ. We will first administer a hearing test to determine the extent of damage and the best form of treatment. The three most common types of hearing loss that people are likely to experience include:
- Mixed loss of hearing
- Sensorineural loss of hearing
- Conductive loss of hearing
In the field of audiology, there are specific main causes of loss of hearing that any ear doctor will confirm. They include:
- Congenital loss of hearing- this is where the loss of hearing occurs at birth.
- Acquired loss of hearing- this hearing loss occurs after birth.
- Otitis Media- hearing loss occurs as a result of ear infections.
- Exposure to loud noises- constantly exposing your ears to loud noise through your environment (such as a noisy workplace), headphones, earphones, or loud music that may damage the eardrums and cause a loss of hearing.
- Medication- certain medications (ototoxic medicine) may have serious side effects such as loss of hearing.
A visit to an ear doctor may help you understand the cause or causes behind your hearing disorder and advise you on the best form of treatment.
Hearing Technology
We provide various types of hearing technology to our patients as a form of treatment. One of the hearing technologies we provide is hearing aids. An ear doctor from our team of audiology experts will work hard to find the perfect hearing aid for anyone struggling with hearing issues.
Whether the hearing loss is mild, moderate, or severe, the right hearing aid can help. For those who have never used hearing aids before, here are some of the characteristics of a hearing aid:
- They contain a microphone to help pick up sounds from the environment
- Hearing aids contain an amplifier that makes the sound louder
- A receiver is fixed within the hearing aid to send loud sounds to the ear
- Hearing aids use batteries
- They also have a switch to turn the hearing aid on or off
Another hearing technology we provide is called cochlear implants. Only a hearing doctor can recommend cochlear implants for you. In order to get a cochlear implant, you would have to undergo surgery with a specialist.
During the surgery, one part of the cochlear implant is placed inside the inner ear. The other part is worn outside the ear. The two parts of the cochlear implant will work together to pick up sound and help you hear. Cochlear implants are recommended for the following individuals:
- People who do not have any serious medical conditions
- Individuals that feel hearing aids alone are not sufficient for hearing
- People who have a serious loss of hearing in both ears
Hearing assistive technology (HATS) is another form of aid for people struggling with hearing loss. HATS will help you hear better in busy or loud places, and you can use them without cochlear implants or hearing aids. Some HATS options that may be recommended by an ear doctor include:
- FM systems
- Infrared systems
- Induction loop systems
- One-to-one communicators
After your hearing test evaluation, the hearing doctor will advise you on the best HATS option for you.
Audiologist FAQs
Yes. Here at Penn Medicine Becker ENT & Allergy in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, we provide treatment for both chronic and acute swimmer’s ear infections in adults and children.
No, we don’t. We only offer audiometric tests, otherwise known as hearing tests, to children who are 2.5 years old and above.
Our hearing tests are quick. They are often over in under 30 minutes.
Book an Appointment with an Audiologist
A hearing disorder, whether mild or severe, affects a person’s quality of life adversely. Besides compromising your social and professional life, a hearing disorder can even put your life in danger. If you are in Cape May Court House, NJ, and you are struggling with any type of hearing issues, visit us at 307 Stone Harbor Blvd or call us on 609-899-7200 to book an appointment with a hearing doctor.