Published October 2001

Don't let pride, costs get
in the way of hearing well

By John Wolcott
Herald Business Journal Editor

The couple pictured in the Reader's Digest ad is walking along a wooden pier, conversing.

"It looks like it's going to rain," she said. "What train?" he replied.

The reader's reaction to the clever Siemens promotion may be a chuckle, but hearing loss is no laughing matter if it's creating problems in your life, particularly at work.

Only you know if your loss of hearing is causing problems. Well, only you and your boss, co-workers, wife, children and maybe the business client whose large product order was lost in the din of a crowded restaurant at your last "power" luncheon. Or maybe you thought you heard the whole order but you sent the wrong item. Or … well, you fill in the blanks.

Too often it takes a bungled sales order, an accident or an embarrassing job interview to convince someone that they need to take the initiative to identify and treat their hearing loss.

"People involved with heavy construction equipment, driving diesel trucks, working on production lines — at Boeing, for instance — or working on car ferries, particularly in the engine room, are all candidates for hearing loss, and we see a lot of them," said Pamela Swendroski, a clinical audiologist at The Hearing and Balance Lab at Providence Medical Center's Mill Creek campus. But they don't see them until they're ready to admit they have hearing loss.

"That's a common problem. Even if they know they have a problem with their hearing, people don't want to be seen wearing a hearing instrument, even though 95 percent of hearing problems can be resolved with today's technology," she said.

Other factors involve the cost — sophisticated, duo-microphone, digital hearing aids with automatic sound sensors can cost up to $2,750 each — and simply going through the "hassle" of physician referrals, hearing tests, learning about listening device choices and getting used to wearing them, she said.

"The cost is certainly a big factor for most people, but even those who could afford them hold back because they don't realize what it can do for their lives and for their jobs," she said. "There are so many factors in hearing loss that wearing a hearing instrument is no longer a sign of old age."

There are a variety of devices, from basic behind-the-ear models to more costly inside-the-ear designs.

While ads may beckon with $695 price tags, be prepared to start at $1,000 for good quality, she said. The more expensive the piece, the better the quality, circuitry and performance, since miniaturization and digital technology cost more.

High-end digital instruments can be individually programmed for each user's areas of hearing loss, and some have dual microphones to handle conversations even in noisy environments.

For work-related hearing loss, Washington state's Department of Labor and Industries covers some costs for hearing instruments, though not the most sophisticated ones. Some corporate insurance programs also provide financial help for employees.

In Washington state, all purchasers of hearing instruments have 30 days of free trial testing and can return them if they aren't satisfied, for only a nominal service fee.

The Hearing & Balance Lab, for instance, requires a $400 deposit during the trial period but refunds $350 of that fee if the user decides against keeping the hearing device.

"Getting a good audiology exam, with a physician's referral, will help assure you get a quality diagnosis of your hearing problems and well-informed counseling for the right solution," said Swendroski, who said her CCC-A certification is a good credential to look for when visiting a testing lab, since it involves extensive education to earn, providing a higher level of counseling service.

Mike Mallahan, a clinical audiologist at The Hearing and Balance Lab who specializes in noise-induced hearing loss, has worked with small and large businesses, including paper mills, Verizon Northwest and Weyerhaeuser, providing safety and education programs for employees.

At certain noise thresholds, companies are required by state agencies to monitor noise, provide annual hearing tests, hearing protection and annual training sessions, he said.

"We can provide education training programs about the business consequences of hearing loss and also offer communication tips for employees who need to deal with co-workers with hearing loss — such as speaking more slowly, facing the person or getting their attention before speaking," he said.

He said home-life issues caused by poor hearing can create anger, frustration or depression that carries over to the workplace.

"When you can't hear well, your stress level is higher; you're more tired at the end of the day; your enjoyment of life is less; and there can even be general depression. A hearing instrument will get you reconnected," he said.

One of the best things Swendroski likes about her work, she said, is hearing and seeing people's reactions to recovering even part of their hearing.

"People tell me they're now able to hear buzzers and alarms at work, or conversations on shoulder radios they couldn't hear well before. In safety meetings they can hear their supervisor's comments or one-to-one conversations. At home they can converse with children and hear birds sing again," she said. "There's no perfect substitute for your natural hearing. You need to protect it from excessive noise, at work or elsewhere, because those nerve hairs in your ears don't recover from damage. But if you suspect you've lost some of your hearing, get an evaluation, look for a solution. Other workers and even family members will tune you out if they think or know you can't hear them. It's up to you to do something about it."

For more information, contact Swendroski or Mallahan at The Hearing & Balance Lab, Providence Medical Center-Mill Creek, 12800 Bothell-Everett Highway, Suite 270, Everett, WA 98208 or call 425-316-5102.

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