Download INSERT YOUR PRACTICE LOGO May 1, 2012 Contact: (INSERT

INSERT YOUR PRACTICE LOGO
May 1, 2012
Contact: (INSERT CONTACT NAME)
(INSERT e-MAIL)
(INSERT PHONE NUMBER)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (TEMPLATE RELEASE)
BETTER HEARING MONTH HIGHLIGHTS RISKS OF OBTAINING HEARING AIDS WITHOUT PROPER
DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND COUNSELING
(City, State)—(INSERT NAME OF PRACTICE ie. Dr. Smith’s Hearing Center) and the Academy of Doctors of
Audiology (ADA) urge consumers who suspect that they have hearing loss to seek treatment from a
licensed audiologist to ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment, and to identify potentially serious
underlying medical conditions.
“We have seen an increase in the number of unscrupulous companies that defy adequate hearing
healthcare practices and protocols to prey on consumers with hearing loss,” said (insert your name ie.
Dr. Joe Smith, Au.D.) “They use online, over the counter and “do-it-yourself” hearing testing and
(hearing aid) distribution models that can pose significant health and financial risks for the consumer.”
The Minnesota Department of Health recently issued a warning to consumers, stating that, “Not seeing
a health professional before purchasing hearing aids skirts state and federal legal protections and could
result in harm.” http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2011/hearing102611.html .
Key risks of omitting an evaluation and treatment by a licensed audiologist or other licensed hearing
healthcare professional include the missed diagnosis of a serious underlying health condition that
requires medical intervention and subsequent hearing loss as a result of improper fitting and/or
programming of hearing aids.
“The purchase and use of a hearing aid without a proper examination, diagnosis and counseling is a
recipe for poor treatment outcomes and increased risks,” said ADA President Eric Hagberg, Au.D. “It is
also important to understand that even when hearing loss is detected through a comprehensive
examination, hearing aids are not always a recommended course of treatment.”
According to the ADA, there are many possible causes of hearing loss including:
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Aging – Can result in difficulty understanding speech, especially in background noise.
Blockages in the outer ear-- Most notably earwax that can cause discomfort and muffle sounds.
Ear infections – Can result in pain, swelling and muffled hearing .
Fistula – Is a serious condition characterized by ear ringing (tinnitus), dizziness and a feeling of
fullness in the ear.
Head injury – A head injury can damage nerves in the hearing centers of the brain.
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Medication – Some medications are known to cause tinnitus (ear ringing) and sudden hearing
loss.
Meniere’s Disease – Pressure in the inner ear may cause fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus
(ringing sensation), dizziness and nausea.
Noise Exposure– The single most common cause of hearing loss is exposure to loud noise.
Otosclerosis – This is a hereditary disease that results in a slow progressive hearing loss in the
middle ear cavity.
Tumors – Hearing loss and dizziness have been related to some types of tumors in a specific
area of the brain.
Many of these above conditions may be symptoms of a more serious condition and cannot be treated
with a hearing aid and require medical treatment.
“Hearing aids are medical devices regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration They require
proper , fitting by a trained professional, counseling and follow up care,” said (insert name ie. Dr. Smith).
“Hearing aids, are just part of the treatment process for hearing loss, which should also include a
comprehensive hearing evaluation and hearing aid selection based upon each person’s individual needs.
It takes time to adjust to hearing aids, and without expert counseling from an audiologist before and
after obtaining hearing aids, successful rehabilitation is far less likely.”
INSERT RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STATE’S REQUIREMENTS FOR DISPENSING
On February 8, 2012, several prominent hearing health organizations including the Academy of Doctors
of Audiology (ADA), the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), the American Academy of
Otolaryngology Head-Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), the American Speech Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA) and the International Hearing Society (IHS) disseminated a joint position statement opposing
direct-to-consumer hearing aid sales and consumer-administered hearing tests.
http://www.audiologist.org/_resources/documents/news/Joint%20Statement%20%20Direct%20to%20%20Consumer%20Sales%20and%20Consumer%20Administered%20Hearing%20Tes
t.pdf
On October 12, 2011, the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) released a press release warning consumers
against “Do it Yourself Hearing Care.” You can read the full release here:
http://www.betterhearing.org/press/news/Internet_direct_mail_hearing_aids_pr10122011.cfm
It is estimated that more than 30 million Americans have a hearing loss (approximately 1 out of 10
people). Hearing loss affects people of all ages--in fact 65 percent of people with hearing loss are
younger than age 65. One in fourteen Generation X-ers already have hearing loss, and at least 1.4
million children have hearing problems (source: Better Hearing Institute). The Academy of Doctors of
Audiology urges consumers to seek proper diagnosis, treatment and counseling for suspected hearing
loss. To find a licensed ADA member in your area, visit http://www.audiologist.org/audiologistdirectory.html.
Other Useful Resources
Consumer Reports Hearing Aid Checklist: http://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/homemedical-supplies/hearing/hearing-aids/buying-tips-a-checklist/hearing-aids-before-you-buy.htm
National
Institute
on
Deafness
and
Other
Communication
Disorders
(NIDCD):
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.aspx
Better Hearing Institute (BHI): http://www.betterhearing.org/
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Position Statement on Hearing Aids for People with Hearing
Loss:
http://hlaaleaderswiki.wikispaces.com/file/view/Position+Statement+on+Hearing+Aids+for+People+wit
h+Hearing+Loss.pdf
About (Insert Practice Name and a Brief Paragraph)
About ADA
The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) is a leading national organization of practicing audiologists.
ADA is dedicated to the advancement of practitioner excellence, high ethical standards, professional
autonomy and sound business practices in the provision of quality audiologic care. For more
information, visit www.audiologist.org.
About Audiologists
Audiologists are highly trained healthcare professionals, who are university trained and licensed
to specifically identify, evaluate, diagnose, and treat audiologic disorders of hearing.
Audiologists use specialized equipment and procedures to accurately test for hearing loss. These
tests are conducted in sound-treated rooms with calibrated equipment. The audiologist is trained
to inspect the eardrum with an otoscope, conduct diagnostic audiologic and vestibular (balance)
tests, and check for medically-related hearing problems.
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