Parma, Ohio

Posted on March 14, 2012 by rreikowski

Sometimes the many things you do in a day’s time can get overlooked. We often keep moving with new projects and goals without recognizing the achievements in the present. I would like to take a moment and acknowledge our office newsletter ” We Hear You”. We are so very proud of this educational and informative letter to communicate with our patients.

This, quarterly produced, newsletter allows the opportunity for our office to share with the community and our patients of our extensive hearing, balance, and tinnitus services. We are pleased to share success stories of our hearing and tinnitus care. In addition to this, we attempt to write of current research and topics that patients find most interesting including vertigo, new hearing and tinnitus technologies, and even on ear wax topics. Yes, ear wax, can be interesting when brought to light of how it affects our hearing and the performance of the hearing devices. We also showcase a special that is offered each month.

It would be our pleasure to add you to our newsletter that we send via email or regular mail. Please, simply let us know. Have a great day.

Sudden Hearing loss and the Audiologist: Dr. Richard S. Reikowski, Au.D Director of Audiology, Balance, and Tinnitus Family Hearing and Balance Center, Akron, Ohio

Posted on March 8, 2012 by rreikowski

I was pleased to see this article on Sudden Hearing Loss.

For those experiencing a sudden hearing loss, time is of the essence. See your family physician, ENT, or Audiologist as soon as possible. Ensuring that the medical areas, that could have caused the sudden loss, are addressed can be the key factor in restoring the hearing. We as the Clinical Audiologist play an integral part of assessing this loss in many aspects. We thoroughly address the outer, middle, and inner ear areas to document the loss. We align ourselves closely with the medical community to help each patient to the best of their ability.

Associations and Events

AAO-HNSF Releases Clinical Practice Guideline for Sudden Hearing Loss

Alexandria, Va — The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) has just published a new Clinical Practice Guideline on Sudden Hearing Loss (SHL). This guideline is published as a supplement to the Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery journal

Current diagnosis and treatment plans vary greatly, says the AAO-HNSF press statement. The guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of adults who present with SHL.

Prompt, accurate recognition and management of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), a subset of SHL, may improve hearing recovery and patient quality of life. AAO-HNSF also estimates that SSNHL affects five to 20 per 100,000 population, with about 4,000 new cases per year in the United States.

“The purpose of a new published guideline is to provide all clinicians who may encounter patients with SHL with evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis, counseling, treatment, and follow-up,” the press release stated. “By focusing on opportunities for quality improvement, the guideline should improve diagnostic accuracy, facilitate prompt intervention, decrease variations in management, reduce unnecessary tests and imaging procedures, and improve hearing and rehabilitative outcomes for affected patients.”

The SHL guideline’s authors are: Robert J. Stachler, MD; Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD; Sanford M. Archer, MD; Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, MPH; Seth R. Schwartz, MD, MPH; David M. Barrs, MD; Steven R. Brown, MD; Terry D. Fife, MD; Peg Ford; Theodore G. Ganiats, MD; Deena B. Hollingsworth, RN, MSN, FNP; Christopher A. Lewandowski, MD; Joseph J. Montano, EdD; James E. Saunders, MD; Debara L. Tucci, MD, MS; Michael Valente, PhD; Barbara E. Warren, PsyD, MEd; Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, MD, MSA; Peter J. Robertson, MPA.

SOURCE: The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2012-03-08_07.asp

Success for a patient with Tinnitus: Dr. Richard S. Reikowski, Au.D Family Hearing and Balance Center Akron, Ohio

Posted on March 7, 2012 by rreikowski

” I feel much more comfortable with my tinnitus. In fact, I feel that it really doesn’t have to get any better than it is now.”

These were the words of a man in his 40′s that has been troubled by his tinnitus for a long while. He is very involved in the educational field as a college professor. He made this comment on today’s visit, after using the Neuromonics Oasis tinnitus treatment device for approximately 6 months. I am very pleased, as well as he, of his successes. His comments are one’s we hear often, but his were quite unique. “I feel that it really doesn’t have to get any better than it is now”, says so much! He is very satisfied with how his tinnitus is not causing a disturbance as it once did. His satisfaction with progress allows me to see that we are at a “right point” in his treatment. He reports having much better days and has more optimism in starting each day. I am so glad to be a part of improving his perceptions of his tinnitus as well as reducing it’s loudness and negative emotions that were attached to the unwanted noises.

Tinnitus relief and success can be found by first having optimism and seeking the solutions for improving ones quality of life….Thus, reducing the negative affects of these sounds heard in the head.

Improved Hearing, reduced Tinnitus, and Vertigo…Can we become “Carefree”: By Dr. Richard S. Reikowski, Au.D Family Hearing and Balance Center Akron, Ohio

Posted on March 6, 2012 by rreikowski

What does this picture mean to you? To me it creates an image of being carefree….?

Each day we have the opportunity to begin by helping others. We all work in differing fields, specialty areas, or are seeking the right job or position for our life. Myself, I attempt to focus my efforts in hopes to help others have improved hearing and to communicate more successfully with their loved ones and as well as to hear the sounds of life. I also am very interested in helping those that have balance and vertigo related concerns to learn what is causing their limited ability. Balance problems reduced activity’s that were once freely enjoyed.

I have also taken a special and even greater interest in helping those with tinnitus to have better days. Offering better days for those with tinnitus involves helping people to live with their tinnitus with less emotional strain and to begin to think positive. There are many real solutions for decreasing ones awareness of tinnitus and sounds in their heads. I enjoy the moments that I have with patients. I feel free, to be unbiased in decisions in the best interest of the person I serve such as in helping to improve hearing, reducing the negative affects of tinnitus, or helping others to understand and seek solutions for a persons balance and vertigo.

What does this picture mean to you?

The ear and digital hearing technology: Dr. Richard S. Reikowski, Au.D Family Hearing and Balance Center Akron, Ohio

Posted on March 5, 2012 by rreikowski

Hearing and success is found in many ways. Particularly in today’s technology, we can help patients to hear better in noise with the extensive speed and advance processing for enhancing syllable/speech clarity. Reducing background noise, or non repetitive sounds have become easier and thus allowing a patient to enjoy hearing within restaurants and social gatherings. I enjoyed this photo of a staircase and how it is a good resemblance to the internal parts of the inner ear. The details of our ears to gather sound and thus allow us the ability to determine what that sound is, is truly remarkable. Thus, as we understand the special nature our ears serve, we can appreciate how today’s technology is astounding and so well advanced. Myself, our clinical staff, and our front office staff take great pleasure helping those with hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo needs. We have a great responsibility to help those that we serve to understand all they can about their hearing loss, their type of hearing loss, how it impacts their communication, as well as what are the various hearing technologies that can offer the best solutions.

Vertigo and quality of life: Dr. Richard S. Reikowski, Aud Family Hearing and Balance Center Akron, Ohio

Posted on March 5, 2012 by rreikowski

Vertigo and balance problems do affect ones quality of life in many areas. To begin, vertigo or spinning sensations, affects our ability to walk without falling. It restricts our mobility to function in everyday life situations such as going to work, worship services, social areas and restaurants. Vertigo often causes a sense of loss of control of ones body. Patients have described their vertigo as though they are flipping over, swaying to the side while walking, or just feeling so poor that they have unsettled feelings in their stomach such as nausea and vomitting.

Our goal is to serve as a diagnostic and assessment clinical site to address these areas of Vertigo. We align ourselves with the patients family physician to enable direct communication with the patient and physician. It’s of utmost importance that we discern and evaluate the symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, spinning sensations etc to allow for the best solution to be directed by the patients family doctor or specialist.

Helping those hear when other senses are involved…. By Kristie Dannemiller-Smith, M.A., CCC/A Clinical Audiologist at Cardinal Hearing Centers Northfield, Ohio

Posted on March 1, 2012 by rreikowski

Kristie Dannemiller-Smith, M.A., CC/A one of our Clinical Audiologists, contributed the below blog post. Thanks Kristie. Well done!! Rich

I had the pleasure of seeing a 27 year old young man with Usher’s syndrome. He is legally blind, especially when it is dark. He has a mild sloping to severe sensorineural hearing loss, in both ears, which is typical in patient’s with Type 2 Ushers. His absolute love is music and he was struggling to hear his music and struggling in recording his own music as well.

We found the best solution for his hearing and communication concerns was found in the 100% digital Solana devices by Phonak. This young man is also using a Bluetooth iCom device with his digital hearing instruments for his music interests. His hearing devices have a specialized circuit called, Speech Recover, in order to provide him with speech enhancement for his high frequency hearing loss.

I saw him for follow up today. He is doing fantastic! He even brought in a demo to listen to since he is able to go into the studio now with confidence and record his own music. He stated that he sometimes forgets that the hearing aids are in his ears since he is doing so well. His whole attitude was very positive when he came in for follow up and he thanked us for helping him hear!!

Are your ears playing Brain Games? By Dr. Amy Welman, Au.D Family Hearing and Balance Center Akron, Ohio

Posted on March 1, 2012 by rreikowski

Thank you Dr. Welman for contributing this blog post!! Rich

Did you see the episode, Brain Games on National Geographic Channel? They talked about how hearing isn’t only used for communication purposes, although as humans, it is the most important part of hearing. Hearing sounds in the environment gives your brain more information than you are conscience of. Warning sounds alert you to potential danger such as an approaching car, footsteps coming up behind you, or the buzzing of a bee. It is very interesting how our brain analyzes in ways other senses can’t. Did you know, when you are in the dark, your brain can analyze how big a room or how far away objects are by echoes of footsteps or other noises bouncing around in the room. Your hearing system is very fine tuned to discriminate the smallest details in sound differences to help identify dialect differences, gender, and even a person’s age. If you want to watch the whole episode, you can go to www.channel.nationalgeographic.com and search the title, “Brain Games”.

Happy People at Family Hearing and Balance Center: Dr. Richard Reikowski, Au.D Akron ohio

Posted on January 31, 2012 by rreikowski

It’s so nice to work with such a dedicated staff that are in it for the right reasons. I receievd the below note from Dr. Amy Welman, who is one of our Clinical Audiologists, in our Akron office. I am please to share her thoughts and how she helped people with their “quality of life” Thanks Amy!! Rich

Hi!

I wanted to just give you a quick hello and tell you how happy my patients are with Resound products. Over the past few months I have fit several digital Resound Alera hearing devices. ( love the volume and prog button in one) and still loving the remote mics. I have fit 2 new pt’s with their first pair of hearing aids as the remote mic and one female patient reported “it’s so much smaller than I had expected, I’m so pleased”. I have a young patient in her late 20’s who attends business meetings on a weekly basis and she uses her remote mic “all the time”. She will nod or laugh in response to people’s comments who are sitting on the far end of the table and her co-workers have to ask HER what other’s are saying now. She loves her phone clip, uses it in the car everyday and streams music from her iPhone every chance she gets. Thanks!

Opening our “eyes and ears” to solutions: By Dr. Richard Reikowski, Au.D family Hearing and Balance Center and Cardinal hearing Centers

Posted on January 25, 2012 by rreikowski

Stories like this are so nice to share….. Thank you Kristie.

Kristie Dannemiller-Smith is a Clinical Audiolgist at Cardinal Hearing Centers.

“I saw a patient today for his hearing device fitting. He has been a patient of ours for several years and has worn a hearing device in the right ear only since childhood due to significant hearing impairment in that ear due to meningitis. He has a significant hearing loss in the right ear and his number one struggle is dealing with localization and noisy environments. I fit him with the Phonak CROS system (with an FM transmitter on poor ear and a FM receiver in the better ear).

He was weary at first since he has not heard anything on that side for years and did not believe that he would be able to pick up sounds on the left side at all. I turned the microphones on both hearing aids on and started to talk to the patient with his eyes closed. He opened his eyes in pure disbelief!! He said for the first time for as long as he could remember, he was hearing from the left side. We even held a phone up to the left ear and he was able to hear the dial tone through the transmitter. He now is a believer and cannot wait to try the new hearing devices out at home….”

This patient made my day!! Kristie

Thank you Kristie for sharing this story that was obviously a great moment as an Audiologist!! So proud to have these opportunities to help those hear to their fullest potential!

Rich

Hearing Loss Ohio

Family Hearing & Balance Center and Cardinal Hearing Centers