Tinnitus

Have you ever experienced a “ringing in your ears” or “noise in your head”? This sound is referred to as tinnitus. Most people have tinnitus at some point in their lives – for some individuals it occurs very infrequently and for others it may be constant; it can also be in both ears or in only one ear. Approximately 40 million people in the U.S. have tinnitus at the present time. The sound of the tinnitus can also vary among people and has been described as ringing, hissing, buzzing, roaring, pulsing, whoosing, chirping, whistling, or clicking.

What causes tinnitus? Tinnitus is a symptom of a problem so it is important to determine the underlying issue in order to determine how to treat it. It may be a sign of hearing loss or may be caused by excessive exposure to noise, which may be occupational, military, or recreational (hunting, target-shooting, concerts). Certain ear diseases, injury involving damage to the ear, wax in the ear, barometric pressure changes (scuba diving), or circulation changes in the inner ear are other auditory causes of tinnitus. It can also be due to medical problems such as allergies, high or low blood pressure, tumors, diabetes, and thyroid issues. In addition, there are several medications that can cause or worsen tinnitus. Caffeine, nicotine, and stress also tend to aggravate tinnitus.

What should you do if you have tinnitus? You should see your physician to determine the cause of the tinnitus. If it is not caused by a medical problem or a medication, it may have an auditory etiology. An audiological evaluation would therefore be necessary to determine if you have a hearing loss or if there is another auditory cause. Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus at this time but there are options available to help reduce the tinnitus. Hearing aids are an option for individuals who have both hearing loss and tinnitus. Masking devices can be used to make the tinnitus less noticeable. Tinnitus retraining therapy is available to help reduce the brain’s focus on the phantom sound and therefore, provide relief. Certain medications can be used if the cause is related to stress or depression. There are also tinnitus support groups in communities to help people cope with the tinnitus.

Tinnitus can be very distracting and cause difficulty concentrating. It is important to determine the cause of the tinnitus and what options you have to help alleviate it. For more information, please visit the American Speech Language Hearing Association website at www.asha.org or contact a hearing health specialist at Coastal Hearing and Balance Center 732-280-7855; www.coastalhearing.com.
Kristen Olsen is a Doctor of Audiology at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat in Neptune, NJ, and can be contacted at 732-280-7855; kmolsen@coastalhearing.com; http://www.coastalhearing.com

Better Speech and Hearing Month

Coastal Hearing & Balance Center Joins Better Hearing and Speech Council in Promoting Across America Hearing Check Challenge during Better Speech and Hearing Month

May 1 marks the start of Better Hearing and Speech Month, a month dedicated to educating consumers about the need to assure that their hearing is healthy. This year, Coastal Hearing & Balance Center is joining the Better Hearing and Speech Council (BHSC) in promoting the Across America Hearing Check Challenge (www.hearingcheck.org)–an online hearing test that lets individuals quickly and confidentially determine if they need a comprehensive hearing check by a hearing professional. Coastal Hearing & Balance Center is urging everyone to rise to the challenge, visit www.hearingcheck.org, and walk through a simple, 15-question self-screener in the privacy of their own homes.
“We know that unaddressed hearing loss seriously undercuts a person’s quality of life and has a tremendous impact on relationships,” says Suzanne McCorry, a hearing health professional in Neptune, NJ. “We see it every day in our practice and hear it from our patients and their concerned family members and friends.
“We also know that too many people wait years, even decades, before getting treatment—either unaware of the extent of their hearing loss or too afraid to confront it—losing out on so much. That’s why Coastal Hearing & Balance Center is so excited about this updated, simple, and interactive screening check that couples, families, and anyone else can use in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. By visiting www.hearingcheck.org, members of our community can take the first, most critical step in reclaiming their hearing—and their quality of life. And when they’re ready to take that next step—and get a professional assessment—we’re here and ready to help.”
The signs of hearing loss can be subtle and emerge slowly, or they can be significant and come on suddenly. Either way, there are common indications. Symptoms of hearing loss include not being able to hear well in a crowded room or restaurant, having trouble hearing children and women, keeping the television or radio turned up to a high volume, needing to ask friends to repeat what they're saying, or experiencing ringing in the ears.
“Research shows that hearing health affects everything from job performance and income to personal relationships,” says Sergei Kochkin, PhD, executive director of the Better Hearing Institute and a leading member of the BHSC. “Increasingly, research shows a correlation between hearing loss and other chronic medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s.”
During Better Hearing and Speech Month, Coastal Hearing & Balance Center also is warning people of the financial dangers of leaving hearing loss unaddressed. People with untreated hearing loss lose as much as $30,000 in income annually, depending on their degree of hearing loss. The cost to society is estimated at $26 billion each year in unrealized federal taxes. To those with unaided hearing loss, the yearly cost is estimated at $176 billion. However, in a recent BHI study, the use of hearing aids was shown to reduce the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those with severe to moderate hearing loss. What’s more, hearing aid use was shown to reduce unemployment among hearing aid users.
“Most people don’t have to suffer the consequences of unaddressed hearing loss,” says Dr. McCorry. “Hearing loss can be easily diagnosed, and there are modern-day solutions that can help people hear better. Simply by getting their hearing checked and addressing their hearing loss, people in our community can reclaim their quality of life. We hope that many in our community will visit www.hearingcheck.org as well as www.coastalearnoseandthroat.com during Better Hearing and Speech Month.”
More About Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids
Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions, including impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks, reduced alertness, and increased risk to personal safety, irritability, negativism, anger, fatigue, tension, stress, depression, and diminished psychological and overall health. But nine out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life.

Advances in digital technology have dramatically improved hearing aids in recent years, making them smaller with better sound quality. Designs are modern, sleek, and discreet. Clarity, greater directionality, better speech audibility in a variety of environments, better cell phone compatibility, less whistling and feedback then hearing aids of the past, and greater ruggedness for active lifestyles are common features.

Suzanne McCorry is a Dr. of Audiology at Coastal Hearing and Balance Center in Neptune, NJ, and can be contacted 732-280-7855; sbmccorry@coastalhearing.com; www.coastalhearing.com
The Better Hearing and Speech Council is a coalition of national and local organizations dedicated to promoting high quality hearing health and hearing healthcare for all residents of the United States. For more information, visit www.BHScouncil.org

Hearing Loss

What are the primary causes of hearing loss?

Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat along with Healthy Hearing would like to educate the public on the primary causes of hearing loss.

There are three types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural and mixed hearing loss, all of which have different causes.

Conductive hearing loss is caused by issues with the middle ear such as fluid in the middle ear space or issues with the middle ear bones. Many types of conductive hearing loss are not permanent and can be treated by medical intervention. A full hearing evaluation followed with a medical evaluation by an ear physician will help to determine the cause of the conductive hearing loss. Once the cause is identified, the physician will recommend medical treatment.

Most causes of sensorineural (nerve) hearing loss are never known; however, through a hearing evaluation and medical evaluation, various causes of hearing loss can be suspected based on the outcome of the evaluations. The most common causes of sensorineural hearing loss are genetics, aging and noise exposure. Medications, diseases associated with small vessel disease, arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease are all associated with a higher incidence of hearing loss.

Recent studies have also found persons who smoke increase their probability of having hearing loss. Finally, high levels of blood lipids and cholesterol have been associated with an increased incidence of hearing loss, possibly through the promotion of small vessel disease.

Currently, noise-induced hearing loss is the only type of hearing loss that can be fully prevented by the use of ear protection. Noise induced hearing loss may be caused by a single exposure to excessive noise or from many years of being exposed to loud levels of noise.

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, and is caused by the previously mentioned causes.

Unfortunately, even if you live healthy and take all precautions possible, the majority of us will slowly develop hearing loss due to the natural aging process. The inner ear hair cells do not replace themselves and once they are lost, their function is not recovered.

Recent studies have found high doses of antioxidants may be associated with the prevention of noise induced hearing loss. Other studies have shown a diet rich in folates may also help prevent hearing loss by up to 20% (2009, AOO-HNSF); however, further research is needed.

Joanne Slater M.S. CCC-A. Copyright 2009, www.HealthyHearing.com - The leading web resource on hearing loss and hearing aids. This article was reprinted with permission. Article Source: http://www.healthyhearing.com

Please visit our website at www.coastalhearing.com for more information on healthy hearing.
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Suzanne McCorry is Director of Audiology at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat in Neptune, NJ and can be contacted at 732-280-7855; sbmccorry@coastalhearing.com; http://www.coastalhearing.com

Hearing Aid Dispenser

Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat is proud to announce Jessica Miller has joined the staff of Coastal Hearing and Balance Center. Dr. Miller received both her Bachelor’s and Doctorate in Audiology degrees from James Madison University in Virginia. She is a licensed Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispenser. Jessica also holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. After experiencing a variety of clinical settings including hospitals, VA medical centers, ENT offices, & private practice, she has found her niche working with hearing aids.

Call (732) 280-7855 or visit us on our website to make an appointment.

Otitis Media (Inflammation of the Middle Ear)

Located within the middle ear space is a tube called the Eustachian Tube. This tube extends from the middle ear space to a region in the back of the throat and nose. In its normal state, the Eustachian tube is closed. However, when a person swallows or yawns, the Eustachian tube is forced open in order to allow air to enter the middle ear space, thus equalizing the air pressure in the middle ear to that within the ear canal. If the Eustachian tube fails to open and close properly, pressure builds up in the middle ear space allowing the accumulation of fluid.

A child’s Eustachian tube is an essentially narrow, straight, short tube which is the perfect condition for fluids and germs to gather in the middle ear space and cause problems. As children grow into adult bodies, this tube begins to widen, lengthen, and slope down into the back of the throat and nose space. Think of a properly functioning storm drain, an adult Eustachian tube allows for the proper drainage of fluid so that a buildup of fluid and germs is less likely to occur, similar to rain water properly running down the drain.

In addition to being at an anatomical disadvantage, a child’s immune system is not fully developed until the age of 7 years. Therefore, their bodies are not as good at warding off infections as adults. Environmental factors may also increase the risk of OM such as the use of pacifiers or bottles, exposure to second-hand smoke, and attending group child-care facilities where germs are easily spread.

In treating middle ear infections the physician will consider whether or not to use a “wait and see” approach, antibiotics, pressure equalization tube insertion, or a combination of two or more of these approaches. When planning the treatment approach the physician will consider the type and severity of the ear infection, frequency and duration of the ear infections, the age of the child, speech/language delays or learning disorders, state of hearing sensitivity and medical risk factors.

Pressure equalization tubes, or PE tubes, are surgically inserted in the ear drums. They help to drain fluid from the middle ear and equalize the pressure in the ear. The procedure takes about 10 minutes and is performed under general anesthesia. Children are most commonly able to leave about an hour after surgery and feel no pain after discharge.

If otitis media goes untreated, and fluid is allowed to remain in the middle ear for longer than 6 weeks, it may become thick. This thick fluid or mucous can cause significant damage to the eardrum and the tiny bones within the middle ear thus impairing hearing. Following your physician’s medical treatment plan is the best way to assure maximum recovery and hearing abilities.

Research about OM is ongoing; your doctor can talk to you about the current findings.

Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat has been treating monmouth county and ocean county for ear infections for over a decade. Our practice offers audiologic/diagnostic hearing evaluations our doctors of audiology. So come visit our board certified physicians and let them help you treat your otitis media. If you like our blog please visit our facebook page and like us.

Please visit our website at www.coastalhearing.com under helpful links for more healthy hearing information.
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Dr. Suzanne McCorry is Director of Audiology at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat in Neptune, NJ and can be contacted at 732-280-7855; sbmccorry@coastalhearing.com; http://www.coastalhearing.com

Meet Our Physician Assistant

Jaclyn Sylvia, our Physician Assistant, is committed to excellence in patient care. She received her bachelor’s degree in Health Services and Biology at Quinnipiac University in 2005. She continued on to obtain her Master’s degree in Health Science Physician Assistant at Quinnipiac University in 2007. She has been a practicing licensed medical professional working in otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery for over three years providing care for both adults and pediatric patients. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Society of Physician Assistants in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery as well as an active member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in order to promote growth and development of Physician Assistants in the ENT field.

Mary Mitskavich, MD

Mary Mitskavich, MD

Founder, Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat

Dr. Mary Mitskavich is the founder of Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat, LLC and is the managing partner. She received her undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from Duquesne University, graduating Summa Cum Laude as the class Valedictorian. She worked as a registered Pharmacist until deciding to pursue a career in medicine.

Dr. Mitskavich completed medical school, internship and residency at the University of Pittsburgh where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. Dr. Mitskavich has had multiple scientific publications and presentations at national meetings. Grant money was awarded to fund her clinical research.

Currently, Dr. Mitskavich serves as a clinical instructor at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. She serves on the management committee of the Center for Advanced Surgery and Pain Management. She was on the Board of Directors of Meridian Ambulatory Care, Inc. She was recently selected to participate in the Meridian Physician Leadership Program. In 2007, Dr. Mitskavich was voted by her peers as one of New Jersey Monthly's Top Doctors.

Dr. Mitskavich is Board Certified in Pediatric and Adult Otolaryngology. She specializes in Balloon Sinuplasty, a less invasive endoscopic sinus surgery. You can see her interviewed on our Balloon Sinuplasty video.