Medical
Hearing Is Believing Zounds of Charleston
first customer was its owner. Derrick Woods, who runs Zounds of Charleston with his wife, Nancy, knows firsthand what it’s
Z BY BRIAN SHERMAN
like to struggle to hear and un- derstand the sounds that many people take for granted. He has had hearing problems since childhood, but, today, equipped with a Zounds hearing aid in each ear, he revels in everyday sounds he never thought he would hear.
“I hunted, went to concerts
and worked in factories my whole life,” Woods commented. “I got by with lousy hearing for 40 years. Now that I can hear, I can’t stand a day without my hearing aids.” Zounds hearing aids eliminate up to 90 percent of
Derrick Woods knows what it’s like to have hearing problems. That ’s one reason he and his wife, Nancy, opened Zounds of Charleston in March 2014.
background noise, according to Woods, and they also do away with feedback that can cause an irritating squeal- ing or whistling sound. And just as Zounds founder Sam Tomasson developed the innovative hearing aid to help his daughter, who lost her ability to hear at a young age, the Woods’ opened the franchise to give them the opportunity to improve the lives of their Lowcountry neighbors. “We got into this to help people,” Nancy Woods ex- plained. “Te satisfaction we get out of it is tremendous.” Derrick Woods enjoys talking about people whose lives
have taken a turn for the better because of his Zounds franchise. For instance, a woman who had taught piano for half a century gave up playing because of her severe hear-
OUNDS IS DEVELOPING A sterling reputation in the Lowcountry. But beyond enthusiastic recommenda- tions from satisfied customers, possibly the most revealing testimonial the com- pany has earned since opening its doors in March 2014 is that the franchise’s
ing loss. Shortly after she was fitted with a pair of hearing aids, she broke the news to Woods, amid tears of joy, that she was making music again. Another Zounds customer, a 31-year-old language
teacher, was amazed to find that “After 10 years of teach- ing, she could hear her students talking behind her back.” And a woman at an assisted living center in North Charleston was grateful that she was finally able to speak over the phone to her daughters in Michigan and Florida. It wasn’t long before five of her friends at the center wanted to talk to Woods about improving their hearing. Woods pointed out that not
every potential patient needs a hearing aid, though he added that 10 percent of Americans – 34 million people – suffer from some type of hearing loss. Patients who visit Zounds first view a short video that explains the technology behind the Zounds hearing aid, then they are tested by Hearing Aid Specialist Mark Selby. Te ini- tial appointment usually takes around an hour-and-a-half, and there’s no charge for the test and
consultation. Sometimes, Woods pointed out, the problem is something simple, such as excess earwax. If a hearing aid is necessary, the patient will start hear- ing better right away and return for a follow-up visit in a week or two. “If a person buys a hearing aid, they aren’t just buy-
ing a product. Tey have to commit time for us to tweak it for them. No two people are alike, and no two ears are alike. You have to be willing to come back so we can make it comfortable and as close to perfect as possible for you,” Nancy Woods explained.
To find out more about how a Zounds hearing aid can help you, visit
www.zoundscharleston.com or call 843-388-4853.
www.CharlestonPhysicians.com |
www.MountPleasantPhysicians.com |
www.SummervillePhysicians.com HL 37
Photo by Jenn Cady.
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