* HEARING LOSS


Many people experience impairment from exposure to loud noises, either suddenly or over a prolonged period of time. For example, people who work in very noisy environ- ments or listen to extremely loud music for long periods of time can experience this type of loss. Some people who experience hearing loss also hear a


ringing in their ears, known as tinnitus. This can be ex- tremely debilitating and distracting.


Using a Hearing Aid While presbycusis — the most common type of hearing loss — may be permanent, that doesn’t mean there’s noth- ing you can do about it. For most people, it can be managed with a hearing aid. These are small, electronic devices worn in or behind the ear. They work by magnifying sound vibra- tions entering the ear. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), estimates that only one in five people who could benefit from the use of a hear- ing aid actually uses one. Medicare does not cover all types of hearing aids, although it will cover a hearing evaluation if ordered by


your healthcare provider. Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA), which attach to the bone behind the ear, have been classified as prosthetic devices and may be covered by Medicare if other policy requirements are met. These aids are surgically implanted devices that transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear through the skull, bypassing the middle ear.


Cochlear Implants When hearing aids aren’t sufficient, hearing loss may be surgically treated with cochlear implants, which are medi- cal devices that bypass the damaged part of the ear and stimulate the auditory nerve. Cochlear implants, which are also surgically implanted, produce a range of sound but do not replace normal hearing. They are used in cases of severe hearing loss and are not recommended for people who can manage their loss with hearing aids alone. According to the NIH, more than 188,000 people world- wide use cochlear implants, including more than 41,000 American adults and 26,000 American children. In the United States, these implants are usually covered by insur- ance, including Medicare.


34 | MATTERS OF HEALTH


ISTOCK.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44