Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Hoglund Family Hearing and Audiology Services
In the movie A Star Is Born, Jackson Maine (played by Bradley Cooper) is a famous musician who performs very loud, rock-n-roll concerts to sold-out arenas every night. As a result of all this noise, and the fact that he was born with hearing loss, Maine hears a constant ringing tone in his head, called tinnitus, and often has trouble hearing conversations.
Maine’s manager and otolaryngologist urge him to wear in-ear monitors, which are custom-molded ear plugs that block sound and allow musicians to hear their voices and instruments over loud audiences and speakers, but he refuses. Over the course of the film, the tinnitus gets worse, and Maine fails to manage it appropriately.
As you can imagine, ear issues and hearing loss are occupational hazards for musicians, especially those who perform live and are exposed to loud speakers. But Maine’s story, although it’s fictional, shows just how impactful tinnitus can be for some individuals. John Hoglund BC-HIS,ACA and his wife Patricia have worked with Tinnitus Patients throughout Southwest Florida for many years, and they are thrilled that this film has shed a light on this confusing and frustrating condition. “If this helps motivate musicians to take better care of their hearing due to the star power of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, that would be phenomenal,” John states. “The BEST Tinnitus Treatment… is PREVENTING it from occurring in the first place!”
The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) published the following information recently in conjunction with the movie’s release. Tinnitus is defined as a perception of sound in the head that’s not produced by sound waves, says LaGuinn Sherlock, AuD., a research audiologist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Technically, tinnitus is produced by extra electrical activity in the brain after there’s been damage in the ear and auditory system. Damage could be a severe injury to the head and neck, excessive earwax, sinus pressure, or a traumatic brain injury. Often, tinnitus is associated with noise-induced hearing loss, which is why it’s common among musicians, explains Christopher Chang, MD, an otolaryngologist in Warrenton, VA. In fact, some studies suggest that between 17-43% of rock musicians have chronic tinnitus.
Simply thinking about an incessant buzzing, beeping, humming, or static noise in your head is annoying enough to make most of us cringe, but tinnitus can affect people’s mental health and well-being in a very serious way. “A lot of people with bothersome or intrusive tinnitus are experiencing depression and or anxiety because of the ringing,” Dr. Sherlock says. On top of that, “some people who are already depressed or anxious are more likely to react to having ringing in the ears than if they were not already depressed or anxious.”
Common difficulties associated with Tinnitus
Tinnitus is often accompanied by a series of frustrating issues:
• Sleeping problems
• Annoyance, irritation
• Difficulty relaxing
• Despair and frustration
• Problems focusing on speech
• Concentration difficulties
For tens of millions of tinnitus sufferers, daily activity can be a challenge. Finding help can be frustrating. And the confusion surrounding the condition can lead to feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. Tinnitus is often described as buzzing, ringing, hissing, humming, roaring, or whistling that someone hears in the absence of any external sound. More than 50 million people in the United States alone suffer from the condition, according to ATA statistics.
Educational Seminars Offered
For Tinnitus Sufferers
Hoglund Family Hearing and Audiology Center will be offering a series of lectures from Dr. Susan DeBondt, November 12,13,14,15, and 16 throughout Lee and Collier Counties focusing on HELP and HOPE for Tinnitus Sufferers throughout Southwest Florida. (SEE ADJACENT PAGE FOR A SEMINAR NEAR YOU) Dr. DeBondt has dedicated her life to Tinnitus Treatment and Research, and she will give all of the latest findings on treatment procedures that have dramatically changed the lives of Tinnitus Patients throughout the world!
If you are unable to attend one any of the lectures, John Hoglund will offer individual consultations with handouts of the information covered in Dr. DeBondt lectures. A COMPLIMENTARY Tinnitus Evaluation and consultation may also be arranged by calling (239)498-7142. Our Practice feels that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER where your hearing health is concerned, and we hope we can help people cope with this often-debilitating condition.
“I feel far too many people have been told that nothing can be done to help tinnitus sufferers,” adds Dr. Lynette Dornton, Au.D., who has worked with Mr. Hoglund on many complex cases. “This takes away HOPE, and we feel strongly that this only deepens the psychological trauma!” John adds, “We have three Clinics conveniently located throughout Lee and Collier Counties, and we offer FREE Tinnitus Consultations and Hearing Evaluations!”
“My wife Patricia and I have been in the field for over 30 years,” John says, “and we have been focused on helping Tinnitus Sufferers since 2011 when we opened Southwest Florida Tinnitus and Hearing Center, the first Tinnitus Center in the area. We have been blessed to work with some of the finest Audiologists in the field, and seven of our clinicians hold a certificate from the International Hearing Society as Tinnitus Care Providers. We were voted Southwest Florida’s Best Audiologists, Best Tinnitus Center, and Best Hearing and Testing Center!” Patricia adds, “We never wanted expense to be a barrier to knowledge, so there is absolutely NO COST OR OBLIGATION for our Hearing evaluations and Tinnitus Assessments! Patients will receive the informative, Consumer’s Guide to Tinnitus Relief after testing, again at no charge! Our motto has always been, “All it will COST is a little of your time… but the knowledge you receive may be PRICELESS!”
Hoglund Family Hearing And Audiology Center
Fifteen 8th Street, Suite B (Next to Royal Scoop Ice Cream)
Bonita Springs, FL 31434
239-494-8651
Southwest Florida Tinnitus And Hearing Center
10020 Coconut Rd. Ste.120 (Next to LabCorp)
Estero, FL 34135
239-494-8652
AUDIOLOGY CENTERS OF HOGLUND FAMILY HEARING
13710 Metropolis Ave.Suite 101
(One block west of Gulf Coast Hospital)
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239-208-6827
