Hearing Aids, Hearing Aid Repair & More | Trinity, FL & Spring Hill, FL

Hearing and Balance

As experts in conditions that affect the ears, nose and throat, the physicians of Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists offer services to protect and enhance your hearing. We also treat conditions that affect the delicate structures inside your ears that work together to maintain your balance.

While your family physician has the fundamental knowledge to provide basic treatments for ears, hearing and balance, many conditions require a greater in-depth knowledge, skill and specialized training. The ENT physicians at Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists are experienced with the following:

Tinnitus

Ear Infections

Ear Tube Placement BMT

Custom Ear Protection

Tympanoplasty

Mastoidectomy

Audiology and Hearing Testing

Our experienced audiology staff performs all forms of hearing and balance testing and also provides full evaluation and fitting of hearing aids. As the home of Tampa Speech and Hearing, we have a long proven record of reliable, quality care for our patients. Our audiologists work together with our physicians to provide full-spectrum care. Many cases of treatable hearing loss are diagnosed in our office and can be resolved in the office or in surgery.

Audiological Evaluations

Hearing is carefully assessed to determine the type and severity of the hearing loss. We measure your ability to hear tones as well as to understand speech.

Pediatric Hearing Assessment

Good hearing is essential for a child to develop speech, language, and learning skills. It is important that hearing loss is identified as early to ensure adequate speech and language development. Hearing in infants and toddlers can and should be assessed as early as possible.

Tympanometry

Results of this quick test tell doctors whether there is fluid behind the eardrum, if an ear tube is blocked or if there is a hole in the eardrum.

Audiology FAQ

Turning up the volume
Asking people to repeat themselves or speak louder
Difficulty talking on the phone without the use of visual cues
Thinking “I can hear you, but I can’t understand you” when listening to others speak
Perceiving speech as muffled or mumbled
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Difficulty following conversations in noisy locations like restaurants
Sensitivity to sound

Approximately 30% of people aged 55 and older, 50% of people aged 65 and older, and 90% of people aged 80 an older have hearing loss in both ears. To catch hearing loss early, people should begin annual hearing screenings by the time they reach their sixties.

Those with an existing diagnosis of hearing loss, regardless of age, should monitor their hearing on an annual basis or more frequently with any perceived changes in their hearing.

During your appointment the audiologist will ask you questions regarding your history and examine your ears. A range of non-invasive hearing tests are conducted to analyze how well different aspects of your hearing function. Once the testing is finished the audiologist will review your test results with you. If significant hearing loss has been detected, they will schedule a follow-up appointment for a hearing aid evaluation.

No. This is a topic which is debated amongst many professionals, but our opinion at Suncoast tends to be more conservative. First, we assess whether or not the patient can be treated medically (surgery, medication, etc.). Next, we evaluate the severity of the loss.

In patients with excellent speech discrimination, we generally only recommend annual monitoring of mild high-frequency hearing loss. We always provide an honest opinion on whether or not delaying the use of hearing aids is likely to worsen your hearing or otherwise impact your performance outcomes.

How many hearing aid manufacturers do you work with? Be wary of offices or providers that work with only a single brand. There is not a single hearing aid manufacturer that is able to provide a complete product line to fit every patient’s needs.
Do you offer financing? Financing makes purchasing hearing aids more affordable to many patients. Inquire about financing options and see if you qualify.
What services are included in the purchase of my hearing aids? Service appointment, walk-in hours, batteries, cleaning supplies, adjustments, annual exams, etc. should all be outlined when purchasing a hearing aid.

Tinnitus

Also known as ringing in the ear, tinnitus is an affliction where one hears, either intermittently or continuously, a series of sounds including ringing, hissing, and/or buzzing in the ears. The noise can also vary in degrees of loudness.

An estimated 50,000,000 adults in the United States suffer from tinnitus, making it one of the most common afflictions in the United States today. In mild cases of tinnitus, it can simply be an annoyance. In the most severe cases, however, it can actually interfere with everyday life. A person who suffers from severe tinnitus will suffer from relationship interference, difficulty concentrating and sleeping, and, as a result of these afflictions, psychological distress.

Rather than being considered a disease, tinnitus is actually a symptom of a larger neurological problem. While it may occur as a standalone symptom, it may also occur in conjunction with vertigo, hearing loss or pressure in the ear.

Tinnitus is described with two types:

Subjective Tinnitus -very common, where the patient perceives the tinnitus noise all on their own
Objective Tinnitus -far more uncommon, where both the patient and other listeners can perceive the tinnitus noise

Some of the causes of tinnitus include the following:

Medications
Excessive build-up of cerumen (ear wax)
Otosclerosis (an issue with the bones of the middle ear)
Chronic cochlear disorders, including afflictions involving the cochlear fluid
Abnormal neural activity in the auditory nerve fibers
Meniere’s disease (a disease that involves hearing loss and vertigo, or dizziness)
Exposure to excessively loud sounds
Tumors of the central nervous system or within the auditory system
A direct blow to the head or other forms of sudden trauma
Vascular abnormalities that occur at the base of the head or skull

Contrary to popular belief, hearing loss does not cause tinnitus. Many people who suffer from tinnitus experience no hearing loss at all. In extreme cases, some tinnitus sufferers suffer from hyperacusis (hearing too well) and have to take steps to muffle the sensory overload of incoming sounds.

Sometimes, tinnitus is only temporary, developing as a result of an infection or blockage in the ear. In those cases, once the ear infection is treated, the tinnitus disappears.

When the auditory nerve is irritated in any way, “head noise” is produced. This is akin to the types of sensations produced elsewhere in the body when other nerves are irritated.

When tinnitus is severe and/or chronic, our ENT specialists recommend comprehensive testing, known as a complete cochleovestibular evaluation. The evaluation offers two benefits: first, to establish the site of lesion that is causing the tinnitus, and second, to rule out any other pathology (including a tumor) that may be causing the tinnitus should a site of lesion not be established.

Testing will also be done to optimize treating tinnitus with “masking sounds” including a residual inhibition determination, which is when tinnitus is reduced after a “masking” sound is turned off

Most patients will not need medical treatment for their tinnitus. There are, however, effective treatment options:

Medications
Listening to a fan or a radio
Tinnitus maskers -small, noise-cancelling devices
Biofeedback training
Avoidance of tinnitus triggers such as anxiety or smoking

Ear Infections

Otitis is the general medical term that is given to any ear infection. Ear infections cause a range of symptoms in adults and children, and the infections can place you or your child at risk for hearing loss.

Middle Ear Infections in Children

One of the most common conditions that our specialists treat is otitis media, also referred to as a middle ear infection. The most common cause of otitis media is a bacterial or viral infection that causes the middle ear to become inflamed and uncomfortable. The condition is much more common in children than adults.

The side effects of an ear infection can range from extreme pain to little or no discomfort for your child. Unfortunately, many children that have an ear infection are not able to communicate exactly what they are experiencing. Signs of an ear infection in children can include:

Hearing problems
Issues with your child’s balance
Tugging, scratching, or a fixation with their ears
Discharge
General irritability
Decreased appetite
Fever
Sleeping problems
Fussiness (in babies)

If your child has displayed any of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with a board-certified ENT specialist immediately. When these infections are left untreated, they can lead to a wide variety of medical problems including hearing loss, a perforated eardrum, and an infection of the mastoid bone, brain abscesses, and meningitis.

Middle Ear Infections in Adults

While middle ear infections are much more common in children, they can still occur in adults at any age. Infections generally occur after the middle ear has become inflamed and traps fluid behind the eardrum. They mostly develop due to allergic irritation, bacterial infections, and viral infections.

If you have been dealing with chronic ear infections, our specialists will often suggest endoscopic sinus surgery. This is a simple operation to remove nasal polyps and correct the nasal septum. If the infection is particularly severe, then it can actually infect the mastoid bone as well. An intravenous antibiotic therapy will often be used to treat the infection at first, but if this does not work then the mastoid bone may need to be opened, and the infection drained.

Outer Ear Infections

Otitis externa is the medical term for a painful outer ear infection in or around the ear canal. Otitis externa is also known as “swimmer’s ear” due to the fact that it can take place after exposure to water containing bacteria and fungi.

Treating an outer ear infection is often much easier than treating a middle ear infection. This process typically begins with carefully cleaning the outer ear canal and then immediately applying anti-inflammatories and antibiotics directly to the tissue. If the problem is actually a fungal infection, then we may use a topical anti-fungal medication. Oral antibiotics may be necessary if the infection has spread to the skin and soft tissue surrounding the ear.

Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s disease, which is also known as idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops, is a disorder affecting the inner ear marked by dizziness, vertigo, fatigue and hearing loss. The disorder is among the most common culprits for dizziness caused by inner ear problems.

A single ear is involved in many instances, but in around 15% of cases, the problem involves both ears. Meniere’s disease normally occurs in people between 20 and 50 years of age, and the risk is similar for men and women. Because Meniere’s disease has such a significant impact on quality of life, Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists offer advanced treatments for the condition.

Meniere’s disease typically involves

Episodic rotational vertigo (random bouts of spinning vision)
Tinnitus (ringing or other noises in the ears)
Hearing loss (periodic or constant)
Full feelings in the ear
DIscomfort from loud noises

In Meniere’s disease, vertigo occurs as random attacks of feeling like the room is spinning and may also include nausea, vomiting and disequilibrium (feeling off-balance). The episodes can last anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours. After the attack, patients may experience several hours of fatigue, and the disequilibrium can continue for days.

Symptoms of Meniere’s disease can be mild enough to be only a minor disruption, or may be troublesome enough to dictate your life, especially if the episodes of vertigo are severe, frequent and unexpected.

Diagnosing Meniere’s disease begins with assessing the frequency, length and severity of symptoms. The doctor may also ask if you have a history of serious infections and questions regarding your overall health. Tests may be performed to rule out other disorders. An audiometric exam, or hearing test, can often determine if sensory type hearing loss is present. Unless an attack is in progress, physical exams of the ears, head, neck, and throat usually divulge nothing abnormal. Your doctor may do an electronystagmogram (ENG) or other tests to determine your degree of balance. The balance function of the afflicted ear is hindered in roughly half of cases.

While Meniere’s disease has no known cure, almost all cases of related vertigo attacks can be controlled through treatment:

Medications and diet changes: Minimizing dietary sodium and taking a diuretic can help decrease the frequency of attacks for some people. Anti-dizziness medications such as diazepam (Valium) or meclizine (Antivert) can temporarily relieve vertigo symptoms. In some cases, an anti-emetic (anti-nausea) drug may also be prescribed. Please note, though, that these medications can cause sleepiness.
Lifestyle changes: Avoid using substances such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. Maintain a healthy, nutritious diet and make sure you get plenty of sleep. Stress is also known to worsen the tinnitus and vertigo that occur with Meniere’s disease.
Preventative action: If your vertigo attacks occur suddenly and unexpectedly, you should avoid driving or operating heavy machinery. Accidents may cause injuries to yourself or others. You may also need to avoid things such as swimming, bicycling and using scaffolding or ladders.
Surgery: If your vertigo does not respond to conventional treatments and is debilitating, the ENT specialist may recommend surgery. There are three main procedures that may relieve symptoms of Meniere’s disease:
- A selective vestibular neurectomy involves cutting the balance nerve where it exits the inner ear and connects to the brain. In many cases, vertigo attacks are completely resolved, and hearing may also be preserved.
- A decompression procedure, also called an endolymphatic shunt, is used to preserve hearing in Meniere’s disease. In 50% to 66% of cases, vertigo attacks are minimized, but this won’t last in every case.
- Labyrinthectomy and eighth nerve section are surgeries that destroy the inner ear mechanisms controlling hearing and balance on one side. These surgeries provide the best rates of controlling vertigo attacks in Meniere’s disease.

Vertigo (Dizziness)

Dizziness and vertigo are well-known conditions that typically start in the balance system of the inner ear. Here, the signals that are sent from the eyes, bones and joints are shared with the brain and nervous system to coordinate movement. If any of these signals are disrupted, a person may experience balance impairment. Our ENT specialists are board-certified in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, so the residents of Tampa, Spring Hill and surrounding areas in Florida feel confident in their treatment for vertigo/dizziness at Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo, also referred to as a balance disorder, is feeling motion when no motion is occurring. The causes of vertigo include a problem with the inner ear’s balance mechanisms or issues within the brain. Although vertigo is harmless, it can indicate a serious condition if it is accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty speaking or walking, double vision or severe headaches. Even if no other symptoms exist, we recommend that anyone experiencing vertigo be examined by one of our ENT specialists, but treatment is especially important if your symptoms worsen.

What Is Dizziness?

Dizziness is a term used to describe lightheadedness or to feel faint, weak and unsteady. Vertigo is the dizziness that creates the sensation that you or your surroundings are moving or spinning.

Dizziness ranks behind fatigue and chest for the top reasons that adults visit their doctors. Experiencing frequent dizzy spells or constant dizziness may affect your level of productivity, but it is rarely a serious, life-threatening condition. The treatment for dizziness is dependent upon your symptoms and the cause of the condition. The treatments are usually effective.

Again, individual treatment for vertigo depends on the causes and the severity of the attacks. If vertigo is caused by a bacterial infection middle ear, the infection is treated with antibiotics. In more serious cases, an ENT might recommend surgical intervention. The medications used to treat the condition can be taken intravenously, by mouth or through a skin patch.

The most common treatment for vertigo uses physical maneuvers, known as vestibular rehabilitation exercises. The exercises involve having the patient lie down on a table on one side until the condition subsides. The patient then turns to the other side quickly. The movement is repeated until the vertigo no longer is felt.

If you have been previously diagnosed with BPPV, please visit our Patient Resources for at-home exercises.

If you are not careful, vertigo can cause you to fall. The following tips will help you reduce your chances of falling.

Try to avoid changing positions quickly. When you rise from your bed or chair, take a moment to sit on the edge. Then, lift yourself up slowly.
Ask your doctor about exercises that can improve your balance and reduce the symptoms of vertigo.
Sit down when you start to feel like the room is spinning.

Feeling the room spin around you is an uncomfortable and frightening experience. You may even fall and injure yourself as you try to clear your head. Vertigo (dizziness) has many causes, and the ENT physicians of Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists provide the treatment you need for vertigo (dizziness). Contact our Trinity or Spring Hill office to schedule a consultation.

The Anatomy of Balance

Dizziness and vertigo relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium. Researchers of aeronautical and space medicine refer to this as spatial orientation. Spatial orientation tells the brain where the body is “in space”, the direction it is pointed in, in what direction it is moving and if the body is standing still or turning.

A balance disorder is characterized by lightheadedness, blurred vision, dizziness, and disorientation.

People with a balance disorder may experience other symptoms that include confusion, depression, loss of concentration, diarrhea, faintness, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, fatigue and depression. Tinnitus, hearing loss and fullness in the ears are a few of the other possible symptoms.

We advise our patients that vertigo and dizziness are not the same. Vertigo is the sensation of movement in your surroundings while dizziness is a feeling of disequilibrium and lightheadedness.

Common Balance Disorders

Some of the more common balance disorders include Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is the result of calcium crystals in the semicircular canals that move with any change in head position. Another balance disorder is Ménière’s disease, a condition that is caused by abnormal levels of fluid in the ears. Labyrinthitis is also a common disorder that causes irritation and swelling of the inner ear.

The types of treatment used depend on the causes of the vertigo or dizziness. Some remedies include medications (sedatives, antibiotics, steroids, and antihistamines), balance retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation), surgery, physical therapy and lifestyle changes (changes in diet, avoiding alcohol and nicotine).

Vertigo Diagnosis

Your Suncoast ENT diagnoses vertigo based on your description of your symptoms. Vertigo is divided into two categories, peripheral and central.

The most common form, includes labyrinthitis, Ménière’s disease, and benign positional vertigo. Positional vertigo is diagnosed when moving the head is the cause of the vertigo and returning the head to its original position relieves the symptoms. Labyrinthitis and Ménière’s attacks usually occur abruptly. The episodes can last from a few hours to a couple of days. Intense nausea, vomiting and variable hearing loss may occur during the episode.

A more serious problem within the cerebellum (the back part of the brain or brain stem).

Your Suncoast ENT will examine your eyes to look for any abnormal, jerking motions (nystagmus). The pattern of your eye movement can help your physician determine if the issue is central or peripheral. Usually, you will not need any further testing unless it is suspected that you have central vertigo. Your physician may order a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of your brain.

Ear Tube Placement

The Eustachian tube functions as the middle ear’s pressure relief valve. Problems with the Eustachian tube can lead to pressure buildup of fluid inside the middle ear, which may lead to chronic ear infections, hearing loss, and problems with speech development and balance. Bilateral Myringotomy and Tubes, or BMT, may be recommended if the condition is unresponsive to other medical intervention.

The BMT procedure involves the creation of a tiny opening inside the eardrum to help fluid drain, resulting in the relief of ear pressure. A tube is inserted into the opening to keep it open. The tube stays in place for six months or more and normally falls out on its own, allowing the Eustachian tube to adjust for normal drainage. When the tubes are present, hearing will improve, and fewer ear infections will occur. The procedure is often used in treating children with middle ear infections that do not respond to treatment.

The BMT procedure is performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis, although adults can often have their procedures performed with local anesthesia. The surgeon begins by creating an opening with a scalpel. Any fluid found in the middle ear is then suctioned out.

Tube placement is the next step. The tube equalizes pressure on both sides of the eardrum and allows the middle ear to drain. Fluid removal normally provides an immediate improvement in hearing when it is the cause of the hearing loss. It also lowers the chance of acquiring ear infections in the future.

The procedure usually lasts almost 15 minutes and patients do not normally experience any pain. After their procedure, patients receive a prescription for ear drops containing an antibiotic. A follow-up visit is usually scheduled for two to three days after surgery.

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids have long been on the forefront of treating hearing loss. Modern hearing aids are discreet, powerful devices that amplify and enhance incoming sound to make hearing and speech comprehension easier. Hearing aids help you keep up with the world around you and relieve cognitive stress caused by hearing loss

Anyone that is experiencing hearing loss in one or both of their ears should take a closer look at the advantages of using hearing aids.

Hearing Aid FAQ

Hearing aids will only provide as much benefit as the auditory nerve is healthy, meaning the longer someone waits to start using proper amplification the poorer their outcome generally becomes. Hearing aids provide exercise to the auditory nerve in the brain and help to prevent atrophy. Early intervention helps to preserve auditory function and speech recognition. In order to maintain your speech understanding and keep it from declining, it is important to begin wearing hearing aids at the time they are recommended by your healthcare professional.

Hearing aid performance outcomes differ for a variety of reasons. The largest source of dissatisfaction comes from unrealistic expectations and waiting too long to begin using hearing aids. The longer someone waits to start wearing hearing aids the more time the auditory nerve has to atrophy, deteriorating the brain’s ability to comprehend speech.

Hearing aid experiences are dependent upon:

The age and cognitive status of the patient
The nature and severity of the hearing loss
How long the loss has gone untreated
The level of technology in the hearing aid
The daily listening environment of the patient
The patient’s perception of the loss and expectations of treatment
The knowledge and experience of the person fitting the hearing aids

In addition to certain styles either being completely, or nearly invisible, certain brands are now able to do a variety of amazing things such as

Connect to smart phones and stream your phone calls to your hearing aids
Utilize smartphone apps that function as remote controls
Stream audio from your television
Stream a remote signal from a speaker at a further distance
Open a GPS locator to find your hearing aids if you lose them
The ability to have an Audiologist remotely program them from anywhere in the world
Charge on a dock so you no longer have to change batteries
Connect to your calendar to send an audible alert of an upcoming event
Send you a notification from your smart home if someone rings the door bell

If you think any of these features may benefit you, please discuss them with your audiologist. Some features are free while others carry a cost. Not all features are available through all hearing aid manufacturers, but knowing your needs will help us in making the correct hearing aid recommendation for you.

Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is the most common symptom of hearing loss. By treating the hearing loss with hearing aids, most patients notice a reduction in tinnitus interference, or resolve of their symptoms over time. For others, the use of maskers and tinnitus retraining therapy may be required.

An evaluation is required to first determine the best course of treatment. Tinnitus may also exist in those with normal hearing or be a symptom of other medical conditions.

Suncoast Hearing Center maintains relationships with all major hearing aid manufacturers, benefiting the patient in a variety of ways:

Our pricing is consistent regardless of brand. Patients are not charged any more or less for one hearing aid brand over another, even if it costs more for our clinic to obtain.
Being a medical facility, we do not carry the same overhead costs as private clinics or national retail centers who must sell hearing aids to stay in business. Marketing and patient acquisition costs at private clinics often drive up the cost of a hearing aid.

Hearing Aid Repair and Service

Hearing aids come without lifetime guarantees. As with all things, some wear and tear is to be expected. Instead of automatically replacing your damaged hearing aids, bring them to Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists.

Common hearing aid repairs involve replacing damaged parts, cleaning, and testing the device. Sometimes, if the hearing aid is old or extremely damaged, repairs may involve the faceplate or circuit board. The cost varies depending upon the extent of the repair and warranty coverage. Repairs tend to be more expensive when the hearing aid is over five years old.

In some cases damage or age, Suncoast ENT can help you evaluate the cost benefit of repairing versus replacing your hearing aid. While some devices may be broken beyond repair, we are always ready to connect you with hearing solutions.

Common Hearing Aid Troubleshooting

You may be able to diagnose or even repair your own hearing aid if the situation is not too difficult. There are a number of fixes that you can attempt at home:

Replacing the battery
Cleaning the hearing aid
Removing and reinserting the hearing aid
Replacing the wax filter
Opening and closing the battery compartment
Checking the input settings

If you have tried everything you know how to do, but your hearing aid still does not work, contact us so that we can evaluate it and investigate other options regarding your hearing aid repair.

Hearing Aid Brands

For more than half a century, Phonak has developed and manufactured hearing aids and their products are used in more than 100 countries. As one of the best-rated hearing aid makers in the world, Phonak produces products that are widely recommended by our ENT specialists. Known for exceptional customer service and superb designs, Phonak recognizes that hearing aid development cannot be based on a “one size fits all” strategy.

The company upgraded its product line in 2010 with the addition of a very advanced microchip which doubled the processing speed of earlier Phonak chips. Standing at the forefront of innovation, Phonak continues to introduce cutting edge digital hearing aids, including superior rechargeable models.

For more than 100 years, Oticon has continued to put people first in all of its affairs. With its origins in compassion, Oticon is overseen by the Oticon Foundation, a charity that aids hearing loss victims and supports several philanthropic endeavors.

Oticon has revolutionized hearing aids with BrainHearing™ technology that enhances the patient experience and hearing quality. Oticon hearing instruments are known for top-quality performance and cutting-edge innovation that fit with your unique lifestyle and hearing needs. Oticon’s BrainHearing™ lets the instrument work with your brain to improve the way you hear, automatically adjusting sound to ideal levels. Oticon products are comfortable, contemporary and discreet.

Signia research and development philosophy is driven by the expressed needs of their customers. This dedication to solving specific hearing problems has resulted in top-quality hearing aids for every age group, lifestyle, budget, and degree of hearing loss. Equally important to Signia is the design and cosmetic preferences of each individual wearer.

Signia hearing aids are recommended for adults, children, infants and adolescents who benefit from advanced hearing improvement technologies. Signia offers something for every type of hearing loss. Some hearing aids are nearly invisible. Some are waterproof and rechargeable. Wireless accessories connect hearing aids to mobile phones, TVs, MP3 players, and other audio devices.

Custom Ear Protection

Hearing loss is a risk for people working in many industries, including airplane pilots, musicians, medical professionals and factory workers. It can also affect those who engage in loud activities such as motorcycle riding and target shooting. In any of these scenarios, using hearing protection can make all the difference in preventing hearing loss.

We recommend custom ear protection for those who are at risk for hearing loss due to environmental factors. While the ear plugs found in many retail stores provide some hearing protection, custom earplugs and earmolds are the way to go if you’re looking for maximum protection. Custom earplugs and earmolds are also more comfortable to wear because they are designed to fit your ears.

Custom hearing protection can assist many people at risk for loud noise exposure including:

Truck drivers
Musicians, DJs and concertgoers
Industrial employees
Construction crews
Medical personnel
Motorcycle riders
Referees, coaches and athletes
Airline employees
Band instructors
Recording engineers
Sounds crews

Earmolds are available in a range of types and textures. Some have a solid feel while others have a softer, more pliable quality. Basic styles consist of either full or half shell earmolds. The full shell is a common choice for people who are exposed to high noise levels while the half shell styles offer protection from mid-level noise.

Some earmolds are equipped with filtered attenuators, which provide hearing protection without hindering the user’s ability to hear verbal communications, especially useful for musicians. Many people opt to use earmolds because they fit over some kinds of earbud headphones, and can be worn beneath communications equipment such as “boom mic” headsets utilized by pilots.

Custom earmolds are crafted to fit the unique shape of your ear. If you find traditional earplugs are uncomfortable, custom earmolds could be a suitable option for you. They offer maximum hearing protection, and they’re much more comfortable to wear.

Musicians have distinct hearing protection needs. They must safeguard their hearing, but they must also have the ability to hear their own music, as well as the music and vocals produced by other performers.

Musician earplugs are available in custom and non-custom models. Ready-fit earplugs for musicians decrease sound levels by about 20 dB, which is sufficient to reduce damaging noise without hindering your ability to hear music or speech.

Musician earplugs fit deep inside the bony part of an ear canal. This type of fit cuts down on “occlusion”, a term used to describe the hollow tone in hearing that can occur when using earplugs of a lesser quality. They are a top choice for musicians due to the higher quality of sound they can provide.

For musicians who play before relatively large crowds, in-ear musician monitors (or IEMs) are the present-day standard for hearing protection in the music industry. Musicians who use IEMs are able to hear the music they produce very clearly while also safeguarding their ears from the loud noises coming from speakers, amplifiers, and the audience.

Custom-molded IEMs tend to work best, but musicians may also consider using a universal IEM as an alternative. Universal IEMs usually include several interchangeable tips, which allow the user to achieve a semi-custom fit.

Mastoidectomy

Middle ear infections that are resistant to antibiotic treatments may stem from a condition related to the mastoid bone of the ear. A mastoidectomy is the surgical removal of an infected portion of the mastoid bone when other medical treatment is not effective.

The need for this medical procedure is a rare occurrence today because of antibiotic treatment. Most often, a mastoidectomy is performed on children who have a high frequency of middle ear infections.

At Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists, a mastoidectomy requires general anesthesia to avoid discomfort. Our ENT physicians may recommend one of the following surgical procedures:

Simple or Close Mastoidectomy: A simple or closed mastoidectomy requires making an incision behind the patient’s ear to enter the mastoid bone to remove the infected cells. In addition, a small incision is made in the eardrum to drain excess fluid that is causing pressure.
Radical Mastoidectomy: For a radical mastoidectomy, a surgeon removes a section of bone. In some patients, it is also necessary to remove the eardrum and other structures inside the middle ear while leaving the stapes bone to preserve a patient’s ability to hear.
Modified Radical Mastoidectomy: During a modified radical mastoidectomy, a surgeon removes some of the middle ear bones before reconstructing the eardrum with a tympanoplasty to repair the tympanic membrane.

A surgeon will choose the best variety of mastoidectomy after an examination and consultation with a patient.

Drainage tubes are required after a mastoidectomy to collect fluid from the infected ears. The tubes remain inside the ears for one to two days before removal. An ear, nose and throat specialist can prescribe medications to patients to reduce discomfort after the surgery. In addition, antibiotics are often recommended to prevent infection in the inner ear after a mastoidectomy.

After a mastoidectomy, most patients have a healthy and clean ear canal that is free of infection. Patients with a loss of hearing due to damage inside the inner ear will need a hearing aid to restore their hearing.

Tympanoplasty

Eardrum perforation is a hole in the eardrum that is typically the result of a middle ear infection. It can also be caused by a sudden change in pressure due to a loud noise, flying in an airplane, or from an object being placed in the ear. If an object penetrates the eardrum, it also sometimes results in the fracturing of small bones within the inner ear called ossicles. Eardrum perforation most frequently affects children, as they tend to get more ear infections than adults.

Eardrum perforation is extremely painful and can cause hearing loss and bleeding from the ear. If the ossicles are broken, then hearing loss can be serious. To diagnose a perforation, a doctor uses a special instrument called an otoscope to look into the ear. If hearing loss is suspected, then a hearing test may be administered.

If the perforation is minor, then treatment is typically not necessary because the hole will close on its own within a few days. If an infection is lingering, then medication or ear drops may be prescribed to help clear it up before the hole closes. If it has been more than three months since the infection healed and the perforation is still not closed, then your doctor may consider fixing the hole through surgical treatment.

The reconstructive procedure performed to repair torn tympanic membranes or ossicles is called tympanoplasty. Tympanoplasty helps restore hearing, prevent middle ear infections and even treats some types of deafness. After taking into consideration your history of infections, age, overall health and certain other factors, your doctor will decide whether or not tympanoplasty is the right choice for you.

During tympanoplasty, your doctor uses a patch of tissue from either the outer part of your ear or from the skin behind the ear to close the hole in the eardrum. First, an incision is made behind the ear in order to expose the eardrum. Your doctor will then thoroughly clean out the perforation. Finally, the graft tissue is cut and put over the hole to fix the eardrum. Over time, your eardrum’s normal skin will grow across where the hole was located.

A tympanoplasty procedure generally takes about one to two hours. Typically, the patient is placed under general anesthesia, but some adults who are having it done may use only a local anesthetic. For older children and adults, this surgery can be an outpatient procedure. However, it is likely that a patient will have to stay overnight in the hospital for one night following the tympanoplasty.

Your doctor will give you specific post-surgical instructions that will make sure your ear heals quickly without any complications. You should keep the ear clean and dry after your surgery. This will reduce the risk of infection and help it heal properly. Put a cotton ball in your ear canal, and remember to change it regularly.

Most patients experience minor ear pain, drainage, and soreness for a few days after their tympanoplasty. These after-effects tend to go away on their own within a few days. If the pain is severe, your doctor will prescribe pain medication. After a tympanoplasty procedure, most patients will have a significant improvement in their hearing loss and other symptoms.

Trinity, FL

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