ENT Institute Urges Atlanta-Area Families and Friends to Help Loved Ones Address Hearing Loss This Holiday Season

Online, November 18, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Atlanta, GA - ENT Institute is urging families within the greater Atlanta area to be alert for relatives and friends who seem to have trouble hearing this holiday season. Hearing loss affects the ability of people to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, often leading to isolation and depression. Hearing loss is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today. More than 34 million people in the United States have hearing loss-roughly 11 percent of the population.

"The holidays are a time to gather together with family and friends," says Dr. Jeff Gallups, Principal Physician, ENT Institute. "But for friends and relatives with untreated hearing loss, the holiday season can be bittersweet. By staying alert to the signs of unaddressed hearing loss, and by encouraging those we love to address the problem, we can help them regain their quality of life and strengthen our relationships with them." Additional details for the audiology services provided by the ENT Institute are available at http://entinstitute.com/audiology.php.

In the vast majority of situations, hearing aids can help a person hear better. Studies have shown that hearing aid wearers experience significant improvements in quality of life and decreased depressive symptoms; have significantly higher self-concepts compared to individuals who do not wear hearing aids; and their functional health status improves significantly after three months of hearing aid use. To read about specific hearing aid services provided by the ENT Institute, please visit http://entinstitute.com/hearing-aid.php.

There are several social, emotional, and medical signs of hearing loss that people can watch for this holiday season:

Social:
• require frequent repetition
• have difficulty following conversations involving more than two people
• think that other people sound muffled or like they're mumbling
• have difficulty hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms
• have trouble hearing children and women
• have your TV or radio turned up to a high volume
• answer or respond inappropriately in conversations
• have ringing in your ears
• read lips or more intently watch people's faces when they speak with you

Emotional:
• feel stressed out from straining to hear what others are saying
• feel annoyed at other people because you can't hear or understand them
• feel embarrassed to meet new people or from misunderstanding what others are saying
• feel nervous about trying to hear and understand
• withdraw from social situations that you once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing

Medical:
• have a family history of hearing loss
• take medications that can harm the hearing system (ototoxic drugs)
• have diabetes, heart, circulation or thyroid problems
• have been exposed to very loud sounds over a long period or single exposure to explosive noise

If you are experiencing any of the above signs and would like to schedule an appointment at one of the ENT Institute locations, please call (770) 810-7266 or visit the website at http://www.entinstitute.com.

About The ENT Institute

The Ear, Nose and Throat Institute specializes in treating men, women and children of all ages for diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The ENT Institute uses the latest treatments and technologies to ensure the highest quality of care for its patients. The ENT Institute's board certified otolaryngologists, allergy specialists, and audiologists ensure advanced treatment of the ear, nose, and throat including: acute and chronic sinusitis, hearing loss and balance disorders, head and neck cancers, pediatric ENT disorders and much more. Read more about the ENT Institute online at http://www.entinstitute.com.

Contact:

Amy Farley
Meta Media, Inc.
www.metamediainc.com
1280 West Peachtree Street
Suite 220
Atlanta, GA 30309
P: 404.917.2100
F: 404.917.2102