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The link between hearing & your golf game

clientservices@wehco.com (Master Account) — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 21:19:00 GMT

The game of golf is filled with hazards and frustration. Bodies of water, luring bunkers and sand traps, and inordinately dense vegetation can all wreak havoc on your game. There is another crucial, yet often ignored factor that can affect your final score: your hearing! As far-fetched as this connection may seem, studies do in fact show that individuals with ...

The game of golf is filled with hazards and frustration. Bodies of water, luring bunkers and sand traps, and inordinately dense vegetation can all wreak havoc on your game. There is another crucial, yet often ignored factor that can affect your final score: your hearing! As far-fetched as this connection may seem, studies do in fact show that individuals with strong binaural hearing (the ability to perceive sound with both ears) tend to play better golf than those with untreated hearing loss.

So what role does hearing play in golf? By paying close attention to the sound made when the club head comes into contact with the ball, golfers can control their shots better, in terms of distance and accuracy. This is especially true when taking chip shots or putting; in these situations, where power is less a factor than finesse. Hearing the tone produced by the club striking the ball helps you assess how well the ball was hit, and allow him or her to make any necessary adjustments for the next swing. Changes in tone and volume indicate a different swing of the club; by paying close attention to both the feel of the club making contact with the ball, and the sound produced, golfers will naturally improve the quality of their play.

Golf legend Arnold Palmer lends credence to the idea that good hearing is crucial to accuracy. Palmer was diagnosed with hearing loss in his 40s, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He credits hearing aids with improving his hearing ability and golf game. “When I walked out on the golf course the first day I had a hearing aid,” he says, “I heard things I hadn’t heard on the golf course, like the click of hitting a putt or hitting a golf ball, or the air going through the club when I was swinging it. It made a tremendous difference. “

Indeed, good hearing allows you to better enjoy the activities in which you compete, and will naturally make you feel more engaged with your golf game. You’ll enjoy increased confidence, and will have more control over your swing – and ultimately, your final score.

Furthermore, today’s technology rids us of the complaints that plagued hearing aids of the past. The most obvious example is wind noise, which older hearing technology did not adequately address, often amplifying it to the point where golfers simply removed their hearing aids due to the annoyance. New hearing technology takes advantage of wind noise reduction , and suppresses the sound of wind to the point where you can enjoy activities outdoors without the unnecessary distraction.

Regular hearing evaluations by a qualified audiologist are a good idea for avid golfers. Hearing loss is both progressive and cumulative, and often develops so gradually you are unaware of a problem until it has progressed to an advanced stage.

The earlier hearing loss is detected, the more options you have for treatment and the better your odds for success, whether you want to hear your family members better or simply improve your golf game! Call to schedule your complimentary hearing consultation at (479)957-9300 and begin the process to improve your quality of life. Wolfpack Hearing Clinic is located Kantz Center in Fayetteville; intersection of Crossover and Mission.

3 common myths about hearing aids

clientservices@wehco.com (Master Account) — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 15:42:00 GMT

Hearing aids restore hearing to “normal”. Hearing aids do not restore hearing to “normal.” Hearing aids do not “cure” your hearing loss. They will provide significant improvement in your ability to communicate with loved ones IF the hearing aids are appropriate for your specific listening needs, worn consistently, and are properly maintained over time. It cannot be over-stated how important ...

Hearing aids do not restore hearing to “normal.” Hearing aids do not “cure” your hearing loss. They will provide significant improvement in your ability to communicate with loved ones IF the hearing aids are appropriate for your specific listening needs, worn consistently, and are properly maintained over time. It cannot be over-stated how important these requirements are.

Many of my new patients are surprised when I describe to them the amount of work we put into ensuring success with hearing aids. By the time we complete the fitting and initial batch of follow-up appointments, they understand expectations, the immeasurable value of better hearing, and why we as staff work as hard as we do.

This is not true, plain and simple. Hearing aid manufacturers release software to us, the audiologists, that allows us to program and adjust hearing devices. While operating systems like Windows change, the manufacturers make ‘patches’ available, ensuring that the older versions of their software still work.

In layman’s terms, there is never a point in time when your hearing aids suddenly become obsolete (like your cell phone) or too old to be adjusted. It’s true that hearing aid technology has improved immensely and will continue to do so at a rapid pace. That doesn’t mean you have no choice but to purchase new devices. Other than new patients who brought us proprietary labeled hearing aids, I have yet to come across a device that could not be adjusted and I don’t foresee that ever changing.

I am always careful how I answer this question. Before launching Wolfpack, we made a conscious decision to avoid ‘promoting’ the invisibility of today’s hearing aids for the sole reason that anyone looking to improve and be the best versions of themselves should feel celebrated and encouraged, not embarrassed. Anybody who willingly wears hearing aids falls into this category.

Having said that, I concede that hearing aids have not quite reached the level of acceptance that we currently see with eyeglasses or braces. Furthermore, many individuals are simply concerned that large, bulky hearing aids would be a nuisance and impractical to wear every day. With today’s hearing aids, this is a problem of the past. They are small, light, and convenient. And yes, we fit invisible hearing aids with tremendous success.

Wolfpack Hearing Clinic is excited to be accepting new patients. Call to schedule your complimentary hearing consultation at (479) 957-9300. Located in Kantz Center in Fayetteville; intersection of Crossover and Mission.

Can you hear with all the colors of the wind?

clientservices@wehco.com (Master Account) — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 22:37:00 GMT

Holding the plastic color swatches, I was attracted to the ultra blue one. My parents, audiologist, and I were deciding whether I wanted something neutral to blend with either my skin or hair, or if I wanted a snazzy color like this shiny blue. It was possibly the hardest decision I have ever had to make regarding my hearing aids. We had to take several things into account: the fact that I was a cheerleader, where I’d have to wear my hair up constantly, exposing the aids. Blue was certainly not in our school colors; red black and white. The school colors ended up being my choice for my braces. (I have spirit, yes I do.) We also considered whether I wanted my kindergarten classmates to notice this beautiful color upon my ears, or did I want to keep them subdued, and feel that I look more like them?

We finally landed on a dark brown, matching my hair color. Cheerleading was important to me, and I did not want to betray my teammates by unintentionally rooting for the team across town.

However, in my adult life, I find myself wondering: what if I had chosen the blue? Would I have had a different social life? Would my friends have liked them better than the brown? Would the blue have changed the way I hear? My mind enters so many scenarios in which my life could have turned out differently had I chosen the blue. Butterfly effect, much?

Visibility is one of the biggest concerns to a new hearing aid user. It is common for those that find they need them prefer hearing aids you cannot see. I was one of these people, but my audiologist stated that the technology in that size was not available for what I needed back in ‘95. I switched from behind the ear to an invisible aid when I was in college. At the time, I did not realize that I was not getting enough oomph out of them, I just enjoyed not having something obviously behind my ears. I felt they made me more comfortable around fellow freshmen. This was not a time in my life that I wanted to be known as “gal with hearing aids.”

I don’t regret growing up with a neutral color hearing aid, but if someone with a child being fit with them, I hope they are given all the choice in the world for one of the billions of colors the human eye can see. There’s even aids with rhinestones:

Credit: The Laughing Photographer | thelaughingphotographer.tumblr.com

Zebra print aids:

Super hero-themed aids!

Super hear-o?

The possibilities are endless, and I encourage having fun with them, even if it means getting out of the comfort zone.

I’ve branched out from my blended and bland color choices and moved onto these:

Photo Credit: Dana Rene Portraits | danareneportraits.com

They’re white with gold sparkles. I love them! I’ve considered bedazzling, too.
The difference between choosing what color shirt to wear daily and choosing a color for a hearing aid is that the hearing aid takes some more commitment. Some manufacturers make it simple to change the casing, though not all of them have that option. Regardless, I encourage having fun with color choices. Would I have chosen the ultra blue? Absolutely. But I am no Spartan fan.

#gohogs

What is the best hearing aid?

clientservices@wehco.com (Master Account) — Sat, 12 Nov 2016 00:30:00 GMT

What is the best hearing aid? The short answer to this question is…. there is not one. Not for every individual that is. There are more than a few quality hearing aid manufacturers out there, and each have different strengths, whether it be noise suppression technology, feedback control, wireless connectivity, and even durability. Why is this significant? Because every ...

What is the best hearing aid?

The short answer to this question is…. there is not one. Not for every individual that is. There are more than a few quality hearing aid manufacturers out there, and each have different strengths, whether it be noise suppression technology, feedback control, wireless connectivity, and even durability. Why is this significant?

Because every patient is different and no two individuals hear the same, even if it appears that way on paper. Hearing is behavioral and subjective. For this reason, I aim to treat the hearing problem of each patient rather than the hearing loss . In order to accomplish this, we must identify specifically which situations each patient wants to hear better in. Some want to to hear their children or grandchildren. Many come seeking help to better hear their husband or wife (sometimes by choice). Others may want to hear re-runs of Friends on TV and nothing else.

With this information, I am able to recommend a treatment option or brand that meets the individual hearing goals of the patient. Thus, the most crucial part of the hearing consultation appointment occurs before we even test the patient. Ironically, the most important skill an audiologist must possess is the ability to hear and listen to the patient. Only then can we say that you have the best hearing aid.

Dustin Richards, Au.D.

Help us find the best hearing aid for you. Call to book your complimentary hearing consultation appointment, (479) 957-9300.

Where did you come up with the name, Wolfpack?

clientservices@wehco.com (Master Account) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 17:17:00 GMT

“Where did you come up with the name?” We get this question a lot! It did not take us long to decide the name, and I’m not sure I expected the amount of attention its received. We wanted a name that reflected what we do and how we do it. We know a wolf hears very well; from up to ...

“Where did you come up with the name?”

We get this question a lot! It did not take us long to decide the name, and I’m not sure I expected the amount of attention its received. We wanted a name that reflected what we do and how we do it. We know a wolf hears very well; from up to 10 miles away in fact. A pack of wolves shows extreme loyalty and devotion toward each other; and never advance until each member of the pack is taken care of.

We treat hearing loss. We accomplish that through a team-based approach, making sure that our work is competent and efficient, and by focusing treatment recommendations on each individual’s specific hearing goals. We follow that up by doing what is necessary to keep the patient hearing their best long-term, whether that involves seeing a working patient on a weekend or traveling to a homebound patient’s home in Huntsville to troubleshoot his hearing aids.

Before making the decision to launch Wolfpack Hearing Clinic, we made ourselves a promise that our patients would always know that their interests matter most. We promised that from day one to years down the road, our patients would know that they had a team (or pack) to rely on. I hope our name reflects that.

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It is recommended that you have your hearing checked annually. Wolfpack Hearing Clinic is currently accepting new patients. Call to book your complimentary hearing consultation, (479) 957-9300.

How about that ride in?

clientservices@wehco.com (Master Account) — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:02:00 GMT

“The art of conversation is the art of hearing… as well as being heard.” A colleague and friend of mine recently shared a photo of our graduating class, 2013 doctors of audiology. I couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at myself in the picture. Young, full of ambition and a touch of naivety; ...

“The art of conversation is the art of hearing… as well as being heard.”

A colleague and friend of mine recently shared a photo of our graduating class, 2013 doctors of audiology. I couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at myself in the picture. Young, full of ambition and a touch of naivety; ready to set out on a journey to make the world a better place. I was going to do it the right way, even if that meant doing it my way.

Three years later and here I sit, having just opened my own practice. The journey to this point has been swift, ringing true to the wisdom that so many of my patients have bestowed upon me (life moves fast). Like many young, wide-eyed individuals entering the next phase of adulthood, I found that my calling was not entirely what I thought it to be, much to my dismay at times.

One would think that audiology at its core would be about “helping people”. Surely such a profession would be altruistic and focused solely on improving quality of life of the individuals we took an oath to serve. I wasn’t entirely wrong, considering the vast amount of wonderful audiologists out there wholly dedicated to their craft. But as wiser and more experienced folks can attest, the real world isn’t always so pure.

The ugly side of hearing healthcare is centered around what you might expect, the almighty dollar. As one who did not particularly grow up with means, this was hard to wrap my head around. I watched as myself and colleagues dear to me were slowly molded from doctors of audiology to the stereotype we associate with used car salesmen. “Experts” have stated that such tactics were for the “greater good”; that it is necessary in order to help patients “get out of their own way”.

This leads to my true motivation for founding Wolfpack Hearing Clinic. I have never viewed patients as a means to an end. Whether I feel my recommendation is best for them is… irrelevant. Yes, my education qualifies me as an expert on hearing loss and treatment. It does not, however, qualify me to ignore the voice of patients, many of whom, ironically, just wish to be heard. It’s true that marketing and sales have a place in audiology considering there are still people out there who view hearing aids in a negative light.

But consider the era we live in. It’s the information age and we are naturally skeptical of anything perceived as a “pitch”. I am grateful for it as patients have responded so well to the approach we bring; honesty and transparency. We worked very hard to assemble a team of like-minded individuals who share the same vision. As a result, our patients know that their concerns will be considered and that we do in fact work for them. Our patients know they won’t be pressured into purchasing hearing aids if they’re not quite ready. They know they can trust us to look out for their best interest, not ours.

Like many before me, I look back at my younger years with amusement, though I don’t feel that age has left me jaded. If anything, it reaffirmed that the world is bigger than me, and that the goal of any individual should be to leave the world a little better than it was before. Professionally, the same naive principles I had as a student remain. That is, the good of the patient stands above all else. Our vision is reliability, competence, forward-thinking, and values. We stand for what audiology was meant to be.