HearUSA Performs More Than 1,000 Screenings for The Cause
West Palm Beach, FL - October 8, 2010 - Thirty-six million Americans have hearing loss. One in three developed hearing loss as a result of exposure to loud sounds, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
"NIHL is caused by damage to the hair cells that are found in our inner ear. Hair cells are small sensory cells that convert the sounds we hear (sound energy) into electrical signals that travel to the brain," explains Dr. Cindy Beyer, senior vice president of HearUSA (NYSE AMEX:EAR), one of the nation's largest hearing care companies. "Once damaged, our hair cells cannot grow back, causing permanent hearing loss."
Most Americans consider hearing loss to be associated with aging and do not recognize the serious nature of the condition or who is qualified to diagnose and treat the condition. In response to the growing number of Americans suffering from hearing loss and the increased danger of NIHL, HearUSA is joining the American Academy of Audiology in support of National Audiology Awareness Month this October.
"To show our support for this initiative, we participated in AARP's Orlando@50+ annual gathering at the Orange County Convention Center from September 30 to October 2," said Dr. Beyer. "At this large consumer event, AARP hosted nearly 25,000 seniors aged 50-plus, which featured an array of life enhancing products and services.
"We conducted educational seminars, participated in healthcare panels, provided demonstrations on the latest hearing healthcare products, and with our portable booth, screened more than 1,000 AARP members. We were encouraged by the response of the members, and look forward to raising the awareness of NIHL and the importance of hearing healthcare throughout the month."
If you have trouble hearing conversation in a noisy environment such as a restaurant, are unable to hear people talk to you without looking at them, or have a constant ringing in your ears, you may have a problem with your hearing and need to see an audiologist.
An audiologist is a doctoral-level health-care professional who specializes in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating people with hearing loss and balance disorders. The first step in identifying a hearing problem is a hearing evaluation by an audiologist.
About HearUSA
HearUSA (NYSE AMEX:EAR) is the recognized leader in hearing care for the nation's top managed care organizations through its network of more than 2,000 hearing care providers and 178 company-owned centers. HearUSA is the nation's only hearing care network accredited by URAC, an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation. HearUSA is also the administrator of the AARP Hearing Care Program, designed to help millions of Americans aged 50+ who have untreated hearing loss.
For more information about HearUSA visit www.hearusa.com.
