hearing aids Archives - The New York Otolaryngology Group

Dr Kendall Dicairano, Au.D.

Dr Kendall Dicairano graduated cum laude with a Bachelors of Science in communication sciences and disorders from James Madison University in Virginia. She then earned her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from Montclair State University in New Jersey. Dr Kendall Dicairano is a NY State licensed audiologist at the New York Otolaryngology Group with two locations in NYC.

Dr. Dicairano completed her fourth-year residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she focused on a variety of diagnostic testing for adults and pediatric populations and led the program for newborn hearing screenings in the well baby nursery and NICU. She most recently practiced at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute during which she gained extensive experience in vestibular/balance testing, complete audiological evaluations, and hearing aid selection, fitting, and verification. Dr. Dicairano is currently a licensed Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispenser in the State of New York.

I became dizzy and have lost hearing

Question: Please help me. On Tuesday, November 4th I decided to sign up to the local gym in my neighborhood and get back in shape. I got there in the morning I had and Omlete and some fresh squeezed OJ at the Cafe, then I started my workout. I was on the elliptical for about 35mins. Then I went upstairs to the weight room. I started using the weight machines, by the time I got to the 3rd machine for Shoulder press, I started getting Dizzy, feeling very hot, and nauseous, I was extremely weak. I was so dizzy I couldn’t get up to walk. I felt close to passing out. I had to sit there for about 30 mins. When I got outside I started vomiting up breakfast. My ears felt clogged and muffled. I felt so horrible. I finally made it back to my car. I had to lay down in the backseat until the dizziness wore off. It’s now November 25th and my hearing is still not back to normal. Is this low-frequency hearing loss? I still can’t hear any Bass (lows) in my right ear.

Please help me. This is a Disaster for me because I am a musician, that’s what I do for a living.

Answer:

There are several different problems that can cause dizziness and a hearing loss. The most common may be a viral infection in the inner ear. A virus can sometimes go to the nerves in the inner ear, causing dizziness and a hearing loss. While the dizziness will resolve, often, on its own- the hearing loss may not. Meniere’s Disease is recurrent episodes of dizziness, hearing loss and a sense of fullness in the ears. This may be consistent with the first episode of Meniere’s, but generally, the dizziness will last for a much longer time.

One can have a rupture of a membrane in the inner ear. This often will be accompanied by a popping sound, but usually will be caused by trauma or certainly can occur from strenuous exercise. There are also several other less common causes of your symptoms.

However, it is really quite important that you have your ears evaluated as soon as possible. If you have had damage to the hearing nerve, then the sooner it is treated, the better chance one has of getting the hearing back to normal.

I hope this helps clear things up.

Robert Pincus MD

NY Otolaryngology Group

I’m loosing my hearing again after a Stapedectomy. Is there anything new that can help me?

Question:

Hello,

I had successful bilateral stapedectomy (right ear in 1995, left ear 1996) with hearing in the normal range post op. I started losing my hearing in my right ear again after I had my son in 2001 and 2 attempts at revision, the latest in 2004. My revision surgeon in Albany NY stated that my incus bone was cracked which is why the prosthesis is not staying put. I do not want to get surgery again in Albany, and am looking for the top surgeon in this field as my hearing is at 90 decibels and my ear has been ringing loudly 24/7 for at least 10 years. Is there anything new that can help me?

Answer:

Thank you for your inquiry. It sounds like you’ve been through quite a bit with your ear. At your level of hearing loss, there may not be simple options. Are you getting any benefit from traditional hearing aids? Considering the details you’ve provided, there are some cases that can be remedied surgically, using the Malleus bone instead of the Incus. Of course, I can’t be certain that your condition would allow for this without further information, but it may be worth considering.

The next step would be careful analysis of your current audiometry, the prior surgical reports, and a detailed CT scan.

I would be happy to assist you, if you like.

best of luck and thanks for your question

Neil Sperling, MD

Associate Professor, Dept of Otolaryngology
SUNY Downstate
Brooklyn, New York

Is there any treatment for tympanosclerosis other than surgery?

Question: Is there any Tympanosclerosis treatment other than surgery? Is there any new and recent Tympanoplasty techniques (like laser or other) that are more practical and easier? What about success rates and possibilities of hearing loss restoration? And what about potential approximate costs for such surgery?

Answer:

Tympanosclerosis is an invasive form of scar tissue that follows infection(s) in the ear. At times it can cause significant hearing loss. Although not universal, many cases can be repaired surgically and hearing restored using modern techniques possibly with a laser Tympanosclerosis treatment.

If you would like further evaluation and consideration of your case, please contact us.

Neil Sperling, MD
Associate Professor, Dept of Otolaryngology

Can you help recalibrate my father’s hearing aid?

Question: My father purchased a pair of Phonak Solana in China. He really didn’t like how they were calibrated there. Now he is visiting me in New York. I was wondering if one of your doctors could help recalibrate a hearing device.

Answer: Hearing aids are like fine hearing computers today. While many can be bought in large stores and other outlets, to get the best results the hearing aid must be finely calibrated to each individual’s hearing. This is time and labor intensive and takes a hearing specialist who cares and knows about his or her patient and his or her hearing. Some hearing aids, unfortunately, like the ones at Costco are locked and do not allow outside recalibration.

However, we can certainly service your father and recalibrate a hearing device. I included our office coordinator/Liz on this email. Please call 1(212) 884-8283 to schedule an adjustment appointment. The audiologist will discuss the office visit fee at the time of your appointment.

Myra Berenson, Au D

Director of NY Hearing Center

Hi, during the removal of a brain meningioma, the surgeon cut my hearing nerve on the left side, I was wondering, is there a procedure that can be done to restore the hearing in my left ear.

Question:

Hi, during the removal of a brain meningioma, the surgeon cut my hearing nerve on the left side, I was wondering, is there a procedure that can be done to restore the hearing in my left ear.

Answer:

Loss of the hearing nerve (cochlear portion of the 8th cranial nerve) results in profound sensorineural hearing loss. Standard hearing aids cannot overcome this loss. However, there are new technologies that exist to re-route the sound from the deafened side to the functional side. There are several such technologies that may assist you.

We offer all of these options and sometimes, it is best to try each out to know what to expect.

Thank you for your question! I hope this clears things up.

Neil Sperling, MD

New York Otolaryngology Group

36A East 36th Street

New York, New York

Associate Professor, Dept of Otolaryngology SUNY Downstate Brooklyn, New York

Will a cochlear implant destroy my mother’s remaining hearing?

Question: My mother was approved through her insurance for cochlear implants, but she decided against it because she didn’t want to destroy what hearing she has, which isn’t much. Could she be a candidate for something else that would not completely destroy her hearing? Are there any cochlear implantation alternatives available? She is hoping for maybe something else like stem cell advances. Is there any hope for her? My mother is 76 years old.

Answer:

Your mother’s question is quite common. It is a bit misunderstood that hearing is “destroyed” from cochlear implants or cochlear implantation. We always aim to preserve residual hearing during surgery, but it really is of little benefit. While it is true that standard hearing aids will not benefit her after implantation, the implant will give her far more benefit than her hearing aids do. When it comes to cochlear implants, often adults benefit immediately and continue to improve for roughly three months after their initial tuning session. Most people with implants can perceive soft, medium, and loud sounds. Allowing them to hear common everyday sounds, such as the sound of a light switch, a door slamming shut, footsteps, and the rustling of leaves. Many people with cochlear implants can regain the ability to make telephone calls, listen to music, understand speech, as well as the ability to watch and hear the television.

However, it is important to realize that improvements can be gradual. A user’s performance can continue to improve for several years after implantation. Nonetheless, when it comes to cochlear implants, the benefits far outweigh the risks in regards to a patient who may lose any remaining hearing in the implanted ear. In other words, nobody ever complains about this after the implant. Any worries quickly vanish once the implant is activated.

Thank you for your question

Neil Sperling MD

New York Otolaryngology Group

Surgery for hearing loss

Question:

I’ve been wearing hearing aids for about 5 years n I still have trouble hearing people clearly, I’m 30 years old and was told as I get older my hearing would get worse. I would like to know am I eligible to have surgery to restore hearing?

Answer:

Thanks for your question. Today, luckily, there are many options for those of us with hearing losses. However, I cannot answer your individual question without knowing what kind of hearing loss you have.

Sensori-neural hearing losses involve damage to the nerves that control our hearing. This can be anywhere from the cochlea in the inner ear- into the brain where the impulses are decoded for us. Hearing losses of this kind are quite common- Most often, this type of loss is treated with the use of hearing aids. Newer digital aids offer exceptional improvements from older ones in terms of clarity. They should be matched to the needs of the individual by a hearing professional- for optimum results.

For those with severe or profound losses, today we are using cochlear implants. These transmit nerve impulses directly to the cochlea to improve hearing in those whose hearing losses can’t be well treated with hearing aids.

Conductive hearing losses are those involving the mechanical transference of sound waves to the inner ear. This can be caused by anything from wax, to holes in the ear drum, to problems with the hearing bones in the middle ear to fluid in the middle ear. These losses usually can be fixed- by removing the wax, repairing the hole in the ear drum, draining the fluid or by surgery to repair the hearing bones in the middle ear (stapedectomy).

Our website www.nyogmd.com has a section that explains how the ear works and hearing disorders in greater depth. Dr. Neil Sperling is the Director of Ear Care at NYOG.

Robert L Pincus MD