Now hear this: Ear doctor to be guest speaker

Depending on its severity, hearing loss can seriously hamper a person's social activities. But knowing treatment options could restore quality of life for those who are hard of hearing.

Dr. Mark Syms, a Phoenix ear surgeon, will discuss some medical procedures for improving hearing as the guest speaker Tuesday in Yuma during the February meeting of the Yuma chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America. The chapter meeting is 10 a.m. to noon at the Yuma Elks Lodge, 2300 S. Elks Lane, and is open to the public.

Syms is an otolaryngologist - and ear, nose and throat doctor - who is board certified in neurotology, which focuses on treatment of hearing and balance disorders, and rehabilitation of facial nerve, the ear and temporal bone and related structures.

A lot of hearing loss stems from genetics, Syms said.

"If your grandparents had hearing loss, you can probably expect it," Syms said.

One of the most common diseases is presbycusis, hearing loss due to aging, he said. It usually strikes people over 60 and, along with hearing difficulty, it can result in tinnitus, a continuous ringing in the ears.

Depending on a person's working environment, hearing loss can be dangerous. But what is most important, it can lead to social isolation if not corrected, says Syms, because the hard of hearing will have difficulty understanding others.

The most common option for hearing loss is a hearing aid. There are 1,500 different types of hearing aids, and each individual needs to be custom-fitted for one.

"There are so many different options out there," Syms said. "Technology does not vary that much - what's important is that the technician fits you correctly."

Correct fit means how clients function after they are fitted for an aid. It takes some time to determine if it is working well. The trial period is typically 30 days. But all hearing loss clients should know the return policy of the seller before they buy, Syms cautioned.

Yet hearing aids only restore volume. If hearing loss is severe, a person also loses understanding. A cochlear implant may help here.

If the hairlike receptor cells in the ear break down, a cochlear implant will help where a hearing aid cannot, Syms explained.

Another type of intervention when an aid is not enough is the bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA). This procedure treats hearing loss of one ear. A post implanted behind the ear will vibrate and send a signal over to the other ear.

Linda Gibbs, an organizer of the Yuma chapter of HLAA, said she visited Syms' Phoenix office a year ago and was told she was a likely candidate for an implant.

"I'm still using a hearing aid, but I think there's going to be a point within the next 10 years when I won't have the ability to communicate just with a hearing aid," Gibbs said.

She is concerned how increasing impairment will affect her ability to work. She is not only employed by her husband's carpet-cleaning business but is also a volunteer board member of numerous nonprofit organizations. Hearing loss has also affected her balance and at times she finds it difficult to walk without staggering.

Gibbs encourages anyone concerned with hearing loss to attend Syms' lecture because those with similar problems will be able to exchange information.

"Hearing aid technology is changing so rapidly. (The meeting) will update you on the latest procedures and it will help people decide whether they need to go to Phoenix for a consultation with Dr. Syms," she said.

Syms cautioned there are two mistaken beliefs about hearing loss.

The first is, hearing aids will absolutely correct hearing loss. They are somewhat like eyeglasses in that an aid does not correct the impairment but only helps deal with it more effectively.

The second is that people underestimate how much hearing loss affects them on a day-to-day basis.

"The problem with hearing loss is you just don't know what you're missing if you don't detect it," he said.