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Need to know information from Chattanooga Health & Beauty professionals. Every Wednesday Noteworthy: “As Johnson Audiology continues to grow, we strive to represent a true medical model of Audiology. We are excited about adding cochlear implant candidacy testing and mapping to the services we provide to recipients.” Courtney Guthrie, Au.D. MORE INFORMATION For more information about Johnson Audiology, to schedule a consultation, call 423-710-1432 or visit johnsonaudiology.com. TIMESFREEPRESS.COM • • • PAID ADVERTISING A4 › Wednesday, July 12, 2017 H earing loss can happen at any age and has many causes. Most people affected by hearing loss can benefit from traditional hear - ing aids. However, there comes a point when tra- ditional hearing aids may no longer help. Johnson Audiology wants people to know there are other options that can be life changing. A cochlear implant is a surgically implant- ed device that provides sound representation to people that cannot ben- efit from hearing aids. They do not cure hear- ing impairment, but the device directly stimu- lates the auditory path- way. So, unlike hearing aids, which make sound louder, cochlear implants replace the damaged inner ear to provide sound signals to the brain for processing. Cochlear implants have come a long way since the first device was implanted in 1982. The devices have become smaller and smarter – which is what everyone expects with technolo- gy these days. They are comprised of two com- ponents – the internal electrode array that is implanted into the inner ear and the external processor that is typi - cally worn on the ear. The microphones on the external processor detect the sounds and transfers them through the skin to the internal electrode array. This internal electrode array stimu- lates the auditory nerve directly. The sound is then transmitted to the brain for processing. “Cochlear implants do not simply detect envi- ronmental sound. They analyze the environment and decide what type of sounds the user should hear and how to modify those sounds to help the patients hear optimally. They can manage noise in the environment, stream voices with an accesso- ry microphone, and even connect via Bluetooth to cell phones to stream phone calls and music. These are options that most cochlear implant users never dreamed possible. The Cochle- ar devices can even be completely waterproof - either through a dif- ferent type of processor of by using a waterproof cover - allowing patients the ability to wear the devices while they bathe or go swimming. Being completely waterproof is something that the hear- ing aid industry has not been able to accomplish at this point,” said Dr. Courtney Guthrie. “As Johnson Audiol- ogy continues to grow, we strive to represent a true medical model of Audiology. We are excit- ed about adding cochle- ar implant candidacy testing and mapping to the services we provide to recipients,” said Dr. Guthrie. “Until now, people in the Chatta- nooga area who needed or already had a cochle- ar implant had to drive to Knoxville, Atlanta, or Nashville to find a clin- ic that would not only implant the device but provide follow up care. The age range of cochle- ar implant users can range from 12 months to 100, which can make travel for appointments difficult for all those involved. These appoint- ments can sometimes last for 2 hours. That can make for a really long day between travel and appointment time. There are three cochlear implant com- panies – Cochlear Amer- icas, Advanced Bionics and Med-El. “We decid- ed as a practice that we could not single anyone out based on the type of device they received, because some patients are not given a choice,” said Dr. Megan Johnson. Johnson Audiology has already referred a handful of patients to otolaryngologists in the surrounding cities that have received their first cochlear implant devic- es. They are now getting their follow up care at our Gunbarrel location. Barbara Johnson has been a patient at John- son Audiology since June 2012. She began to lose her hearing in her 50s and wore multiple sets of hearing aids over the years. Dr. Guthrie test- ed her hearing and dis- cussed the benefits of a cochlear implant versus hearing aids. However, she was not ready to make such a big deci- sion at that time, so she moved forward with new hearing aids. Ms. Johnson contin- ued to struggle with her hearing and it was limiting her lifestyle significantly. She could not communicate on a phone, hear well in noise, or even hear well one-on- one without lip-reading. She had very little resid- ual hearing left in either ear, so it was impossible to give her the hearing she desired with the hearing aids. In June 2014 at age 82, she under- went surgery to have the internal electrode array implanted. The cochlear implant was activated a few weeks later. “Dr. Guthrie encour- aged me to take this step of getting a cochle- ar implant and it was the best decision I ever made. The first year involved a lot of work learning how to hear again. I listened to audio- books from the library every day. I continue to practice on a daily basis. The cochlear implant has given me independence again. I can now go to the grocery store and communicate with peo- ple without relying on my brother’s help,” said Barbara Johnson. Candidates still have to travel for the pre-op appointments and sur- gery. Dr. Guthrie is able to take over from that point to manage all fol- low up care related to the implant device and programming. “It has been a slow process getting started, but cochlear implants are an entirely different ball game than hearing aids. We want to ensure that we are taking the time necessary to learn about each of these dif- ferent companies and their products to pro- vide the best care for these recipients,” said Dr. Guthrie, “It has been such an honor to head up this project. It has been rewarding to help these patients improve their hearing and their qual- ity of life. I am excited about the opportunity to serve my community in this way!” Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implant? BY BRANDI DIXON A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted device that provides sound representation to people that cannot benefit from hearing aids. 52328-1 52347-1 DRUG FREE PAIN RELIEF State of the art technology in a comfortable environment. Call today for your free evaluation and your first session free. 5811 Lee Hwy, Suite 408 Chattanooga, TN 37421 423.771.7755 www.pulsecenters1.com You don’t want to miss it! 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