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JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
Woodworking is among Thomas’ favorite pastimes. He also enjoys listening to bluegrass music streamed from his TV directly into his new hearing aids, fit by Dr. Dub at Trinity Hearing & Balance Center.
While in high school, Thomas Frazier and some friends set out on a fishing trip in a small boat. While on the water, a nasty storm blew in and the boat sank. The teens were left floating in the frigid water until a Coast Guard helicopter arrived during the night and rescued them.
Thomas was so impressed with the Coast Guard crew that he joined the service after graduation from high school.
“My first two years were based out of Boston,” Thomas shares. “We had a 378-foot ship and did drug patrols up and down the coast. Then I got stationed in St. Petersburg on a similar ship. We ran drug patrols as far south as Cuba. After that, I got stationed at a small boat rescue station out of Clearwater Beach. I drove a rescue boat for nearly three years.”
Thomas spent six years in the Guard. Now 68, he says “Being in the Coast Guard was great.” The only real downside stemmed from the fact that he spent a good amount of time loading shells into the barrels of cannons, often without any hearing protection.
“I would be right next to the barrel when the cannons fired, and afterward, my ears would ring terribly,” he says. “Ultimately, I developed hearing loss, and I believe strongly that all that noise contributed to the problem.”
Over time, Thomas’s hearing grew progressively worse. About 25 years ago, after he took a job managing the blueprint room for the Pinellas County School System, he began wearing hearing aids, which proved to be a great help.
“I have an 80 percent hearing loss in my right ear and a 60 percent loss in my left ear, so I have a rough time hearing without hearing aids,” Thomas discloses. “Without them, I can’t hear much, so I became really good at reading lips.”
Several years ago, Thomas began getting his hearing aids from a big-box store in Clearwater. He later decided he no longer wanted to drive from his Tarpon Springs home to that store, so his wife searched for an audiology practice closer to home.
She discovered highly rated Trinity Hearing & Balance Center, a New Port Richey practice where Kelly Hansen, AuD, and Kayla Dub, AuD, CCCA, specialize in hearing care, the treatment of balance disorders and the fitting of hearing aids.
Real Ear Measurements
“Mr. Frazier has a history of noise exposure, which damaged his inner ear and caused sensorineural hearing loss,” Dr. Dub reports. “When he came to us, he couldn’t understand conversation unless the speaker was looking directly at him.
“The hearing aids he was wearing were purchased from a big-box store and were not properly fit, so he wasn’t getting the full benefit from the devices. Dr. Hansen tested his hearing, and I fit him with state-of-the-art hearing aids with custom molds.”
In her quest to fit Thomas with the best hearing aids for his needs, Dr. Dub followed best practices, which are methods, interventions, procedures or techniques based on high-quality evidence and are generally considered superior to the alternatives. Following best practices typically leads to improved outcomes.
Real ear measurements are considered a best practice in audiology.
“Real ear measurements are a way of measuring sound pressure and verifying that the person’s hearing aids are providing the correct level of amplification,” Dr. Dub explains. “These measurements are taken by inserting a probe into the ear canal and running various tests on a computer.
-Dr. Dub
“Every provider who fits hearing aids should be doing these measurements, but not everyone does. That’s a shame, because when they’re done, people typically do better with their hearing aids.”
Another best practice is the use of accessories to improve hearing in specific situations. For Thomas, Dr. Dub recommended a device that connects to the television and streams the audio directly into his hearing aids.
“Using accessories is another way we ensure that all of our patients’ hearing needs are satisfied,” Dr. Dub concludes.
“Amazing” Aids
Thomas was desperate to improve his hearing when he arrived at Trinity Hearing & Balance Center. With the advanced technology and proper fit he received from Dr. Dub, Thomas hears much better now, and that has improved his quality of life.
“These are the best hearing aids I’ve ever had,” Thomas enthuses. “They’re amazing compared to what I was using for the past 25 years. And the transmitter for the TV works really well. I just reach back and push a button on the hearing aids if I want to stream the TV. It saves my wife’s hearing because I don’t have to have the TV really loud to hear it.”
While watching TV together, Thomas and his wife enjoy listening to contemporary bluegrass music on a country music channel. Thomas was overjoyed when he tuned in for the first time after getting his new hearing aids.
“When I clicked on the TV streaming feature and the music came on, I was blown away,” he recalls. “I was totally stunned because the music sounded so good. My wife said I had the biggest grin on my face. I can’t stop listening to music now. I haven’t heard music that well in 20 years.
“Dr. Hansen and Dr. Dub did that for me and I think they’re both wonderful. They brought me back in after I got my hearing aids and ran more tests to make sure everything was working correctly, and the devices were adjusted properly. They’re great.”
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