Hearing Center of LI - March 2018

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March 2018

Long Island Sound

The Art of Seeing My Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Michelangelo Exhibit

As a student at East Rockaway High School, I took an art class taught by Mrs. Palmeri, a wonderful teacher. She apparently saw some potential in the drawings and paintings I turned in, because she encouraged me to keep a daily sketchbook. She tasked me with a minimum of three completed drawings a week. Her hope was that I would hone my skills and sharpen my observations of the world around me. Mrs. Palmeri told me that learning to draw was really learning to “see.” She said that trained artists notice and appreciate things in their surroundings that others might not. I realized that this was very much like what I had learned while studying music: Trained musicians notice things in what they hear that others do not. Similarly, my training in audiology has taught me that good listeners catch nuances in the sounds and words they hear that bad listeners might not notice. I took Mrs. Palmeri’s sketchbook assignment seriously. Some weekends, I would make my way to the local park, sit down on a comfortable bench, and start drawing whatever in my surroundings caught my eye. I sketched grass swaying in the wind, old trees, and people milling around on sunny days. When I visited my grandparents in the Bronx, I attempted to depict the overlooked charm of the architecture of the surrounding apartment buildings and the personalities of the people walking by. Everything around me became a subject. I found that this practice not only made me

better at putting my pencil to paper, it actually sharpened my experience of the world. I began to appreciate small details of my environment, and everything became charged with beauty and fascination for me. That ability to focus my attention is a skill I have found valuable in life. Though I have not been drawing much lately, I often find myself seeking visual art. Last January, I had the pleasure of attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s once-in-a-lifetime exhibit featuring one of my favorite artists: Michelangelo. His life and work have always intrigued me. If you come into my office,

Dr. Larry and a Michelangelo sketch

and struggling to find the best way to compose the finished work. In some ways, I found this evidence of hard work more fascinating than his finished masterpieces. Michelangelo once said, “If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.” Knowing that this was the attitude of a true master encourages me to work hard at what I do, whether it’s my work to help people overcome hearing difficulties or in leisure pursuits like art. Recently, I was speaking about my old sketches with one of my patients who used to teach art classes for senior citizens. She encouraged me to take up drawing again. While I will never be as adept as Michelangelo, engaging with and making art are valuable pursuits that can give us a new perspective on the world around us and enrich our daily lives.

you will see a casting of the left ear of Michelangelo’s famous statue, David, on my bookshelf.

From Dr Larry’s high school sketch book

One of the things I found most interesting about this particular exhibit of Michelangelo’s work was that there were many sketches on display that he produced in preparation for some of his famous works, like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In these sketches, one can see the master artist experimenting with ideas

–Lawrence Cardano, Au.D.

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The Reasons We Lose Our Hearing

in years, I can hear my friends and family speak and don’t feel like I am missing out on half of what is going on around me. I was a registered nurse before I retired, and I can say without reservation that you are one of the most wonderful, kind, and professional doctors I have ever had the pleasure to have met. I would not hesitate for a moment to recommend you to anyone. I now realize there was no need to suffer in silence when there was a wonderful doctor like you (and your terrific staff) ready and willing to help just a few minutes away from my home. All I needed to do was to pick up the telephone, and you and your staff did the rest. Everyone in my family is thankful that I have taken the steps to seek help for my hearing loss, especially me. There is no shame in hearing loss; the only shame is in not doing anything about it. sudden, extremely loud noise damages any of the structures of the ear, causing immediate and permanent hearing loss. Autoimmune inner ear disease is a syndrome of progressive hearing loss or dizziness that is caused by antibodies or immune cells attacking the inner ear. In most cases, there is a reduction of hearing accompanied by tinnitus — a Otosclerosis is a hereditary disorder causing progressive deafness due to overgrowth of bone in the inner ear. Auditory neuropathy is a rare type of hearing loss caused by an abnormality in the transmission of nerve impulses traveling from the inner ear to the brain. Head trauma is caused by a blow to the head and can damage the outer, middle, or inner ear, resulting in temporary or permanent hearing loss. Acoustic trauma occurs when a

I want to thank you for the wonderful experience I have had since finding you. I had been having trouble with my hearing for some time. Like many people, in spite of the fact that I needed a device to improve my hearing, I was reluctant to obtain one. I suppose it’s a combination of the denial of growing older and a touch of vanity, but once I decided to do something about my hearing loss, I started my search for help. I won’t go into details, but I tried several other hearing professionals before I found you. From the very first visit, you made me feel at ease. You took the time to listen to my complaints and my concerns, and you made sure all my questions were answered to my satisfaction before you started to discuss remedies for my hearing loss. To make a long story short, you resolved my hearing loss issues. For the first time 2 • We’re listening to you. The most common types of hearing loss are presbycusis (a gradual loss of hearing in both ears that commonly occurs as people age) and noise- induced (NIHL). However, hearing loss can be caused by a variety of conditions. Here are just a few to help you understand the complexity of the auditory system and the importance of finding a knowledgeable audiologist to help you determine the type of hearing loss you’re suffering from. Cholesteatoma is a type of skin cyst located in the middle ear and skull bone. Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear. Eustachian tube dysfunction occurs when the tube between the middle ear and the back of your throat that allows your ear to equalize pressure functions abnormally.

constant ringing, hissing, or roaring sound — which occurs over a few months. Meniere’s disease typically causes dizziness, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and a sensation of fullness or stuffiness in one or both ears. Meniere’s disease occurs when excess fluid causes swelling in the inner ear. Acoustic neuroma is a slow-growing tumor (usually benign) of the nerve that connects the ear to the brain. Regardless of the cause of your hearing loss, it can likely be helped. If you have any questions about your hearing loss or that of a loved one, the doctors of audiology here at the Hearing Center of Long Island would be more then happy to answer them. For more information, call

us at (516) 872-8485 or contact us by email at info@HearingCenterofLI.com . What Our Patients Are Saying

Lilli and Dr. Larry

To everyone at Hearing Center of Long Island, my sincere thanks.

Lynbrook, NY

The First Step to Better Hearing

In the next few issues of the “Long Island Sound,” we’ll take a quick look at the six key steps to better hearing as covered in my book, “Better Hearing With or Without Hearing Aids.” The first step is Assessment of Needs. At Hearing Center of Long Island, we consider this an extremely important step for anyone who is seeking help for the first time, as well as for those who have already taken steps to improve their hearing and are interested in making further improvement. What Do You Really Need? Everyone who suffers hearing difficulty has their own unique type of hearing loss and hearing concerns. As such, treatment is tailored to fit each individual’s needs and priorities. In order to determine the best possible solution for your case, a thorough communication assessment — not just a simple hearing test — should be conducted by an expert. Besides standard tests of loudness and clarity, some of the information that will be needed includes test results showing how much background noise you can tolerate before it significantly affects your ability to understand speech, analysis of specific

listening situations that are most important to you, and how you rate your satisfaction with your hearing ability in each of those situations. In some cases, the information gathered during this process may indicate that a customized hearing aid will remedy the problem. However, in other cases, alternative solutions like other assistive devices or communication strategies may be more useful. Often, a combination of these strategies will be most beneficial. If hearing aids are considered, this information, along with further conversation with your audiologist, will be crucial in helping you make the most appropriate choice by solving the hearing aid selection puzzle that involves cosmetics, cost, performance, and ease of use. At Hearing Center of Long Island, during this step in the journey to better hearing, we also determine the extent of your hearing loss and whether medical attention is needed. Then, we collaborate with you to determine your real-life listening needs, setting the stage for our discussion about possible solutions to your hearing problems. Sudoku

In our office, we find that during this phase, many people gain a greater understanding of the impact hearing loss has on their quality of life and that of their friends and family. We encourage a family member to be present for this interesting and sometimes enlightening consultation. Throughout this process, it is important to keep a positive attitude. Too often, we find that people with hearing difficulty — whether they are seeking help for the first time or have been wearing hearing aids for years — incorrectly assume nothing can be done to solve their hearing problems. In either case, many patients are pleasantly surprised to discover how satisfying the results of proper hearing care can be, once they have the help of experts. By considering key data and taking your concerns into consideration, our team can help guide you to the best solution.

On Listening The Sound of Laughter Two artists had a contest. It ended in a draw.

Solution

“Listening is the only way to entertain some folks.”

–Kin Hubbard

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INSIDE This Issue

Dr. Larry on the Timeless Power of Art Page 1 Why We Lose Our Hearing Here’s What Lilli Had to Say Page 2 Hearing Aids: What Do You Really Need? The Sound of Laughter On Listening Sudoku Page 3 The 3 Best Places to See Beautiful Flowers Page 4

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Earth’s Most Beautiful Flower Displays

Spring is here, which means flora will soon be in full bloom. Flowers can be an easy pick-me-up or a great way to add color to your home, but some people take their flower obsession to the next level

by planning botanical-themed vacations. Here are some of the most impressive gardens and flower displays in the world. Netherlands Holland, most famous for its tulips, always draws visitors at the first sign of spring. One of its most famous destinations, Keukenhof, located in Lisse, is among the world’s largest flower gardens. The park is 79 acres and boasts approximately 7 million flowers each year. This colorful garden is open annually from mid-March to mid-May, but mid-April is the ideal time to see the tulips. Washington, D.C. Besides the monuments and historic buildings, one of the biggest attractions in Washington, D.C. is the cherry tree blossoms. Travelers who visit the Tidal Basin during the spring can witness 3,000 trees, which were a gift from Tokyo in

1912, flaunt their beautiful pink blossoms. The best time to see the spectacle is from the end of March through the end of April. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Desert lavender, flowering cacti, pygmy poppies, and rock daisies are just a few of the many wildflowers decorating Anza- Borrego Desert State Park. The various native species are often seen weaved together to form a colorful carpet over any barren patch in the park, which is located just two hours from San Diego. In addition to flowers, visitors often spot bighorn sheep. Wildflower blossoms vary in intensity each year, but they typically begin to bloom in late February or early March. Next time you’re planning a spring trip, consider visiting one of the world’s most beautiful flower displays. No green thumb required.

4 • We’re listening to you.

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