As drummer for the legendary rock group The Moody Blues, Graeme Edge has spent the better part of the last forty years recording and touring, playing hits like Nights in White Satin, Tuesday Afternoon, and Your Wildest Dreams to ecstatic audiences worldwide.

Like many in his profession, however, Graeme found himself with the beginnings of hearing loss. “I’ve been tested regularly over the years, so I knew I was heading towards it,” says Graeme. “I was starting to experience difficulty with conversations, especially in crowded rooms, and sometimes had trouble hearing conversations on the television. ”The problem did not affect Graeme during live performances, thanks to the expertise of his crew. “I get a boost on all my equipment on stage, because I have direct in-the-ear monitoring,” he explains. For Graeme’s offstage listening needs, they directed him to Physician’s Choice Hearing & Dizziness Center, with offices in Tampa and Sun City Center. “The people doing the in the-ear monitoring on stage suggested I get in touch with them,” he confirms. “It was a professional recommendation.”

Hearing is believing
“Hearing aids are so easy to use now and so much better than they have ever been before,” says certified clinical audiologist Jeffrey Clark, AuD. “At Physician’s Choice we pride ourselves on offering the highest quality of care, professionalism, and products, and on ensuring patient satisfaction.” For many hearing aid users Oticon hearing instruments prove the best choice. “Oticon provides revolutionary hearing devices specifically designed for people who find noisy situations challenging at work or when socializing,” explains Dr. Clark. “Never before has a device looked so good and had so much power to improve patients’ understanding in challenging noise environments. “The Oticon Delta fits about eighty percent of people, which is just phenomenal,” reports Dr. Clark. “I’ve been fitting hearing instruments for twelve years now and have never worked with a product that is so successful for so many patients.” “We are finding that the Delta is what hearing aid wearers always hoped hearing aids would be,” adds certified clinical audiologist Scott Sims. “They put them on, other people don’t notice them, and they hear naturally. ”The Delta is a tiny device that fits partly in the ear and partly on top of the ear, basically hidden by the ear. The high-tech triangular design propels hearing devices into the 21st century, setting a new standard for aesthetics. “Speech comes through more clearly,” says Dr. Clark, “whether someone is in a quiet or noisy environment. Thousands of subtle digital adjustments every second keep every listening experience clear and effortless.” “This device offers the most sophisticated sound processing technologies available today,” assures Dr. Sims. “From advanced noise management to voice detection systems, Delta has all that’s necessary to help someone hear better in noise.”

“Brightness and sparkle”
Graeme appreciates what Physician’s Choice Hearing & Dizziness Center was able to do for him. “I worked with Jeff, and it was all very quick, very efficient. He tested my ears, saw the problem, and I walked out with my new hearing aids that same day.” Like others, Graeme had been unimpressed with “old school” hearing instruments and was pleased to see what the newest technology can deliver. “Up until now, hearing aids had always been large and cumbersome, and to be frank, I hadn’t found them very effective,” he says. “All they seemed to do was just turn things up louder, which is not what I needed. “With these new ones, I’m finding brightness and sparkle in everything!”

FHCN–Michael J. Sahno

Tampa Health Care News | Fall 2008 | North Tampa Edition