BUSINESS PROFILE: St. Cloud Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)
St. Cloud ENT provides high-end care to diagnose and treat hearing loss
St. Cloud Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) has a team of 10 highly educated hearing care providers working together to serve the greater St. Cloud community. And one thing they often hear after treating a patient for hearing loss is, “I wish I had come here a long time ago.”
St. Cloud ENT offers cutting-edge solutions to test, diagnose, and treat hearing loss. It is their expert opinion that patients don’t have to live with a reduced quality of life due to hearing loss. Preventative solutions and custom treatment plans have the ability to put individuals back in control of their hearing.
For those dealing with hearing loss, seeing an audiologist sooner than later can have a large impact on patient satisfaction, quality of life, and hearing loss prevention, according to Brooke Steckelberg, doctor of audiology, who has been with St. Cloud ENT for 16 years.
“Many people assume they won’t have hearing loss if there is no family history of it,” said Steckelberg, “But hearing loss is not necessarily caused by genetics.”
Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from hearing loss. And many are unaware of several health issues associated with untreated hearing loss, such as cognitive decline, depression and social isolation, as well as imbalance, which can increase the risk of falls.
Hearing loss affects people of all ages, from newborns to senior citizens. It has significantly increased in younger men and women, and many experts feel this is attributed to the use of headphones and earbuds. Loud concerts or long-term work around loud machinery can also cause damage to your hearing, according to experts.
Partnering with an extensive team of ENT physicians, the audiology division at St. Cloud ENT offers the highest level of hearing care through their credentialed staff, including six audiologists and hearing care providers.
“Because we work together as a team at a multi-specialty practice, we take a whole-health approach, considering how hearing loss impacts every facet of our patients’ lives. With our long-term and experienced staff, we are able to provide caring, custom solutions at every step of your hearing journey,” said Steckelberg. “We have a tremendous amount of respect and understanding for one another, which results in a higher level of care and [better] outcomes for our patients.”
Hearing properly can have lasting life-changing benefits, and the first step is to have a baseline hearing test, said Steckelberg.
Many patients who visited St. Cloud ENT to treat their hearing loss have found it to be a huge improvement to their lifestyle, resulting in more independence, stronger relationships, and reported happiness.
Here’s what some of their patients have to say about their experience:
“I first became aware of my hearing loss around age 27 or 28. Having hearing loss is not easy, but the staff at St. Cloud ENT is dedicated to being helpful and making the journey easier,” said J.W. “(Hearing) aids are not a one-size fit for all, and it takes time and patience from both the patient and the audiologist to get the best fit for each person. Ongoing adjustments are what makes this work.”
—J.W., Patient of St. Cloud ENT
“I’m 65 with severe hearing loss, and I’ve worked with four hearing aid businesses through the last 35 years,” said E.M., a patient with St. Cloud ENT for nine years. “I surely would rate St. Cloud Ear, Nose and Throat the best I’ve worked with. It’s a well-managed, professional organization. I rate them an A+.”
—E.M., Patient of St. Cloud ENT
“I knew I had hearing loss when ‘what?’ became my favorite word. My husband chuckled at my often-misheard words, but over the years, humor turned into frustration,” said S.D., a patient with St. Cloud ENT for two years. “I finally relented and agreed to see an audiologist. It was an enlightening experience, and [with] each visit, we learn more and appreciate the excellent care we receive from Dr. Brooke and the staff at St. Cloud ENT. [It’s] the best choice ever. I love having the ability to hear complete conversations that I missed so much.”
—S.D., Patient of St. Cloud ENT
“St. Cloud is a model clinic with all the necessary licenses, physicians and audiologists located in the same clinic—a one-stop convenience,” said G.G., a longtime patient of St. Cloud ENT. “They are professional, qualified and competent practitioners of excellence. Brooke has been very influential in educating me about assistive equipment that enables me to have a coil programmed into my hearing aids, allowing me to hear homilies in church and speakers at in-services. An added accommodation to my programmed hearing aids is a feature that I can utilize to eliminate all external noises, like loud laughter, coughing and babies crying, when someone is speaking at the podium.”
–G.G., Patient of St. Cloud ENT
Audiologists at St. Cloud ENT advise an immediate hearing test if you are experiencing a constant ringing in your ears (tinnitus), you often find yourself having to ask people to repeat themselves, there is earwax buildup, you have had an ear infection, it’s difficult to hear conversations in crowded areas, or you experience vertigo.
“Everyone should get their hearing checked every few years, or annually if you struggle with diabetes,” Steckelberg said. “Many do not notice if they have hearing loss because it is often a slow progression. A lot of times, people with hearing loss are lonely because they don’t want to go out in public.”
Regular checkups can identify hearing loss, something that may be hard to notice because the loss is often so gradual.
“You might not recognize a problem with your hearing for a long time because [the] loss of hearing usually takes place slowly over time,” Steckelberg explained. “The sooner you get your hearing checked, the more likely we can help determine the best option for you.”
In regard to people being hesitant to treat hearing loss, Steckelberg went on to say that “hearing aids are much smaller and more comfortable than they used to be. Our audiology team can match patients with hearing aids that fit their specific hearing loss, lifestyle, and budget.”
The regularity with which you should get your hearing checked depends on your specific circumstance. If you find your hearing isn’t what it used to be, schedule an appointment with the audiology team at St. Cloud ENT. Ready to take the next step? Take a free online hearing test at www.stcloudent.com/online-hearing-test today!
St. Cloud ENT is located at 1528 Northway Drive in St. Cloud. For an appointment, call 320-252-0233. You can also visit them on their website at www.stcloudent.com or like them on Facebook.
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