2019 Irish Enterprise Awards

22 EU BUSINESS NEWS / 2019 Irish Enterprise Awards , The Audiology Clinic Leading Expert in Hearing Tinnitus & Balance 2019: DR Deepak Kumar Jan19452 The Audiology Clinic is a private independent diagnostic audiology practice. As part of our showcase of a selection of the winners from this year’s Irish Enterprise Awards we profile the clinic and explore the range of treatments it has to offer to its valued patients. The ear is the only organ in our body that is responsible for two functions - Hearing and Balance. Anatomy of the Inner ear house both senses hearing and balance. Therefore, when inner ear gets affected due to any reason either trauma, disease or ageing, it is possible that one’s both hearing and balance function can get affected or may be only hearing or only balance can get affected. Person with dizziness or balance disorder may or may not have hearing loss. It is important to remember that dizziness or vertigo is only a symptom and not a diagnosis. Formal vestibular assessment is required to know the possible causes of dizziness /vertigo which can help in treatment. Can you imagine your life without hearing the voice of your loved ones? No, it’s difficult for everyone. It is really annoying when you want to participate in a conversation but you are not able to hear others properly. It creates lack of confidence and one feels like to stay home rather than participating in any social gathering, a family function or in a party. That is the unfortunate reality of “Hearing loss” . A large number of populations with hearing difficulty don’t wear hearing aids. Some of them are not confident to use them, some feels they will become dependent on hearing aids. The reality is if a hearing aid is fitted appropriately after a proper assessment then it improves the hearing quality and it does not damage hearing. Studies show that the people who wear hearing aids are happier and more confident. Tinnitus is perception of sound when there is no external source. Tinnitus sound could be ringing, buzzing, clicking and it could be in a range from low to very high pitch and may be continuous to intermittent. The severity of perception of tinnitus can also range from subtle to shattering. Hyperacusis is a disorder in which a person finds intolerance to sounds otherwise it seems normal to most people. People who suffer with hyperacusis may find normal environmental sounds too loud. There are various different treatment options available to manage tinnitus and hyperacusis. Complete medical and audiological assessments are required to know the best possible treatment option. Why choose audiology specialist? An Audi- ologist/Audiological Scientist is a healthcare professional that involves in assessment and management of people with hearing and balance problems. This includes patients of all ages from newborn babies to elderly people. The Audiology Clinic is a private independent audiology practice. At our clinic we facilitate prevention, assessment and management of patients suffering with hearing, tinnitus and balance (vertigo/dizziness) disorders. All the patients attending the audiology clinic are each seen by Doctor of Audiology Dr Deepak Kumar, Audiological Scientist. Deepak began his academic career by obtaining Bachelor Degree in Audiology from University of Mysore, India. He then went to the prestigious Institute of Laryngology and Otology at University College London where he obtained his Master Degree in Audiological Science and achieved distinction. He then completed Doctor of Audiology from A.T. Still University, Arizona, USA. Deepak is a member of Irish Academy of Audiology (IAA), Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologist (ISHAA), and a fellow member of American Academy of Audiology (FAAA). Deepak began his career from working in a Children’s Hospital in Jaipur, India and since then he has worked in Kenya and UK. He has been working in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin since 2004. During over 18 years of professional experience, Deepak has worked in all aspects of Clinical Audiology including tinnitus, advanced audio-vestibular (auditory and vestibular), prescription of hearing aids, cochlear implant etc. He has been involved in teaching medical and paramedical students in the clinic as well as in the university. He has also carried out various research related to audiology (audio- vestibular). His recent research was on “The Effect of Body Position and Pressure on the Cochlea” with Professor David Kemp who is the Emeritus Professor at UCL Ear Institute, London. Deepak has presented many papers in the national and International conferences and written articles in journals. Contact Details Company: The Audiology Clinic Name: Dr Deepak Kumar Address: Suite 9, Vista Primary Care, Bally- more Road, Naas, Co. Kildare Telephone Number: 0833126299 Web Address: www.audiologyclinic.ie “The ear is the only organ in our body that is responsible for two functions - Hearing and Balance. “