Lecture Details & Abstracts

All lectures are free to the public informal 30-minute lectures followed by 30 minutes of discussion, questions & answers. Bring your past hearing tests, questions, and curious mind!

Hearing, Hearing Loss, and its Treatments

Dr Parker has performed diagnostic auditory and vestibular evaluations on over 20,000 patients ranging in age from 1-month premature to 103 years old and has fit hearing aids on thousands of patients. As a scientist, he has conducted hearing research into stem cell and gene therapy for the treatment of hearing loss and has conducted research on the causes of hidden hearing loss. He is the owner of Parker Hearing Services, a concierge audiology practice serving eastern Massachusetts.

In this this lecture series, Dr Parker will describe the normal auditory system, the most common causes of hearing loss and tinnitus, and treatments for hearing loss such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, stem cell therapies, gene therapies, and drug therapies.

Learning Objectives:

• To learn the anatomy and function of the normal auditory system.

• To learn the main causes of hearing loss and tinnitus.

• To understand why hearing aids are the gold standard treatment for hearing loss.

• To learn about treatments when hearing aid don’t work (cochlear implants, drug therapies, stem cell therapies, and genetic therapies).

• To know where to go to get help.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) vs. Prescription Hearing Aids

Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids are readily available online, at pharmacies, and at offices of some healthcare providers. Considering the plethora of OTC hearing aids available to you, which OTC hearing aids are the best? Which are worth a chance? And which are worthless? We have evaluated all of the readily available OTC hearing aids on the market and have concluded that some OTC hearing aids are not only worthless they may be dangerous, some are cheap yet effective options, and some are very good and relatively inexpensive options for the hearing impaired. This lecture will describe the current OTC market and compare them to traditional hearing aids that require a prescription.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the difference between OTC and prescription hearing aids.

• To understand that the primary goal of OTC hearings aids is to lower the barriers of access to your hearing healthcare.

• To identify the specific features employed by hearing aids to assist with listening in background noise.

• To compare and contrast the readily arable OTC hearing aids currently on the market.

The Interaction of Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline

There is compelling evidence that hearing and memory, particularly auditory memory, are correlated. For instance, recalling the voice of a loved one may help you also recall their looks, smell, and touch. There is some research that suggests a correlation between hearing, hearing loss and cognitive decline, and that treating hearing loss with hearing aids may slow cognitive decline in some persons as we age. However, this notion may be controversial in the field of hearing research. This lecture will review the data exploring the interaction of hearing loss and cognitive decline and will present some challenges involved in treating persons with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease who also have hearing loss.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the anatomy of the auditory and memory systems.

• To demonstrate the concept of auditory working memory and how its compares with short-term memory and long-term memory.

• To summarize research on the interaction of hearing loss and cognitive decline.

• To describe the difficult nature of treating Alzheimer’s and dementia patients with hearing aids

AMA: Ask Me Anything about Hearing, Hearing Loss and its Treatments

Dr. Mark A. Parker PhD CCC-A is an auditory neuroscientist, clinical audiologist, and your neighbor who knows more about hearing, hearing loss, and its treatments than anyone else you will ever meet. He is a staunch advocate for the hearing impaired and their loved ones. Please bring any question you have regarding hearing, hearing loss, hearings aids, out of pocket expenses, insurance coverage, or any other questions you may have about hearing healthcare.  You will receive unbiased responses framed in terms of the best interest of YOUR and/or YOUR LOVED ONES best hearing healthcare.  

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to critically evaluate hearing aid marketing claims and distinguish between high-quality devices and those that may not meet their needs.

• Participants will be able to identify what insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, do and do not cover for hearing healthcare, and describe alternative payment options available to them.

• Participants will be able to ask informed, targeted questions of hearing healthcare providers and make confident, unbiased decisions about their own or their loved ones' hearing aid purchases.

Navigating Compensation and Pension Evaluations for Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

This lecture will outline the process for Compensation and Pension (C&P) Evaluations for Veterans who believe that their hearing loss and/or tinnitus may have been caused by their time in service. We will discuss the effects of noise induced sound damage, temporary hearing loss, permanent hearing loss, and hidden hearing loss secondary to sound damage and blast wave concussions on the underlaying causes of hearing loss and tinnitus. We will also discuss critical pitfalls to avoid during C&P evaluation itself.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe the C&P evaluation process for hearing loss and tinnitus claims and identify the key steps Veterans must take to establish service connection.

• Participants will be able to explain the audiological mechanisms underlying noise-induced hearing loss, temporary threshold shift, and blast wave concussion as they relate to VA disability ratings.

• Participants will be able to recognize and avoid the most common pitfalls Veterans encounter during C&P evaluations that can result in denied or underrated claims.

Managing Bothersome Tinnitus

Chances are that you have experienced tinnitus, which is the perception of sound (i.e. buzzing, ringing, chirping) in the absence of an external sound, at some time in your life. This is normal. The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss. In fact, since hearing loss is typically gradual and progresses as we age, most people notice tinnitus before they notice their hearing loss. Tinnitus can also occur in persons with “normal” hearing, but people in this category who are bothered by their tinnitus are the exception rather than the rule. In some cases, tinnitus could be a sign of an underlaying disease that would require medical intervention. This lecture will describe the most prevalent causes of tinnitus, the neurogenic sites of tinnitus production, and how one can successfully manage bothersome tinnitus. If you or a loved one struggle with bothersome tinnitus, then this lecture is for you.

Learning Objectives:

• To list the most common causes of tinnitus

• To describe the anatomical neural generation sites of tinnitus.

• To reinforce the effective use of amplification in managing tinnitus for those with hearing loss.

• To present effective tinnitus management strategies for those afflicted by bothersome tinnitus.

Hearing Loss/Tinnitus Support Group

Dr Parker leads online support groups for those who suffer from tinnitus or hearing loss. In person support groups are available as well. Please contact us for details.