Bary E. Williams, Adriatica Audiology

About the Expert

Perhaps no one understands hearing and speech issues better than someone who has struggled and overcome them. Their insight, clarity, and comprehension go beyond studies, lectures, and research, understanding the 24-hour-a-day reality and what it takes to reach out for help. Dr. Williams has lived that struggle and developed the Adriatica Audiology system to make his patients’ journey like no other.

Q&A

What causes hearing loss?

Certain causes of hearing loss are temporary and can be medically treated, including ear wax build up, middle ear infections, and malfunctions of the middle ear bones. But most hearing loss results from inner ear damage. Hearing loss develops because of the aging process or because long-term exposure to loud noise has caused hair cells in the ear canal to deteriorate. (These hair cells transmit sound signals to the brain.)

Hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes have also been linked to hearing loss since they impair blood flow, which can damage the inner ear. Unfortunately, this cannot be reversed. Properly fitting hearing aids are the only treatment for this type of hearing loss. A diagnostic hearing examination can determine the type of hearing loss you have and how it should be treated.

How do hearing aids work?

Hearing aids do much more than amplify sound. They are programmable to your specific hearing loss and lifestyle. If you have difficulty hearing in church or at a movie theater, we can create a program just for you. At the touch of a button, you can adjust your hearing aid to your environment. You can also control the hearing aid entirely with your smartphone with intelligent features that focus only on the speaker in front of you.

Will hearing aids work for me?

This question is why we developed our two-week trial system. We let you try your new hearing aids for 14 days for free. We want to partner with you to find the technology that will work with your lifestyle and budget.

Will hearing aids improve my quality of life?

You don’t realize how hard you’re working to understand until it becomes second nature again. Hearing well gives you confidence and allows you to relax when interacting with others. Communication is key to any healthy relationship. If you start to experience miscommunication or stop communicating, strife, arguments, and stress can occur.

Hearing aids can improve relationships with family and friends. Hearing aids improve your safety as well, since not hearing a siren while driving, a dog barking, a smoke alarm, a window breaking, or a car when you are walking or biking can all be incredibly dangerous.

How do I know if I have hearing loss?

The common symptoms of hearing loss are simple. It isn’t that a person can’t hear volume—it’s that a person doesn’t understand words clearly. It’s that simple. If you hear but do not understand clearly, you probably have hearing loss.

What should you do if you or a loved one suspects they have hearing loss?

Call Adriatica Audiology at (972) 542-8900 in McKinney or (972) 905-5396 in Plano to schedule a complimentary hearing screening. No charge or obligation. They will not only test and explain your hearing loss completely, but they will teach you how to avoid the consequences of untreated hearing loss, which include a greatly increased potential for dementia and memory damage.