Kansas City, KS – Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's wife, Tammy, says she got her “sparkle” back after years of struggling with hearing loss. Now she's sharing the life-changing moment she could hear clearly again. On All Things Brain Health, Tammy and her audiologists explain when to get your hearing checked, how hearing aids can help and why protecting your hearing is important for brain health.
Tammy Reid, Patient, Wife of Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid
- At 66, Tammy realized her hearing had gradually declined after years of asking people to repeat themselves and struggling to follow conversations.
- She says a moment at church, when she couldn't hear a friend whispering, convinced her to seek professional help.
- Tammy underwent a comprehensive hearing evaluation and was fitted with prescription hearing aids after previously trying over-the-counter devices.
- She describes the emotional moment she first put on her hearing aids and could clearly hear conversations again.
- After experiencing life-changing results with hearing aids, Tammy approached the health system about launching a campaign to encourage others to have their hearing tested.
She encourages people of all ages to establish a baseline hearing test rather than waiting until hearing loss begins affecting their daily lives.
Dr. Christine Caudle, Audiologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Dr. Caudle explains why Tammy needed a comprehensive hearing evaluation rather than a basic hearing screening.
- She discusses how audiologists identify different types of hearing loss and develop individualized treatment plans.
- She explains the differences between over-the-counter hearing devices and professionally fitted prescription hearing aids.
- She discusses what patients can realistically expect from hearing aids, including the adjustment period.
Dr. Lauren Mann, Audiologist, The University of Kansas Health System; Researcher, The University of Kansas Medical Center
- Dr. Mann explains how sound travels through the ear and is processed by the brain.
- She discusses sensorineural and mixed hearing loss; the two types identified in Tammy's evaluation.
- She explains why hearing loss should be evaluated rather than automatically dismissed as a normal part of aging.
- She highlights the relationship between untreated hearing loss and increased dementia risk.
She expresses the importance of protecting hearing at loud sporting events and concerts, demonstrating filtered earplugs that reduce harmful noise while allowing people to communicate.
