Patient Stories – Independence Day With Hearing Aids
November 15, 2021

Patient Stories – Independence Day With Hearing Aids

Most of us welcome the celebration of Independence Day; a special occasion for parties, barbecues, fireworks, and the opportunity to re-connect with family and friends. But for those who have a hearing loss, it is often a different experience altogether. Celebrations like these can often be a cause of anxiety because of communication difficulties, loud music, shouting, and fireworks. It all becomes very overwhelming and tiring. Usually, people with hearing difficulties avoid these occasions altogether, which is always a big concern for us because of the additional health risks social isolation can bring.

But this doesn’t need to be the way!


We spoke to a small group of our dear patients and asked them to share the positive impact that their hearing aids have had on their Fourth of July. The response we’ve had has been overwhelming.



Here we share with you their precious stories of how their hearing aids have changed their lives. We hope you enjoy reading them…

“My neighborhood had a spectacular fireworks show!!! I was so blessed not only to see the fireworks but to hear them better as well!!! I was unaware of all the sounds I was missing until I got my hearing aids! I am forever grateful to Johnson Audiology and highly recommend them to anyone who is experiencing any hearing loss or other issues! Thank you for helping me to hear my great granddaughter’s precious little voice more clearly!!!”

–Reba


“Any activities outdoors during the 4th of July, such as barbequing, I was able to communicate with friends and family without distractions.”

–Joseph


“I have really enjoyed my new hearing aids. Seventeen of our children came over July 4th for a cookout, and I was able to join in all conversations and hear the fireworks more than ever. Thanks to you!”

–Roland


“I went to the old town of Franklin 4th of July festivities. I walked around at different booths and interacted in conversation with my husband. I listened to the band playing Aretha Franklin hits, had small conversation while they played. Then we went to Mellow Mushroom and sat on the patio and engaged in conversation while waiting for the next country band. It was a day filled with various and challenging listening environments so I’m glad I had my hearing aids.”

–Michele


“I attended the annual Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention in Salt Lake City competition over the 4th of July! My chorus, The Sound of Tennessee, placed 17th in the world!! I would not be able to enjoy my music without my hearing aids! My life is enhanced.”

–Dave


“For my Fourth of July weekend, my wife and I attended a Fourth of July party and cook-out with neighbors at a home in our Ocoee Mountain Club Community. Without my cochlear implant, I would not have been able to participate in conversation and enjoy their company. Later in the evening we enjoyed “A Capital Fourth” on PBS and enjoyed listening to the music thanks to my cochlear implant.”

–Ron


“When I decided it was time to replace my nearly 5-year-old hearing aids, I did not consider going anywhere else but Johnson Audiology. Dr. Megan Johnson spent a lot of time with me asking about my life, what I did, and what I enjoyed doing. Music is a huge part of my life. Over the 4th of July long weekend, I spent most of it listening to Pandora. For the first time in years, I was able to hear the soft sound of cymbals. My hearing aids are so advanced that settings like speech clarity and background noise can easily be adjusted through my iPhone.”

— Terry


“This year, July 4th, 2019, I celebrated my granddaughter’s 4th birthday with my family. Last year, I could not hear or understand what my granddaughter was saying to me–I could hear her voice but that was all. I purchased my hearing aids because I wanted to hear her words and understand what she was saying to me and this year, after wearing my hearing aids, I could hear and understand! Plus, I was so tired of asking people to repeat what they had said, and they were tired of hearing me ask that question–now I don’t have to ask it anymore! What a blessing. Dr. Johnson is such a personable audiologist and cares about what we need, and she will provide those needs for us.”

–Linda


“I work on the railroad and was on duty this Fourth of July. As always, my hearing aids and special care I receive from the
Johnson Audiology staff help me to work safely and communicate clearly with fellow railroaders, both face-to-face and over the two-way radios we use.”

–Jack


“I had a great time on the Fourth. Without my new hearing aids, I don’t believe that I would have enjoyed the sound of the fireworks, the band that was downtown. I enjoyed dancing and sing. I was able to really hear what was family and friends were saying. I thank u and your staff again for this blessing.”

–Linda


“Ours was a “quiet” 4th and not because I couldn’t hear as wat the case many years ago. Without my hearing aids, we would have watched on TV our annual tradition “Independence Day” programming at a volume that would chase the audience into another part of the house. Before my hearing aids, my part of the conversation was “huh,” “pardon me,” and the like…Quite honestly, when I first started wearing hearing aids, I avoided fireworks because I feared the display would be too loud. However, my updated aids allow for not only reduction of volume, but directional control. The Bluetooth connection allows me to listen to music in the background. So blast away pyrotechnics.”

–Ann


“Thanks to the clear hearing aids and professional services of Johnson Audiology, July 4, 2019, was my personal freedom day from years of missing out on hearing and being an active participant in the family banter around the table and the group gathering after our annual celebration meal. Clearly hearing the conversations and interactions with my wife, our two adult children, and our four grands was a true joy, an experience I will not soon forget. They too seemed to enjoy me once again being emotionally present and fully engaged in the storytelling, laughter and memory-making day.”

— Cecil


“I played in a bridge tournament on the 4th of July. I was able to hear all of the conversations, and I clearly heard my partner’s requests that I play a specific card when I was dummy. The hearing aids make me feel more included in group conversations. I played in the tournament 5 our of 7 days during the first full week of July.”

–Barbara


“The 4th of July, this year, was especially blessed as well as exciting. Our large family gathered at our house for a day of food, fireworks and, best of all, conversations from every part of the room, in which I was able to participate. To be able to join in on all the frivolity added to the memories installed in my Family Album!! I recommend Johnson Audiology to everyone whom has a difficult time joining in activities in which hearing is of utmost importance!”

–Myrna


“The Fourth of July definitely was special this year for me. Being able to catch all the side conversations especially with the small grandchildren at the dinner table when the family gathered, was fantastic! My three-year-old grandson said to me about halfway through the meal, “ Gramma, I love you!” And I actually heard that and did not have to have him repeat what he said. Thank you!”

–Kathy


“Our 4th of July cookout was especially good this year. I could actually hear my grandchildren’s conversation for the first time in a long time. The fireworks were really loud but with the use of my cell phone I could turn them down! I wear them all day every day.”

— Robert


“Mother would’ve never even participated in our 4th of July party if she did not get her hearing aids last year. We now can even trust her to watch and babysit her 2-year-old great-grandson, which was not possible prior to her hearing aids.”

–Candace

“Fireworks are primarily a visual display, even though there is a loud “boom” at the explosion. I generally watch for the colors in the night sky as opposed to listening to the “pop-pop-pop.” Probably the most noticeable difference of life experienced WITH my hearing aids is in the family setting. It’s so nice not to have to say “What did you say?” or “Say again?”, especially when my 4-year-old grandson is talking to me. Watching the fireworks through his eyes and being able to hear his little high pitched, child’s voice is truly a gift as was being in a group with my favorite people, my family and being able to understand everyone clearly, even with them facing away from me – no need to read lips this year.”

–Kimberly


“Hearing aids have lessened my stress and opened up a new world for me. Before I received my hearing aids I struggled to hear conversation of family and friends, especially if we were eating out. With my hearing aids firmly in place, I can hear what is going on around me. I no longer have to guess what someone said or sit quietly because I can’t hear the conversation. I knew I was missing out before but stubbornly felt I could just deal with it. I also felt hearing aids couldn’t help that much. I finally gave in and got hearing aids. I’m so glad I did! The difference is life-changing. I’m thrilled to be able to hear so many things I couldn’t before. I love being able to hear the first time I am spoken to and not having to ask the speaker to repeat what they said.”

–Dianne


Don’t let hearing loss stop you from enjoying the life you deserve. Hearing aid technology has advanced rapidly over the past 30 years and can help you to reconnect with the world around you. This means not missing out on family celebrations … just like many Johnson Audiology patients who have shared their experience here. Let Johson Audiology assess your hearing and get it back on track so you can ensure you don’t ever miss another celebration.

Click here to make an appointment to see us and get started on your new hearing journey.

Untreated hearing loss is changing your brain

By Jan Hollingsworth • May 16, 2024
Research reveals that hearing loss actually rewires your neural pathways Your Amazing Brain Your brain is an amazing organ! This wrinkly, reddish-pink mass weighs about the same as your two-slice toaster, tipping the scales at about three pounds. Acting as a master control center, your brain enables every thought, breath, eye blink, heartbeat, movement—everything—that happens in your body. Rivaling the world’s most powerful supercomputer, your brain can download, process, and react in milliseconds to the tidal wave of information coming from your eyes, skin, nose, tongue, and ears. Neuroplasticity and Your Sense of Hearing Researchers have discovered that the human nervous system—made up of the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of nerves—has incredible capacity to modify itself, both in function and physical structure. This is called neural plasticity . Dr. Megan Johnson, audiologist and owner of Johnson Audiology explains, “Neural plasticity is going gangbusters in a child’s brain as the child develops and matures into adulthood. Based on years of brain research, we also know that the adult brain is far from being fixed. It, too, changes and adapts when you learn new information or skills or as a response to stress, hormonal fluctuations, drug interactions, injury, and much more.” Dr. Johnson also relates that “your brain displays neuroplasticity when you experience hearing loss.” By measuring brain waves using an electroencephalograph, or EEG, scientists have studied how the brain of a person with hearing loss functions compared to a person with normal hearing. The results are both fascinating and sobering as studies reveal that, in those with hearing loss, the portion of the brain devoted to hearing becomes reorganized. This can be true even with early-stage, mild hearing loss, and the process happens quickly, often in months rather than years. The Hearing Center of Your Brain and Beyond What is actually happening when this takes place? Your brain has a right and a left hemisphere and six major lobes. Think of your frontal lobe as your brain’s boss, where executive functions like decision making, emotion and impulse control, and planning occur. Your temporal lobe, which contains the auditory cortex, is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to interpreting sounds and assigning those sounds meaning. The temporal lobe processes speech and language, and it is where initial learning of new information takes place, which is the first step for logging that information into memory. Dr. Johnson goes on to relate, “When the delicate infrastructure of your ear has become damaged through noise exposure, infection, etc. leading to hearing loss, your auditory cortex cries out to your frontal lobe, saying ‘Help! Help! I’m not receiving any sound to process, so I feel lost.’ The frontal lobe ‘boss’ jumps to attention, and your occipital lobe, responsible for processing vision and touch, takes over the areas in which hearing is normally processed. In other words, your other senses seek to compensate for the deficit due to the loss of your sense of hearing.” Amazing, right? So, where’s the rub? Picture a car assembly line; each worker has an assigned task. One day, the worker who installs the windshields is absent, and the worker who attaches the rearview mirrors is assigned double duty, and a duty that was not part of job training. It is easy to see how the worker left juggling both jobs is compromised, and a car might slip through minus a rear view mirror. Similarly, the areas of your brain that are being taxed to make up for a lack of hearing are overloaded and less able to do their assigned responsibilities. “This explains why so many of my patients with hearing loss relate feeling exhausted and frustrated after a big family gathering—where multiple talkers and sounds must be interpreted—rather than happy and invigorated by the experience. We call this listening fatigue ,” states Dr. Johnson. Additionally, when left untreated long enough, researchers point to the brain’s reorganization due to hearing loss as a significant correlation with dementia. Hearing Technology and Your Brain “But here's the great news!” Dr. Johnson says. When a person is fit with hearing aids or a cochlear implant and sound is restored, the brain has the ability to adjust back—partially or completely—to proper function. How swiftly that happens often depends on how long the hearing loss went untreated and is why she encourages patients to treat hearing loss sooner rather than later. “Here is what I tell patients who are downplaying the importance of hearing: If you won’t treat your hearing loss for the sake of your ears, do it for your brain!”

Move from the Gunbarrel Road office to a new and larger office will allow Johnson Audiology to help even more people in the Chattanooga region

By Jan Hollingsworth • January 9, 2024
Johnson Audiology is pleased to announce that the practice will be moving one of its Chattanooga area offices from its current location on Gunbarrel Road to a new location at 6830 Lee Highway. The move will take place January 15. “We are extremely excited to be re-locating to a much larger space later this month,” Dr. Megan Johnson, founder and owner of the award-winning practice, says. “About a year ago, we realized that we needed more room to meet the needs of our growing patient base so we could help even more people with hearing loss. We sought a place that would allow us to stay in the East Brainerd/Hamilton Place area so that the office would still be conveniently located for patients. Our Hixson office will remain at 5617 Highway 153, Suite 203 and is also being upgraded with a second sound booth and beautiful new decor. These two strategically located offices mean that we can continue to serve patients who live east and west of the Tennessee River.” Dr. Johnson says that when she identified the building on Lee Highway, she knew it was an ideal site for this next growth leap. “Our company culture is anchored on the premise of always offering an exceptional patient experience,” she says. “Thanks to our wonderful family of Johnson Audiology patients, we have outgrown our current office and have found the perfect location for offering the best care to even more of our Chattanooga neighbors.” The new location offers many positive features that will benefit patients: The office is conveniently located off Lee Highway in the area between Shallowford Road and Hickory Valley Road, directly behind Dr. Keith B. Dressler’s orthodontic practice. It is a stand-alone office that is not shared with any other businesses. The building is more than 4,000 square feet, which is double the space of the current office on Gunbarrel Road. The added square footage will accommodate a spacious patient welcome and reception area, three sound booths for hearing testing, and a private area for patient check-out. The building has exam rooms for four full time audiologists and an audiology assistant, a large front desk area, and a sizeable lab for hearing aid maintenance and repair. The office has ample space for the practice’s growing Cochlear Implant (CI) Program with a dedicated sound booth and exam area just for CI patients. The building design allows for easy circular patient flow throughout the office. The building has a dedicated, 20-space parking lot just for Johnson Audiology patients and additional parking for Johnson Audiology staff. Dr. Johnson mentions that the building was a non-medical office previously, so updates were needed to bring it up to par for a bustling hearing health care clinic. It currently is being remodeled, and the parking lot resurfaced. “We have plans to transition to the new building by January 15 with some final touches to the office’s aesthetics continuing through the spring,” she says.  Dr. Johnson wishes to assure folks that measures are in place to alleviate disruption to the service patients receive during this time and thanks patients in advance for their continued support and understanding during the transition. “The new office is going to be incredible!” she says. Initial correspondence has been delivered to patients about the move. Dr. Johnson says, “Patients who have appointments scheduled in early January or those who need walk-in service for hearing aid maintenance and supplies from now until January 15 should continue visiting the Gunbarrel Road location.” Dr. Johnson says, “In February, we will invite our friends and neighbors in the Chattanooga community to an open house celebration, where we will do an official reveal of the new space!” Johnson Audiology has been faithfully serving the citizens of Chattanooga since the practice opened its doors on October 1, 2009. “As we prepare to celebrate our 15th anniversary this year, the new office location on Lee Highway and the upgrades to the Hixson office are evidence of our commitment to patients.” Dr. Johnson goes on to say, “Chattanoogans have named Johnson Audiology Best of the Best in the category of Favorite Audiologist and Hearing Aid Clinic for 11 years straight. And they consistently name Johnson Audiology in the top three in the category of Best Customer Service among all Chattanooga businesses. We seek to live up to those accolades daily!” Dr. Johnson concludes, “One of our patients, Mr. Van Tenpenny, recently had this to say about us: ‘My visit to Johnson Audiology has been life changing! After decades of hearing loss, I am able to hear normal conversations in any environment.’ It is our highest ideal to be here for Mr. Tenpenny and the thousands of other patients like him who prioritize their hearing for the best quality of life.” Do you want to get on the road to healthy hearing? Johnson Audiology is currently accepting new patients at all locations. Call today to schedule an appointment or book online at www.johnsonaudiology.com/schedule.
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