Katie Rhives Earns Tinnitus Care Provider Certificate

POTOSI — Katie Rhives, BC-HIS, a licensed hearing aid specialist at Miracle-Ear in Potosi, has been awarded a Tinnitus Care Provider Certificate from the International Hearing Society (IHS).

Rhives earned the certificate by completing a workshop, studying the curriculum and passing an assessment on the physiology, psychology, measurement, and management of tinnitus. Tinnitus is a condition generally characterized by a person perceiving a constant or intermittent ringing or buzzing sound.

The IHS reports that tinnitus affects 10-15 percent of the adult population. Although they are not directly related, Rhives said many people who report tinnitus symptoms also suffer from hearing loss.

“My patients with tinnitus often report an improvement in their symptoms when we treat their hearing loss,” Rhives said. “Even if someone doesn’t have a hearing loss, we have strategies for helping manage those tinnitus symptoms.”

Miracle-Ear offers free hearing evaluations to anyone who is interested in learning more about hearing loss or tinnitus. Individuals can call 573-218-0771 to make an appointment.

A Potosi native, Rhives is a 13-year veteran of the hearing health industry. She sees patients at Miracle-Ear locations in Potosi, Perryville and Ste. Genevieve. Miracle-Ear’s Potosi location is inside the Great Mines Health Center at 1 Southtowne Dr.

Miracle-Ear Centers Serving Southeast Missouri is a locally-owned franchise that has been serving the region since 1992 with locations in Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Jackson, Perryville, Poplar Bluff, Potosi, Ste. Genevieve and Sikeston.