Whether it’s popping out earwax build up or popping in a hearing aid, Dr. Koach Baruch (KB) Frazier wants to resolve hearing problems in the St. Louis community, through school screening programs and audiology services for children and adults.
Frazier is chief audiologist at the Center for Health and Speech. On Fridays, he works out of the Center’s permanent satellite office located inside the Affinia Health Center location at 1717 Biddle. They get referrals from throughout the St. Louis area.
“When people come to our office, if they qualify, they can get a hearing aid at no charge,” he said. “We’ve been able to fit lots and lots of people who did not have the ability to afford it.”
Hearing aids are expensive and mid-range hearing aids can cost on average a few thousand dollars. Unfortunately, that can make hearing financially out of reach for persons with limited resources.
“The zip codes that qualify for the hearing aid at no charge are 63106, 63107, 63112, 63113, 63115 and 63147,” Frazier said. “They either have to be an Affinia patient already or they need to live in particular zip codes.”
For persons who don’t live in those zip codes, he said the Center works with individuals to arrange a hearing aid that is more affordable.
“I don’t want to discourage anybody from coming if they don’t live in those zip codes, so they can still come. We have services on a sliding scale,” Frazier said. “We also work with organizations, like Vocational Rehabilitation, they have been very helpful.”
Sometimes the hearing issue can be resolved by something surprisingly as simple as removing earwax buildup – the right way.
“People don’t understand how wax can complicate their hearing. People use Q-Tips, which they are not supposed to use – we push them in our ears and create wax blockage and that can create up to a mild up to moderate hearing loss,” Frazier said. “It’s something so easy, and they don’t really think about it, but I really encourage them not to do that.”
Ear wax is not bad, according to Frazier, and it actually has redeeming qualities.
“Wax is so good for you. It keeps your ears moist, it protects your eardrum and keeps things from getting to your eardrum and hurting it,” Frazier said. “Also, wax has healing properties –people use it for cold sores and cuts on their knees. These are things that a lot people almost take for granted.”
Remember: Ear wax is good. Swabs in the ears: Bad. Ear wax is your friend.
However, when you have too much of a good thing in your ears, Frazier does get joy from getting out the wax. Cerumen removal is a specialty of his.
“I’ve kind of created a niche for myself,” he said. “Sometimes, just by coming into the office, us looking into the ears and removing the wax, that will take care of the hearing issue that they had.”
In addition, he has removed a variety of items out of patient’s ears – a bead, a bug, cotton swab buildup, detached hearing aid pieces and, of course, colossal mounds of ear gunk. His procedure is relatively quick, and so is the restoration to clear hearing.
Better hearing brings the realization of better interaction.
“They were able to notice, ‘I can understand better when I am with my family and friends,’ he said. ‘I don’t have to struggle to understand.’”
Frazier said the Missouri Foundation for Health partners with the Center to provide hearing aids.
“We are looking for another couple hundred folks that we can fit with hearing aids so that they too can have the experience of being able to understand and tap back into life, and that’s really what this is about,” Frazier said. “People have been disconnected from family, friends and coworkers, and now they can tap back in through better hearing.”
For the past several years, Frazier has also managed the audiology clinic at Give Kids a Smile clinic held twice a year at Saint Louis University, where young people get hearing and dental services at no charge.
Previously, Dr. Frazier worked in Cape Girardeau, where he helped develop the sedated auditory brainstem response program for the region.
Dr. Frazier earned an undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University and a doctoral degree in audiology (Au.D.) from Central Michigan University. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Dr. Frazier serves on the boards of the Missouri GSA Network and Central Reform Congregation, is currently a cohort leader of the Amir Cultivating Justice STL Project and is a part of the 14th cohort of the Selah Leadership Program.
