Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Treat Your Hearing Loss

August 27, 2015 By Leave a Comment

We all procrastinate, regularly talking ourselves out of complex or unpleasant activities in favor of something more pleasing or fun. Distractions abound as we tell ourselves that we will some day get around to whatever we’re currently working to avoid.

Sometimes, procrastination is relatively harmless. We might plan to clear out the basement, for instance, by throwing out or donating the items we seldom use. A clean basement sounds good, but the work of actually hauling things to the donation center is not so satisfying. In the interest of short-term pleasure, it’s very easy to find myriad alternatives that would be more pleasant—so you put it off.

Other times, procrastination is not so benign, and when it comes to hearing loss, it could be downright hazardous. While no one’s idea of a good time is getting a hearing test, recent research reveals that neglected hearing loss has serious physical, mental, and social consequences.

To understand why, you need to start with the impact of hearing loss on the brain itself. Here’s a popular analogy: if any of you have ever broken a bone, let’s say your leg, you know what happens just after you take the cast off. You’ve lost muscle size and strength from inactivity, because if you don’t repeatedly use your muscles, they get weaker.

The same occurs with your brain. If you under-utilize the part of your brain that processes sounds, your capacity to process auditory information grows weaker. Researchers even have a term for this: they refer to it as “auditory deprivation.”

Returning to the broken leg example. Let’s say you took the cast off your leg but persisted to not make use of the muscles, relying on crutches to get around the same as before. What would happen? Your leg muscles would get increasingly weaker. The same happens with your brain; the longer you go with hearing loss, the a smaller amount of sound stimulation your brain gets, and the worse your hearing gets.

That, in essence, is auditory deprivation, which creates a host of additional disorders present research is continuing to unearth. For instance, a study directed by Johns Hopkins University revealed that those with hearing loss encounter a 40% decrease in cognitive function compared to those with normal hearing, as well as an enhanced risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.

Generalized cognitive decline also triggers significant mental and social consequences. A leading study by The National Council on the Aging (NCOA) revealed that those with neglected hearing loss were much more likely to report depression, anxiety, and paranoia, and were less likely to participate in social activities, compared to those who wear hearing aids.

So what begins as an inconvenience—not having the capability hear people clearly—leads to a downward spiral that affects all aspects of your health. The sequence of events is clear: Hearing loss leads to auditory deprivation, which produces general cognitive decline, which leads to psychological harm, including depression and anxiety, which ultimately leads to social isolation, strained relationships, and an increased risk of developing serious medical issues.

The Benefits of Hearing Aids

So that was the bad news. The good news is equally encouraging. Let’s visit the broken leg illustration one last time. Just after the cast comes off, you start exercising and stimulating the muscles, and over time, you recover your muscle mass and strength.

The same process once again applies to hearing. If you enhance the stimulation of sound to your brain with hearing aids, you can regain your brain’s ability to process and understand sound. This leads to better communication, better psychological health, and ultimately to better relationships. And, in fact, as reported by The National Council on the Aging, hearing aid users report improvements in almost every area of their lives.

Are you ready to accomplish the same improvement?

Filed Under: Anatomy and Physiology, Articles, Common Conditions of the Ear, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

Why Choose a Local Hearing Care Provider?

July 30, 2015 By Leave a Comment

The hearing healthcare industry has two barriers that prevent people from achieving healthier hearing:

  1. The inability to detect hearing loss in the first place (because of its slow onset), and
  2. The temptation to find a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution.

Regrettably, countless people who have overcome the first barrier have been lured into the apparently “cheaper and easier” methods of correcting their hearing loss, whether it be through the purchase of hearing aids on the web, the purchase of personal sound amplifiers, or by heading to the big box stores that are much more concerned with profitability than with patient care.

Despite the lure of these quick remedies, the truth is that local hearing care providers are your best option for better hearing, and here are the reasons why.

Local hearing care providers choose to use a customer-centric business model

National chain stores are profitable for one primary reason: they sell a high volume of discounted goods and services at low prices in the name of higher revenues. National chains are focused on efficiency, which is a nice way of saying “get as many people in and out the door as quickly as possible.”

Granted, this profit-centric model works great with most purchases, because you probably don’t require professional, personalized care to help choose your undershirts and bath soap. Consumer support simply doesn’t factor in.

However, problems result when this business model is extended to services that do demand expert, customized care—such as the correction of hearing loss. National chains are not focused on patient outcomes because they can’t be; it’s too time consuming and flies in the face of the high volume “see as many patients as possible” business model.

Local hearing care providers are completely different. They’re not preoccupied with short-term profits because they don’t have a board of directors to answer to. The success of a local practice is influenced by on patient outcomes and quality of care, which leads to satisfied patients who remain faithful to the practice and spread the positive word-of-mouth advertising that leads to more referrals.

Local practices, for that reason, thrive on delivering quality care, which is beneficial both the patient and the practice. By comparison, what occurs if a national chain can’t deliver quality care and satisfied patients? Simple, they use national advertising to get a continuous flow of new patients, vowing the same “quick and cheap fix” that enticed in the original customers.

Local hearing care providers have more experience

Hearing is complex, and like our fingerprints, is unique to everybody, so the frequencies I may have difficulty hearing are distinct from the frequencies you have difficulty hearing. In other words, you can’t just take surrounding sound, make it all louder, and push it into your ears and count on good results. But this is essentially what personal sound amplifiers, along with the cheaper hearing aid models, accomplish.

The truth is, the sounds your hearing aids amplify—AND the sounds they don’t—HAVE to match the way you, and only you, hear. That’s only going to come about by:

  • Having your hearing professionally tested so you know the EXACT characteristics of your hearing loss, and…
  • Having your hearing aids professionally programmed to intensify the sounds you have difficulty hearing while distinguishing and suppressing the sounds you don’t want to hear (such as low-frequency background sound).

For the hearing care provider, this is no straight forward task. It requires a lot of training and patient care experience to have the ability to perform a hearing test, help patients pick the right hearing aid, skillfully program the hearing aids, and give the patient training and aftercare necessary for optimal hearing. There are no shortcuts to dispensing comprehensive hearing care—but the results are worth the time and energy.

Make your choice

So, who do you want to leave your hearing to? To someone who views you as a transaction, as a customer, and as a means to attaining sales goals? Or to an experienced local professional that cares about the same thing you do—helping you attain the best hearing possible, which, by the way, is the lifeblood of the local practice.

As a general rule, we recommend that you avoid purchasing your hearing aids anywhere you see a sign that reads “10 items or less.” As local, experienced hearing professionals, we provide comprehensive hearing healthcare and the best hearing technology to match your specific needs, lifestyle, and budget.

Still have questions? Give us a call today.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, hearing test, Preventative Care

The Right Way to Clean Your Ears

July 23, 2015 By Leave a Comment


Anatomy of the ear
Blausen.com staff. “Blausen gallery 2014”.

That there is a right way to clean your ears implies that there is a wrong way, and in fact, there is a very wrong way. The wrong way is customary, and it violates the very first rule of cleaning your ears: don’t insert foreign objects into your ear canal. That includes cotton swabs and any other object that will most likely only push the earwax up against the eardrum, potentially causing irritation, temporary hearing loss, or eardrum injury.

So what should you be doing to clean your ears under normal conditions? In a word: nothing (I hope you weren’t expecting something more profound). Your ears are made to be self-cleansing, and the regular motions of your jaw drive earwax from the canal to the outer ear. If you try to remove it, your ear just produces more wax.

And earwax is essential, as it contains protective, lubricating, and antibacterial properties. In fact, over-cleaning the ears brings about dry, itchy, irritated skin within the ear canal. Therefore, for most people most of the time, nothing is needed other than normal washing to clean the outer ear.

But notice that we said MOST of the time, because there are scenarios in which people do produce an excessive amount of earwax or excess earwax impacts the eardrum. In scenarios like these, you will need to clean your ears. Here’s how:

Cleaning your ears at home

We will say it once again: don’t insert any foreign objects into your ear canal. You can irritate the sensitive skin of the canal and can end up perforating your eardrum. This means no cotton swabs and positively no ear candles. (Speaking of ear candles, in 2010, the FDA released a warning against using them, reporting that no scientific evidence supports their effectiveness and that their use can lead to major injuries.)

To correctly clean your ears at home, take the following measures:

  1. Purchase earwax softening solution at the drugstore or make some at home. Instructions for making the solution can be found on the internet, and the solution often includes the use of hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil, and glycerin.
  2. Pour the solution into your ears from the container or by using a plastic or bulb syringe. Tilt your head to the side and let the solution to work for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Empty the fluid out of your ear by tilting your head gradually over a container or the sink, or you can use a cotton ball pushed against the outside of the ear. (I know it’s tempting, but again, don’t force the cotton ball into your ear.)
  4. Flush out your ears with lukewarm water using a bulb syringe to dislodge any loosened earwax.

When not to clean your ears at home

Cleaning your ears at home could be harmful in the presence of an ear infection or a perforated eardrum. If you experience any symptoms such as fever, dizziness, ear pain, or ear discharge, it’s best to see your doctor or hearing specialist. Also, repeated attempts at self cleaning that are unsuccessful may indicate a more severe congestion that will require professional cleaning.

Medical doctors and hearing specialists utilize a variety of medicines and devices to quickly, thoroughly, and safely remove excess earwax. The solutions tend to be stronger than the homemade versions, and tools called curettes can be inserted into the ear to manually remove the wax.

When in doubt, leave it to the professionals. You’ll get the peace of mind that you’re not harming your ears, and symptoms can subside within minutes of a professional cleaning. In addition, underlying issues or hearing loss can be identified and corrected by a professional.

If you have any additional questions or want to schedule an appointment, give us a call today! And keep in mind, if you’re a hearing aid user, you’ll want to get a routine professional checkup every 6 months.

Filed Under: Articles, Common Conditions of the Ear, Featured, Hearing, Preventative Care

When Should I Get My Hearing Tested?

June 25, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Most of the time, people are unaware that they have hearing loss. It develops so gradually that it’s typically undetectable, and on top of that, most family doctors do not regularly screen for hearing loss at the yearly physical exam.

Considering these two realities, it’s no surprise that most people first find out they have hearing loss by being told about it from close friends or family members. But once people confront you about your hearing loss, it’s more than likely already relatively advanced. Given that hearing loss gets worse over time—and cannot be fully recovered once lost—it’s critical to treat hearing loss as quickly as possible rather of waiting for it to get bad enough for people to notice.

So when and how often should you get your hearing tested? Here are our suggestions:

Establish a Baseline Early

It’s never too early to consider your first hearing test. The earlier you test your hearing, the sooner you can create a baseline to compare future tests. The only method to determine if your hearing is getting worse is by comparing the results with past testing.

Although it’s true that as you get older you’re more likely to have hearing loss, keep in mind that 26 million people between the age of 20 and 69 have hearing loss. Hearing loss is widespread among all age groups, and exposure to loud noise places everyone at risk regardless of age.

Annual Tests After Age 55

At the age of 65, one out of every three people will have some level of hearing loss. Considering hearing loss is so typical near this age, we advise annual hearing tests to ensure that your hearing is not worsening. Remember, hearing loss is permanent, cumulative, and practically undetectable. However, with once-a-year hearing exams, hearing loss can be identified early, and treatment is always more effective when implemented earlier.

Assess Personal Risk Factors

As reported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, “approximately 15 percent of Americans (26 million people) between the ages of 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to noise at work or during leisure activities.”

If you have been subjected to noisy work environments or activities such as music concerts or sporting events, it’s a good idea to have your hearing tested. It’s also a good idea to get an annual hearing test if you consistently expose your hearing to these conditions.

Watch for Signs of Hearing Loss

As we noted earlier, the signs and symptoms of hearing loss are often first detected by others. You should schedule a hearing test if someone has suggested it to you or if you encounter any of these signs or symptoms:

  • Muffled hearing
  • Trouble following what people are saying, especially in loud settings or in groups
  • People commenting on how loud you have the TV or radio
  • Avoiding social situations and conversations
  • Ringing, roaring, hissing, or buzzing in the ear (tinnitus)
  • Ear pain, irritation, or discharge
  • Vertigo, dizziness, or balance problems

Don’t Wait Until the Harm is Done

The bottom line is that hearing loss is prevalent among all age groups and that we all live in the presence of several work-related and everyday risk factors. Seeing that hearing loss is hard to detect, worsens over time, and is best treated early, we highly recommend that you get your hearing tested regularly. You might end up saving your hearing with early intervention, and the worst that can happen is that you find out you have normal hearing.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Loss, hearing test, Preventative Care

Understanding Your Treatment Options for Tinnitus

June 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Nearly 45 million Americans suffer from tinnitus, which is the perception of sound where no outside sound source is present. This phantom sound is typically identified as a ringing sound, but can also materialize as a buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing, or clicking.

The first thing to know about tinnitus is that it’s a symptom, not a disease. Consequently, tinnitus may signal an underlying health condition that, once cured, cures the tinnitus. Earwax accumulation or other blockages, blood vessel disorders, selected medications, and other underlying disorders can all trigger tinnitus, so the first step is ruling out any ailments that would call for medical or surgical treatment.

In most cases of tinnitus, however, no specific cause is discovered. In these instances, tinnitus is presumed to be caused by destruction of the nerve cells of hearing in the inner ear. Noise-induced hearing loss, age-related hearing loss, and one-time exposure to very loud sounds can all cause tinnitus.

Whenever tinnitus is induced by nerve cell damage, or is associated with hearing loss, tinnitus often cannot be cured—but that doesn’t imply that people must suffer without assistance. Although there is no conclusive cure for the majority of instances of chronic tinnitus, various tinnitus treatment options are available that help patients live better, more comfortable, and more productive lives, even if the perception of tinnitus remains.

Here are some of the treatment options for tinnitus:

Hearing Aids

Most cases of tinnitus are linked with some form of hearing loss. In people with hearing loss, a smaller amount of sound stimulation reaches the brain, and in response, investigators believe that the brain changes physically and chemically to accommodate the insufficiency of stimulation. It is this maladaptive reaction to sound deprivation that results in tinnitus.

Tinnitus is intensified with hearing loss because when surrounding sound is muffled, the sounds identified with tinnitus become more notable. But when hearing aids are used, the amplified sound signals cause the sounds of tinnitus to blend into the richer background sounds. Hearing aids for tinnitus patients can then grant multiple benefits, among them enhanced hearing, enhanced auditory stimulation, and a “masking effect” for tinnitus.

Sound Therapy

Sound therapy is a general phrase used to describe a number of approaches to using external sound to “mask” the tinnitus. With time, the brain can learn to recognize the sounds of tinnitus as insignificant in comparison to the competing sound, thereby lessening the intensity level of tinnitus.

Sound therapy can be delivered through masking devices but can also be provided through certain hearing aid models that can stream sound wirelessly by using Bluetooth technology. Some hearing aid models even connect with compatible Apple products, including iPhones, so that any masking sounds downloaded on the Apple devices can be transmitted wirelessly to the hearing aids.

The types of masking sounds used may vary, including white noise, pink noise, nature sounds, and music. Sounds can also be specially designed to match the sound frequency of the patient’s tinnitus, providing individualized masking relief. Since each patient will respond differently to different masking sounds, it’s essential that you work with a experienced hearing professional.

Behavioral Therapies

Numerous behavioral therapies exist to help the patient address the psychological and emotional components of tinnitus. One example is mindfulness-based stress reduction, in which the individual learns to accept the affliction while establishing helpful coping methods.

You may have also heard the term Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), which mixes cognitive-behavioral therapy with sound masking therapy. With Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, patients learn to formulate healthy cognitive and emotional reactions to tinnitus while applying sound therapy to teach their brains to reclassify tinnitus as unimportant, so that it can be consciously ignored.

General Wellness

Together with the more specific sound and behavioral therapies, patients can participate in general wellness activities that frequently reduce the severity of tinnitus. These activities include healthy diets, frequent exercise, social activity, recreational activities, and any other activities that promote improved health and reduced stress.

Drug Therapies

There are presently no FDA-approved medications that have been found to cure or alleviate tinnitus directly, but there are drugs that can treat stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which can make tinnitus worse or are caused by tinnitus itself. In fact, some antidepressant and antianxiety medications have been demonstrated to supply some relief to patients with severe tinnitus.

Experimental Therapies

A flurry of promising research is being performed in labs and universities across the world, as researchers continue to hunt for the underlying neurological cause of tinnitus and its ultimate cure. Although several of these experimental therapies have shown some promise, keep in mind that they are not yet readily available, and that there’s no assurance that they ever will be. People struggling with tinnitus are encouraged to seek out current treatments rather than holding out for any experimental treatment to hit the market.

Here are a few of the experimental therapies presently being evaluated:

  • Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) delivers electromagnetic pulses into the affected brain tissue to lessen the hyperactivity that is believed to cause tinnitus.
  • Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is another means of delivering electromagnetic pulses into the hyperactive brain tissue that is believed to cause tinnitus.
  • Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is similar to the previous therapies in its use of electromagnetic energy, the difference being that DBS is an invasive procedure requiring surgery and the placing of electrodes in the brain tissue.

Other medical, surgical, and pharmacological therapies exist, but the results have been mixed and the risks of invasive procedures quite often outweigh the benefits.

The Best Treatment For Your Tinnitus

The optimum tinnitus treatment for you is based on many factors, and is best appraised by a qualified hearing specialist. As your local hearing care professionals, we’ll do everything we can to help you find relief from your tinnitus. Set up your appointment today and we’ll find the customized solution that works best for you.

Filed Under: Articles, Common Conditions of the Ear, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care, Tinnitus

Getting the Most Out of Your Hearing Aid Batteries

June 11, 2015 By 1 Comment


Hearing Aid Batteries
Zinc-air-battery-types by Marc Andressen is licensed under Attribution CC 2.0

You could make a strong case that the most critical component of your hearing aid is the battery: without it, nothing else works, and if it fails, your hearing fails with it. In this short guide, we’ll present to you everything you need to know about hearing aid batteries so that you can get the maximum benefit out of your hearing aids.

How Hearing Aid Batteries Work

Hearing aids take a unique kind of battery called zinc-air batteries. Each battery has a sticker that covers small holes on the top of the battery. Once the sticker is removed, air enters the battery through the holes, resulting in a chemical reaction that activates the zinc and makes the battery live. When the battery is live, it starts discharging power and reapplying the sticker will have no influence in conserving its life.

Hearing Aid Battery Types

Zinc-air hearing aid batteries come in four standardized sizes, marked with standardized number and color codes. The four sizes, from largest to smallest, are:

  • 675-blue
  • 13-orange
  • 312-brown
  • 10-yellow

Each hearing aid uses only one of the sizes, and your hearing specialist will inform you which size you will be needing. Keep in mind that the numbers and colors above are manufacturer independent, but that manufacturers sometimes add additional letters or numbers to its packaging.

Hearing Aid Battery Life

Hearing aid battery life is reliant on a number of factors. Many patients get up to one week of life out of a battery if they use the hearing aid for 12 or more hours a day, but this will vary depending on:

  • The size of the battery – bigger batteries have a longer life.
  • The level of hearing loss – More severe hearing loss calls for more power.
  • Hearing aid features – wireless functionality, noise reduction programs, and multi-channel processing, for example, demand more power to operate.
  • Temperature – hot and cold temperatures can decrease battery life.

Your hearing specialist will review all of this with you, and can help you find the proper balance between hearing aid capability and battery life.

How to Increase the Life of Your Hearing Aid Batteries

You can effortlessly prolong the life of your hearing aid batteries with one simple trick. As soon as you remove the sticker to activate the battery, wait 5-7 minutes before inserting the battery into your hearing aids. By removing the sticker and laying the battery flat side up for a few minutes, air is able to properly activate the battery before you start using it, which lengthens its life.

A couple of other tips:

  • Keep the batteries away from coins, keys, or other metal objects that could short the battery.
  • When the hearing aid isn’t being used, turn it off and store it with the battery door open. If you don’t plan on using your hearing aids for an extended period of time, remove the batteries completely.
  • Unopened batteries can last for years; still, fresher batteries are preferred because each year that goes by decreases the life of the battery.
  • Store your batteries at room temperature. This rule is so crucial that the next section is dedicated to the topic.

How to Store Your Hearing Aid Batteries

There’s a dangerous myth out there suggesting that storing your batteries in the refrigerator extends their life. This is not only false; it produces the opposite result!

The reasoning behind storing your batteries in the refrigerator is that the cold temperature will slow down the discharge of power. While this may be technically true, the amount of power you will save will be negligible, and the undesirable effects of moisture will produce far greater negative consequences.

Storing zinc-air batteries in a cold environment allows micro condensation to form in an on the battery, resulting in corrosion and a high risk of premature failure. Therefore, for ideal performance, simply keep your batteries away from extreme hot or cold temperatures and store at room temperature.

Maintaining Your Hearing Aid Battery Supply

Once you figure out how long your batteries last, on average, you’ll want to keep a month’s supply. If your batteries last 1 week, and you use 2 batteries (1 for each hearing aid), then you’ll end up using about 8 per month. Simply set 8 as your reorder level, and once you consume your stock down to 8, order another pack. Alternatively, you may want to look into the price savings linked with bulk buys and maintain a supply that lasts a bit longer than one month. If you’re not certain, we are more than happy to help you put together a strategy and will handle all of your hearing aid battery needs. Just give us a call!

Have any other questions? Talk to one of our hearing specialists today!

Filed Under: Articles, Caring for Your Hearing Aid, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

6 Ways to Save Your Hearing

June 4, 2015 By Leave a Comment

The World Health Organization reports that 1.1 billion people are at an increased risk for noise-induced hearing loss, generated by exposure to substantial sound levels from personal mp3 devices and noisy settings such as nightclubs, bars, concerts, and sporting events. An estimated 26 million Americans already suffer from the condition.

If noise-induced hearing loss occurs from direct exposure to high sound levels, then what is considered to be excessive? It turns out that any noise higher than 85 decibels is potentially hazardous, and unfortunately, many of our daily activities expose us to sounds well above this threshold. An music player at maximum volume, for example, reaches 105 decibels, and police sirens can reach 130.

So is hearing loss an inescapable consequence of our over-amplified life? Not if you make the right choices, because it also happens that noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable.

Here are six ways you can save your hearing:

1. Use custom earplugs

The ideal way to prevent hearing loss is to avoid loud noise entirely. Of course, for most people that would mean quitting their jobs and ditching their plans to see their favorite band perform live in concert.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to live like a hermit to spare your hearing. If you’re exposed to loud noise at work, or if you plan on going to a live concert, instead of avoiding the noise you can reduce its volume with earplugs. One possibility is to pick up a low cost pair of foam earplugs at the convenience store, realizing that they will almost certainly create muffled sound. There is a better option.

Today, several custom earplugs are available that fit comfortably in the ear. Custom earplugs are formed to the curves of your ear for optimum comfort, and they incorporate advanced electronics that lower sound volume evenly across frequencies so that music and speech can be heard clearly and naturally. Speak to your local hearing specialist for more information.

2. Keep a safe distance from the sound source

The inverse square law, as applied to sound, shows that as you double the distance from the source of sound the strength of the sound falls by 75%. This law of physics may possibly save your hearing at a rock concert; instead of standing in the front row adjacent to the speaker, increase your distance as much as possible, managing the benefits of a good view against a safe distance.

3. Take rest breaks for your ears

Hearing injury from subjection to loud sound is dependent on three factors:

  1. the sound level or intensity
  2. your distance from the sound source
  3. the length of time you’re exposed to the sound

You can decrease the intensity of sound with earplugs, you can increase your distance from the sound source, and you can also control your collective length of exposure by taking rest breaks from the sound. If you’re at a live concert or in a recording studio, for instance, make certain to give your ears regular breaks and time to recuperate.

4. Turn down the music – follow the 60/60 rule

If you often listen to music from a portable music player, make sure you keep the volume no higher that 60% of the maximum volume for no longer than 60 minutes per day. Higher volume and longer listening times enlarge the risk of long-term damage.

5. Purchase noise-canceling headphones

The 60/60 rule is very hard, if not impossible to adhere to in certain listening environments. In the presence of loud background noise, like in a busy city, you have to turn up the volume on your MP3 player to hear the music over the surrounding noise.

The answer? Noise-cancelling headphones. These headphones will filter background sounds so that you can enjoy your music without violating the 60/60 rule.

6. Arrange for regular hearing exams

It’s never too early or too late to book a hearing test. Along with the ability to determine existing hearing loss, a hearing assessment can also establish a baseline for later comparison.

Considering hearing loss develops slowly, it is difficult to detect. For most people, the only way to know if hearing loss is present is to have a professional hearing examination. But you shouldn’t wait until after the harm is done to schedule an appointment; prevention is the best medicine, and your local hearing specialist can furnish personal hearing protection solutions so that you can avoid hearing loss altogether.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

The Top 5 Hearing Aid Myths Exposed

April 26, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Sometimes, it seems as if we love to mislead ourselves. Wikipedia has an entry called “List of common misconceptions” that consists of hundreds of widely-held but false beliefs. Yes, I know it’s Wikipedia, but take a look at the bottom of the webpage and you’ll notice approximately 385 credible sources cited.

As an example, did you know that Thomas Edison didn’t invent the lightbulb? Or that sugar does not actually make kids hyperactive? There are myriad examples of beliefs that we just assume to be accurate, but once in a while, it’s a good idea to reassess what we think we know.

For many of us, it’s time to reassess what we think we know about hearing aids. Almost all myths and misconceptions about hearing aids are based on the problems connected with the older analog hearing aid models. But since the majority of hearing aids are now digital, those issues are a thing of the past.

So how current is your hearing aid knowledge? Read below to see if any of the top 5 myths are preventing you or someone you know from obtaining a hearing aid.

The Top 5 Myths About Hearing Aids

Myth # 1: Hearing aids are not effective because some people have had bad experiences.

Reality: To begin with, hearing aids have been proven to be effective. A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association comparing the effectiveness of three popular types of hearing aids determined that:

Each [hearing aid] circuit markedly improved speech recognition, with greater improvement observed for soft and conversationally loud speech….All 3 circuits significantly reduced the frequency of problems encountered in verbal communication….Each circuit provided significant benefit in quiet and noisy listening situations.

Moreover, since the release of this investigation, hearing aid technology has continued to get better. So the question is not whether hearing aids work — the question is whether you have the right hearing aid for your hearing loss, professionally programmed in accordance to your preferences by a competent professional.

Negative experiences are most likely the result of receiving the wrong hearing aid, buying hearing aids online, contacting the wrong individual, or not having the hearing aids customized and professionally programmed.

Myth # 2: Hearing aids are big, cumbersome, and unsightly.

Reality: This one is relatively easy to disprove. Just perform a quick Google image search for “attractive hearing aid designs” and you’ll discover a variety of examples of stylish and colorful models from multiple producers.

Additionally, “completely-in-the-canal” (CIC) hearing aids are available that are virtually or fully invisible when worn. The newer, attractive designs, however, compel some patients to choose the slightly larger hearing aid models to showcase the technology.

Myth # 3: Hearing aids are too expensive.

Reality: Today, some flat screen televisions with ultra-high definition curved glass retail for $8,000 or more. But this doesn’t make us say that “all TVs are too expensive.”

As with television sets, hearing aids range in price depending on functionality and features. While you may not want — or need — the top of the line hearing aids, you can almost certainly find a pair that suits your needs, preferences, and finances. Also remember that, as is the scenario with all consumer electronics, hearing aids are becoming more affordable each year, and that the value of better hearing and a better life is almost always worthy of the expense.

Myth # 4: You can save time and money buying hearing aids online.

Reality: Remember myth # 1 that asserted that hearing aids are not effective? Well, it was most likely caused by this myth. Like we stated before, hearing aids have been proven to be effective, but the one caveat to that assertion has always been that hearing aids have to be programmed by a professional to ensure performance.

You wouldn’t dare buy a pair of prescription glasses on the internet without contacting your eye doctor because your glasses need to be individualized according to the unique characteristics of your vision loss. Buying hearing aids is no different.

Yes, visiting a hearing specialist is more expensive, but think of what you receive for the price: you can be confident that you get the right hearing aid with the right fitting and settings, combined with follow-up care, adjustments, cleanings, instructions, repair services, and more. It’s worth it.

Myth # 5: Hearing aids are uncomfortable and difficult to operate.

Reality: If this relates to analog hearing aids, then yes, it is generally true. The thing is, almost all hearing aids are now digital.

Digital hearing aids dynamically process sound with a mini computer chip so that you don’t have to worry about manual adjustments; in addition, some digital hearing aids can even be operated through your mobile phone. The bottom line: digital hearing aids are being produced with optimum ease-of-use in mind.

Your hearing specialist can also generate a custom mold for your hearing aids, providing a comfortable and correct fit. While a one-size-fits all hearing aid will probably be uncomfortable, a custom-fit hearing aid conforms to the shape of your ear.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

How to Read Your Audiogram at Your Hearing Test

April 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Audiogram

You have just completed your hearing test. The hearing specialist is now entering the room and presents you with a chart, like the one above, except that it has all of these signs, colors, and lines. This is designed to demonstrate to you the exact, mathematically precise characteristics of your hearing loss, but to you it might as well be written in Greek.

The audiogram creates confusion and complexity at a time when you’re supposed to be concentrating on how to enhance your hearing. But don’t let it mislead you — just because the audiogram looks perplexing doesn’t mean that it’s difficult to understand.

After looking through this article, and with a little vocabulary and a few basic concepts, you’ll be reading audiograms like a pro, so that you can concentrate on what actually matters: healthier hearing.

Some advice: as you read the article, reference the above blank audiogram. This will make it easier to understand, and we’ll tackle all of those cryptic markings the hearing specialist adds later.

Understanding Sound Frequencies and Decibels

The audiogram is essentially just a graph that records sound volume on the vertical axis and sound frequency on the horizontal axis. (are you having flashbacks to high school geometry class yet?) Yes, there’s more to it, but at a fundamental level it’s just a chart graphing two variables, as follows:

The vertical axis records sound intensity or volume, measured in decibels (dB). As you move up the axis, the sound volume decreases. So the top line, at 0 decibels, is a very soft, faint sound. As you go down the line, the decibel levels increase, standing for steadily louder sounds until you get to 100 dB.

The horizontal axis records sound frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz). Starting at the top left of the graph, you will see a low frequency of 125 or 250 Hz. As you keep moving along the horizontal axis to the right, the frequency will gradually increase until it arrives at 8,000 Hz. Vowel sounds of speech are typically low frequency sounds, while consonant sounds of speech are high frequency sounds.

And so, if you were to begin at the top left corner of the graph and draw a diagonal line to the bottom right corner, you would be increasing the frequency of sound (switching from vowel sounds to consonant sounds) while increasing the volume of sound (moving from fainter to louder volume).

Examining Hearing and Marking Up the Audiogram

So, what’s with all the markings you normally see on this simple graph?

Easy. Start at the top left corner of the graph, at the lowest frequency (125 Hz). Your hearing consultant will present you with a sound at this frequency by way of headsets, beginning with the smallest volume decibel level. If you can perceive it at the lowest level (0 decibels), a mark is made at the crossroad of 125 Hz and 0 decibels. If you can’t perceive the 125 Hz sound at 0 decibels, the sound will be presented again at the next loudest decibel level (10 decibels). If you can hear it at 10 decibels, a mark is created. If not, advance on to 15 decibels, and so on.

This identical tactic is duplicated for every frequency as the hearing specialist proceeds along the horizontal frequency line. A mark is created at the lowest perceivable decibel level you can perceive for every sound frequency.

As for the other symbols? If you observe two lines, one is for the left ear (the blue line) and one is for the right ear (the red line: red is for right). An X is generally used to mark the points for the left ear; an O is applied for the right ear. You may observe some additional symbols, but these are less crucial for your basic understanding.

What Normal Hearing Looks Like

So what is seen as normal hearing, and what would that look like on the audiogram?

People with regular hearing should be able to perceive every sound frequency level (125 to 8000 Hz) at 0-25 decibels. What would this look like on the audiogram?

Take the blank graph, find 25 decibels on the vertical axis, and draw a horizontal line entirely across. Any mark made underneath this line may reveal hearing loss. If you can hear all frequencies underneath this line (25 decibels or higher), then you more than likely have normal hearing.

If, on the other hand, you cannot perceive the sound of a certain frequency at 0-25 dB, you likely have some kind of hearing loss. The lowest decibel level at which you can perceive sound at that frequency establishes the extent of your hearing loss.

For example, take the 1,000 Hertz frequency. If you can perceive this frequency at 0-25 decibels, you have normal hearing for this frequency. If the minimum decibel level at which you can hear this frequency is 40 decibels, for instance, then you have moderate hearing loss at this frequency.

As an overview, here are the decibel levels linked with normal hearing along with the levels correlated with mild, moderate, severe, and profound hearing loss:

Normal hearing: 0-25 dB

Mild hearing loss: 20-40 dB

Moderate hearing loss: 40-70 dB

Severe hearing loss: 70-90 dB

Profound hearing loss: 90+ dB

What Hearing Loss Looks Like

So what would an audiogram with marks of hearing loss look like? Seeing as the majority of cases of hearing loss are in the higher frequencies (referred to as — you guessed it — high-frequency hearing loss), the audiogram would have a downwards sloping line from the top left corner of the graph slanting downward horizontally to the right.

This indicates that at the higher-frequencies, it requires a progressively louder decibel level for you to perceive the sound. Furthermore, considering that higher-frequency sounds are connected with the consonant sounds of speech, high-frequency hearing loss impairs your ability to grasp and pay attention to conversations.

There are a few other, less widespread patterns of hearing loss that can turn up on the audiogram, but that’s probably too much detail for this entry.

Test Your New Knowledge

You now know the nuts and bolts of how to read an audiogram. So go ahead, book that hearing test and surprise your hearing specialist with your newfound talents. And just imagine the look on their face when you tell them all about your high frequency hearing loss before they even say a word.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Loss, hearing test, Preventative Care Tagged With:

How to Persuade Someone to Get a Hearing Test

April 12, 2015 By Leave a Comment

We don’t need to inform you of the signs and symptoms of hearing loss; you already know them all too well. You have a different type of problem: persuading someone you care about to get their hearing tested and treated.

But exactly how are you supposed to get through to someone who denies there is even an issue, or that merely shrugs it off as “just part of getting old”?

It turns out that it’s not as simple as just telling them that they need their hearing examined. They won’t see the need, and you won’t get very far with threats, ultimatums, or other coercive approaches.

While it may seem like an impossible scenario, there are other, more subtle strategies you can employ. In fact, you can draw from the massive body of social scientific research that signifies which strategies of persuasion have been determined to be the most consistently successful.

In other words, you can use tested, researched, and proven persuasive strategies that have been shown to actually work. It’s worth a chance, right? And perusing the strategies might help you to think of additional ideas.

With that said, the following are 6 scientifically tested techniques of persuasion and how you might use them to persuade a loved one to get their hearing tested:

1. Reciprocity

What it is:

The basic principle of reciprocity is straight forward: if someone does a favor for you, you’re strongly compelled to return the favor for them.

How to use it:

Timing is everything. You plan on requesting your loved one to get their hearing checked at some point anyway, so why don’t you make the request right after you’ve done something special for them?

2. Commitment and Consistency

What it is:

We all have a strong psychological desire to think and act consistently.

How to use it:

The trick is to start with small commitments ahead of making the final request. If you start off by ordering your loved one to get a hearing test, you almost certainly won’t see much success.

Alternatively, ease into the topic by casually sharing an article on hearing loss and how common it is. Without mentioning their own hearing loss, get them to disclose that hearing loss is a larger issue than they had believed.

As soon as they concede to some basic facts, it may be easier to talk about their own personal hearing loss, and they may be more likely to admit that they have a problem.

3. Social Proof

What it is:

We tend to think in terms of “safety in numbers.” We are inclined to stick to the crowd, and we assume that if lots of other people are doing something, it must be trusted or effective.

How to use it:

There are at a minimum two ways to make use of this method. One way is to share articles on the many advantages of using hearing aids and how hearing aids heighten the quality of life for millions of people in the U.S. and across the world.

The second way to use the technique is to arrange a hearing test for yourself. Explain to your loved one that you want to check on the health of your own hearing, but that you would feel better if they went with you and had their own assessment.

4. Liking

What it is:

You’re more likely to be persuaded by individuals you personally like than by either a stranger or by someone you dislike.

How to use it:

Enlist the assistance of people you know your loved one likes or respects. Try to find that one person whom your loved one consistently seems to respond to, and have that person discuss and recommend a hearing test.

5. Authority

What it is:

We are inclined to listen to and respect the suggestions of those we perceive as authority figures.

How to use it:

Share articles on how celebrities, athletes, and other prominent figures use and benefit from hearing aids. You can also share articles from reliable sources that summarize the advantages of having your hearing tested. For example, the World Health Organization just recently published an article titled “1.1 billion people at risk of hearing loss.”

6. Scarcity

What it is:

Scarcity causes a sense of urgency when what we want is perceived as limited or in short supply. Scarcity creates the perception that, if we don’t act promptly, we may lose something on a permanent basis.

How to use it:

Recent research has connected hearing loss to quite a few dangerous conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, memory impairment, and rapid cognitive decline. Hearing loss also gets worse as time goes by, so the earlier it’s dealt with, the better.

To implement scarcity, share articles, such as our preceeding blog post titled 8 reasons hearing loss is more dangerous than you think, with your loved one. Show them that each day spent with untreated hearing loss worsens the hearing loss, deteriorates health, and heightens the risk of developing more dangerous conditions.

If all else fails, just give it to them straight. Explain to your loved ones how their hearing loss affects you, together with how it’s affecting your relationship. When you make it about your needs and feelings rather than theirs, the response is usually better.

Have you had success persuading someone to have their hearing tested? Let us know your approach in a comment.

Source

The six principles of persuasion were developed by Dr. Robert Cialdini, and can be found in his book titled “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.”

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, Hearing, Hearing Loss, hearing test, Preventative Care
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