Please check out this infographic on Hearing Loss in America.
It’s full of information on hearing loss, how it occurs, how it affects our lives, and – more importantly – how it can be effectively treated with the right combination of certified provider, treatment plan, and technology.
So, go ahead. Download it. Save it. Share it. Spread the word on better hearing.
By: Bettie Borton, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Doctors Hearing Clinic
7025 Halcyon Park, Suite A
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 396-1635
“Like” Doctors Hearing Clinic | Facebook
www.doctorshearingclinic.com
Hearing loss has been a problem for as long as humans have been around and because hearing loss affects people’s ability to connect and form relationships with others, hearing devices were quickly developed to help those who could not hear. Here’s a short history of hearing aids – a brief guide to how we got to where we are today.
Pre-electric (Acoustic) Hearing Aids
These ear trumpets captured sound waves, sending them down a tube to the listener’s ear. They were big, bulky, unattractive and, frankly, they didn’t work very well. Of course, these were state-of-the art “hearing aids” for centuries until electricity became available.
Carbon Hearing Aids (1900-1939)
These were the first electric hearing aids. Carbon was used to amplify electric current to boost the volume of sound. However, they were bulky, buzzy and downright ugly, though for those with hearing loss, they were the only choice.
Vacuum Tube Hearing Aids (1921-1952)
Vacuum tubes were used to control the flow of electricity and, as such, they did make hearing aids a little better. However, these boxy devices were usually table-top models about the size of a clock radio, so the user had to carry around a heavy box and plug in to hear what was going on. There weren’t many controls or features, so these devices amplified all sound. That must have caused more than a few headaches back then. But hearing instruments continued to improve.
Transistors to the Rescue (1952-1970s)
Transistors enabled hearing aids to fit into a smaller shell. The first transistor hearing aids appeared in 1952 – actually, two years prior to the first transistor radios which came along in 1954. Transistor hearing aids were still big and bulky with the electronics in a box carried on the body, with ear phones connected to a tangle of wires. Not very convenient, to say the least.
Researchers shrunk transistor hearing aids over the years, making them small enough to fit behind the ear and even in the ear. However, they were anything but low-profile. They also didn’t come packed with features the way today’s hearing aids do.
Digital Hearing Devices
Today, quality hearing aids use digital technology – circuitry that’s used in computers and cell phones - and what a difference a few decades and countless hours of research and development have made!
Today’s digital hearing devices are sleek, discreet, fashionable, high-tech and low-maintenance. They can be programmed by an audiologist, to suit your specific hearing needs. Most adjust automatically for changes in volume levels and adapt to background noise. And now, with FM, Infrared, or Bluetooth technology, they can connect to multiple devices such televisions and telephones. Did you know that the new Bluetooth capability will allow you to answer you cell hands free, and route the call through both of your hearing devices?
Your hearing is very important and contributes greatly to a better quality of life, and you should do everything you can to make sure you find the right hearing center for your needs.
Finding the right audiologist can be as easy to answering a few simple questions. First, is there a licensed, board certified and experienced audiologist on staff? Then consider…
1. Is this professional willing to make a referral for a medical evaluation to rule out the need for medical or surgical treatment, if necessary?
2. Will the audiologist communicate effectively with you about hearing aid choices and fitting options, if hearing aids are appropriate for your hearing loss?
3. In determining whether a hearing device is appropriate, will the audiologist speak to you clearly about your hearing loss, lifestyle, manual dexterity, and budget?
4. Does the hearing center offer a wide range of hearing aid makes and models from various manufacturers?
5. Will you receive assistance and training regarding how to wear and care for your hearing devices , as well as how to adjust to wearing them?
6. Does the hearing center offer lengthy trial periods, warranties, and loss and damage protection?
7. Will they provide follow-up care following your hearing aid fitting, at least every six months?
8. Is the hearing center open at least five days a week, with an audiologist on staff to provide emergency care, or loaner hearing aids if needed?
9. Will you always see the same audiologist when you visit?
If you have answered “Yes” to all of these questions, you can rest assured that you have taken the right steps in finding a reputable dispensing practice. Of course, answering some of these questions may require more research than just exploring online. Call the hearing centers in your area to see how they answer your questions. Once you find one you are comfortable with, schedule an appointment for an initial consultation and hearing test.
So remember, if you’re looking for the latest and the greatest in hearing loss solutions, visit Doctors Hearing Clinic for more information and counseling. Forget everything Grandpa told you about his hearing aids. Those days and those hearing aids are long gone, thankfully. Today, you can enjoy the sounds of life without a lot of hassles. Modern digital hearing aids deliver sound quality and ease-of-use in small, attractive devices. Seek a Board certified audiologist to explore the world of high tech hearing devices that are now available – and see for yourself that this is NOT your grandmother’s hearing aid!
By: Bettie Borton, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Doctors Hearing Clinic
7025 Halcyon Park, Suite A
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 396-1635
“Like” Doctors Hearing Clinic | Facebook
www.doctorshearingclinic.com
Tinnitus is the term for the perception of sound when no external sound is present. It is often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” although people describe it as hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, or clicking. Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant, and can range from very soft to extremely loud. If you suffer with this condition, you’re not alone. According to the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) it is estimated that over 50 million Americans experience tinnitus to some degree. Of these, about 12 million have severe enough tinnitus to seek medical attention.
Are you at risk? Knowing the causes of tinnitus puts you in a better position to avoid the problem, and since there’s no known cure for this condition, avoiding the problem altogether if you can is certainly the best option. Interestingly, no one knows what causes tinnitus, but there are several likely factors which may create or worsen this problem: noise exposure, wax build-up in the ear canal, certain medications, ear or sinus infections, age-related hearing loss, ear diseases and disorders, jaw misalignment, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, certain types of tumors, thyroid disorders, head and neck trauma and many others. And now new research reveals more of us may experience tinnitus due to cell phone use. Sure you love your cell. How did we ever get along without them? But a report that appeared in the British Medical Journal indicates that cell phone use – especially extended cell phone use – may now be added to the list of culprits for causing or increasing tinnitus. Since the incidence of tinnitus is increasing, researchers are suspicious that this is due, at least in part, to our increased cell phone use.
Of the factors noted above, according to the ATA, exposure to loud noises and hearing loss are the most common causes of tinnitus. Noise exposure and hearing loss may cause the brain to rewire itself. In other words, that ringing in your ears may be a brain thing, not an ear thing, though research is far from conclusive. However, research suggests that protecting your hearing from loud noise may be increasingly important. Even if your hearing is not permanently affected by noise exposure, the way your brain processes sound may be changed which could result in tinnitus. You might want to consider that the next time you plug in your MP3 ear buds. The problem stemming from cell phone use may be due to a potential link between mobile phones and the auditory pathway, which directly absorbs a considerable amount of energy emitted by the device. In other words, the wireless connectivity required for cell phone use might actually damage the hearing mechanism, making a bad situation worse.
Some who experience tinnitus only hear the ringing when they’re in a quiet environment, and are less aware of it as their surroundings get noisier and “mask” the tinnitus. But when things get quiet, tinnitus returns – often at night, making sleep difficult. Unfortunately there are millions that hear their tinnitus at all times, no matter what the level of background noise in their environment.
No one should ever ignore persistent tinnitus. Not only is every individual entitled to a chance to regain his or her quality of life, but in rare cases tinnitus also can be a symptom of a more serious health issue that could demand medical intervention. What’s more, nearly everyone with tinnitus has hearing loss as well. While nothing will cure that incessant ringing or roaring in the ears, there are options to treat the symptoms, lessening the negative impact tinnitus has on quality of life. Treating hearing loss, either by medical management, if indicated, or with hearing aids, or sound therapy with special maskers, may offer relief of tinnitus. Other new and effective tinnitus treatments are also available, including use of the supplement NAC.
If you have tinnitus, a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist is recommended. While not a cure for tinnitus, hearing aids are the most commonly used treatment for problematic tinnitus. They may be able to help by:
• Improving communication and reducing stress, which makes it easier to cope with the condition.
• Amplifying background sounds, which can make tinnitus seem less loud and prominent.
A new type of hearing aid called an “open fit” may be particularly useful in alleviating tinnitus. The open fit aid can reduce the effects of the tinnitus ringing sensation while still allowing sounds from the outside to pass into the ear.
By: Crystal L. Chalmers, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology
North State Audiological Services
15 Jan Court
Chico, CA 95928
(888) 844-7024
Follow North State Audiological Services | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube
www.nsaudiology.com
After over 30 years as an audiologist, I have heard a lot of reasons from a lot of patients as to why they had not addressed their hearing difficulties sooner.
And of course, I always explain to them that ignoring a hearing difficulty won’t make it go away, and that there are consequences for not treating a hearing loss.
Now there is even more evidence – gleaned from scientific studies by some of the top researchers in the world – to support what audiologists like myself and many of my colleagues with Audigy Group have been saying all along: don’t wait to get tested and – if the tests do indeed show a hearing loss – discuss treatment options with your hearing care professional.
These studies clearly show that hearing loss doesn’t just affect one’s ability to hear the TV or communicate with a spouse, friends, or co-workers. There can be serious implications for brain atrophy and cognitive function.
Study Results Released at Audiology Conference
A number of these studies were presented and discussed at the American Academy of Audiology’s “Audiology NOW! 2012” annual international conference which was held March 28 thru March 31 in Boston, Massachusetts. I attended this conference and took in several of these workshops, notably one titled “Issues in Cognition, Audition, and Amplification: A Panel Discussion”.
This extremely informative workshop was presented by a panel comprised of six highly respected researchers from the USA, Canada, and northern Europe.
The presenters and their topics were:
● Larry E. Hulmes, Ph.D., Indiana University “Higher Level Processing Abilities”
● Ulrike Lemke, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, Phonak International, Zurich, Switzerland “The Cognitive Part of Successful Speech Recognition”
● Brent Edwards, Ph.D., Starkey Research Laboratories, Eden Prairie, MN “How Hearing Aid Technology Can Affect Cognitive Function”
● Kathy Pichora-Fuller, Ph.D., University of Toronto, Canada “Can Hearing Aids Accelerate Listening and Speech Understanding?”
● Thomas Lunner, Ph.D., Eriksholm Research Center, Oticon International, Denmark, and Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linkoping, Sweden “Memory Systems in Relation to Hearing Aid Use”
● Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD “Hearing Loss and Dementia”
Collectively these presenters showed how brain function and hearing loss are intertwined and that when left untreated hearing loss clearly affects cognitive function. Of special interest were findings on how the use of hearing aid technology could produce marked improvements in those who had had cognitive decline caused by untreated hearing loss, much the same as physical therapy can be used to restore deteriorated muscle mass.
University Study Links Brain Atrophy with Hearing Loss
A recent study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania – the results of which were released in August of last year – show that declines in hearing ability may accelerate gray matter atrophy in auditory areas of the brain. This shrinkage of the brain in areas important for hearing comprehension can cause an increase in the effort needed by the affected person to successfully comprehend speech. This need for increased effort can be particularly troublesome for older adults as the amount of energy used for “hearing” can impact other areas in the affected person’s daily life.
The study found that people with hearing loss showed less brain activity on functional MRI scans when listening to complex sentences. Poorer hearers also had less gray matter in the auditory cortex, suggesting that areas of the brain related to auditory processing may show accelerated atrophy when hearing ability declines. In general, the study showed that loss of hearing sensitivity “has cascading consequences for the neural processes supporting both perception and cognition.”
“As hearing ability declines with age, interventions such as hearing aids should be considered not only to improve hearing but to preserve the brain,” said lead author Jonathan Peelle, Ph. D., research associate in the Department of Neurology. The research for this study can be found in The Journal of Neuroscience and was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
May is National Better Hearing Month!
Learn More About These Studies and other Topics at My Upcoming Seminar
The Month of May is “National Better Hearing Month”, and once again I will be offering my free annual Educational Luncheon Seminar. This seminar is a comprehensive presentation covering a variety of hearing health care topics such as understanding how our hearing system works, enhancing communication and listening skills, advancements in hearing aid technology, and what to look for in a hearing care professional.
The seminar will be on May 2, 2012 at the Chico Women’s Club, from 11:30 am til 1:00 pm. A complementary catered lunch will be served. There is no cost or obligation for attending, but due to limited seating reservations are required. To reserve your space, call my office toll free at 1 (888) 844-7024 … because hearing is a wonderful gift!
About the writer: Crystal Chalmers, Au.D., is an AudigyCertified™ Doctor of Audiology, the owner of North State Audiological Services in Chico, and a member of Audigy Group, the nation’s largest member-owned association of independent hearing care professionals.
Since 2006, Audigy Group has interviewed over 5,000 of the 18,000 audiologists in the United States, yet has selected only 250 to be members in this elite association. Dr. Chalmers is the only Audigy Group professional in the entire northeastern part of California. AudigyCertified™ is a trade-mark of Audigy Group, LLC.
To learn more about Dr. Chalmers, her practice, and Audigy Group visit online at our website or call toll free at 1 (888) 844-7024.
By: Bettie Borton, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Doctors Hearing Clinic
7025 Halcyon Park, Suite A
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 396-1635
“Like” Doctors Hearing Clinic | Facebook
www.doctorshearingclinic.com
So, you finally made and KEPT that appointment for a hearing evaluation. Congratulations! You took that all-important first step to a better quality of life.
First and foremost, be sure your hearing evaluation was done by an audiologist who holds Board Certification from the American Board of Audiology. A hearing evaluation is a test which allows this professional to determine the type and degree of hearing loss. Hearing evaluations are simple, quick, and painless, providing the information needed to make recommendations to improve the quality of life – YOUR life.
Ah, but the results of that evaluation were not… what you were hoping? No ear wax or infection…instead you’ve been told you are a hearing aid candidate. Finding the best hearing aids is a process that is unique to each person with hearing loss. It is important to work closely with your audiologist to determine which hearing aids best fit your hearing loss, lifestyle, listening needs and budget. Take heart…You’re going to love what you hear. You may not, however, love the price tag, but please keep reading. Hearing aids are a worthy investment for you and those you love.
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Most hearing aids range in price from around $1000-$3000 per instrument. And remember that in most cases you will be buying a pair. Whether we’re talking about cars, clothes or hearing aids, quality costs more. We’re not talking about those ear amps they sell on TV so “you can watch TV without disturbing your partner. ONLY $14.95!!!!” Such personal sound amplifiers (PSA) are devices that are intended for people with no hearing loss to aid in various recreational activities, not to amplify sound for those with documented hearing loss. The FDA recently felt it necessary to clarify for consumers the difference between a PSA and a hearing aid in order to protect consumers. Unlike hearing aids, PSA devices are “one size fits all”, and a recent study at Michigan State University determined that PSA devices were directly correlated to low consumer satisfaction and are potentially harmful to hearing.
A common question among consumers is “which hearing aids are best?” The best hearing aids are those chosen based on your unique hearing loss, hearing needs and lifestyle issues. Work with your audiologist to prioritize your needs, wants and budget and let them help guide you in selecting the best hearing aids for you.
So, what things should you consider when shopping for your first set of hearing aids, or looking to replace the pair that you’ve enjoyed all these years? Which features are important to you? Live in a hot and humid climate and enjoy being outdoors? Hitting the tennis courts each morning? Or maybe you walk or run with friends. In general, the more active lifestyle you lead, the more sophisticated hearing aid you will need. If you lead an active life – playing golf, jogging in the morning or just out and about, buy hearing aids that reduce wind noise and protect against moisture build-up are worth the extra money. If you lead a quiet, sedate life, you may not need extra technology to get you through the day.
Call it self-image or self-confidence, there’s a stigma in some people’s minds about hearing aids. Concerned about cosmetics? With today’s technology, no problem! Hearing aids come in a variety of styles and sizes for those looking for a discreet fit.
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids slip into the ear canal and are nearly invisible. Custom made hearing aids block natural sound, and often create a “stuffy ear” feeling, but the latest “open ear” devices are light and powerful. These units are remarkably cosmetically appealing, utilizing a thin transparent tube to deliver sound into the ear. So, if you’re concerned about how others will see you with hearing aids, the cosmetic appeal of an open fit is ideal.
Are you glued to a cell phone a couple of hours a day on the road? Does your PDA ring every 10 minutes? Do you have a music device like an iPod you enjoy listening to? Today’s hearing aids offer wireless connectivity to a range of Bluetooth compatible devices so you can stay in touch with family, friends and the folks back in the office using your hearing devices. You can now use your cell phone hands free, routed directly through your hearing instruments! Not exactly your grandmother’s hearing aid! On the other hand, if you still think a Blackberry is simply a tasty fruit, why spend extra for wireless connectivity?
So forget the PSA gizmos if you have a diagnosed hearing loss. They can make a bad situation worse. If you can afford the top of the line, there are some fantastic technologies available. But if you are on a budget, know there are still many options for you and your decision should be made based on exactly what you need and will use.
You need and want to enjoy the sounds around you everyday, and that’s something on which you just can’t put a price. You’re going to love what you hear.
By: Bettie Borton, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Doctors Hearing Clinic
7025 Halcyon Park, Suite A
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 396-1635
“Like” Doctors Hearing Clinic | Facebook
www.doctorshearingclinic.com
Have you ever wondered if your children or grandchildren are damaging their hearing by using personal listening devices, cell phones, or by listening to loud music that’s too loud? Most of us look at the noisy environment that envelopes young people today, and can’t help but worry about this as potentially hazardous to their hearing.
We often think of hearing loss as a problem affecting only older Americans. However, a stunning one in five teens has lost a little bit of hearing, and the problem has increased substantially in recent years, a new national study has found. Audiologists and hearing healthcare researchers are urging teenagers to turn down the volume on their digital music players, suggesting loud music delivered through earbuds may be to blame. Although definitive evidence is lacking about the cause, experts warn that slight hearing loss can cause problems in school and set the stage for increased hearing loss in later life.
Our hope is we can encourage people to be careful,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Gary Curhan of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Researchers here analyzed data on 12 to 19 year-olds from a nationwide health survey. They compared hearing loss in nearly 3,000 kids tested from 1988-94 to nearly 1,800 kids tested over 2005-06.
The prevalence of hearing loss increased from about 15 percent to 19.5 percent. Most of the hearing loss was “slight,” defined as inability to hear at 16 to 24 decibels – or sounds such as a whisper or rustling leaves. A teenager with slight hearing loss might not be able to hear water dripping or his mother whispering “good night.”
Extrapolating this data to the nation’s teen population, that would mean about 6.5 million young people with at least slight hearing loss. Those with slight hearing loss “will hear all of the vowel sounds clearly, but might miss some of the consonant sounds” such as t, k and s, Curhan said. “Although speech will be detectable, it might not be fully intelligible,” he said. While the researchers didn’t single out iPods or any other device for blame, they found a significant increase in high-frequency hearing loss, which they said may indicate that noise caused the problems. And they cited a 2010 Australian study that linked use of personal listening devices with a 70 percent increased risk of hearing loss in children. Theses findings recently appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Loud music isn’t new, of course. Each new generation of teenagers has found a new technology to blast music – from the bulky headphones of the 1960s to the handheld Sony Walkmans of the 1980s. But according to Dr. Brian Fligor, an audiologist at Harvard Medical School, today’s young people are listening longer, more than twice as long as previous generations; older technologies had limited battery life and limited music storage, he points out. And with the Apple iPod, users can set their own volume limits, but parents can use the feature to set a maximum volume on their child’s iPod and lock it with a code.
One of Fligor’s patients, 17-year-old Matthew Brady of Foxborough, Mass., recently was diagnosed with mild hearing loss. He has trouble hearing his friends in the school cafeteria. He ends up faking comprehension. “I laugh when they laugh,” he said.
Fligor believes Brady’s muffled hearing was caused by listening to an iPod turned up too loud and for too long. After his mother had a heart attack, Brady’s pediatrician had advised him to exercise for his own health. So he cranked up the volume on his music while walking on a treadmill at least four days a week for 30-minute stretches. One day last summer, he got off the treadmill and found he couldn’t hear anything with his left ear. His hearing gradually returned, but was never the same.
Often, young people turn their digital players up to levels that would exceed federal workplace exposure limits. In Fligor’s own study of about 200 New York college students, more than half listened to music at 85 decibels or louder. That’s about as loud as a hair dryer or a vacuum cleaner. Habitual listening at those levels can turn microscopic hair cells in the inner ear into scar tissue, and for reasons that we don’t fully understand, some people may be more predisposed to damage than others; Fligor believes Brady is one of them. And remember, once damage is inflicted, it cannot be undone.
These days, Brady still listens to his digital player, but at lower volumes. His sage advice…”Do not blare your iPod,” he said. “It’s only going to hurt your hearing. I learned this the hard way.”
If you or a loved ones are concerned with a teen’s hearing or listening habits, visit our website for more information, or contact an audiologist for comprehensive hearing evaluation.
By: Bettie Borton, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Doctors Hearing Clinic
7025 Halcyon Park, Suite A
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 396-1635
“Like” Doctors Hearing Clinic | Facebook
www.doctorshearingclinic.com
When I talk with patients or family members who have hearing loss, I hear a lot of grousing about the cost of the hearing aids purchased. I mean, those hearing aids are so TINY, they look so fragile… and you’re telling me they will cost HOW much?? Sound familiar?
Consumers seeking hearing healthcare help are often surprised at the cost of today’s sophisticated hearing technology. And that’s understandable. A high quality digital hearing aid usually costs between $1000 and $3000, sometimes more when paired with sophisticated bluetooth technology or other assistive listening devices. And in Alabama, hearing devices are also subject to sales tax.
So, is this investment “worth it” ? When assessing the value of hearing aids, it’s important to consider the many market variables inherent to pricing, including the following:
Is the price tag for quality hearing devices worth it? Let’s consider the alternative…
Untreated hearing loss results in billions (that’s right… I said BILLIONS) of dollars in lost productivity in the U.S. workforce today. To be exact, unaddressed hearing loss results in 23 billion dollars of lost efficiency/productivity, which costs all of us in the long run. And of course, without today’s sophisticated hearing device capability, the loss in communications ability, life style preservation, and a myriad of other quality of life issues, even for those not employed, costs our society a great deal indeed. There is also a significant body of research that suggests that if you have hearing loss, waiting to get hearing aids can actually compromise word recognition ability. As this data indicates, delaying amplification is not without its own inherent cost.
So, despite the fact that the price for hearing aids may be steep at first glance, there are some very good reasons why costs may be higher than we’d like to see. If cost of recommended hearing technology is a concern for you or your family member, talk to your audiologist and explore possibilities for financial assistance or alternative technologies.
By: The Doctors at Columbia Basin Hearing & Balance Center
1149 North Edison, Ste. D
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 736-4005
Connect with Columbia Basin Hearing & Balance Center | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
www.columbiabasinhearing.com
A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging suggests that hearing loss significantly increases your risk of falling.
Among older adults (age 65 or older), falls are a serious public health problem and are the leading cause of injury death in the US. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 20,000 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries and 2.2 million nonfatal injuries were treated in emergency departments in 2009. Direct medical costs of falls are estimated at approximately $30 billion dollars per year.
To make the connection between hearing loss and fall risk, researchers analyzed data from more than 2,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69 from 2001 to 2004, as part of the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. As part of the survey, the participants had their hearing tested and also underwent vestibular testing (an examination of the balance mechanism of the inner ear), in addition to answering demographic and other health related questions.
Despite accounting for multiple factors related to fall risk (age, gender, medical condition, etc), researchers determined that even a “mild” degree of hearing loss nearly triples the risk of falling. For every additional 10 decibels of hearing loss, the risk of falling was increased by an additional 140%!
So, what accounts for this increased risk of falling for people with hearing loss?
One of the most obvious reasons that people with hearing loss may have an increased fall risk is because they have less environmental awareness to things going on around them. A distant warning signal may not be heard, for example, or could even be misinterpreted as something else altogether.
Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., one of the lead researchers in the study, suggests that another possible reason hearing loss might increase the risk of falls is due to “cognitive load”. Because the individuals with hearing loss are using more of their brain energy to help compensate for the sounds they miss, they may not be able to give enough cognitive resources to help maintain proper balance and gait and thus are more likely to experience a fall.
Researchers are hopeful that the findings of the study could help in the development of new ways to prevent falls, especially amongst seniors. As more Baby Boomers join the ranks of Medicare in the coming years, fall prevention will be key in helping save lives, as well as help save billions of tax dollars in medical costs for preventable injuries.
Even the first fall can have significant consequences and in some unfortunate cases can turn a spouse or child into a caregiver. If you have concerns that you or your loved one may be at risk of falling, speak with your doctor and consider the simple tips from the CDC.
Want to learn more about hearing and balance? Visit www.ColumbiaBasinHearing.com and click on the “Hearing Resources” tab.
Fall Risk Prevention Tips from CDC**:
To lower their hip fracture risk, older adults can:
**(http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html)
About Columbia Basin Hearing & Balance Center
The Doctors of Audiology at Columbia Basin Hearing & Balance Center believe that prevention and early intervention of hearing and balance disorders are critical to maintaining a high quality of life. They have been serving the community since 1978.
The original Johns Hopkins research article was published in the most recent Archives of Internal Medicine Journal:
Lin F, Ferrucci L “Hearing loss and falls among older adults in the United States” Arch Intern Med 2012; 172: 369-371.
By: Kumiko T. B. Dunn, Ph.D., CCC-A
East Valley Hearing Center, Inc.
6262 E. Broadway Rd., Ste. 103
Mesa, AZ 85206
(480) 830-0994
Connect with East Valley Hearing Center | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
www.eastvalleyhearing.com
This question has been asked of us on a number of occasions in our private audiology practice. Audiologists are extensively trained healthcare providers similar to primary care physicians (PCPs), nurses, optometrists, and dentists. So it is a bit of a puzzle when we consider the reason some would ask why they have to pay for our medical services; few are likely to ask if they have to pay for a visit to their PCP when they have a cold, or for a visit to their optometrist for an eye test in order to get new glasses or contacts.
“I can get one just down the road for free.”
This statement often follows the first and brings to light the reason the first question got asked. By “down the road”, the questioners are often referring to locations where hearing aids are sold, often by people licensed as “hearing aid dispensers” and not audiologists. Hearing aid dispensers have primarily been trained to test their patients’ hearing for the purpose of deciding if a patient might be able to wear hearing aids successfully. Audiologists have, of course, also been trained to do this but the bulk of their education (8+ years beyond high school) is in the science of determining the possible source of a person’s hearing problems. In addition, audiologists are trained to determine the most effective treatment options for a patient’s unique needs, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, bone anchored hearing aids, middle ear implants, aural rehabilitation and assistive listening devices [ALDs]. Hearing aids can be an effective tool in improving one’s ability to understand conversation and communicate with others but the audiologist’s role is to use all tools available to improve these important aspects of life. Finally, there is also a difference between the hearing aid dispenser and the audiologist in the eyes of the insurance company. If a person’s insurance coverage will pay for a hearing test, a hearing test done by an audiologist will generally be paid for by insurance; a hearing test done by a hearing aid dispenser, however, typically will not.
We provide a complete and comprehensive hearing evaluation that will be used to provide you with the best hearing care possible. The team of audiologists and staff at East Valley Hearing Center hope that this provides a better understanding of why we ask for payment for our services. We are here for far more than to simply sell hearing aids. Our objectives are to determine the possible reason(s) for our patients’ hearing difficulties and to provide recommendations for the most effective ways to help relieve or reduce them.
East Valley Hearing Center is composed of providers, who are Doctors of Audiology (Au.D.) and Ph.D. Audiologists, Audiology Assistants, and support staff. We would be happy to serve you and your hearing needs.
CALL 1-800-HEARING FOR NEAREST AUDIGYCERTIFIED PRACTICE 
