Archive for April, 2010

A Guide to an Exceptional Sound Experience

April 29th, 2010

A Guide to an Exceptional Sound Experience

By: Peter J. Marincovich, Ph.D., CCC-A
Audiology Associates
1111 Sonoma Ave., Suite 308
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 827-1630
www.audiologyassociates-sr.com

May is Better Hearing month- but despite the fact that more than 34 million Americans report hearing problems, relatively few are screened annually. Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the United States. Although hearing problems are commonly associated with the aging process, they affect all age groups. More than half of hearing impaired persons in the United States are under the age of 65, including 6 million people between the ages of 18 and 44- and more than 14 million are school-age children. Here are some things to be aware of concerning hearing.

Sound voids. Do you hear “ool” but not sure if someone is saying “pool” or “cool”? Do you find yourself saying, “I hear OK, but I have trouble understanding,” or “Soft sounds are too soft but loud sounds are too loud.” Hearing clearly when there’s background noise can be especially difficult for someone with hearing loss, as can be trying to explain your hearing situation.

It’s common for people to be unaware of their hearing loss due to the gradual nature of its progression. As hearing slowly declines, an individual develops compensation strategies without even realizing it. Often it’s others, who are trying to communicate with the individual, who are more aware of the situation. Sometimes it takes years before sufferers seek professional help.

Causes. Sometimes it’s readily apparent, such as wax buildup. Other causes include hereditary factors, trauma, ear disease and certain medications. The cause of hearing loss is sometimes presumed. For instance, noise induced hearing loss is attributed to the use of stereo systems or portable music players is a growing phenomenon.

There are eary ways to tell if a particular sound is potentially harmful. Do you have difficulty talking or hearing others talk over sounds? Does the sound make your ears “ring” (tinnitus), “hurt” or seem “muffled ” after exposure? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, the noise may be damaging your hearing. Most people don’t realize how loud everyday sounds actually are. Nearly 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day and 10 million Americans suffer from irreversible hearing damage due to noise.

The diagnostic hearing evaluation. The purpose of a complete evaluation is to determine the true nature of any hearing loss. The diagnostic process may include a variety of tests: audiometric tests to measure hearing at different pitches; speech evaluation to measure how well you hear and recognize ordinary conversation at different volumes; immitance tests of the middle ear; and complete medical evaluations.

Tinnitus is a medical condition characterized by persistent ringing in one or both ears. These sounds can come and go; however most sufferers experience symptoms constantly. The American Tinnitus Association estimates mre than 50 million Americans suffer from tinnitus. It’s also the number one complaint from United States Veterans. In some cases, tinnitus retraining therapy TKT and tinnitus retraining instruments TRI may provide individual solutions.

The balance system. Due to its close proximity to the hearing mechanism, balance is also a part of the comprehensive hearing evaluation. Fear of falling is a major health concern of older individuals. Nearly 300,000 hip fractures result from balance related falls every year. The natural aging process may affect one or all of these senses, as well as the central nervous system’s ability to interpret and react quickly to them. It’s very common to hear from someone who has fallen that they saw the curb or step, but just were not able to react fast enough. With proper diagnosis and therapeutic exercise called balance retraining, many older adults are able to return to a more active lifestyle.

The Communication Needs Assessment. In addition to a medical evaluation and after medican and/or surgical intervention, if an individual still suffers from difficulty communicating, a complete communcation needs evaluation is now the gold standard of hearing care. The first step is identifying the individuals needs: What are the listening situations where they individual would like to hear well? The second step is indentifying the individuals lifestyle. For example, not just if they have trouble hearing in restaurants, but how often they do, or would like to, go to restaurants.

Technology alone doesn’t help people hear better. Instead, it’s how well the practitioner works with the individual and applies the technology. If an individual doesn’t see well through a pair of glasses, it’s not due the “glass”, per se. It has to do with either the measurement of the individual’s vision, the prescription or fit, or some combination. Hearing technology is similar in application. What helps someone hear better is the correct amount of sound at the appropriate pitches for that individual’s heairng loss, environment, and communication needs. Individuals with similar hearing loss may require completely different amplification strategies based on all of the factors mentioned here.

The all-important aftercare completes a comprehensive communication needs assessment for an exceptional sound experience. This includeds assessment of need for assistive listening systems for telephone, Bluetooth, TV, loops, or music systems. In addition to assistive solutions, aftercare will include lip reading and listening skills counseling.

It is important that a hearing-impaired individual take an active role in listening and participate in the recommended auditory retraining and rehabilitation program. The auditory system may not have heard the certain voices and sounds for many years, and the reintroduction of new sounds and voices needs to be presented gradually. In other words, just as the hearing loss may have occurred gradually, the reintroduction of new sound needs to occur gradually.

A hearing screening can quickly and accurately evaluate an individual’s hearing, determine the degree of hearing loss and put him or her on the path toward treatment. After treatment, it’s important to monitor the hearing loss to ensure the technology is meeting an individual’s needs.

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Posted in AudigyCertified, Audiologist, Balance, Dizziness, Hearing Aids, Hearing Device, Hearing Difficulty, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Lifestyles, Hearing Loss, Hearing Technology, Ringing in the Ears, tinnitus, Treatable Hearing Loss, Uncategorized

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A Guide to Healthy Senior Living: Take steps to protect and keep your hearing!

April 22nd, 2010

A Guide to Healthy Senior Living: Take steps to protect and keep your hearing!

By: Amit Gosalia, Au.D.
Board Certified Doctor of Audiology
Audiology Clinic, Inc
505 NE 87th Ave #150
Vancouver, WA 98664
(360) 892-9367
www.audiologyclinic.com

Over 32 million Americans have hearing loss, and a half of them are under the age of 65. In the U.S., it is predicted that the number of Americans with hearing loss will exceed 70 million by the year 2030. Most of these people will suffer from noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). In 1999, the Veterans Administration (VA) spend $300 million to compensate over 50,000 veterans for noise-induced hearing loss, That number is expected to rise significantly.

Everyday, sounds over 85 decibels can cause some type of hearing loss. Types of these sounds include a gun shot, bombs exploding, jets taking off, power tools, and a musical concert (not just rock and roll), to name a few. However, even common, everyday items, such as a hair dryer, Walkman/IPod, lawn mower, and blender, can cause some type of NIHL. If you have stood next to someone listening to music through headphones, and you can hear the music, then that volume has reached a damaging range. If you cannot hold a conversation while a choir is singing, then that volume has reached a damaging range. Some side effects to NIHL include tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and diminished speech understanding (especially women and children’s voices). With NIHL, common sounds in our language, such as k, s, f, t, and p, can be mixed up (i.e. hearing the word cat, when someone said cap).

Unlike most other types of hearing loss, NIHL can be prevented. Because NIHL is gradual and cumulative, repeated noise traumas can impact hearing loss in a greater fashion. A noise trauma from 50 years ago can cause problems now. Many of my patients who served in the military during World War II, the Vietnam War, and even the Gulf War, are now seeing the effects of NIHL. Usually, the sensitive hair cells in our inner ears (cochlea) can recover from noise trauma, within 48-72 hours. The hearing loss can become permanent if the noise overwhelms the self-repairing function of the hair cells, and they do not recover.

So what can we do? First, avoid all types of loud noises. If it is necessary, then use some form of noise attenuators, such as ear plugs or earmuffs. Custom earplugs can be made for you in our office. Secondly, turn down the noise. Turn down the IPods, and Walkmans. The volume should not increase past the half-way mark. Finally, there is initial research to indicate that certain antioxidants and certain drugs (otoprotective agents), if taken prior to exposure, can reduce the damage done by noise. Newer studies, are working on a “morning-after noise pill” to prevent inner ear hair cell damage. However, none of these drugs will counter a healthy regimen of reducing noise.

Because NIHL creeps up gradually, it is very difficult to notice it. It is the family members, friends and co-workers who notice your hearing loss first. If you feel that you or a family member may be feeling the symptoms of NIHL, then call our office at (360) 892-9367, and I will conduct a full audiological evaluation and determine a course of action. Most NIHL patients choose a treatment option that may include the use of hearing aids. The American Medical Association concluded that 95 percent of people with hearing loss would benefit from hearing aids. If this is the only option available, I, or any audiologist, will help in the decision- making process, and stay committed to help you hear better. Turn down the noise and protect your hearing.

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Posted in AudigyCertified, Audiologist, Doctor of Audiology, Hearing Aids, Hearing Device, Hearing Difficulty, Hearing Loss, Hearing protection, Hearing Technology, Noise-induced, Treatable Hearing Loss, Uncategorized

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Invisible Pervasive Handicap in the Classroom

April 12th, 2010

Invisible Pervasive Handicap in the Classroom

By Linda S. Remensnyder, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology      
Hearing Associates, P.C. . . . Eliminating the Sound of Silence
755 S. Milwaukee Avenue, Suite 189
Libertyville, IL 60048
www.hearingdoc.com

One-Third of Young Children Affected:  Recent research confirms that, on any given day, one third of all children, kindergarten through third grade, have impaired hearing/listening. 

The vast majority of these statistics reflect children missed in hearing screenings.  Their ranks are comprised of so-called “normal hearing children” who experience greater speech-recognition difficulties in classroom noise and reverberation than previously suspected. These subtle hearing deficits cause the affected child to experience an invisible handicap—a handicap comprised of not being able to hear well consistently.

These kindergarten and primary grade children have slight or “minimal” hearing loss for a variety of reasons. Causes can be as innocuous as occluding ear canal wax or as serious as otitis media (fluid accumulation behind the eardrums). Otitis media (middle ear fluid) ranks second to the common cold as the most common health problem in young children.  Ear infections, which have increased by 224% since 1975, cause five million school days to be missed annually and half of all episodes are undetected by parents or teachers. Even the ventilating tubes resorted to in serious cases can become plugged by infection or debris and cause hearing deficits.

These “minimal” hearing loss statistics also reflect youngsters who have allergies causing them to be chronically “stuffed up”, bilateral high frequency hearing loss in ranges not screened in hearing screenings, or unilateral hearing losses in which excellent hearing is limited to one ear.  They reflect youngsters with developmental delays, articulation disorders, or dyslexia.  Students who have central auditory processing disorders (CAPD), attention deficit disorders (ADD), and behavioral problems also fall into this category.  In addition, the slight hearing impairment statistics include children for whom English is not their primary language because language comprehension requires sustained effort.

A “Minimal” Condition with Maximal Consequences: A “minimal” hearing loss, which requires neither medical intervention nor hearing aids, does not constitute a minimal handicapping condition with minimal consequences, especially during the younger elementary school years when the child’s brain is assimilating and developing language.  Hearing is the acknowledged bridge to reading and to future academic performance and this critical period to learn language is time-locked (generally considered age 0 through 7).

Children with minimal hearing loss experience problems hearing faint or distant speech and the esteemed educational audiologist, Carol Flexer, calculates that these children are missing more than 25% of classroom instruction. What 25% of the speech signal do these children miss?  They miss the soft intensity sounds — the endings of speech, the sibilants (s, sh, ch) and the fricatives (f, th).  They miss the subtleties of speech — the plurals, the tenses, and the possessives/auxiliaries.  They miss the innuendoes and the asides, the responses from fellow classmates in the back of the classroom, and they miss the whispers.  And they definitely miss what the teacher is saying when the room is noisy, when other classmates are conversing, or when the teacher’s back is facing them.

It is believed that 90% of a young child’s knowledge is attributed to incidental reception of conversations around them.  Thus, learning and understanding are hindered even with the slightest hearing difficulty.

How, then, are these children with “minimal” hearing loss able to learn language when language is learned by hearing it in full context? They’re not — they’re handicapped by their inability to hear consistently well.

It is important to keep in mind that the classroom is a difficult listening environment. Chatting students, humming air conditioners, squeaking desks, and outside traffic contribute to a level of background noise that distracts from the teacher’s voice.  The problem becomes even more significant when the noise echoes off uncarpeted floors in rooms with high ceilings and hard desks and windows.

In addition, Dr. Flexer also believes that “children are not short adults; they bring a different ‘listening’ to a learning situation.”  Research has documented that children do not develop an adult-like capacity to recognize speech in noise until approximately 13 to 15 years of age.  The central auditory system of children is not neurologically mature until a child is about 15 years old.  Thus levels of classroom noise and reverberation can deleteriously affect the speech perception of those younger than 15 even if the children do possess normal hearing sensitivity.

IMPACT of an Enhanced Signal and Improved Acoustics:  Research has confirmed that if the teacher wears a lapel microphone and if her or his voice is amplified via suspended speakers placed in each of four corners of the classroom, all children are able to hear better and all children benefit (even those who already wear hearing aids).  These sound field systems simply make it easier to understand or focus on the teacher’s voice. 

Teachers who use these systems have less vocal strain, are less fatigued at the end of the school day, and require fewer sick days off.  More importantly, the ability of all children to hear an enhanced speech signal has resulted in improvements in reading (comprehension and test scores), fewer discipline and behavioral problems, and increased classroom participation.

The trend is to place these sound field systems in all kindergarten and primary grade classrooms.  Strides are also being made in terms of classroom acoustics insuring that new construction and planned renovations take into account the need to limit ambient noise levels.  PTA’s and school fund-raisers are providing funding for the technology to promote optimum hearing. Parents can make it happen and make the future brighter (and more audible) for all.

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Posted in Audiologist, Classroom Hearing handicap, Hearing Aids, Hearing Device, Hearing Difficulty, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Kids Hearing Loss, Treatable Hearing Loss

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Bluetooth Technology and How It’s Used in Hearing Aids

April 2nd, 2010

Bluetooth Technology and How It’s Used in Hearing Aids

Dr. Jamie Gilgren
Audiologist    
Hearing Rehab Center
2350 17th Ave., Suite 102
Longmont, CO 80503
www.hearingrehabcenter.com

Over the past two years, Bluetooth technology has gained momentum in the hearing aid industry.  You may recognize Bluetooth by these other names: MediaLink, ConnectLine, Streamer, iCom, and Voiis.  Bluetooth is the name of a wireless technology standard for connecting electronic devices.

Bluetooth technology allows us to turn our hearing aids into a wireless headset enabling us to hear in-stereo while talking on the phone, listening to TV, or listening to music.  Bluetooth connects and exchanges information between electronic devices such as cell phones and hearing aids, television and hearing aids, landline phones and hearing aids, and MP3 devices and hearing aids.

Bluetooth devices in the house are always communicating with one another as long as their power is turned on.  The communication between devices is not impeded by walls or floors, therefore, if your phone rings in your house, you can answer the phone without physically picking up the phone.  You simply push a button to accept the call through the hearing aids.  If you are watching your favorite football team and decide to use the restroom, you will still hear the game through the hearing aids while in the restroom.  This happens because your hearing aids and the television each send out a signal that the other receives automatically.    

All Hearing Rehab Center offices have Bluetooth technology available for demonstration.  The sound quality and clarity from cell phones, landline phones, television, or your iPod is amazing for any hearing loss.  It is very difficult to describe the impressive hearing improvement Bluetooth offers. You must listen to it and hear the difference! 

On a side note, do not get Bluetooth confused with FM as many people do.  An FM system is another type of wireless technology that helps people better understand speech in noisy situations. An FM system is most commonly used in the classroom.  Whoever is speaking either wears or holds a microphone or the microphone is placed in the middle of the group.  The microphone sends the person’s voice directly to a tiny attachment on the bottom of the hearing aids bypassing background noise.

There are many options available to those with hearing loss, and technology is improving on a constant basis.  To learn more about Bluetooth technology, call your nearest location and schedule a demonstration of the latest to see how you can live wirelessly.

There are a lot of factors to take into account when making the decision to purchase hearing aids, either for yourself, or for a loved one.  The goal of Hearing Rehab Center is to provide all of our patients with the best hearing healthcare available.  The Hearing Rehab Centers are family-owned and locally operated Audiology/Hearing Aid Centers.  There are 11 locations in Colorado, with 7 in the Denver Metro Area.  Many of the brightest and most professional hearing care providers work with us.

 If you or a loved one has quesitons about hearing loss or hearing aids, please contact any one of our locations or click here to visit our website.  Mention this newsletter to receive your no-charge consultation with one of our exceptional hearing providers.

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Posted in AudigyCertified, Bluetooth, Doctor of Audiology, Elite Practitioners, Hearing Aids, Hearing Device, Hearing Loss, Wireless Technology

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