Posts Tagged ‘background noise’

3 Secrets to Better Hearing: For anyone with hearing loss, and even people without

June 25th, 2010

By: Mary Ann Gilbert, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Whittier Hearing Center, Inc.
13121 E. Philadelphia St.
Whittier, CA 90601
(562) 698-0581
www.whittierhearing.com

Everyone can be helped to hear better by using 3 simple secrets to better hearing.  This is true if you have normal hearing, a mild hearing loss that doesn’t require hearing aids or a more significant loss that does require them.  In this article I will discuss how you hear; disclose the 3 simple secrets to better hearing; and show you how to apply them in difficult situations such as restaurants, parties, and family gatherings.  I will also give you some important tips to improve family communication at home.

Hearing Happens In Your Brain, NOT your Ears!

Before we start, the first thing you must understand is that hearing happens in your brain, not in your ears!  The ears send the message to your brain, where the information is combined with what you see and what you expect to hear.  After the brain puts it all together we say that “we hear and understand what is said”.  Some of the listening tips are going to deal with your ears, some with your eyes, and still others with your brain.  We hear best when all three of these are working together and helping each other. 

Secret #1: Reduce the Background Noise

The quieter it is, the better you are going to hear.  So, reduce the noise!  This is actually easier than you think.  You can turn the TV down or off or choose to have conversations during the commercials and use the mute button.  You can turn the faucet off. Water is a great masker of speech.  Everyone has trouble hearing and understanding over the sound of running water.  You can go into a quieter area or another room to get away from the noise.  You can also move out of the center of a room and get near the wall.  In large rooms the center is the noisiest area and the closer you are to the walls the quieter it gets.

Secret #2: Watch the Person Speaking

Your eyes and ears work together to give your brain the information it needs to “hear and understand”.  Use your eyes to help you ear better.  You can move in front of the person who is speaking so you have a clear view of their face.  This helps you lip read as well as watch for facial expressions which add so much to our understanding of speech. You can ask the speaker to look at you and if necessary to move their hand away from their face.  If they turn and start to walk away while they are still talking, ask them to come back and finish the conversation face to face. 

Secret #3: Pay Attention

This is the brain part.  Hearing happens in your brain and most of us cannot actively listen and understand speech while we are doing other things.  So please, give the conversation your full attention by muting the TV, putting down the book you were reading, looking up from the newspaper, and stop knitting.  If you give the conversation 100% of your attention you will hear much better.

Special Situations:  Here are some ways that you can apply these secrets to special situations.  By using the 3 secrets correctly you can maximize your understanding of speech even in very noisy places! 

CARS:  Cars are one of the most frequent difficult situations that you need to deal with. There is the car, traffic and wind noise.  You also need to be watching the road and concentrating on your driving so it is hard to concentrate on listening.  Here are some things you can do that will make life a little easier:

1. If you wear hearing aids you can try turning the one that is against the window down or off.  This will reduce the noise of the car and the traffic.  If you have hearing aids in both ears you may want to turn the one that is to the center of the car up a little to help you hear the radio and the conversation more easily.  Try different combinations and see what works best for you.

2. When giving, or receiving directions, wait until a stop sign or a red light.  While the car is stopped you can look at the person speaking and give your full attention to the conversation.    

3. Drive with your windows rolled up.  Wind noise is very hard to hear over.  You can try keeping a back window cracked slightly to help you hear sirens and other warning sounds. 

4. If you need to really converse with people in the car the best seat is the front passenger’s seat.  This allows you to rotate your body slightly so your right ear is not up against the window, and your left ear is rotated slightly toward the back seats.  If you are the driver, please forget trying to have a conversation while you are driving.  Remind your passengers that their safety is your most important concern.  Ask them to talk to you only while the car is stopped and then only about really important matters.  You can save the long conversations for when you get to your destination. 

RESTAURANTS:  This is probably the place where older people have the most trouble. Almost everyone over the age of 55 years complains of not being able to hear well in this type of noise.  Unfortunately, in restaurants there are many factors you cannot control such as how loud or fast the server speaks or how noisy the table next to you is.  There are some things that are in your control and you want to be sure to use these to help you hear better.

1. Always ask for a table near the wall.  Never sit in the middle of the room where noise is coming at you for all around.  The noise will drown out what is happening at your table.  So choose your table wisely!

2. If you do not wear hearing aids then you should try to sit with your back near or against the wall.  This will reduce the noise coming from behind you and also make the voices of your guests across from you a little louder and easier to hear.  (This can make as much as a 70% improvement in your understanding of speech in restaurants.  Try it!) 

3. If you wear hearing aids with dual or directional microphones sit looking at the wall.  This will allow your hearing aids to do the best job of reducing noise.  If you are not sure about your hearing aids ask your fitter what type you have.  Using your directional hearing aids correctly can make a significant difference in how much you hear and understand in this type of difficult situation. 

4. Try to get a table in the quietest part of the restaurant.  Quiet areas are usually found along the wall, in corners, and away from the front door and kitchen access doors or work stations.  If you are not familiar with the restaurant take a walk through and listen for the quieter areas.  Then ask your hostess to seat you in that area.  An extra 10 minute wait to be seated is well worth it if you can now enjoy visiting with your party. 

PARTIES:   Parties are a lot like restaurants.  Being in control of the situation is key to successful hearing and understanding. 

1. Do NOT stand in the middle of the room.  You will get noise from all around you and will have the most trouble trying to hear and talk in the locations. 

2. Move toward the wall area.  If you wear directional or dual microphone hearing aids, put your friends with their backs against the wall and you can stand with your back to the room and looking at the wall.  If you do not wear hearing aids then stand with your own back to the wall and put your friends in a group around you looking toward you and the wall. 

3. Try to keep the groups you are visiting with small.  You will do best when the group is no more than 4 people at a time.  You will enjoy your event much more when you speak with several groups of 3-5 people rather than one large groups of 10+.  (Don’t forget to position yourself correctly relative to the wall as discussed in #2 above.)

AT HOME:  This is where we live and where we spend the most time each and every day.  By applying the 3 secrets of reducing noise, paying attention, and using our eyes you can really improve home communication. Several of our patients have told us that using these simple tricks at home really reduced communication stress and improved their marriages! So they are worth a try. 

1. Reduce Noise:  Put the TV on mute; turning the water off; closing the front door can all reduce noise and make conversing easier.  Look around and find your noise sources and then figure out how you can turn them down or off when you really want to communicate with your spouse or family. 

2. Move closer to the person who is speaking.  The closer we are the better we hear.  Don’t try to talk from room to room.  Sound waves are not that smart and they really do not travel well.  So go into the room where the speaker is, or have them come to you. 

3. Look at the person who is speaking.  This means you need to be in the same room and close enough that you can see them.  It also means that the speaker cannot turn around and walk out of the room while they are still talking.  We need face-to-face conversation to be able to hear and understand speech clearly!

4. Get the listener’s attention BEFORE you try to talk to them.  Your voice can easily blend into the TV or you may be too far away for them to even hear you.  Simply call their name and wait for a reply.  Once they say “what?” or “OK”  that is your signal to start talking.  If they do not answer when their name is called then don’t waste your breathe trying to tell them something.  Instead, move closer or go find them, or wait until later to speak to them.

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Posted in Background Noise, Better Hearing, Communication, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Listening Tips, Noisy, Normal Hearing, Reduce Noise, Uncategorized

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Hearing Loss, Dizziness and Balance Disorders in the Elderly

May 28th, 2010

By Neil W. Aiello, Au.D., FAAA, CCC-A
Doctor of Audiology
Cheif Operations Officer
Columbia Basin Hearing Center
1149 N. Edison Street, Suite D
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 736-4005
www.columbiabasinhearing.com  

Adults are now living longer.  But with increased longevity comes a corresponding increase in the incidence of hearing loss, dizziness and balance problems.  Each of these conditions are common problems among the senior population.  Some revealing statistics from the National Institute on Aging include: 

  • Approximately one-third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing problems. 
  • Nearly half the people who are 75 or older have hearing loss. 
  • As many as 40% of all adults will experience dizziness severe enough to warrant reporting it to their doctor. 

In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, over 90 million Americans will experience dizziness or vertigo in their lifetime.  Dizziness or vertigo is the #1 complaint of patients over the age of 70, and is the third most frequent complaint among all patients after headache and back pain.  Approximately 85% of all vertigo and balance problems are due to an inner-ear incident.

Neil Aiello, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology | Columbia Basin Hearing & Balance CenterHearing loss can have many causes including aging of the auditory system, overexposure to loud noises over a period of time, infections, ear wax buildup in the ear canal, heart conditions or stroke, head injuries, tumors, certain medicines and heredity.  Common symptoms of hearing loss include; if you often can hear people talking, but simply have difficulty understanding them; struggling to hear conversations clearly in background noise or in group situations; having difficulty hearing over the telephone or needing to turn the TV volume higher so that others complain.  These Sound Voids ™ are the result of some form of hearing loss, either temporary or permanent, and may result in situations where an individual’s hearing loss does not permit them to detect or understand important sound and speech cues.  Individuals often find that Sound Voids result in tiring, frustrating, and embarrassing situations.

Dizziness is a symptom with a multitude of possible causes.  Determining the underlying cause is one of the biggest challenges for physicians.  The most common causes are related to the inner ear; therefore, referral to an audiologist is highly recommended.  Other causes include central nervous system problem in the brain or brainstem, related heart conditions, medications, as well as infections of the inner-ear or vestibular nerve.  Specificity is the key to finding the source of the problem.  The more specific you can be about when the symptoms began, when they are most likely to occur and exactly what they feel like will help the audiologist or physician develop a more accurate diagnosis.  Be aware that determining the source of dizziness is very complex and difficult to localize.  In fact, many times the exact source of the dizziness is never found.  However, more serious sources of the problem are ruled out.

According to a distinguished expert in the field of dizziness and balance disorders; Doctors of Audiology have an educational and clinical advantage in the identification and diagnosis of many forms of dizziness and vertigo problems.  The high incidence of inner ear symptoms with balance and vertigo disorders, in conjunction with the increasing number of elderly patients that need our expertise is on the rise.  In fact, many insurance companies are seeing the proven benefits and under-utilization of Doctors of Audiology who specialize in dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.

If you or your loved ones have hearing loss, Sound Voids™, dizziness, vertigo and/or balance problems, seek out your local Doctor of Audiology for the latest in modern professional hearing, dizziness and balance services.  General information on these topics can be found online at www.ColumbiaBasinHearing.com , www.audigygroup.com or www.dizzy.com

Definitions:

Audiologists (noun): are autonomous professionals who identify, assess, and manage disorders of the auditory, balance, and other neural systems. Audiologists provide audiological (hearing) rehabilitation to children and adults across the entire age span. Audiologists select, fit, and dispense amplification systems such as hearing aids and related devices. Audiologists currently hold a Master’s or Doctoral degrees in audiology from an accredited university or professional school.

Sound Void™ (noun):

  1. A moment lacking in clarity in hearing or understanding.
  2. An empty space in one’s life caused by the absence of sound clarity.

Hearing Loss (noun):

  1. Impairment of the sense of hearing.

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Posted in Audigy Group, AudigyCertified, Audiologist, Balance, Clinical Audiologist, Columbia Basin Hearing & Balance Center, Dizziness, Doctor of Audiology, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, inner ear, Signs of Hearing Loss, Sound voids, Treatable Hearing Loss, Uncategorized, vertigo, vestibular nerve

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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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