Tag: sound void

Why Can’t My Loved One Hear Me? They’re Wearing Aids!

SoundVoids™ can cause unnecessary frustration in visiting with your loved ones.

Here at Advanced Hearing Care, I spend a lot of time counseling patients and their families and friends on realistic expectations for hearing treatment and rehabilitation.  Some of the conversations can be quite passionate, especially when the family can’t understand why their loved one cannot seem to hear them, even though they’re wearing their hearing aids.  After all, hearing aids are supposed to fix the problem, right?

Well, no, not really.  Hearing aids are wonderful devices that supplement bad hearing.  They help a person make the most of the hearing that they may have left.  But they are not a substitute for good hearing.  Nothing, no magic pill or surgery, can restore a person’s hearing to the way it was before the hearing loss occurred.

How Hearing Works

One of the biggest reasons why people have this misconception of hearing aids and hearing treatment is that they don’t really understand how hearing works or what is happening when someone has a hearing loss.  After all, your ears just work, right? And you don’t have to think about it to make them work.  So, most people just don’t have reason to think about it.

Like most of your senses, hearing requires a means of collecting stimuli and a method of delivering the data from those stimuli to the brain for processing.  Your ears act as a funnel to collect sound waves in your environment and then both amplify and transform those sound waves into an electrical signal that can be processed by your brain.  This process involves the outer ear, called the pinna; the ear canal; the middle ear, which is made of the ear drum and the ossicular bones; the inner ear, or cochlea; and the auditory nerve and brain.  Along the way, the ear drum converts sound waves into mechanical energy, the stapes and cochlea convert the mechanical energy into hydraulic energy, and the cilia in the cochlea converts the hydraulic energy into electrical energy, which is finally processed by the auditory cortex in the brain.

A Matter of Physics

Sounds are formed anytime an object creates a vibration.  These vibrations are called sound waves and they happen at a molecular level in every substance that has matter and mass.  A good way to visualize this is to drop a pebble in a pond and watch the waves it creates.  As mentioned above, the ear collects these sound waves in order to amplify and transform them into signals in the brain.

Generally speaking, the less complicated the sound environment, the easier it will be for the brain to sort through the sound waves available.  In a small quiet room, there is very little interference from other sources of sound waves, there are fewer barriers to sound wave transmission, and the sound waves don’t have to travel very far to the ear.   This is an ideal situation for hearing.  The larger the space, the more sources of interfering background noise, the farther away you are from a reflective surface, the harder it will be to hear, even with normal hearing.  Imagine again the pond and the pebble.  The sound waves are a lot easier to “see” in a small pond with just a few pebbles than they are in an ocean during a rain storm.

Hearing aids cannot change the physics of environmental sound.  There are certain properties to background noise, such as frequency ranges and harmonic patterns, that a hearing aid processor can be programmed to reduce, but it doesn’t work like a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.  Those headphones have a distinct signal input from an audio device and a distinct sound pattern for the noise collected through a microphone.  The headphones produce an inverse sound wave that cancels the noise.  With hearing aids, the signal is mixed in with the noise and there’s no way to produce that inverse sound wave.

Mucking Up the Works

When hearing loss occurs, something happens to the anatomy of the ears and brain that causes the sound wave conversion and amplification process to not work the way it’s supposed to work.  One of the most common problems is that the cilia in the cochlea, the part of the hearing that sends those electrical signals to your brain, begin to die.  This is called sensorineural hearing loss.  It is nerve damage and it is permanent.

This kind of hearing loss also often involves an issue with sound clarity in addition to the inability to detect certain sounds.  In the case of someone who has those sound clarity issues, something is happening in the brain that causes the electrical signals that the brain receives to become garbled and distorted.  When a person is experiencing this distortion, simple amplification of sound doesn’t help as much as you might think.  After all, making a garbled sound louder does not improve its clarity.  Since the distortion is actually happening in the brain, it is different for each person who experiences it and it cannot be easily measured or quantified, making compensation practically impossible.

So What Can I Do?

There are small things that you can do while you are speaking to make it easier for your loved one to understand you.  Slow down and speak clearly; don’t shout!  Shouting only distorts your speech.  Rather than repeating a misunderstood word or phrase to the point of frustration, use different phrasing to avoid that misunderstanding.  Make sure that you’re not speaking with your mouth full or obstructing your mouth with your hand or another object.

The best thing that can be done to help someone who has sound clarity and processing issues is to make the listening environment as simple as possible.  First, turn off all potential sources of interfering noise.  If it can’t be turned off, then turn it down or adjust its position to minimize the interference.  Get on the same level as the person with the hearing loss and face them so you can speak directly to them.  Move closer to them and stay within 4 to 6 feet.  Never walk away from them while you’re talking or try to talk to them from another room in the house.  Small environmental changes can do a lot to assist someone who is having trouble understanding speech.

In Closing

It’s very important to remember that hearing loss is a permanent impairment and the goal of any hearing loss treatment process is to make the most of an individual’s remaining hearing.  In even a best-case scenario, there are limitations to what hearing technology can do as far as speech enhancement and background noise reduction in very complex listening situations.  No matter how much the technology advances, no matter how far it develops or how sophisticated it gets, it will never be a replacement for the hearing that you or your loved one enjoyed had before the hearing loss.  For more tips and tricks, feel free to visit our Communication Tips page, or Contact Us with any questions you may have.

4 Reasons to Hear Better in 2012

SoundVoids™ can cause unnecessary frustration in visiting with your loved ones.

It’s coming.  2011 is almost over and 2012 is on its way.  As the new year approaches, it’s a great time to begin the journey toward better hearing.  Here are four great reasons to start today:

  1. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. A common phenomenon, especially among those who let their hearing loss go untreated, is called phonemic regression. Simply put, phonemic regression is when we find a loss of speech discrimination that isn’t proportional to the person’s pure tone thresholds. The most common symptom of this is being able to hear that someone is speaking but simply not being able to understand what is being said, something we call a Sound Void. This is a very frustrating situation, as the problem is not a simple matter of volume. In some cases, phonemic regression could have been prevented simply by wearing hearing aids earlier.
  2. Keep your brain sharp! In February, John’s Hopkins University released a startling study that linked untreated hearing loss to the development of dementia in elderly populations. While the exact nature of this link remains a bit of a mystery, it is well known that social isolation contributes to dementia.  One of the biggest contributing factors to this kind of isolation is the inability to hear well enough to enjoy getting out and being active.
  3. New technology provides superior sound quality and satisfaction.  The king of hearing aids is no longer that big ear plug that your father or grandfather wore (or refused to wear, as the case may have been).  There are many styles available for nearly every budget that are designed to treat nearly every type of hearing loss.  The possibilities are all but endless, and so is our ability to help people with many different kinds of hearing loss.
  4. Better hearing has never been easier!  Our ultimate goal as hearing professionals is to reintroduce you to a world of sounds that you haven’t been hearing.  Our Service Excellence Guarantee provides you with peace of mind knowing that we’ll have your back and make sure that you get the full value of your investment in better hearing.  We offer a 75-day trial period, well beyond the 30 days required by state law, with a 100% refund if you’re not completely satisfied.  We also offer extended warranties, in-office repairs and service, manufacturer repair if needed, and a wealth of knowledge to customize hearing solutions for every patient, all as part of our Service Excellence Guarantee.  We will support you every step along your journey to better hearing.

To start your journey toward better hearing, call us to schedule an appointment for a hearing test.  Through our 4-step process, we’ll learn about you and your better hearing goals, examine your ears for any defects or blockages, diagnose your hearing loss, and show you what we can do to help you hear better.  Don’t wait to hear what you’ve been missing!  Early treatment can make all the difference!

In observance of New Year’s Day, Advanced Hearing Care will be closed on Friday, December 31. We will return for normal office hours on Monday, January 2. Have a safe and happy New Year!

Sharpen Your Listening Skills – From hearingcareblog.com

By: Suzanne Yoder, Au.D.
HearWell Center
2400 Ardmore Blvd., Suite 401
Pittsburgh, PA 15221
www.hearwellcenter.com
Originally posted at hearingcareblog.com.
Used with permission.

Suzanne Yoder, Au.D. | Owner of HearWell Center in Pittsburg, PA.
Dr. Suzanne Yoder

Auditory training is a term you will probably only hear in an audiology office or perhaps a school. But it is important for people with hearing loss to know that they can train their brain to hear and listen. Our brain is always searching for sounds whether or not we focus on the sounds and this is called “hearing”. Attending to and focusing on a sound, causing more parts of the brain to react is called “listening.” People who have hearing loss often stop working at listening because it is too difficult and causes fatigue or frustration. Unfortunately this leads to more communication problems due to the combined effect of hearing loss and diminished listening skills. Though anyone can benefit from the practice of using and strengthening listening skills it is more important for those who are hard of hearing.

When it comes to hearing loss and hearing aids, most hearing aid users look to the device to make communication better and though hearing aids can improve hearing, they cannot improve listening. Instead, hearing aid users should strive to be “patients of hearing health care” and look for solutions to improve hearing and listening. This can be accomplished by using any and all devices needed to support hearing as well as therapy and exercises for listening. The highest level of satisfaction with hearing aids comes from following the audiological recommendations in full and accepting that learning to hear and listen again is a process that requires motivation and time. Research in audiology reveals over and over again that hearing care is not a simple thing. The audiology degree is a testament to this fact. For example, an audiology student will spend 8 years in college, earn two or more higher education degrees and perform thousands of clinical hours with patients. Still many people price check for hearing aids believing they are making a technology purchase instead of looking at the professional behind the technology and the service that comes with learning to hear and listen.

Author’s Note

I’ve been on both “sides of the fence” so to speak. I am a hard of hearing consumer and user of hearing aids. I grew up with hearing loss in both ears and have used hearing aids in both ears as long as I can remember. I am also a doctor of audiology and the owner of HearWell Center in Forest Hills (independently owned private practice). Educating patients is very important to me and I invite you to visit our website for more information.

Our thanks to Dr. Yoder for the excellent advice found in this blog post. To learn more about what you can do to help train your auditory system, please feel free to call Advanced Hearing Care to speak with our Experienced Professionals.

The Impact of Untreated Hearing Loss

The consequences of hearing loss can have a profound impact on one's lifestyle.

Hearing is our most important social sense, and good hearing is a critical part of how we relate to the world around us. Jim S. Davis II, BC-HIS, said, “One third of our life is spent with our eyes closed, because we are asleep. An estimated twenty years. Yet in any second of those twenty years our ears can command our eyes to open and search for the source of a sound. When our eyes are open our ears can hear through walls, and all around where our eyes cannot see and still command our eyes to search for the source of sounds.”

Yet when we experience the detriment of Sound Voids™, our ears simply can’t keep up because they can’t detect the sounds that give us details about what’s going on around us. We miss the tick of a watch or the rush of the water in the sink or the smallest parts of speech, the hard consonant sounds that are necessary to understanding what is being said to us. An easy way to experience what it’s like to have hearing loss is to look at a sentence without the consonants in the words. You can pretty much figure out what’s being communicated when the vowels are missing. Without the consonants in this sentence, you wouldn’t be able to guess what I’m trying to write.

The Reality of Sound Voids™

A Sound Void™ is a moment lacking clarity or understanding in hearing or a gap in one’s life caused by a lack of clarity in hearing. Sound Voids™ usually occur in specific listening situations where an individual’s hearing loss does not permit them to detect or understand important sounds and speech cues. Individuals often find that Sound Voids result in tiring, frustrating and embarrassing situations. The perception of Sound Voids™ interfere in conversations with family and friends, decrease enjoyment of social situations, increase stress in the workplace or in volunteer efforts, and cause frustration during important conversations.

Physical Consequences

When we can’t hear every thing we need to, we find ourselves straining to fill in the Sound Voids™ ourselves. This kind of straining increases the level of stress we experience on a day-to-day basis. The physical impacts of stress are well known. Elevated stress levels can lead to fatigue, headache, muscle tension, trouble sleeping, and even increased blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and acne breakouts. The hearing loss itself doesn’t actually cause these side effects, but the stress that is associated with hearing loss can certainly be detrimental to a person’s well-being.

Psychological Consequences

The inability to hear clearly can have a profound effect on mood stability. From insecurity and embarrassment over responding inappropriately to conversation, to frustration and anxiety about job performance, the psychological consequences of untreated hearing loss are often the biggest motivating factor in the choice to pursue treatment. The gamut of emotions ranges from shame and anger to depression and guilt. Most people who seek treatment for hearing loss point to some type of emotional response that drives them to seeking help for their hearing loss.

Relational Consequences

Especially as hearing loss progresses, those suffering from its affects begin to isolate themselves and withdraw from social settings and activities that they used to enjoy. Even when they continue to attend social activities, people with hearing loss tend to keep to themselves and often do not involve themselves in conversations. People with hearing loss often find that the stress of straining to function in these settings is not worth the frustration of trying to keep up in diverse listening environments.

Cognitive Consequences

We often link to a recent Johns Hopkins study linking hearing loss to the development of dementia in the elderly because we consider this to be one of the most profound consequences of hearing loss. As discussed above, hearing loss can lead to social isolation, which is a known risk factor for the development of dementia. Other theories of the link between hearing loss and dementia speculate that the brain experiences an overload from the strain of actively trying to process sounds over the course of years, leaving the person with hearing loss vulnerable to dementia. Whatever the nature of the link between these two phenomena, it’s very important to realize that treating hearing loss can be an important part of preserving cognitive function.

All of the consequences of hearing loss are things that can be managed simply and effectively. The advancements made in just the last three years have brought us hearing technology that is more discreet and more responsive to the needs of the individual patients wearing them. And the technology constantly continues to improve, making the technology progressively easier and easier to wear. Taking control of hearing loss is possible for anyone who’s willing to invest in their better hearing.

We’re coming to Skiatook!

Our apologies, but due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been postponed. We regret the inconvenience and invite you to keep watching for notification of the new date and time of our Skiatook outreach event. Thank you for your patience!

Are you ready to hear better? Local audiologists and hearing aid experts Dr. Stephanie Moore and Dr. Scott Young are ready to help.

What is an audiologist?

An audiologist is a professional who diagnoses, treats and manages individual’s hearing and balance problems. They are the most qualified professionals to perform complete hearing evaluations, refer for medical treatment and provide hearing rehabilitation services.

Stephanie Moore, AuD.

About Dr. Stephanie Moore

Dr. Moore has been practicing for over 18 years in Bartlesville and surrounding area. She completed her Master of Audiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 1993 and her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Florida in 2000.  She is Board Certified in Audiology and a member of the American Academy of Audiology.  She provides services for all ages from pediatric to geriatric. Dr. Moore specializes in digital hearing aids and other types of amplification including a wide variety of assistive listening devices that are also available to help people hear better in social, educational and occupational settings. She sells and services many sizes and styles of hearing aids from a variety of manufacturers. Every aid is specifically picked for the patient’s lifestyle and budget.

Scott Young, AuD., CCC-A

About Dr. Scott F. Young.

For over 20 years, Dr. Young has been helping people improve the quality of their lives in Tulsa, OK and surrounding areas. Dr. Young has his Au.D., CCC-A (clinical doctorate in Audiology). He has worked with private practices, ear nose and throat groups, and manufacturers fitting more than 10,000 patients successfully with hearing aids. He has taught hearing aid dispensers and audiologists how to complete good patient care effectively for more than a decade. He has also been an integral part of manufacturing hearing aids of all types. Dr.Young specializes in early hearing loss in adults and elder adults.

Did you know that hearing loss is one of the world’s most common health problems?

Approximately one in ten people experience some degree of hearing loss in their lifetime.  However, hearing loss continues to be one of the most ignored health problems, which is unfortunate, because its symptoms and its psychological side effects are highly treatable.

How do you know if you are suffering from a hearing loss?

If you have a hearing loss, you may notice that certain spoken sounds – like sh, th and f – are more difficult to hear than others. Sometimes it may seem like you can hear people talking but you cannot understand what is being said. These, as well as the following signs, can help you determine if you have a hearing loss.

  • Do you often ask others to repeat themselves?
  • Do you turn up the TV or radio louder than others prefer?
  • Is it particularly difficult to understand conversation when there is background noise?
  • Does it seem as though others are mumbling when they speak to you?
  • Do you have difficulty following group conversations?
  • Do you find it difficult to identify from which direction sounds are coming?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a hearing loss.

The good news is that digital technology is providing people with hearing loss far more hearing technology options, ones that offer better sound quality, reduced background noise and greater customization capabilities. The professionals at Advanced Hearing Care can help you determine the type and degree of your hearing loss as well as the best course of action you can take. If you think you have a hearing loss or you would like more information about the signs of hearing loss, call their office for an appointment.

Dr. Moore and Dr. Young are pleased to announce that they are hosting a Community Education Event and Luncheon on Thursday, July 28th, 2011 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Woodrow’s of Skiatook.  This is an excellent opportunity to meet Dr. Moore and Dr. Young to learn more about hearing health care, and to ask questions of our experienced professionals. To RSVP for the event, please call (918) 213-0330 or (918) 707-5432. Space is limited.

Mark Your Calendars!

Experienced Professionals, Excellent Service

Are you ready to hear better? Advanced Hearing Care is ready to help.
Audiologist and local hearing aid expert Dr. Stephanie Moore owns and operates Advanced Hearing Care, a private audiology and hearing aid practice in Bartlesville, conveniently located in The Quarters. The mission of this practice is to provide Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas with the most elite level of hearing health care.

This mission was recognized in 2009 when Advanced Hearing Care was chosen as an AudigyCertified™ private audiology practice. AudigyCertification™ means that Advanced Hearing Care is in the top 5% of all private practices in the United States for patient care.

What is an audiologist?
An audiologist is a professional who diagnoses, treats and manages individual’s hearing and balance problems. They are the most qualified professionals to perform complete hearing evaluations, refer for medical treatment and provide hearing rehabilitation services.

About Dr. Moore
Stephanie has been practicing for over 18 years with 16 years here in Bartlesville. She completed her Master of Audiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 1993 and her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Florida in 2000. She is Board Certified in Audiology and a member of the American Academy of Audiology. She provides services for all ages from pediatric to geriatric. Dr. Moore specializes in digital hearing aids and other types of amplification including a wide variety of assistive listening devices that are also available to help people hear better in social, educational and occupational settings. She sells and services many sizes and styles of hearing aids from a variety of manufacturers. Every aid is specifically picked for the patient’s lifestyle and budget.

Meet Rachel Clapper, HIS
Rachel Clapper, Hearing Instrument Specialist, joined the team at Advanced Hearing Care in 2009. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Music in 2007 at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Ms. Clapper is a member of the International Hearing Society and currently holds Oklahoma licensure to practice the fitting and dispensing of hearing aids. She works hands-on with patients at Advanced Hearing Care to customize and adapt today’s most extraordinary technology to fit their needs.

Did you know that hearing loss is one of the world’s most common health problems?
Approximately one in ten people experience some degree of hearing loss in their lifetime. However, hearing loss continues to be one of the most ignored health problems, which is unfortunate, because its symptoms and its psychological side effects are highly treatable.

How do you know if you are suffering from a hearing loss?
If you have a hearing loss, you may notice that certain spoken sounds – like sh, th and f – are more difficult to hear than others. Sometimes it may seem like you can hear people talking but you cannot understand what is being said. These, as well as the following signs, can help you determine if you have a hearing loss.
• Do you often ask others to repeat themselves?
• Do you turn up the TV or radio louder than others prefer?
• Is it particularly difficult to understand conversation when there is background noise?
• Does it seem as though others are mumbling when they speak to you?
• Do you have difficulty following group conversations?
• Do you find it difficult to identify from which direction sounds are coming?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a hearing loss.
The good news is that digital technology is providing people with hearing loss far more hearing technology options, ones that offer better sound quality, reduced background noise and greater customization capabilities. The professionals at Advanced Hearing Care can help you determine the type and degree of your hearing loss as well as the best course of action you can take. If you think you have a hearing loss or you would like more information about the signs of hearing loss, call their office for an appointment.

Advanced Hearing care is also pleased to announce that they are hosting a Community Education Event and Luncheon on Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Jane Phillips Hospital. This is an excellent opportunity to meet Dr. Moore and Ms. Clapper, to learn more about hearing health care, and to ask questions of our experienced professionals.

To RSVP for the event, please call 918-333-9992. Space is limited.

Advanced Hearing Care is located in The Quarters, Suite C106. For an appointment please call 918-333-9992. Appointment times are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hearing Loss Myths: Communication Issues

SoundVoids™ can cause unnecessary frustration in visiting with your loved ones.

In the continuation of our Hearing Loss Myths series, we’re looking at some of the common misconceptions regarding communication with people who are hard of hearing.  The perception of SoundVoids™ can cause problems in conversations, some of which are not easily treated.  Many people may be surprised to find out that they’re overcompensating for those lingering problems that hearing technology does not easily address.

Myth: If my loved one wears hearing aids, they should be able to hear me when I’m speaking to them and understand everything that I say to them.
Fact: Please be aware that hearing technology is a supplement to poor hearing, not a substitution for good hearing. Nothing can restore the damage that causes a permanent sensorineural hearing loss. Today’s digital hearing technology can do wonderful things to help in compensating for hearing loss, but they do not restore a person’s ability to hear and understand speech. Hearing technology cannot compensate for nerve damage that involves a loss in speech discrimination ability. Technology can make improvements, but “cake” may still sometimes sound like “take,” or “tough” like “puff,” or “road” like “rose.”

Myth: You have to repeat yourself many times before someone with hearing loss can understand what you’ve said.
Fact: Actually, repeating the misunderstood words will cause more frustration rather than providing clarity, especially when trying to communicate with someone whose loss involves a compromised ability to understand speech.  You can tell them your “chicken was tough” until you’re blue in the face and they’ll most likely always hear that your “sicking was puff.”  It’s a much better idea to rephrase your words to communicate the same idea in a different manner, avoiding those words that are misunderstood.  Telling them that your “meat was not tender” might be much easier to understand.

Myth: People who are “hard of hearing” have selective hearing. They only hear what they want to hear, but they can hear perfectly well if they really want to.
Fact: This is partially true. However, people who have hearing difficulties cannot hear certain frequencies of sounds until they are at elevated levels of loudness. They have no control over which sounds they hear and which ones they don’t. The difficulty does not originate with a lack of attention but rather with an inability to discern that their attention is desired.  They may be able to hear in diverse listening environments, but it takes them a lot more energy and concentration to fill in the Sound Voids™ they’re experiencing using contextual or visual cues.

Myth: You have to shout or over-enunciate your words when speaking to people who have hearing loss.
Fact: Too often, the problem is not a simple matter of sound volume. A lot of hearing losses involve a distortion in sounds due to the degradation of the cilia in the cochlea. This degradation can cause problems regardless of how loud a person is speaking. Shouting or over-enunciating words makes the perception of this distortion worse because you’re distorting your speech, making your loved one’s perception of distortion even worse.

At Advanced Hearing Care, we recognize that hearing difficulties can make communicating with your loved ones difficult.  To make things a little easier, we have a page listing some wonderful tips for successful communication.  If you or your loved ones are struggling to hear clearly, please call us for an appointment.  There’s no reason to continue to be frustrated when trying to visit with your family and friends.   Don’t wait until it’s too late to hear what you’ve been missing!  Call today and reintroduce yourself to a world of sound.

Hearing Loss Increasing Among Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers sure are getting a lot of attention lately, and it’s not hard to understand why.  There are nearly 76 million people in the United States who were born between 1945 and 1964, a generation born during the post-WWII Baby Boom.  The younger generations are small by comparison.  As this population continues to age, they will have a profound impact on many things in the United States, particularly in the area of hearing health care.

Statistical data varies slightly, but most studies on hearing loss in the Baby Boomer population conclude that the number of Boomers with hearing loss is steadily growing.  One such study, conducted by The EAR Foundation and Clarity®, found that half of Baby Boomers are suffering with some degree of hearing loss.  That’s half of the nearly 76 million people born between 1945 and 1964.  By 2030, the number of Baby Boomers to experience hearing loss is expected to reach 50 million.

Some Boomers report that hearing loss interferes with conversations with loved ones.

A survey of 250 Baby Boomers and 250 children of Baby Boomers conducted by Siemens Hearing Instruments revealed a more telling conclusion.  Of the Baby Boomers surveyed, 72% believed that their hearing was average or better.  However, their children reported hearing difficulties in 70% of Baby Boomer fathers and 64% of Baby Boomer mothers.  This data shows a deep disconnect between Boomers and their families about the potential severity and consequences of hearing loss.

The study conducted by The EAR foundation and Clarity® made some startling discoveries on the impact of untreated hearing loss.  Twenty-three percent of individuals with hearing loss stated that their loss is affecting their performance at work.  Twenty-five percent believe that their hearing loss is detrimental to their earning potential.  The biggest impact of hearing loss is experienced while trying to hear and understand phone calls and communication with colleagues.  Of those polled, 57% have difficulty using a cellular phone because of their hearing loss.

Personal and family life is also affected for those Baby Boomers who have hearing loss.  The data showed that 40% of those polled have experienced negative consequences at home, such as not being able to effectively communicate with their loved ones.  Sixty-five percent reported having to turn the television up too loud for their friends and families.  These individuals report avoiding social situations and watching TV with friends and family.

With the development of the microchip and the advent of the digital revolution, most people may simply not realize that hearing technology has evolved right along with the personal computer, flat screen television, and digital music player.  Hearing technology is still stigmatized as being ugly, big, noisy, and inconvenient.  Hearing loss itself is associated with “old” age; therefore the treatment for hearing loss must also cause someone to look old.  The truth of the matter is that hearing aids have never been smaller and more discrete.  High frequency and mild losses are more easily treated than in previous years because of newer open-fit and receiver-in-the-canal models.  There are even solutions that are invisible when they are in the ear.  Sound quality has also improved due to advancements in speech enhancement and noise reduction features.  Today’s hearing technology is truly extraordinary in its sound clarity and ease of use.

Even with these breakthroughs in technology, very few Baby Boomers are pursuing treatment for their hearing loss. A survey conducted by the Better Hearing Institute recently revealed that only 20% of people who would benefit from hearing technology currently use amplification.  The Siemens Hearing Instrument study showed that only 25% of Baby Boomer who need hearing aids have even considered having a hearing test.  This data is particularly troubling in light of recent studies that have linked hearing loss to increased social isolation and the development of dementia among the elderly.

If you are a Baby Boomer who is experiencing the perception of Sound Voids™, don’t let that potential hearing loss hold you back and interfere with your lifestyle.  With the latest developments in hearing treatment solutions, there are options available for nearly every hearing loss.  Hearing testing can help you identify the nature and severity of any hearing loss you may be having, and a treatment evaluation can help you find a solution that is custom tailored to you and your lifestyle needs.  Hearing loss can affect both personal and professional life, so you can’t afford not to hear.  Don’t wait until old age, when it may be too late for amplification to help, to hear what you’ve been missing.  Call Advanced Hearing Care today and reintroduce yourself to a world of sound.

Hearing Loss Myths: Mild Losses

Here at Advanced Hearing Care, we often find that there is a lot of misinformation about hearing loss and hearing health care.  We’d like to take an opportunity to address some of these misconceptions over the course of a few blog posts in our Hearing Loss Myths series.  To start things off, we’re tackling the hard issue of mild hearing losses.  Here are a few of the most commonly believed myths about mild hearing loss.

Myth: A mild hearing loss is not bad enough for a hearing aid.

Fact: Actually, many people with mild losses are finding that their hearing loss is indeed “bad enough” to require amplification.  Mild hearing loss is an average of  25-40 decibels of loss. Patients who are experiencing this degree of loss often miss sounds like the tick of a watch, bird calls, water dripping in the kitchen sink, leaves rustling, and will usually have difficulty hearing the voices of some women and most small children.  Even a mild degree of loss can make it very difficult for these patients to understand speech in a noisy restaurant or in a conference room.  Everyone has a different perception of whether missing these sounds is “bad enough” for them to seek help.  By working with an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist, you can determine if you need amplification for your specific case and how much it will help you with your individual needs.

Myth: Living with a mild hearing loss is not a big deal.

Mild Hearing Loss Example
Even a mild hearing loss can create the perception of Sound Voids and can be damaging if left untreated.

Fact: Even a mild hearing loss will cause the perception of Sound Voids™ that can interfere in conversations with family and friends, decrease enjoyment of social situations, increase stress in the workplace, and cause frustration during important conversations.  The increased stress from straining to fill these Sound Voids™ without assistance can lead to the typical symptoms associated with high stress: fatigue, headache, tense muscles, sleeping difficulties, and even increased blood pressure.  Because our hearing is our most important social sense, even a mild loss can lead to detrimental consequences.  This can indeed be a “big deal,” especially for someone with a very active and vibrant lifestyle.

Myth: I’ve waited this long and still have a mild hearing loss.  I can wait a few years more before I need hearing aids.

Fact: Are you familiar with the saying “If you don’t use it, you lose it?” When hearing loss is left untreated, the perception of Sound Voids™ tends to progress.  The longer a person waits to treat their hearing loss, the more likely they are to experience phonemic regression, or a loss in the ability to understand speech.  This phenomenon occurs when the ability to understand speech is compromised to a greater  degree than the associated age-related pure tone hearing loss.  It’s not just that the sounds of words become more faint.  The damage to the nerve cells in the inner ear causes a permanent distortion to all sounds.  When there is a loss in speech discrimination, even amplification may not compensate for this distortion.  By delaying treatment for hearing loss, a person may find that the rate of phonemic regression has increased, making words seem more distorted and unclear.  For this kind of distortion, making speech louder with hearing aids does not make it more clear and understandable even when they are eventually purchased.

When it comes to mild hearing losses, the only way to truly know if hearing devices are needed is to have a comprehensive audiological evaluation. At Advanced Hearing Care, we employ a Four-Step Process with each patient in which we take the time to assess, diagnose, and counsel each patient according to his or her individual needs.  If you think you have any degree of hearing loss, it’s always a wise idea to see an audiologist to determine the nature and severity of the loss.

Don’t wait until old age to hear what you’re missing!  Don’t let phonemic regression ruin your chances for successful treatment of your hearing loss.  Don’t lose your most important social sense!  Call today and reintroduce yourself to a world of sound!

May is Better Hearing Month!

Hearing loss currently affects more than 36 million Americans. Although hearing problems are commonly associated with the normal aging process, more than half of all hearing-impaired persons are younger than 65. With the increased use of personal music players (MP3s) and earbuds, the number of Americans experiencing hearing loss at a younger age is growing.

On average, most Americans consider hearing loss a condition that is simply associated with aging, and don’t know how to recognize the condition or who is qualified to diagnose and treat the condition. In an effort to raise public awareness for the growing number of Americans suffering from hearing loss, the American Academy of Audiology in conjunction with Advanced Hearing Care is celebrating Better Hearing Month this May.

As part of Better Hearing Month, Advanced Hearing Care is encouraging consumers to be more aware of their hearing health.

“Hearing loss can be caused by exposure to loud noises; ear infections, trauma, or ear disease; harm to the inner ear and ear drum; illness or certain medications; and deterioration due to normal aging process,” explains Stephanie Moore, audiologist and owner of Advanced Hearing Care.

An audiologist is a highly educated and clinically experienced health-care professional who specializes in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating people with hearing loss and balance disorders. Hearing loss can affect patients of all ages—newborns, infants, babies, toddlers, children, teens, adults, and the elderly.

How does one know if they need to be seen by an audiologist for a hearing condition? Advanced Hearing Care offers a questionnaire that can help you determine whether or not you should have your hearing evaluated.  Please contact Advanced Hearing Care if you have any questions regarding the questionnaire or if you would like to make an appointment.

Advanced Hearing Care is also offering a battery sale for Better Hearing Month.  Come in any time during the month of May and, in addition to the regular buy 4 packs and get the 5th free offer, all hearing aid batteries are half price.  That’s right! Forty batteries for less than $20.

In the spirit of Better Hearing Month, Advanced Hearing care would like to encourage consumers to not wait until old age to hear what they might be missing.  Hearing is a precious and fragile gift.  If you feel you have a hearing loss, early treatment of the condition can have many benefits.  Call today and reintroduce yourself to a world of sound!