We Are Deaf

10 Common Noises That Can Cause Permanent Hearing Loss

One in seven people between the ages of 45 and 64 have hearing loss — are you taking the proper precautions to protect yourself?

Confronting My Hearing Loss

"I first noticed my hearing loss in my late 50s. Like most people, I ignored it because I thought it didn’t interfere with my life. I also thought acknowledging it would make me old. Over the next 10 years, my hearing worsened and I realized how it was affecting relationships with my family. I thought my grandchildren were mumbling and whispering all the time because I could hardly understand them, especially over the phone.

It took an ear infection to learn how bad my hearing really was. My ENT doctor confirmed my hearing loss and referred me to an audiology practice to be fitted for hearing aids.

I regret waiting so long to do something about my hearing loss. I missed so many conversations and special moments with my husband, children and grandchildren. That’s why I tell people who haven’t addressed their hearing loss, 'What are you waiting for?'"
-- Patty Koele, 71, Ocala, FL

About 14 percent of people between the ages of 45–64 have some type of hearing loss, which you might notice as difficulty following conversations or trouble hearing children and women with high voices. (For a full list of the typical signs and symptoms of early hearing loss, visit Hearingaids.com.) Plus, one in three people over the age of 65 have hearing loss, but, like Patty, they tend to wait a long time before doing something about it—seven years on average.

The reasons for delaying treatment probably sound familiar:

Denial and the perception the problem isn’t that serious
Negative associations of hearing loss and being old or disabled
Due to gradual onset, those with hearing loss literally don’t know what they are missing
Not realizing that some hearing loss can be kept from worsening by early treatment

Why Hearing Loss Happens

There are three types of hearing loss: conductive (CHL), sensorineural (SNHL), and mixed which includes both types.

CHL hearing loss is a mechanical problem: for some reason, your outer or middle ear isn't able to vibrate properly in response to sound waves. Causes include too much ear wax, fluid due to infection, a hole in the eardrum, and otosclerosis, which is an overgrowth of the bone in your middle ear.

SNHL is the most common type of hearing loss and is caused by noise exposure, medications and age, to name a few. "Though hearing loss is often attributed to natural aging, in fact, hearing loss may be congenital (inherited) or exacerbated by excessive noise," says Leigh Ann Watts, Au.D., CCC-A, an audiologist at Beneficial Hearing Aid Center who treated Koele. "Noise is all around us, every day, from television to lawn mowers to household appliances. It's unavoidable, yet can be harmful in excess."

What Counts as Excessive Noise?

Frightening fact: Hearing loss can occur after a one-time noise exposure at 120 decibels, such as gunfire, or continuous noise exposure to dangerous levels of 85 decibels or above over a prolonged period of time. It's important to know what levels are safe in order to protect your hearing:

110-140 decibels:
Rock concert or jet engine
Firecracker
Nail gun
Ambulance siren
Chainsaw
Home stereo speakers at maximum volume

* Just 1 minute of exposure to noises at this level can result in permanent hearing loss, according to the National Institutes of Health.

85-100 decibels:
Garbage truck
Power mower
Motorcycle
Snowmobile
Jackhammer

* Continual exposure to noises in this range can cause permanent hearing loss.

"I recommend maintaining levels below 75 decibels and listening to your ears," says Dr. Watts. "If a sound is too loud, remove yourself from the situation or put on proper hearing protection." For reference, a normal conversation typically hits about 60 decibels.

What You Can Do If You Do Have Hearing Loss

Fortunately, 90 percent of SNHL hearing loss (caused by excessive noise or aging) can be improved by wearing a hearing aid, and CHL hearing loss (caused by a mechanical problem) can be reversed or significantly improved with medical or surgical treatment, says Dr. Watts.

No matter your specific needs or lifestyle, she recommends the following hearing aid features, if you and your doctor decide to go that route:

Directional microphones – this feature has been proven to improve hearing in places with heavy ambient noise.

Telecoils – this special circuitry within a hearing aid prevents feedback (or whistling) when you're on the phone.

Bluetooth technology – this allows for wireless connection from your hearing aid directly to cell phones and TVs.

Rechargeable hearing aid batteries – they're super convenience and a must for people with visual or dexterity issues.

If you're over 50, hearing aids may conjure visions of clunky, uncomfortable monstrosities—a cure worse than the condition. But today's hearing aids come in comfortable, discreet designs and provide natural-sounding hearing in a wide variety of environments. Another modern benefit: Hearing aids are also available with tinnitus therapy settings for those suffering from ringing in the ear.

Koele decided on the Pure® hearing aid from Siemens. "They're comfortable and don’t plug up my whole ear," she says. "And they do everything I want them to do and connect wirelessly to all my gadgets, so I can listen to music, take calls, and hear the TV right through my hearing aids."

About the author: Jennifer Gehlen received her undergraduate and graduate degrees including her Masters and Au.D. from the University of Florida. She previously worked for Siemens in the roles of staff audiologist providing manufacturing and customer support and as a training consultant. She has practiced audiology in a variety of clinic and hospital settings in northern California and in Florida in the Tampa Bay area over the past 18 years. As an Educational Specialist, she provides training to staff and customers on Siemens technology, services, and software.

FROM Grandparents.com

Hope for hearing: Cochlear implants

Six years ago Hope Koch’s life began to change dramatically. A pianist since the age of five, she knew something was wrong when listening to music became difficult. That's when the 70-year-old wife and mother of three clearly remembers her hearing loss began.

“That’s the first thing that got all jumbled. I couldn’t understand it anymore and then I couldn’t understand my children, my adult children and then the grandchildren came along and I missed out what they were saying.”

At first she didn’t tell anyone, not even her husband Frank. She pretended nothing was wrong. But soon she could no longer understand movies, and needed closed captioning. She lost her confidence and began to shy away from people because she couldn’t understand them. Eventually she stopped answering the phone.

“I felt like I was putting them to a lot of trouble to have to repeat and repeat,” Koch said. “All of the things that you enjoyed doing, you shied away from.”

Koch saw an audiologist and was fitted for hearing aids. They helped, for a while. But the hearing loss continued. At the end of last year, her audiologist presented her with one final option.

Since the hearing aids couldn't help her any more, he suggested she consider a cochlear implant.

Cochlear implants are electronic hearing devices for people with profound deafness or severe hearing loss who get no benefit from a hearing aid.

There is an external part that is worn behind the ear with a microphone that picks up sounds from the environment, a speech processor and a transmitter that gets signals from the processor and turns them into electric impulses.

It is attached to a receiver and electrode system which is surgically implanted into the inner ear. It’s typically done as an outpatient procedure.

An implant does not restore normal hearing and is very different from a hearing aid. Hearing aids amplify sound so that damaged ears can hear them. Implants bypass the damage and directly stimulate the auditory nerve which then sends the signals to the brain.

Koch had the surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore in September. “It was easy, comfortable, the recovery was good. I mean I'm very pleased with it. I had no negative effects from the surgery, no pain.”

CNN was there when her implant was activated for the very first time. A range of emotions crossed her face—then came tears.

“I thought maybe I’ll be disappointed today, maybe it won’t work for me,” Koch said. “I was straining to hear something, anything and when I could hear something in this ear that has been without any sound for years, it was overwhelming that way, and then to hear my voice, I’m listening to it talking and it’s just so, it’s just wonderful.”

Koch’s husband Frank has high expectations for this implant. “That we can go back to the normal way we use to be and spend the rest of our years that way. Our expectations, 12 weeks from now or 12 months from now is she’s going to be totally normal and that’s what we’re hoping and that’s where she’s going to go.”

Koch is sure of it. “The quality of life is gonna be so good now, it’ll be good again.”

Dr Ronna Hertzano, assistant professor at UMMC, did Koch’s surgery. She says over the last few years, more and more seniors are choosing cochlear implants to combat their hearing loss. In fact the oldest person she performed the surgery on was in his late 80s. She even knows of cases involving folks in their 90s.

It’s unknown how many elderly patients get a cochlear implant, but according to NIH, about 210,000 children and adults around the world have received these implants. According to the FDA, in the United States roughly 42,600 adults and 28,400 children have received them.

“It seems that more senior individuals are aware that there are alternatives to hearing aids, and once the hearing aids are not sufficient, they can improve their hearing and almost regain most of their hearing ability at least when it comes to speech, with a cochlear implant,” Hertzano told CNN. “We used to do older individuals just maybe once or twice a year, and now I would say that we do older individuals maybe every month.”

At UMCC, surgeons perform about 50 procedures a year. Hertzano, an expert on the devices, has done about 100 implant surgeries. She says anyone who has hearing aids, but cannot understand at least 50 per cent of sentences spoken in normal conversation is a good candidate. Once implanted, she says, many implantees can understand up to 90 per cent of sentences.

When Hertzano met Koch she could only understand 20 per cent of sentences in a conversation and was using visual cues.

Hertzano says age is not a factor in the surgery, but the candidate must be healthy enough to undergo surgery with general anesthesia. And they can’t have dementia, which could make it difficult to adapt to learning to understand speech with a cochlear implant.

According to The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, it's rare that a patient does not benefit from a cochlear implant.

But the procedure can be pricey. The total cost, they say, can be as much as US$100,000 for the evaluation, surgery, the device itself and the rehabilitation. However, most insurance companies and Medicare will cover that cost according to AAO-HNS.

For Koch, it was all worth it. She says she’s hearing much better again, but at the same time acknowledges she still has a way to go. “It’s been a learning experience.

This is going to take at least a year or longer. It gets down to your brain retraining itself.”

This year, the holiday season was extra special—she heard her family’s voices for the first time in years. “It’s wonderful to hear them speak. It was fantastic, the best Thanksgiving/Christmas that I’ve had in a number of years.

My sons, they have low voices, but I can hear them now. I’m understanding everything better. It’s just a world of difference.” (cnn.com)

Hidden Hearing Publishes Guide to Installing Hearing Aid

Hidden Hearing has responded to an increase in enquires about how to install hearing aid batteries by publishing a guide to the batteries it sells in its online hearing aid accessories shop.
Hidden Hearing explains:

Hands should be washed before and after installing a new battery as oil on the skin can hamper a battery achieving proper function. The positive side of the battery should match the positive side of the hearing aid.

Once the battery is installed, increase and decrease the volume control to listen to amplified sounds and see if the battery is working properly. You could also check a battery’s power by using a battery checker, also available in the hearing aid accessories shop and on a handy portable key ring.

Hearing aid batteries come in a range of sizes for different types of hearing aids. A blue #675 is for powerful behind-the-ear devices, orange #13 for smaller behind-the-ear devices, brown #312 for in the ear canal devices and yellow #10 for completely in the canal devices.

Hidden Hearing's own batteries are recommended by the leading manufacturers for use by all hearing aid users.
With more than 40 years’ experience in treating hearing loss, Hidden Hearing is entrusted with the care of more than 100,000 people each year. The firm has 84 hearing centres across the UK, all catering for a range of needs and budgets. Specialising in hearing tests and hearing aids, the company also offer a variety of hearing aid accessories and in 2005, became the first dedicated hearing retailer to be recognised as an Investor in People.

How to talk to loved ones about hearing loss

Full of festive gatherings, this time of year brings us close to friends and family. But if you know someone suffering from hearing loss, it may be hard for you both to fully enjoy time together. You can help improve your loved one’s quality of life by addressing the problem with understanding and care. With a few simple steps, you can start the conversation and help find a solution.
From not being able to hear during family dinners and having grandkids disinterested in conversations due to lack of understanding to requiring the TV or radio to be unreasonably loud, a number of different scenarios can be indications of just how much hearing loss affects normal activities and communication.
Rather than simply applying short-term solutions, such as speaking louder, leaving the room when the TV is on or repeating yourself constantly, help a loved one find a better solution. When approaching someone about hearing loss, remember he or she may be in denial or self-conscious about the problem. Here are a few steps to follow to help the process go smoothly:
Step 1: Conversation starters
Using the phrase “I’ve noticed recently…” is a great conversation starter. Give real examples that demonstrate the hearing problem: for example, explain how you’ve noticed the grandchildren don’t want to play games with Grandma or Grandpa any longer because they get frustrated they can’t be heard. Or, perhaps you’ve noticed the person isn’t talking on the phone much anymore; suggest that you’re worried about him or her becoming withdrawn or isolated from friends.
Step 2: Conduct a casual hearing test
After you’ve had the initial conversation, a person with hearing loss may still be hesitant to visit a hearing care professional, so an easy interim step is to go online and conduct a hearing test in the comfort of your own home. Visit www.Starkey.com and have your loved one answer five short questions and then listen to a series of tones. It only takes a few minutes and will give you both a basic understanding of any hearing loss issue that exists. It also provides an idea of what some parts of a professional hearing evaluation might be like to reduce fears. While online, you can browse through different types of hearing aids to see how advanced technology is creating virtually invisible, easy-to-use options for anyone.
Step 3: Make an appointment
Hearing loss can affect a person’s ability to learn, socialize and enjoy life. It also can affect personal safety, such as when important phone calls or alarms are not heard. Help your loved one make an appointment with a hearing care professional for an expert diagnosis so the hearing loss can be addressed. If your loved one has a trusted physician, see if there is a hearing care professional he or she recommends. Then offer to take your loved one to the appointment – this not only provides support during a difficult time, but also ensures that the appointment isn’t missed. At the appointment, feel free to ask questions about treatments and different hearing aid options.
Remember, hearing loss is cumulative. By allowing loved ones to ignore the issue and delay treatment, the problem and its impacts will continue to grow. By offering your support and helping a special loved one find a solution, you both benefit from better communication and hopefully a renewed connection.

http://eldoradospringsmo.com/pages/?p=12244

Treating different types of hearing loss

Question: Are there different types of hearing loss? What are the causes and what are the best methods of treatment?
Answer: There are two major types of hearing loss — sensorineural and conductive.
Sensorineural loss describes the gradual diminishing of hearing commonly associated with aging. This type is usually caused by damage to the microscopic hair cells in the ear. Patients may complain that people seem to mumble or that they hear but don’t understand.
Conductive loss is the result of structural damage to the ear, which may be caused by impacted wax, perforated eardrum, middle ear effusion, otosclerosis, cholesteatoma or congenital anomalies. Patients suffering from conductive loss commonly report that the overall intensity (loudness) of sound is diminished, but sound clarity is usually intact if sufficient volume is present.
Hearing loss can develop over time and is generally caused by exposure to loud noise, family history and the natural aging process. Ototoxic drugs, viral and toxic illnesses or disturbances of fluid in the inner ear may also contribute to hearing problems.
Only five percent of hearing loss in adults can be improved medically or surgically. The vast majority of Americans with hearing loss (95 percent) are treated with hearing aids. Modern technology offers a solution for nearly every patient with mild to severe hearing loss.
If you suspect you have a hearing loss, schedule an evaluation with a Hearing Aid Specialist. Following a diagnostic hearing test, he or she will be able to determine which treatment option is right for you.

David Love is an experienced hearing-aid specialist, skilled in detecting and correcting all types of hearing loss. He is an expert programmer with extensive knowledge of the latest hearing instrument technologies. David and the Audibel Hearing Care Center staff offer patients a full scope of hearing healthcare services and personalized care.
Audibel Hearing Care Center
1695 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 28,
Jupiter FL 33458
(561) 935-3259
www.AudibelHCC.com

Industrial Deafness – Are You Protected?

Industrial deafness covers a range of hearing difficulties caused by working in a loud workplace without adequate ear protection. In this article, InjuryLawyers4U, one of the UK’s leading specialist personal injury solicitors, give the lowdown on industrial deafness including what your employer should do to protect your hearing, and what you should do if you think you have a compensation claim for industrial deafness.
The different types of deafness
Being deaf or having hearing problems doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t hear at all. There are different types of deafness, of varying severity:

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and temporary deafness (sounds become dull and indistinct).

Permanent hearing loss. This is the gradual onset of deafness, which may be caused by ongoing exposure to loud noise or simply as a result of getting older. Mild to moderate hearing loss can be treated, so it’s important to seek medical help as soon as you notice your hearing is deteriorating.

Sudden hearing loss (acoustic trauma). This is caused by isolated incidents of very loud noise at close quarters, such an explosion or quarry blast. The effects aren’t normally permanent.

Protecting your hearing at work
Lots of people work in noisy environments, which can range from factories and warehouses to building sites, mines and quarries. Employers are legally obliged to take reasonable steps to protect the hearing of any employees who are frequently exposed to loud noise at work. This might be a simple case of providing earplugs or ear protectors, installing soundproofing or more sophisticated solutions like reduced-noise engineering.
The current regulations were introduced in April 2006, when the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 came into force. The Regulations lowered the decibel limits at which employers must take action to the following:

85 decibels or more (daily or weekly exposure) – employers must provide hearing protection.

80 decibels – employers must assess the risks to a worker’s health and provide information and training.

87 decibels – the maximum noise level to which a worker can exposed, taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection.

Why you should claim for industrial deafness
If your employer didn’t meet their obligations under the 2005 Regulations (or previous legislation) and you’ve suffered industrial deafness as a result, then your employer is legally responsible for this and you’re entitled to seek compensation. There are other reasons why you should claim, too.
Your hearing loss might be treatable with solutions and hearing aids that aren’t available on the NHS, so your compensation money could help pay for these. And if you’ve had to give up work because of your deafness, your compensation will help cover the loss of earnings, giving you peace of mind so you can focus on your recovery.

Doctor links hearing loss and dementia

Hearing loss is often gradual, and in many cases, family members and friends are aware of hearing problems before the hearing-impaired person notices a problem.

Many people in the early stages of hearing loss of this sort will find themselves asking "What?" more frequently.

Other signs include offering inappropriate answers because they have misheard a conversation or question, or socializing less with others.

While hearing loss can result from hereditary factors, illness or unprotected ear coverage in high-noise occupations, it is more commonly associated with the aging process.

Presbycusis is the gradual loss of hearing as people age. Typically the hearing sensitivity is the same in both ears.

"This begins in the late 50s and early 60s," said Dr. Dana Fiske of the Professional Audiology Center in Portsmouth and Stratham. Fiske has been practicing in the area since 1977. Two other audiologists practice at the center, and a fourth will be joining them in May 2013.

Many shy away from putting a hearing aid in their ear for vanity reasons. Others don't like the extraneous noise that was a problem with the older analog models. But technology has improved greatly over the last four years, Fiske said.

"We are able to offer digital open-ear hearing aids that are more comfortable and do not have the sound quality problems of the older models," Fiske said. "Right now, 95 percent of our new patients are able to be fitted with the open-ear technology."

Patients will undergo an initial evaluation to determine the degree of hearing loss, frequencies most impaired, speech discrimination ability and type of classification of hearing loss.

Hearing aids are then custom fitted and programmed to provide optimal results. A thorough counseling session is also provided and the patient's spouse and other interested relatives are encouraged to attend this session.

"The older molded aids would last about five to six years," Fiske said. "The newer ones can last six to seven years."

Batteries cost around $1 and need to be changed weekly. Professional Audiology does purchase batteries in bulk and can offer discounted savings.

The average cost of good quality hearing aids can run from $3,000 to $6,000 a pair.

While many patients who require hearing aids are on Medicare, the aids are not covered by the basic Medicare plan. Some supplemental plans have a partial reimbursement benefit. Audiological testing is covered by most health insurance plans including Medicare.

Other plans have a hearing aid allowance that can reimburse anywhere from $500 to $1,500 per aid.

It is an expensive investment. Fiske said his office offers financing for patients unable to pay the full amount up front.

While hearing loss is definitely troubling to both the patient and his or her family and friends if left untreated, there is another, more serious matter to take into consideration.

The risk of dementia appears to rise as hearing loss declines, Fiske said. Even those with a mild hearing impairment are nearly twice as likely than those with normal hearing to develop dementia.

"Delaying treatment can lead to auditory deprivation," Fiske said. "Auditory deprivation describes a significant decrease in an ear's ability to understand speech and a decrease in general hearing ability due to lack of auditory stimulation."

Earlier this year, Fiske did some research on the topic and found the ability of the auditory system to process speech declines due to lack of stimulation (hearing loss). With auditory deprivation, the brain gradually loses some of its auditory processing ability.

When the hearing nerves and areas within the brain are deprived of sound, they tend to atrophy or weaken over time.

"There is now new information that suggests a correlation between the degree of hearing loss and dementia," Fiske said.

"Because we listen with our ears but hear with our brains, it is not possible to separate audition and cognition," he said.

"Whether hearing aids or other medical treatments can stave off dementia needs further investigation."

Researchers are currently investigating the effects of hearing aids on the risk of dementia and whether or not it can delay the onset or the severity of the dementia, he said. To read Fiske's entire report, visit http://www.professionalaudiology.com/february-2012/.