Tag Archives: hearing loss

Again joining the conversation is my friend and colleague Greg Keeney, audiologist and owner of Affordable Hearing Aids in Texas.

Addressing hearing loss is a humbling experience in that it forces you to face your mortality. The irony is that your feeling immortal is what leads to hearing loss in many instances (e.g., gunshots, explosions, scuba diving, noise exposures at concerts and sporting events, etc.).

Prevention and protecting your hearing is easy; the decision to do so seems not to be so easy. Remembering this hearing thermometer is a good way to know what activities hurt your hearing.
When it gets to the point that you’re having acute difficulty hearing, assuming you’re a victim of trauma, you may be inclined to flush wax out of your ear or use wax softeners. If you go this route, be careful. Remember that old Q-Tip commercial with the tag line, “You should never place anything in your ear smaller than your elbow.” Unless it’s ridiculous easy, you should have a health provider remove anything from your ear. Importantly, you should never place anything sharp in your ear (e.g., bobby pins, tweezers, etc.).
There are many procedures and surgeries that can help with hearing loss, including the following:

• Placing tubes in the eardrum (aka T-tubes, tympanostomy tubes) to remove fluid
• Repairing the eardrum or the bones in the middle ear that assist in sound transmission
• Wearing heading aids, though only one of five individuals who could benefit from a hearing aid uses one
• Using cochlear implants, a final option for those whose hearing impairment is so severe that various types of hearing aids aren’t effective or a viable option (Learn about cochlear implants at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com.)

Sign language can complement these other methods or aural based communication when other methods don’t work.
Let’s focus on some frequently asked questions about hearing aids.

How do hearing aids work?
Hearing aids consist of a microphone, an amplifier and a speaker. These components convert sound waves to signals you can hear through the speaker. It’s really that simple.
How do experts determine that I need a hearing aid?
When the time comes, a physician who specializes in ear, nose and throat disorders (otolaryngologist) will evaluate possible causes of hearing impairment. An audiologist, a hearing health professional, may also identify and quantify the degree of loss. The results of these evaluations will determine your needs.
What are the different types of hearing aids?
Hearing aids differ in style, placement and means of amplifying sound. You can place them behind the ear, in the ear canal or within the middle ear for this effect. Analog hearing aids convert sound waves into electrical signals, which are amplified. Digital hearing aids convert sound waves into numerical codes, similar to the binary code of a computer, before amplifying them. The digital method allows more customization of various frequencies. These simple but important distinctions comprise how hearing aids are individualized.
What questions should I ask when getting a hearing aid?
The most important consideration is your mastery of the device you’ll be taking home with you. You shouldn’t be satisfied with a “plug and play” device. You should be prepared to know how to respond if your voice seems too loud or if you’re getting feedback, buzzing or background noise. You should be aware of cleaning and maintenance needs, as well as repair and service benefits that come with your device.

Information and innovation are available for you. Don’t put it off.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

As I muse, I wonder why we don’t take better care of our eyes and ears. Those cotton swabs and other things we place in our ears really are reckless acts. Then there’s the noise. If you think about it, it shouldn’t surprise you to hear that hearing loss is the third most common ailment. In fact, “pump up the volume” could be the motto for a period of our lives lasting about 20 years. Let’s review causes, how you might know you’re suffering from hearing loss and what you can do about it. Joining the conversation is my friend and colleague Greg Keeney, audiologist and owner of Affordable Hearing Aids in Texas.

There are two main types of hearing loss. The first is called conductive hearing loss. There’s a problem transmitting sound because something is preventing the ear bones from relaying sound or the eardrum from vibrating in response. This can be due to several considerations.

• An ear infection can produce fluid in the ear, interfering with the process.
• An ear infections can scar the eardrum.
• Wax buildup or a foreign body in the ear can block sound transmission.
• Infections, cotton swabs, increased pressure from scuba diving or other items can rupture the eardrum.

Another type of hearing loss (and by far the most common type) is called sensorineural hearing loss. It is due to damage to the nerves that detect sound, and it is more likely to be irreversible. There are multiple causes of this condition as well.

• Age
• The loud noise we are exposed to at work and play (concerts, sporting events, fireworks, gun shots, etc.)
• Medications (certain diuretics, chemotherapy regimens, antibiotic classes known as aminoglycosides and large doses of aspirin)
• Infections (measles, meningitis, mumps, scarlet fever)
• Medical conditions (e.g., acoustic neuroma, Meniere’s disease)

Unfortunately, hearing deficits can also be present at birth due to genetic conditions, birth defects, and infections transmitted from mother to baby (such as herpes, rubella and toxoplasmosis).
Symptoms are pretty straightforward. You’ll know it when you don’t hear it. There are some additional considerations that suggest may be developing hearing loss.

• In those instances when your nerves are damaged and conducting sound erratically, certain sounds may seem excessively loud.
• Your relative inability to hear will result in difficulty following conversations or distinguishing sounds when in noisy areas or if background noise is present.
• Voices may sounds slurred, muffled or mumbled, and women’s voices will be harder to understand than men’s.
• An interesting thing about your ears is that they aren’t just for hearing; they’re also your balance centers. It is common to see those suffering from ear damage also suffering from disturbances in balance.

Check tomorrow’s post for tips on how to prevent and treat hearing loss as well as a discussion of hearing aid options.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Again joining the conversation is my friend and colleague Greg Keeney, audiologist and owner of Affordable Hearing Aids in Texas.

Addressing hearing loss is a humbling experience in that it forces you to face your mortality. The irony is that your feeling immortal is what leads to hearing loss in many instances (e.g., gunshots, explosions, scuba diving, noise exposures at concerts and sporting events, etc.).

Prevention and protecting your hearing is easy; the decision to do so seems not to be so easy. Remembering this hearing thermometer is a good way to know what activities hurt your hearing.
When it gets to the point that you’re having acute difficulty hearing, assuming you’re a victim of trauma, you may be inclined to flush wax out of your ear or use wax softeners. If you go this route, be careful. Remember that old Q-Tip commercial with the tag line, “You should never place anything in your ear smaller than your elbow.” Unless it’s ridiculous easy, you should have a health provider remove anything from your ear. Importantly, you should never place anything sharp in your ear (e.g., bobby pins, tweezers, etc.).
There are many procedures and surgeries that can help with hearing loss, including the following:

• Placing tubes in the eardrum (aka T-tubes, tympanostomy tubes) to remove fluid
• Repairing the eardrum or the bones in the middle ear that assist in sound transmission
• Wearing heading aids, though only one of five individuals who could benefit from a hearing aid uses one
• Using cochlear implants, a final option for those whose hearing impairment is so severe that various types of hearing aids aren’t effective or a viable option (Learn about cochlear implants at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com.)

Sign language can complement these other methods or aural based communication when other methods don’t work.
Let’s focus on some frequently asked questions about hearing aids.

How do hearing aids work?
Hearing aids consist of a microphone, an amplifier and a speaker. These components convert sound waves to signals you can hear through the speaker. It’s really that simple.
How do experts determine that I need a hearing aid?
When the time comes, a physician who specializes in ear, nose and throat disorders (otolaryngologist) will evaluate possible causes of hearing impairment. An audiologist, a hearing health professional, may also identify and quantify the degree of loss. The results of these evaluations will determine your needs.
What are the different types of hearing aids?
Hearing aids differ in style, placement and means of amplifying sound. You can place them behind the ear, in the ear canal or within the middle ear for this effect. Analog hearing aids convert sound waves into electrical signals, which are amplified. Digital hearing aids convert sound waves into numerical codes, similar to the binary code of a computer, before amplifying them. The digital method allows more customization of various frequencies. These simple but important distinctions comprise how hearing aids are individualized.
What questions should I ask when getting a hearing aid?
The most important consideration is your mastery of the device you’ll be taking home with you. You shouldn’t be satisfied with a “plug and play” device. You should be prepared to know how to respond if your voice seems too loud or if you’re getting feedback, buzzing or background noise. You should be aware of cleaning and maintenance needs, as well as repair and service benefits that come with your device.

Information and innovation are available for you. Don’t put it off.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd. Preorder your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com.