Thursday, March 28, 2013

Hearing Aids and Quality of Life


Hearing aids improve quality of life in many ways, the most obvious is improved communication.  Improved communication positively affects many daily life activities, work, shopping, social situations and family life, just to name a few.  Good communication is a key to good relationships, and impacts intimacy and warmth in relationships.  It increases confidence in social situations. 

Hearing aids also return a sense of control over life events.  Emotional stability is improved and people report an improved perception of mental function.  Studies also demonstrate those who use hearing aids have greater physical health and higher self-esteem.

Those who use hearing aids also experience a decrease in feelings of anger, frustration, depression, paranoia and anxiety, and of social phobias.

Another plus to using hearing aids is increased earning power.  Some studies show an increase in income of up to $24,000 a year for those who use hearing aids vs those with hearing loss who do not.

If you have a mild, moderate or severe hearing loss and are resisting hearing aids, think about these benefits. Hearing aids hold great potential to positively impact your life.  Schedule a hearing evaluation with an audiologist and discuss the benefits you stand to gain.  Why wait? 


Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!



8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848
Fax: 440-205-9818




Thursday, March 21, 2013

How loud is too loud?

Noise Induced hearing loss is on the rise, especially in teenagers!   Yes, teenagers are exposed to more loud sounds than ever before.  Some sources of loud sound include; music players, car races, even toys such as a fire truck with a siren are loud enough to harm hearing.

It’s not easy to know when sound is too loud.  That is because it’s not just about how loud a sound is.  “Too loud” is a combination of the volume of the sound and how long one is exposed to it.  The louder a sound is, the shorter the permissible length of exposure. 

Sound is measured in decibels (dB). Generally, exposure to a sound at 85 dB over 8 hours is acceptable.  For every three dB increase in the sound, the acceptable time is cut in half.  For example if the volume is 88 dB, it is safe for 4 hours, 91 dB is safe for 2 hours, 94 dB for 1 hour, etc.

Here is a guide to help you determine the volume of some common sounds. 

60 dB—Normal conversations or dishwashers
80 dB—Alarm clocks
90 dB—Hair dryers, blenders, and lawnmowers
100 dB—MP3 players at full volume
110 dB—Concerts, car racing, and sporting events
120 dB—Jet planes at take off
130 dB—Ambulances and fire engine sirens
140 dB—Gun shots, fireworks, and custom car stereos at full volume

Here are few rules to go by.  You know a the sound is too loud if; you have to shout over the background noise to be heard, if the volume actually causes pain, if the noise makes your ears ring or if you have decreased or muffled hearing after being exposed to the sound. 

There are three ways to protect your hearing; use earplugs or muffs, move away from the source of the sound or turn the volume down when using a music player. Never use a music player to cover up the sound of another unwanted sound such as the lawn mower.  Use ear plugs or noise canceling plugs to decrease the volume of the unwanted noise.

When someone is exposed to loud sounds it is important to have regular hearing evaluations by an audiologist.  If you or a loved one is exposed to loud sound, have a baseline hearing evaluation.  Why wait?  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!




8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848




Thursday, March 14, 2013

How the ear works


Understanding how we hear starts with understanding how the ear works.  There are three parts to the ear, outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. 

The outer ear consists of the pinna (the part of the ear we can see on the side of the head) and the ear canal.  The eardrum is located at the end of the ear canal.  The main job of the outer ear is to collect sound waves and send them down the ear canal to the eardrum. 

The middle ear includes the eardrum and three small bones.  They are located in an air filled space surrounded by the bones of the skull.  Their job is to amplify the sound waves and send them to the inner ear. 

The inner ear is located in a snail shaped bone deep inside the head.  This boney section is filled with a fluid. The hearing nerves called haircells are in this part of the ear.  Sound travels through the inner ear by setting up waves in the fluid.  These waves “wash” over the haircells, stimulating them.  The stimulated nerve fibers change sound into electrical impulses that travel to the brain.  It is the brain that assigns meaning to the sounds and words.  We hear in the brain.  It recognizes familiar voices and birds, understands words and enjoys music.

If you are a loved one are noticing changes in hearing or muffling of voices call to schedule and hearing evaluation.  The hearing evaluation checks the entire system of the ear including: a look in the ear canals for ear wax, assessing the flexibility of the eardrums and checking your hearing.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!




8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848




Friday, March 8, 2013

Untreated hearing loss


Sadly, only 20 percent of people who have hearing loss seek treatment through the use of hearing aids.  This statistic alone, speaks volumes about what a spouse and families endure.  It not only means louder TV, repeating throughout the day, filling in important parts of conversations, it raises the anxiety levels of everyone in the family.  Struggling to communicate under these circumstances is frustrating and exhausting. 

There are many reasons why people resist seeking help for their hearing difficulties.  Often, hearing loss is perceived as a sign of aging or weakness.  Often people feel  hearing aids will be viewed as less attractive or less competent.  Putting off using hearing aids may be based on what appears to be valid logic, i.e., “I’m too young!”, It’s not bad enough yet!”,” No one I know likes their hearing aids.”, “We just can’t afford it now!”, or “My brother has a hearing loss and won’t wear hearing aids and he gets along just fine!”.  In reality, none of these excuses amount to anything but procrastination, minimizing the problem in order to justify not pursuing treatment. 

The real tragedy of untreated hearing loss is the isolation that results from avoiding all the situations that make hearing a challenge.   The natural progression of this is giving up more and more activities in order to operate within a “comfort zone”.   Coming to terms with hearing loss is not an easy task.  Encourage loved ones to seek help.  A complete Hearing Evaluation is the first step. 

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!




8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848