Thursday, February 26, 2015

Listen


Take a few minutes to really stop, quiet your mind and “perk up” your ears.  What do you hear?

The “hum” of the furnace, song of the birds, melting of the snow, drip of the coffee maker, rattle of the newspaper, sound of your grandson’s voice as he talks on the phone, tumbling of the clothes in the dryer….  These are just a few of the sounds that contribute to our everyday lives.

Now think about those sounds that make you smile.  Laughter, music, conversation with family and friends, sharing a story, enjoying TV and movies may all bring a smile to your face.  Difficulty with hearing has a negative impact on all of these and more.

What situations do you find the most challenging?  Having a conversation in a noisy restaurant, hearing the minister at church, understanding your children, talking on the telephone, collaborating with colleagues, attending a large meeting or convention can all be quite frustrating with hearing difficulties.  When hearing is compromised, often we “hear” but are not able to “understand”.  This may result in a great deal of anxiety, misunderstanding, anger, hurt feelings, aggravation and even self-ridicule. 

Following a course toward positive solutions can be life changing.  A comprehensive hearing evaluation is the first step.  Together with your audiologist, appropriate choices will be made to obtain the proper solution for you.  Today’s technology provides excellent options for addressing these issues.  The goal is to gain an increase in speech understanding, while perceiving a more natural sound quality, in a variety of situations.
Listening and Hearing, with the assistance of this incredible instrumentation, will help you to understand and experience all of what life has to offer. 






Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!





8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848440-205-8848
Fax: 440-205-9818




Image obtained 3-1-15 at: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=images+of+listening&id=8C2BB44635EE66F39380784FA5FC64CB64A72CAF&FORM=IQFRBA#view=
detail&id=8C2BB44635EE66F39380784FA5FC64CB64A72CAF&selectedIndex=0





Thursday, February 19, 2015

How do I choose the right hearing aids?


You play the most significant role in assuring satisfaction with hearing aids.  In order to be happy with your hearing aids, your needs, desires and expectations must be met.  You and your audiologist can address your communication issues and develop strategies for improving them.  Here are some suggestions for improving your chances of being fit with the right hearing aids.

  • Identify your own personal needs
  • Make a list of situations where your hearing loss has been a problem, i.e., restaurants, church, at work etc.
  • Describe difficult situations:  i.e., the telephone, TV, communicating with family, movies, meetings, church, small groups, listening to young children, large conferences

Other factors to consider include:

  • The degree of your hearing loss
  • Size and condition of your ears
  • Your ability to manipulate the instruments and batteries
  • Your individual lifestyle

A positive attitude with realistic expectations about your hearing aids will improve your chances for a successful hearing aid fitting! Today’s digital technology allows for smaller instruments, improved noise and feedback management and automatic features. Extended wear instruments are also now available.  All instruments are programmed and fine tuned to meet your individual needs by the audiologist.
Be patient, ask questions and work closely with the audiologist who is fitting your hearing aids. Discover a whole new world of wonderful sounds.  Are you interested in learning about the latest technological advances in hearing instruments?  Schedule an appointment for a complete Audiological Evaluation with an Audiologist





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  Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!



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

Image obtained on 2-23-15 at: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=images+of+dining&col=ab1c67a10d5f4c65c07d&=0&=1

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Is there a connection between hearing loss and heart disease?


Yes, the Better Hearing Institute reported that recent research confirms, there is a link between hearing and cardiovascular health.  There is connection between sensory hearing loss and heart disease.  Dr. Friedland of the Medical College of Wisconsin is one of the researchers whose findings most recently support this connection.  His studies suggest hearing loss may be an early indicator of heart disease.

 

Dr. Friedland also suggests tracking hearing ability over time could potentially be a screening measure for cardiovascular disease.  He stated, The inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow and it is possible that abnormalities in the cardiovascular system could be noted here (in the ear) earlier than in other less sensitive parts of the body.” 

 

The Better Hearing Institute also reports that tracking hearing over time may help monitor heart health.  Studies suggest that decreased low-frequency hearing, may be a particularly sensitive indicator of heart disease.

 

Here are four heart-healthy reason to have a hearing evaluation:
 

  1. Six decades of research points to the heart/hearing health link
  2. The ear may be a window to the heart
  3. The same lifestyle behaviors that affect the heart impact hearing
  4. Addressing decreased hearing ability improves quality of life and helps reduce stress
     
If you have heart disease or if it runs in your family, you may want to have regular hearing checks. Call to schedule an audiologic assessment to establish a baseline for your hearing.



Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!


8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848440-205-8848
Fax: 440-205-9818


Image obtained 2-6-14 at: http://hartyboys.blogspot.com/2012/02/beautiful-heart.html

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Why do people resist having a hearing check?





We are often asked this question. The answer is complex.  People resist seeking help for different reasons.  Hearing difficulties are much more then not hearing or mishearing.  It affects one’s inner being, impacting self esteem, self worth and how one perceives oneself.  Admitting to hearing loss is admitting that there is something wrong or imperfect about oneself.

Hearing loss is typically gradual, sneaking up on people.  People rarely have total deafness.  With partial hearing loss people hear some things well, mishear others and completely not hear something else.  This makes it hard to for one to realize they have a problem. 

It’s more than just a hearing issue.  Taking responsibility for one’s hearing and communication involves a willingness to admit to having trouble.  Men tend to see decreased hearing ability as weakness.  Women see it as a cosmetic issue.

Seeking help means your dad will have to change his behavior.  Change is hard; it’s has been safe relying on those who love and care for him to repeat, interpret, take responsibility for phone calls and provide him needed information.
Talk with your dad about what he stands to gain.  Communication is also important to relationships.  Lack of good communication causes relationships to deteriorate, negatively impacting the ones we love, family, friends, even coworkers. These relationships are good reasons to seek help.  With hearing technology, your dad can find more enjoyment in family, connect with co-workers, engage in social situations, and find pleasure in music and the outdoors again.







Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!


8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848440-205-8848
Fax: 440-205-9818


Image obtained on 1-20-15 at: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=photos%20of%20hear&qs=n&form=QBIRMH&pq=photos%20of%20hear&sc=8-14&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=1AB9D1B949605AD2A1471E1386DB28C3
EC664DD1&selectedIndex=13