I have ringing in my ears, is there any technology that can help?

Ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus, can be helped in a variety of ways.  Technology wise, it’s a questions of what could work for you.  Tinnitus often accompanies hearing loss, but not all the time. The first thing we would want to do is test you to see if we can identify any hearing loss.  If hearing loss is identified, often times hearing aids can help.  Hearing aids alone can stimulate your brain enough that your tinnitus because less noticeable.  We can also add tinnitus options to hearing instruments and make them ear level tinnitus maskers.  We can add anything from white noise to chimes in the instruments to help alleviate the ringing.  If no hearing loss is identified, we can considered desktop making devices, pillow-top maskers or even suggest an app that may help.  If you’re experiencing tinnitus, it’s worth coming in for an evaluation.  We also offer a tinnitus management program to help patients experiencing tinnitus manage their reactions to the tinnitus.  If you’re experiencing tinnitus don’t wait!  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

I have a very active lifestyle. I remember reading about a hassle free hearing aid that could help me?

Hearing instruments do come in all different sizes and styles.  There are also different categories of hearing aids. There are 3 main categories of hearing aids: daily wear with disposable batteries, daily wear with rechargeable batteries and extended wear hearing devices.  Daily wear refers to a hearing aid that you insert every morning and remove ever evening before bed.  The daily wear instruments with disposable batteries also require that you change the zinc-air batteries about once a week.  Daily wear devices with a rechargeable devices simply require that you place them in the rechargeable case ever night after removing them.  An extended wear device, also known as Lyric, is the most hassle free device in terms of daily maintenance and care.  The Lyric device is place by an audiologist and can remain in the ear canal for 2 plus months.  Lyric can help with a very active lifestyle, because they are inserted deep into the ear canal and essentially help you live as you did without hearing instruments.  There is no need to worry about taking them in and out, or losing them. You can go about your normal daily routine and not have to think about your hearing at all.  Lyric is worn 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If you are interested in knowing more about Lyric, call us for an appointment at  440-205-8848. 

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

I heard that the ringing in my ear can be fixed with surgery. Is that true?

Excellent question.  Ringing in the ears, ear noise, head noise or tinnitus is not all that uncommon.  It is estimated that about 15% of the US population has tinnitus to some degree.  That translates to roughly 20 million Americans.  Tinnitus cannot be cured by surgery.  In some cases where tinnitus is a secondary effect to a conductive loss, such otosclerosis (fusion of middle ear bone) or fluid behind the eardrum, then yes, potentially surgery could help alleviate the tinnitus.  Only because it can fix components of the hearing loss.  In the case of otosclerosis, the surgeons replace pieces of bones in the middle ear.  In the case of fluid behind the eardrum, the surgeons will place a pressure equalizing tube through the eardrum to remove the fluid.  In both of these cases, the surgeon is “curing” the hearing loss and by extension then helping with the tinnitus likely caused by the hearing loss.  However, surgery for tinnitus does not exist.  There have been cases where surgeons have actually cut the auditory nerve rendering the patient completely deaf and still the patient could hear their tinnitus.  Although there is no cure for tinnitus at this time, there are treatment plans or management options available. At Advanced Audiology Concepts, we offer the Progressive Tinnitus Management approach to our patients.  If you experience bothersome tinnitus and you are curious about Progressive Tinnitus Management, call and make an appointment at 440-205-8848.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

The ringing in my ear stopped when the doctor removed earwax from my ear. What can I do to clean my ears?

The ear secretes oils from two different glands which mix together to produce earwax (or cerumen).  It is healthy and normal to have some earwax.  It cleans and protects your ears by collecting dirt, dust and other matter in the ear canal and moving them out of the ear.   Jaw movement whether from chewing or talking, helps to push earwax to the ear opening where it can be washed off with the wipe of a cloth. This is a normal process, but sometimes this self-cleaning process fails resulting in a buildup of earwax. When cerumen builds up it can block the ear canal and can cause a temporary decrease in hearing and when on the eardrum it can cause ringing in the ear.

Often, when someone attempts to “clean” the ear canals, earwax is pushed on the eardrum or deep into the ear canal. We DO NOT recommend using cotton swabs, paper clips, keys, ear candles, or other items which can push the wax deeper in the canal or harm the ear canal.  The American Academy of Otolaryngology recently published guidelines for cleaning your ear canals. Following these guidelines can help protect your ears:

·         Don't overdo it when cleaning your ears. Over cleaning can irritate the ear canal and possibly cause an infection.

·         Don't stick things in your ear. Cotton swabs, hair pins, toothpicks or other such objects can cause a cut in the ear canal, a hole in the eardrum, and/or dislocation of the hearing bones, causing problems including bleeding, hearing loss, dizziness and ringing.

·         Never use "ear candles." The guidelines say there is no evidence that this alternative medicine practice can remove impacted earwax. And so-called candling might cause serious damage to the ear canal and eardrum.

First and foremost, check with your audiologist or physician on whether or not you should clean your ears. Also, seek medical attention if you have ear drainage, bleeding or pain. Call 440-205-8848 to schedule an ear inspection and cerumen removal.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

You mentioned using Sound Therapy as a means of tinnitus management. What is Sound Therapy?

Tinnitus is the presence of sound in the ears or head.  Commonly, people report ringing, humming, buzzing even clicking sounds and at times, there may be multiple sounds.  Tinnitus can present in various degrees and can be constant or intermittent.  When severe, it can cause stress, anxiety and sleep deprivation.  Often there is no cure for it.  Sound Therapy is a means for you to change your perception of it and decrease its interference with your life.

Many times people are able to just ignore tinnitus.  While others’ can’t seem to take their focus off it.  We know that those who shift their attention to other things are much less bothered by it.  Progressive Tinnitus management including Sound Therapy, is a method for triaging, assessing and managing tinnitus on an individual basis.  It provides you with tools to aid you in changing your perceptions of your tinnitus and shift your attention away from your tinnitus.

Sound Therapy is a corner stone of tinnitus management.  It uses three types of sound, interesting sounds, soothing sound and background sound.  Soothing sound can reduce anxiety and stress.  Background sound reduces the contrast of tinnitus to the room noises, reducing perceived intensity of the tinnitus. Interesting sound shifts attention from the tinnitus to other sounds.

If your tinnitus interferes with your life, causing anxiety, stress and or sleep deprivation, call for an appointment.  It will start with an evaluation of your hearing and tinnitus.  From there we will assess your candidacy for sound therapy and work with you to design and implement a personal management plan including Sound Therapy.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

Is there anything you can do for ringing in the ears?

Ringing in the ears is called tinnitus.  Sometimes people hear more of a buzzing or humming sound. Regardless of the quality of the sound, it is all called tinnitus.  There are many causes, sometimes it’s as simple as ear wax on the eardrum.

Most often tinnitus is caused by decreased function in the hearing nerves called haircells.  When these haircells malfunction, they cause decreased hearing ability and at times, tell the brain there is sound when there is no sound.  When this happens, there is no medicine or surgical procedure that can cure it.  Treatment really becomes a matter of managing your reactions to it.

One of the newest approaches for managing tinnitus is Sound Therapy.  The goal with Sound Therapy is to shift your awareness and focus away from the tinnitus to other things.  Sound Therapy can provide relief from the tinnitus and reduce stress related to constant ringing or humming.

At Advanced Audiology Concepts we use a progressive tinnitus management strategy which begins with a hearing and tinnitus evaluation.  From there we assess the degree of the problem and work with you to design and implement a personal management plan including Sound Therapy.  Call today to schedule your appointment.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

I have a ringing sound in my ears, does this mean I have hearing loss?

There are several signs that indicate you may be experiencing decreased hearing ability including ringing in the ears.  While many things can cause ringing in the ears, hearing loss is one of the most common causes.

It is rare that someone goes from normal hearing all the way to no hearing.  For most people hearing decreases gradually over time.  In the beginning, the signs are subtle and often go unnoticed.  It’s not until the decrease impacts hearing conversations and/or interferes with hearing child’s voices that people become aware of the difficulty.

Some of the first noticeable signs are people sound like they mumble or that voices are muffled.  You may hear someone say it’s not me, it’s the way people talk today.  When left undiagnosed and untreated, people start to withdraw from social situations, and can become angry or frustrated.  These are indications that it’s time for an Audiologic assessment. 

Treating hearing loss has many benefits.  Those who use hearing instruments are more active socially and physically.  They have more rewarding relationships and are happier.  It’s easy to get started, schedule an appointment for the evaluation. Most insurance programs have a benefit for the assessment and some even help with the cost of hearing instruments.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

How long do hearing aid batteries last?

Today’s hearing technology is great and it needs power to run.  Most hearing aid batteries have a 5-10 day life.  The estimated battery life depends on your hearing aids, size of the battery and the length of time you wear them.  Further, using a hearing aid streamer or other accessory places an even bigger demand for power on the battery shortening the battery life.  Your hearing instruments require a certain size battery, but not all batteries will work the same.  Hearing aid manufacturers typically recommend a specific brand of battery to use with their devices.  Find out what brand battery works best with your hearing aids.  Using the recommended brand will give you the best possible battery life. 

One of the newest things in hearing aids is rechargeable hearing aids.  These have an encased battery that recharges in 3 hours giving you a 24 hour wear time with 4 hours of streaming.  You never have to change a battery.  But don’t confuse the new rechargeable hearing aids with hearing aids that use rechargeable batteries. There is a big difference.  Prior to the rechargeable hearing aids, some hearing instruments used rechargeable batteries.  These batteries needed to be replaced about every 6-9 months.  Plus there were some “bugs” in how the rechargeable batteries worked.  Often those who tried rechargeable batteries switched to disposable batteries. 

Either way, make sure you turn your hearing aids off when not using them.  This too will increase batter life.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org