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

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

Boost the Performance of your Hearing Aids! Offer Expires 2/1/2017

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

How can I optimize hearing over the holidays?

This is a great question.  The holidays are a great time to reconnect family members and friends we haven’t seen in a while.  It is usually a very exciting and busy time of year.  But for those who have hearing loss it can become a very stressful time. Some may even contemplate missing out on gatherings because they can’t hear. So how can you optimize your hearing for the holidays so that you don’t miss out on holiday gatherings? First and foremost, if you have not had an audiologic evaluation in over a year and feel like you are struggling with hearing more than before, you can start with making an appointment for a hearing evaluation.  If you wear hearing instruments, contact your audiologist to discuss situations in which you notice you are struggling more than others to see if anything can be done from a fine tuning aspect.  Lastly, talk to your audiologist about assistive listening technologies that can be added to your hearing aids to help you hear best in the most complex listening environments.  Roger, an assistive technology, that can be added to your hearing aids can help you hear in the most complex listening environments.  In some cases it can help you hear a single person up to 65 feet away as if they were sitting right next to you, even if you’re in a crowded environment.  Let us help you hear the best you can for the holidays, by calling 440-205-8848 to make an appointment today.  

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

Why do I hear some people better than others?

There are three main factors that impact your ability to hear and understand speech.  The first factor is the listener. How well do you hear?  If you have trouble hearing you need to maximize your ability to hear.  Wear hearing aids and use assistive devices when recommended.  Also, the amount of attention and focus you give the speaker will impact how well you hear.

The second factor is the speaker (the person talking).  Does he or she have a familiar voice?  Does the speaker project, and speak slowly and clearly.  Have you noticed it’s more difficult to hear someone with an accent?  The speaker’s expressions, body language, mannerisms and your interest in the subject all play a role in how well you hear.

The third factor is the room.  Does it have high ceilings and hardwood floors? If so, there is likely an echo which decreases your understanding of words.  Loud background noise also interferes with your ability to communicate. Plus, the further the person talking is from you, the less you will hear.

All of these and more, affect your ability to hear and understand. If you feel you are not hearing as well as you would like, make an appointment for an audiologic assessment and hearing aid check.  Ensure you hear the best you can for the holidays.  

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