Life Sounds Great: October 2015

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Why can I hear the prayers at church but not the sermon?

This a great question! You hear the prayers because they are familiar to you. Your brain takes in everything it hears, sees, and knows, putting it all together to make sense out of what you hear. When listening to something familiar such as the regular prayers at the Sunday service, your brain knows what is said allowing you to “hear it clearly”. The problem arises with the sermon. Since you don’t know what is about to be said, the brain cannot anticipate it. One solution would be to ask your minister to provide copies of the sermon before the service starts. Then you can read along, you’ll be surprised by how well you “hear”. Even something as simple as an outline of the sermon will be helpful.

Further, it can be particularly challenging to hear in a church due to the echo. High ceilings and hard surfaces such as bare walls or walls with little on them, windows without drapes, hard wood floors etc. create an echo. You can reduce the echo by using drapes, carpeting and fabric wall hangings but this isn’t always practical for churches. That is why some churches use a special amplifying system with headphones for people with hearing loss. If your church has this type of system, give it a try. It will also reduce the echo making it easier for you to hear.

Have regular check-ups with an audiologist. Periodic hearing checks and routine hearing aid care will ensure your hearing aids are programmed to maximize your hearing and keep then running well.

Life sounds great! Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, Au.D. and Paula Webster, M.A.

Advanced Audiology Concepts

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

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

Image obtained 9-15-15 at: https://www.google.com/search?q=images+church&biw=1022&bih=907&tbm=isch&imgil=NYRxIaKZ2ro9hM%253A%253BRVhJhF0ZoNXwEM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Ffbcocoee.com%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=NYRxIaKZ2ro9hM%253A%252CRVhJhF0ZoNXwEM%252C_&usg=__gL8IQFKfJSZuT7966ObP2aPoMDA%3D&ved=0CCsQyjdqFQoTCM7ctMWa-ccCFYM6Pgod5PsP8A&ei=ZiX4Vc6RFoP1-AHk97-ADw#imgrc=3MujLA-6YP4RoM%3A&usg=__gL8IQFKfJSZuT7966ObP2aPoMDA%3D

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Can falling be related to hearing loss?

Yes, it can be related if your father has difficulty hearing. New research shows a link between hearing and falling. A study at Johns Hopkins hospital looked at over 2,000 people between ages of 40-69. They were assessed based on hearing ability and the number of falls over a period of one year. Their findings showed that people with a mild loss of hearing were nearly 3 times more likely to fall. They also found that for every 10 dB (a measure of sound intensity) increase in hearing loss, the chances of falling increased by 1.4. They discovered on the average those

With 25 dB loss were 3 times more likely to fall

With 35 dB loss were 4.4 times more likely to fall

With 45 dB loss were 5.8 times more likely to fall

With 55 dB loss were 7.2 times more likely to fall

With 65 dB loss were 8.6 times more likely to fall

This was true even when age, cardiovascular and vestibular health were taken into account. One reason for is people with difficulty hearing are less aware of their environment, making tripping and falling more likely. Another cause was the brain becomes be overwhelmed by the work load needed for hearing when hearing loss is untreated.

This is startling information and another great reason to seek hearing help. If you, or another loved one is experiencing changes in hearing or experiencing falls, call to schedule a hearing evaluation.