If I wear hearing aids, will they make my hearing worse in the long run?

This is an excellent question.  We actually hear with our brains, not with our ears.  Our ears are just the pathway to the brain.  Stimulating the brain is important.  Keeping the nerves to the brain and the brain stimulated appropriately is actually the best way to make sure that your brain can continue to accurately interpret the signal provided.  When the brain is under stimulated, research actually shows that word recognition skills can decrease more rapidly.  Word recognition is your ability to decipher what word is being said over another word without visual cues.  For example, being able to interpret the difference between use or youth, fat or sat, meat or neat.  Therefore whenever your audiologist diagnoses hearing loss through an audiologic assessment, they will most likely recommend the use of hearing instruments. Our goal is to help keep our patients youthful and active.  If you feel like you are having people repeat more often than you did before or you feel like people mumble more or talk more softly, it may be time for an audiologic evaluation.  

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 are heart disease and hearing loss related?

This is a great question and with Valentine’s Day coming, a great time to talk about matters of the heart.  It was a group of Harvard University researchers who discovered a relation between heart disease and hearing loss.  They found that hearing loss occurred 54% more often in people with heart disease then in the general population.  At this time we are not sure what causes this link, but they have a theory.

Cardiovascular disease reduces blood flow through veins and arteries, and it is the blood that brings oxygen to the body’s organs. This lack of oxygen can damage the heart and other organs including the hearing nerves (hair cells) deep in the inner ear.  Hair cell damage is the most common cause of permanent hearing loss.

The researchers also believe the hearing nerves are so fragile that the ear is likely the first organ to be damaged by cardiovascular disease.  There are those who feel that one day hearing loss may be used to predict heart disease.

The good news is, a healthy cardiovascular system has a positive effect on hearing.  Eating right and exercising helps your hearing too!  Exercising once a week reduces the risk of heart disease by 32%. 

Have regular hearing checks and use hearing aids when recommended. Taking care of your hearing is part of taking care of your health.  Those who use hearing aids report greater overall health, a physically more active lifestyle and a more active social life.  And it’s a physically active life that can help reduce heart disease.  

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

What does “looped” mean?

This is a great question.  Some public establishments such as theaters, movie theaters, concert halls, museums etc. will advertise a looped system as an assistive listening technology to their patrons.  This is often particularly helpful to those patrons that wear hearing instruments.  The goal of a looped system is to bring the sound source directly to your ears either via headphone or directly to your hearing device/hearing instruments.  This helps facilitate the listening experience so that patrons can focus on the actual event/performance rather than trying to understand and listen.  How does a loop system work?  The name itself has meaning, a looped system is just that, it means that there is an induction cable that surrounds the area of interest, room, building, hall, etc.  This induction loop generates a magnetic field that can be picked up a hearing instrument with a telecoil or a special handheld loop receiver within that looped area.  The patron, simply switches their hearing instrument into the telecoil program and the induction loop and magnetic field connects and transmits directly to the hearing instrument.  In order to utilize a looped system with your hearing instrument it must have a telecoil or T-coil.  If you are interested in utilizing a public looped system, contact your audiologist, so that they can walk you through the steps using your hearing instruments and program your hearing instruments accordingly. To make an appointment, contact us 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 have a severe loss of hearing. Is there anything new in power hearing aids?

It is not often that a new power aid comes to the market.  It is the most difficult device to design due to power drain, miniaturization and need to minimize feedback among other things.  So it may well have been a while since you’ve been offered new technology. 

A few months ago a new power aid came to the market.  We’ve already had a great deal of success with it.  The Naida V was designed specifically for listeners with severe to profound hearing loss giving more audibility for high frequency sounds than in the past.  It is the high frequency sounds that provide clarity to words. It also has a broad band booster that allows u to 5 dB increase in gain for the mid frequencies.  This helps with a natural sound quality without increased battery consumption.

The device comes in several different versions, even a smaller receiver in the ear canal option is available.  There are several color choices for matching hair, eye glass stems or skin tones.  All of the versions have a glass fiber reinforced material and 60% more robust than its predecessor.  It has an ip68 rating giving some the best protection against moisture and dust. 

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

An audiologist

I recommend you see an audiologist.  Audiologists are the most trained in hearing and hearing loss.  An audiologist will perform an audiologic evaluation including measures of hearing and assess the function the eardrums, ear muscle reflexes and hearing nerve (haircell) health. The audiologic assessment is a thorough evaluation of the function of the ear going well beyond simple hearing measures. As a result an audiologist will know whether to refer you to a physician, or recommend listening training or hearing aids.

If hearing aids are indicated, I again, recommend you work with an audiologist. A hearing aid dealer can also fit and dispense hearing aids but their education and training is different.  Audiologists have either a Master’s Degree or Doctoral Degree which includes college course work on the development of the ear, how it works, the anatomy and physiology of the ear, causes of hearing loss, ear diseases and fitting hearing aids. Hearing aid dealers are licensed in most states. The requirements may vary slightly state by state.  In Ohio they need a high school education or equivalent, and must pass a state examination.  Typically they are trained by other licensed hearing aid dealers.

Get started by scheduling an appointment with an audiologist.  Call one now.

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848
http://www.aacHEAR.org/

Hearing Loss and Diabetes

Recent studies show there is higher incidence of hearing loss among people with diabetes then in the general population.  This suggests there is a tie between the two diseases. 

One study revealed people with diabetes are two times more likely to have hearing loss.  It is believed that diabetes may cause hearing loss by damaging the nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear. Adults with elevated blood sugar but not high enough to be diabetes, have a 30 percent greater chance of developing hearing loss.  .

Despite these findings, hearing screenings typically are not part of the recommended regimen of care for people with diabetes. Most people, including physicians do not understand the threat the disease also poses to hearing health. Hearing loss impacts over all health and leads to many other problems including sadness, depression, withdrawal from social situations, fatigue, anger, frustration and even paranoia. 

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, have a baseline hearing evaluation.  It is good to have one before you notice symptoms of hearing loss.  Monitor your hearing through periodic follow up evaluations.   Most insurance plans including Medicare cover the evaluation.  Take good care of your hearing call an audiologist today!

Life Sounds Great! Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848
http://www.aachear.org/

Causes of Conductive Hearing Loss

The second most common type of hearing loss is conductive hearing loss. It is called conductive because there is a problem that interfers with the conduction sound through the ear to the hearing nerves called haircells. Typically, the haircells are healthy and working properly but somthing prevents the sound from reaching the nerves. Problems in the outer and middle ear cause conductive hearing loss.   
Common causes of conductive hearing loss include:

• Ear wax build up in the ear canal
• Perforated eardrum (tympanic membrane)
• Fluid behind the eardrum
• Middle ear infections
• Problems with the bones in the middle ear
• Other middle ear diseases such as otosclerosis
• A blockage of the Eustachian Tube used to ventilate the middle ear. (The Eustachian Tube can block when flying. Swallowing or yawning can open the tube and allow the middle ear to ventilate.)

Often these types of problems can be resolved.  For example, removing the ear wax opens the canal and allows sound to travel to the eardrum.  Other causes of conductive hearing loss are often treated with medicine and others with surgery. When treament options are not available and conductive hearing loss is permanent, hearing aids are very successful!


Did you know that a middle ear infection is one of the most common diseases in children? Let us know if you or your children have had middle ear infections.

Life Sounds Great!  Enjoy Every Moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
1-440-205-8848
http://www.aachear.org/

Causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Healthy Haircells

More than 90 % of all hearing loss is sensorineural.  Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the fine hearing nerves call haircells. We have hundreds of thousands of haircells located deep in the inner ear.  Once damaged, there is no way to repair them.  As more and more of the haircelss become damaged, hearing loss increases. Sensorineural hearing loss is almost always permenant. 

Causes of sensorineural hearing loss inlcude:

• Exposure to loud sounds (this is preventable)
• Diseases such as Meniere's Disease,
• Genetics (it can run in families)
• Heart Disease
• Aging
• Certain medications including some chemotherapy drugs

 Damaged Haircelss

 Do you use hearing protection when participating in loud activities such as lawn mowing, car races and concerts?  Let us know.

Life Sounds Great! Enjoy Every Moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
1-440-205-8848Web Address: http://www.aachear.org/

Hearing Aids and Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss reduces the volume for sound and distorts words, making them difficult to understand.  Those with sensorineural hearing loss report that it sounds as if people speak softly and/or mumble.  Hearing aids are the first step to successfully treating sensorineural hearing loss.  Hearing aids can restore normal volume and improve word understanding. 

Act now.  Left untreated, word understanding can remain mumbled. Make an appointment for a hearing aid consult.  You will be surprised by how small and inconspicuous hearing aids are and they work better than ever! 

Life Sounds Great! Enjoy Every Moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
1-440-205-8848
Web Address: http://www.aachear.org/

Heart Disease and Hearing Loss Are Related

In 2005 Harvard University established a staggering relation between heart disease and hearing loss.  The researchers found hearing loss occurred 54% more often in people with heart disease then in the general population. 

Cardiovascular disease reduces blood flow through veins, arties and organs of the body. The reduction in blood flow decreases oxygen to the body’s systems and organs. The lack of oxygen results in damage to the heart and other organs including the hearing nerves deep in the inner ear.  Researchers believe the hearing nerves are so fragile that the ear, is likely the first organ damaged from cardiovascular disease.  There are those who believe hearing loss may one a day predict heart disease.

Do you take care of your heart and your hearing by eating right and exercising? Let us know.

Life Sounds Great! Enjoy Every Moment!

Read More

Dr. Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA

Advanced Audiology Concepts

8897 Mentor, Ohio 44060

1-440-205-8848

http://www.aachear.org/



Hearing Aids

Today’s hearing aids are not the same as your grandfather’s.   We live in an age of rapid electronic advancements.  We see it every day in the hearing aid industry.   Developments have been made in improving hearing, ease of use, special listening situations and in how they look.

Hearing aids are available in many styles to meet various needs and personal preferences including behind-the-ear and custom in-the-ear products.  Size and style of the aids depenes on:

• Type of hearing loss
• Severity of hearing loss
• Size and shape of the ear and ear canal
• Lifestyle
• Patient preference
• Patient dexterity
• Investment

Our audiologists assist in finding the best products for each individual.
Life Sounds Great! Enjoy Every Moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848
http://www.aachear.org/

Purchasing Hearing Aids

Such a conundrum??  What should I know, who do I trust, why so expensive??

Buying hearing aids can be a very daunting process.  First, do you really need them?  A complete hearing evaluation, performed by an audiologist, will answer this question.  A hearing test will let you know the degree and type of hearing loss.  Then, the audiologist, a professional you should trust, will walk you through the process of selecting hearing aids.

Costs vary depending upon the style and level of technology the hearing aids offer.  They are an investment! Hearing aids are very complicated, digital processors.  It is necessary to program them to the degree of your hearing loss.  Getting adjusted to amplification is also a learning process, requiring fine tuning of the hearing aids.  You can expect to visit the audiologist several times during the first six weeks you have your new hearing aids.

Purchasing hearing aids should be a positive experience with a successful outcome!  Life Sounds Great!
Enjoy Every Moment!

Paula Webster, M.A.
Jane Kukula, AuD
Advanced Audiology Concepts, Inc.
8897 Mentor Avenue
Mentor, OH  44060
440-205-8848
http://www.aachear.org/

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