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

Why do I have more trouble hearing in restaurants then I do at home?

Hearing in noisy places can be difficult and frustrating.  The first and best thing you can do hear in noisy places is to keep both ears hearing.  It is necessary for the ears to work together to hear well inn noisy places.  Be sure to wear two hearing aids when you have difficulty hearing in both ears. Second, studies show that those who use hearing aids with directional microphones hear better in noise.  Directional microphone help you focus on the person you’re talking with and reduces the impact of the background sound.  Third, the restaurant you choose and where you sit in the restaurant affect how well you hear in noise. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1.       Choose a quiet restaurant.

2.       Go to restaurants at less busy times.  For example, have lunch at 1:00 instead of noon.

3.       When you are being seated, ask to be seated along the wall or in a corner away and from the kitchen.

4. Avoid dark restaurants.  You will be better able to pick up lip clues and facial expressions in a lighted restaurant.
5. Go to restaurants with carpeting, drapes and tablecloths. These all absorb sound and create a quieter atmosphere.
6. If the music is too loud, ask to have it turned down.
7. Pick restaurants that don’t have a bar, or those where the bar is in a separate room.  This too will reduce the background noise.
8. Last but not least, simply ask for a quiet table! There’s bound to be at least one.

Planning ahead and carefully choosing where to go will help ensure a pleasant evening.  

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 people better sometimes and then not as well at other times?

As you know, hearing devices can be life changing but they do not restore normal hearing.  How well you hear even with the devices is dependent on more than the hearing instruments.  Here are three factors to consider when you miss hear. 

The first factor is you, the listener.  Are you hearing the best that you can hear?  Wear your hearing aids all the time, from morning till night.  Better yet, extended wear devices can have you hearing even while you sleep.  Have regular visits to your audiologist’s office to keep the hearing aids in good condition.  Your ability to hear also depends on how well you pay attention to the speaker.  Are you well rested?  When you’re well rested you have more energy to pay attention.  When tired or ill, you won’t hear as well.  Another important factor for the speaker is to get your attention prior to talking.  This gives you time to pay attention.

The second factor is the person talking, the speaker.  Did the speaker get your attention prior to 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 can decrease your ability to hear words clearly.  Loud background sound, as in a noisy restaurant, also interferes with your ability to catch the words. 

These are just a few of the things that 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’re hearing the best you can. 

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

Hearing loss runs in my family, is there anything I can do to prevent it?

Yes, there are a few things you can do to help prevent hearing loss.  Interestingly, the healthier your diet, the less likely you will have hearing loss, especially high frequency hearing loss. A University of Florida study looked at eating habits and the hearing ability of 2366 people.  They found that the healthier a person ate, the better his or her hearing.  While eating well helped offset the potential for hearing loss, it could not restore or reverse pre-existing hearing problems.  

Hearing is also linked to general health.  Other studies have found that our auditory system is linked to cardiovascular, neural and metabolic health.  So the things that help keep you healthy such as exercise, also help keep your hearing in good shape. 

Of course, protect your ears from loud sound.  Use hearing protection when in noisy environments and pay attention to the volume when using head phones.  With a family predisposition to hearing loss you don’t want to also cause damage by over using volume.

Have a baseline Audiologic assessment.  This will allow us to monitor your hearing over time. 

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

Can hearing aids affect relationships?

This is a great question! How can hearing instruments affect your relationships? Typically people will experience a positive change in their relationships once they begin to wear hearing aids.  When a hearing loss goes for years without any intervention or without addressing the issue, it can take its toll on a relationship.  Loved ones can often become frustrated with untreated hearing loss because they have to repeat themselves numerous time, and even then their communication partner still didn’t understand.  Hearing aids can help you maintain your speech understanding capabilities and they can help you communicate with your partner more effectively.  The person trying to hear is less tired from all the effort put towards understanding, less frustrated being they don’t have to ask people to repeat as often and less apt to avoid social situations out of fear of not understanding.  The person communicating with the person with hearing loss is less frustrated and less resentful of their partners because they have taken a positive step toward trying to help themselves hear better.  If you are considering hearing instruments and would like to make an appointment, call 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

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

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

I am interested in that Lyric device but fly planes, can I still do that with the Lyric?

This is an excellent question.  Many people become 
concerned regarding the Lyric device and flying because of its close placement to the eardrum.  Lyric recommends flying in planes with a pressurized cabin.  Most all commercial planes have pressurized cabins.  If you do fly in planes that do not have pressurized cabins, the concern is then a rapid change in pressure.  This is the same concern as scuba diving and sky diving.  You can still wear Lyric if you choose to do these things, the Lyrics simply need to be removed before these events and replaced after the events have occurred.  Lyric may be contraindicated if you did these sort of events on a regular basis, meaning daily, weekly or monthly.  So getting back to the initial question, can you fly with Lyric?  The short answer is yes.  You will experience the same flying symptoms you always experience, no better, no worse.  If you are interested in knowing more about the Lyric device, 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

My husband retired from the police force at age 56 without any hearing problems. He wore hearing protection both on the range and when doing loud activities such as mowing the lawn. About three years after retirement he developed significant hearing loss. Why did he have hearing loss at such an early age? Could it be because he used a flip phone on a daily basis?

While many associate hearing loss with the aging process, hearing loss knows no age.  It can happen at any time in life from birth to the later years. Some people are born with it, some develop it over time and others never have hearing trouble.

Hearing loss that happens later in life is usually something that runs in families.  Consider your husband’s parents.  Do they or other siblings have difficulty hearing?  If so, it may be in his genetic makeup to have hearing loss.  Sometimes familial hearing loss can start at an earlier age than expected.

There are many causes of hearing loss, but there are no studies linking hearing loss to cellphone use.  Certainly, exposure to loud sounds is one cause.  Hearing problems are also associated with heart and kidney disease, diabetes and even dementia.  Plus smoking and heavy alcohol use can reduce hearing ability.  Other causes of hearing loss include ear infections, certain medications (some of the chemotherapy drugs), and other ear diseases. 

On the plus side, your husband’s use of hearing protection served him well.  If he had not used it, his hearing would be even more compromised right now.  Encourage him to continue using it with all loud activities.  Plus, he should have regular Audiologic care with an annual hearing check.  Call 440-205-8848 for an appointment if we can help.

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

Are My Hearing Aids Compatible with My Cell phone?

Individuals wearing hearing instruments can struggle occasionally with hearing on their cellular phones.  Firstly, if you are purchasing a new mobile phone, you may want to investigate the phone model of interest for its Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) rating.  Most of the newer cellular phones are HAC. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC)  defines hearing aid compatibility based on two  parameters, the radio frequency (RF) and telecoil (T-coil) coupling (T). Hearing aid compliant mobile phones are marked and ranked with an “M” or “T” rating.  The “M” rating refers to the microphone modes or RF emissions and the “T” rating refers to the T-coil mode.  The minimal standard required by the FCC for a cellular phone to be considered hearing aid compatible is M3 and T3. If you are considering a mobile phone with a T rating, you will want to confirm with your audiologist that your hearing instruments have a T-coil.  Once you have confirmed the availability of a T-coil, you will also want to ensure that it is activated in your hearing instruments.  The activation of the T-coil in your hearing instruments will aid the “T” rated cellular phone’s ability to couple with your hearing instruments.  The higher the “T” rating, the more likely you will have a stronger T-coil connection with between the mobile phone and your hearing instruments.  The T-coil connection allows for increased volume in the hearing instruments while on your cellular phone without having to worry about “whistling” or feedback.  If you are curious about your T-coil instrument compatibility with your cellular phone, contact your audiologist today.  To make an appointment call 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