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Hearing Loss Among Millennials

Those born during the years 1981 to 1996 are often referred to as the millennials, or members of the Generation Y. They may either be children of Generation X (born 1965-80), or the Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) or grandchildren thereof. Their most defining descriptions, however, are that they were the young adults at the turn of the millennium and that they were the first children to have the digital world introduced to them at birth. Thus, they are also otherwise known as the “digital natives”.

 

Although researches on hearing loss have not been age-disaggregated well, studies in 2014 reported that approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing. In 2016, a study reported that among adults aged 20-69, the overall annual prevalence of hearing loss dropped slightly from 16 percent (28.0 million) in the 1999-2004 period to 14 percent (27.7 million) in the 2011–2012 period .

In 2011, millennials were aged 20 to 30 years old.

 

Stress is another common cause of feeling like one or both ears have experienced hearing loss . “When your body responds to stress, the overproduction of adrenaline reduces blood flow to the ears, affecting hearing.”  The millennials have rated their stress level higher than other age group cohorts, also reporting being less able to manage stress than any other generation.

 

While about 50% of hearing disability can be traced to genetic factors, the other 50 % can be traced to stress due to work issues, including life-work balance, and lifestyle choices although some lifestyles and habits can affect hearing in a positive way, while others can be harmful to hearing and lead to hearing loss . About 71% of young adults with hearing loss without other related conditions (such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or vision loss) were employed  showing the effect of work stress on this population.

 

Lifestyle choices like attending noisy concerts have been reported to cause hearing loss among millennials, too.

 

If you think your family or you need a hearing aid, make sure to get a hearing aid prescription. For more details of our hearing test & assessment, and hearing aid services, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.

 

 

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

https://www.hkhearingspeech.com

How to Adjust Your Hearing Aid

Due to advances in the studies on hearing and hearing loss, there are so many types of hearing aid devices in the market today. Anyone using a hearing aid should learn a few things in order to adjust to the fact that one has to wear one .

 

Tip #1 Know your loss first

Some hearing loss are severe, some are so mild a hearing aid is hardly needed. Others are so profound that people may hear but could not understand. Hearing loss is as individual as individuals get. An in-the- (ear)canal (ITC) hearing aid is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal while an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid is custom made in two styles — one that fills most of the bowl-shaped area of your outer ear (full shell) and one that fills only the lower part (half shell)  . The ITC is recommended for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults while the ITE is recommended for mild to severe cases.

 

Tip #2 Know your (psychological) fit

Whether one likes it or not, there is some kind of stigma attached to wearing hearing devices not only because it is associated with old age, and no one likes to go around announcing it, but also because hearing loss is a disability and no one wants to announce that, too.

 

Tip #3 Know your type

The type of hearing aid chosen should be dependent on the kind of hearing loss, the quality of the devices, and the price. Sometimes the quality of the hearing aid chosen make adjustment to the use of hearing aids less traumatic.

 

Tip #4 Know your device

There are several hearing devices now in the market. Some hearing devices called “Invisible In Ear Nano Hearing Aid Small Hearing Amplification Device” advertised as invisible hearing aids . Using and adjusting them sometimes come with RTFMYI (Read The F_ _ _ ing Manual, You Idiot) instructions. However, adjusting them comes with experience in using the device. Sometimes adjusting the device to one’s particular needs, like adjusting the volume, only require common sense after the device had been in use for some time.

 

Adjusting to hearing devices is a different matter. It needs technical understanding of how hearing aids can change one’s quality of life as well as a psychological acceptance of why only hearing aids could improve such life.

 

     

Hence, make sure that you get a hearing aid prescription if you think you need a hearing aid. For more details of our hearing test & assessment, and hearing aid services, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.

 

 

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

https://www.hkhearingspeech.com

Questions to Ask Your Audiologist Before Buying Hearing Aids

The problem with hearing aids is of course whether it is the hearing aid for us and whether or not we need one in the first place. Obviously for this kind of decision, we need an audiologist’s advice.

 

The health care professional with expertise on hearing loss and, therefore, of hearing aids is called an audiologist.

 

How can audiologists help those with hearing problems?

 

There are two problems associated with hearing loss. First, unless a baby is tested for hearing problems at birth, people do not usually detect hearing problems until hearing is already 50 percent damaged; and, second, whether or not we believe there is hope for ever being to hear well again.

 

First, they can determine the type of problem, the degree of the problem, the probable cause of the problem, the possible relief, and how such relief can be achieved. So perhaps these are the first questions to ask and whether or not a hearing aid is a healthy option.

 

Second, since they must have knowledge of all products available in the market that can help those with hearing problems, they can professionally present options for treatment and choices of products to go with the solution chosen. Once the decision is to go for a hearing aid, the next question is what hearing devices are available, in the local market or even online. So questions like “should I go visible or invisible?” or “should I go for comfort of for hearing efficiency?” The other obvious question to ask is what to look for in a hearing aid.

 

There are simply a wide variety of hearing devices to choose from and without a health professional to help make a choice, the hearing problem may get worse . There are also fitting problems to deal with as well as adjustment problems. Making properly-fitted, affordable hearing aids and cochlear implants and providing accessible follow-up services in all parts of the world will benefit many people with hearing loss .

 

Third, since every treatment ends up with economic considerations, and most insurance already recognize hearing problems as a disability, then questions about insurance coverage and treatment plans must be asked and answered and whether or not counselling is part of the sales service.

 

If one is clear about all these considerations, then and only then can one can invest on a hearing device.

 

If you think you need a hearing aid, make sure to get a hearing aid prescription. For more details of our hearing test & assessment, and hearing aid services, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.

 

 

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

https://www.hkhearingspeech.com

Music Habits Can Affect Hearing

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that acquired hearing loss may be due to excessive noise, including occupational noise such as that from machinery and explosions and recreational exposure to loud sounds such as that from use of personal audio devices at high volumes and for prolonged periods of time and regular attendance at concerts, nightclubs, bars and sporting events . In 2015, WHO warned that 1.1 billion young people (or about 50%) were at risk of hearing loss due to personal listening devices and music venues in which sounds may reach dangerously loud levels for hours on end . Initial studies among children show that the use of portable music player was associated with high-frequency hearing loss.

 

What affects hearing have something to do with the inner ear. In it is a complicated structure called cochlea which converts sound into electrical signals that are picked up by neurotransmitters mainly to the brain which also converts this into images or information. There are also fine hairs called cilia that are sensitive to different sounds and it is incredibly sensitive to the amplitude of sound waves. Noise can damage hair cells, membranes, nerves, or other parts of the inner ear, all of which may cause temporary or permanent hearing loss but loss of even about 30% of the cilia may produce damage resulting to inner ear baldness that cannot be repaired .

 

In physics, sound is nothing but a vibration that travels as waves through a medium (air, for example), measurable in terms of amplitude, wavelength, and frequency. This frequency is also called pitch. The amplitude measures the intensity of the sound. Sounds with high amplitude is loud. Other qualities of sound are volume and tone. Very loud noise and frequent exposure to it is responsible for noise-induced hearing loss. Whatever the sound heard, however, is nothing but a perception of it by the one listening to it. What is noise to one, may be music to another. Then there is noise music.

 

Damage to the cochlea may only be one problem associated with people’s music habits. Since noise and music are differentiated at the perception level of the brain, how people may appreciate and tolerate noise and music may also be affected. Musical Ear Syndrome (MES), a term first coined in 2004 by Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D. refers to a condition in which those with hearing loss experience musical auditory hallucinations .

 

Hence, it is vital to protect your hearing. For those with hearing loss, it may need a hearing aid to cope with it. Make sure to get a hearing aid prescription before purchasing a hearing aid. For more details of our hearing test & assessment, and hearing aid services, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.

 

 

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

https://www.hkhearingspeech.com

Tips for Hearing-abled Persons When Talking to Hearing-impaired People

Even with hearing aids, people with hearing impairments cannot perceive sound the way people with normal hearing can. This emphasizes the importance of knowing what to do and what not to do when conversing with hearing-impaired people, with or without their hearing aids.

 

With that said, here are a few effective tips in making your conversations with hearing-impaired persons more productive and enjoyable.

 

Face the Person

Facing away from whoever you’re talking to isn’t a good idea when you’re talking to a hearing-impaired person. While it works with people with normal hearing, perhaps in movies and television sitcoms, it doesn’t work in people with hearing loss for many reasons.

 

You have to face him so that he can actually see your lips for lip-reading purposes, as well as see your facial expressions, hand gestures and body language. This way, you’re giving him ample opportunity to actively engage in the conversation and make the appropriate responses.

 

Don’t just face the person either. You have to be on the same level as he is as well as ensure that you’re in a good light for him to see you well.

 

Get His Attention

Don’t speak without getting the other person’s attention, such as by tapping him on the arm or shoulder. You have to give him sufficient time to shift his attention to you and then to engage in the conversation. Other ways to get his attention are saying his name and using a hand gesture.

 

Maintain Eye Contact

Of course, eye contact is a must in effective face-to-face communication. But it’s even more so when talking with a hearing-impaired person. You can both determine the feelings of the other person by looking into each other eyes and taking into account each other’s words, facial expressions and body language.

 

Speak Normally

There’s no need to shout in front of a hearing-impaired person to be heard! Besides, that’s just rude and you won’t have a good conversation when you’re being rude from the start.

 

Instead, you should speak in your normal speaking volume. But don’t slur or hurry with your words. You should speak clearly, distinctly and slowly without exaggerated mouth movements, which will allow the other person to read your lips.

 

You may, of course, speak at a slightly higher volume of voice but don’t shout. Otherwise, the other person won’t be able to read your lips well, not to mention that it’s being rude.

 

Aside from avoiding exaggerated mouth movements, you should also avoid putting your hands in your face while you’re talking. Again, it has something to do with lip reading.  You may also make it a point to position yourself in the other person’s good ear (i.e., the one with better hearing capabilities).

 

In the end, you and your hearing-impaired friend will enjoy good conversations if you make the effort first. Keep in mind that he may be hesitant about initiating the conversation so you may want to start it.

 

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

http://www.hkhearingspeech.com

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