How Drinking Affects Hearing
How Drinking Affects Hearing
There’s nothing quite like celebrating a special occasion with a glass of wine or a bottle of beer, but if you drink too much alcohol, it’s not just your liver at risk but hearing as well. According to hearing healthcare professionals, too much drinking can damage the auditory cortex in the brain and shrink it.
Drinking and the Brain
The auditory nerve is responsible for transmitting auditory data to your brain from the cochlea. What this means is there’s the possibility that your brain won’t be able to process the information even though your ears are healthy. In addition, there’s evidence which shows that drinking too much alcohol produces an unhealthy environment in your ears, causing hair cell damage. Continue reading
Cigarettes Linked to Hearing Loss
Cigarettes Linked to Hearing Loss
You’re probably aware that smoking leads to cancer, heart disease, respiratory problems and so on. Now you can add hearing loss to the list as studies show smokers are more likely to need hearing aids than nonsmokers.
What the Studies Show
As far back as 1962, hearing health experts suspected that cigarettes were responsible for many cases of hearing loss, and now the latest research confirms it. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, smokers have a 70% greater chance to suffer hearing loss than nonsmokers, and nonsmokers are twice likely to maintain healthy hearing for the long term. Continue reading
Why Teachers are Vulnerable to Hearing Problems
Why Teachers are Vulnerable to Hearing Problems
According to a study by EPIC Hearing Healthcare, teachers are among the most susceptible to hearing loss, with 15% diagnosed with varying degrees of hearing problems compared to 11% of other workers. This might seem unusual, but a close look at their working environment can explain it.
Why Teachers?
For starters, teachers tend to work in noisy places, and the sounds emanating from the hallways –and the classroom- can strain the ears since it happens every day. To give you an idea of how difficult this is, imagine the headaches that you get trying to handle your children. Now instead of just one or two kids, imagine 25 or more in one room, from morning to afternoon every day. Continue reading
Why Hearing Loss is Prevalent among Teens
Why Hearing Loss is Prevalent among Teens
Studies show that a growing number of teens have hearing problems, a situation brought about by exposure to loud noises. According to a study by ReRez Research and Siemens Hearing Instruments, the situation has gotten worse with the proliferation of compact music players.
What the Numbers Reveal
According to the study, 46% of teenagers have experienced pain in the ears or buzzing, roaring, ringing sounds, and the effect is usually felt after listening to loud music or using loud tools without protection. The findings of this study support earlier research which indicates that nearly half of all teenagers in the US suffer from one hearing problem or another. Continue reading
Healthy Hearing Aid Habits
Healthy Hearing Aid Habits
Hearing loss is usually permanent, but with hearing aids you’ll be able to cope with it. Yes they will take some getting used to at first, but a few tweaks here and there and some adjustments on your part should make the transition easy. Here are some suggestions to help you get started.
Wear the Hearing Aids
If you have hearing aids, don’t leave them in the box: wear them. At first it will be uncomfortable because everything you hear seems to be magnified, and you probably feel a bit self conscious. Even so, it’s imperative that you wear them because it’s the only way you’ll get used to the new sensations. Continue reading