Digital Advancements for Today’s Hearing Aids
Approximately one out of every three people over the age of 65 also suffers from hearing loss due to age or accumulative injury to the ears. This means every year more and more people are required to wear hearing aids. Unlike the basic hearing aids of the mid-1980s, today’s hearing aids are becoming far more advanced. They aren’t simple amplifiers that make sounds louder for a person with hearing loss.
In one basic sense of the word, these hearing aids enhance the auditory sense.
Enhanced Digital Gain Processing
This is a new digital system allows a user to focus on a particular sound of interest without having to suffer from discomfort or loud feedback. For example: a child could drown out the sounds of background chatter in a classroom and focus entirely on the sound of their teacher speaking. Continue reading
Lifestyle Changes for Better Hearing
When people talk about lifestyle changes the things that come to mind are dieting to lose weight, quitting smoking and financial management, but you can take the same approach and protect your hearing. The thing about hearing protection is that it’s so easy to do provided you’re willing to carry through.
Know the Signs of Hearing Loss
Signs of hearing loss include straining to hear sounds that everyone around can hear, as well as feeling “lost” when in the midst of a group conversation. Tinnitus symptoms include hearing a roaring, buzzing or clicking noise, so if any of these manifest consult an ENT specialist. Continue reading
Habits to Break for Healthy Hearing
There are many reasons why people suffer hearing loss and forced to use hearing aids, but you can take steps now to protect yourself. Unlike other ailments, all it takes to protect your hearing are good habits, and it’s never too early or too late to start. Whether it’s the New Year or the middle of the year, anytime is a good time to break bad habits.
Avoid Loud Noises
This one isn’t too hard to figure out. Most music players today will issue a notification if you have turned the volume too high, so keep the volume to a reasonable level. This rule should be followed whether you’re wearing headphones or listening to speakers. Now if you’re going to a concert, bring along some ear plugs in case the music gets too loud, and you should do the same if you’re mowing the lawn, using a jackhammer or are going to be exposed to loud noises. Continue reading
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
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