ArizonaHears.com Blog

1. We all know that a person’s hearing gets worse with age. So, isn’t it a little futile to try and prevent this from happening?

It’s certainly true that some hearing losses are unavoidable, but there’s a reasonable chance that a part of what we call presbyacusis is the long-term accumulation of mitochondrial injuries and reductions in the efficiency of mechanisms that protect us from damaging exposures.

As you know, age-related hearing impairments can often be distinguished from those from environmental and other causes by the shape of the audiogram. Age effects tend to affect the highest frequencies first and progress into lower frequencies. In contrast, noise effects begin with a notched configuration. Hearing losses due to excess noise show up in the first few years of continuing exposure and approach the maximum effect after about 10 years. People who start being exposed to noise in their 20s will start showing substantial notched configurations in their 20s and 30s, and these notches evolve into a bulge over time as age effects erode hearing sensitivity at the highest test frequencies. In many cases, this type of hearing loss can (and should) be prevented.

2. Hey, be careful. Working with the hearing impaired is my livelihood!

I know you’re only joking, but I’ll give you a serious response. Only 15% of hearing-impaired adults between age 20 and 69 have ever tried a hearing aid, and this rate rises only to 25% for those over age 70. There are plenty of people who need our help. If fact, I suspect that your business might even increase if you do some prevention work. If you build good relationships with people in the prime age range for prevention (20 to 40 years), where do you think those people will send their friends, family, and themselves if they have problems?

Read the remainder of this interesting and informative article written by Greg Flamme from Page Ten of The Hearing Journal at http://www.audiologyonline.com/theHearingJournal/pdfs/HJ2009_06_p10-13.pdf

 After performing a thorough hearing evaluation, special attention should be given to the intelligibility or word discrimination score. The score recorded directly relates to the individual’s ability to understand words presented to them on an aided (amplified) basis. In other words, when the individual is being tested they are given enough amplification through the headset to compensate for their hearing loss. There are various ways to improve intelligibility and all require a bit of effort. A sure way to strengthen your score is to buy a favorite book on Cassette or CD along with a copy of the book to read along while the cassette or CD is playing. Another way, is to read out loud or have someone read out loud to you. Both of these strategies will allow the individual to hear the words properly pronounced and visualize them at the same time. The mind needs to be re-taught how certain words (at different frequencies) are supposed to sound. As long as the individual is using the proper hearing instrument along with this kind of therapy, it will just be a matter of time until their word discrimination score improves.  For some, this may take weeks, and for others it may take several months, even with the help of the most advanced and effective hearing aids.  The longer the brain has gone without sufficient speech stimulation, the longer it likely will take for the brain to re-learn the sounds of speech again.  Patience while re-learning speech will in most cases payoff with great dividends.

Speech Discrimination / Word Discrimination Scores Explained

90-100% Normal word understanding ability

76-88% Slight difficulty

62-74% Moderate difficulty

50-60% Poor understanding, great difficulty

Below 50% Very poor understanding ability. Listener is probably unable to understand speech, even at normal conversation levels or environments.

If you have hearing loss in both ears (bilateral hearing loss), then you are most likely a candidate for two hearing aids. While a hearing healthcare professional can best determine if you are a candidate for two hearing aids, the ultimate decision-maker concerning binaural instruments is the person who will wear them. It is important that the person with the hearing loss be given the chance to experience binaural (two hearing aids) amplification, before a decision on one or two hearing aids is made. Similar to the way refractory problems in both eyes are treated with a pair of glasses, it makes sense that bilateral hearing loss should be treated with binaural hearing aids. Let me share with you why two hearing aids are better than one.

Better understanding of speech. By wearing two hearing aids rather than one, selective listening is more easily achieved. This means your brain can focus on the conversation you want to hear. Research shows that people wearing two hearing aids routinely understand speech and conversation significantly better than people wearing one hearing aid.

Better understanding in group and noisy situations. Speech intelligibility is improved in difficult listening situations when wearing two hearing aids.

Better ability to tell the direction of sound. This is called localization. In a social gathering, for example, localization allows you to hear from which direction someone is speaking to you. Also, localization helps you determine from which direction traffic is coming or where your children or grandchildren are playing. Simply put, with binaural hearing, you will better detect where sounds are coming from in every situation.

Better sound quality. When you listen to a stereo system, you use both speakers to get the smoothest, sharpest, most natural sound quality. The same can be said of hearing aids. By wearing two hearing aids, you increase your hearing range from 180 degrees reception with just one instrument, to 360 degrees. This greater range provides a better sense of balance and sound quality.

Smoother tone quality. Wearing two hearing aids generally requires less volume than one. The need for less volume results in less distortion and better reproduction of amplified sounds.

Wider hearing range. A person can hear sounds from a further distance with two ears, rather than just one. A voice that’s barely heard at 10 feet with one ear can be heard up to 40 feet with two ears.

Better sound identification. Often, with just one hearing aid, many noises and words sound alike. But with two hearing aids, as with two ears, sounds are more easily distinguishable.

Keeps both ears active resulting in potentially less hearing loss deterioration. Research has shown that when only one hearing aid is worn, the unaided ear tends to lose its ability to hear and understand. This is clinically called the auditory deprivation effect. Wearing two hearing aids keeps both ears active.

Hearing is less tiring and listening more pleasant. More binaural hearing aid wearers report that listening and participating in conversation is more enjoyable with two instruments, instead of just one. This is because they do not have to strain to hear with the better ear. Thus, binaural hearing can help make life more relaxing.

Feeling of balanced hearing. Two-eared hearing results in a feeling of balanced reception of sound, also known as the stereo effect, whereas monaural hearing creates an unusual feeling of sounds being heard in one ear.

Greater comfort when loud noises occur. A lower volume control setting is required with two hearing aids than is required with one hearing aid. The result is a better tolerance of loud sounds.

Reduced feedback and whistling. With a lower volume control setting the chances of hearing aid feedback is reduced.

Tinnitus Masking. About 50% of people with ringing in their ears report improvement when wearing hearing aids. If a person with tinnitus wears a hearing aid in only one ear, there will still be ringing in the ear that does not have a hearing aid.

Consumer preference. An overwhelming majority of consumers who have hearing loss in both ears, choose two hearing aids over one, when given the choice to hear binaurally.

Customer satisfaction. Research with more than 5,000 consumers with hearing loss in both ears demonstrated that binaurally fit subjects are more satisfied than people fit with one hearing aid.

Logically, just as you use both eyes to see clearly, you need two healthy ears to hear clearly. Before you decide on one hearing aid, try two. Your hearing healthcare professional can demonstrate to you the binaural advantage experience either through headphones (during testing), probe microphones, master hearing aids, or during your trial fitting. Decide for yourself.

Courtesy of  Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D. – Better Hearing Institute, Alexandria, VA. Visit the Better Hearing Institute  www.BetterHearing.org.