Is there a way I can help a loved one who has hearing loss?

We know that, left untreated, hearing loss can negatively affect our quality of life. Studies link untreated hearing loss to stress, depression, social isolation, and even dementia. Untreated hearing loss also increases the risk of falling, putting personal safety at risk. 

But the person with hearing loss isn’t the only person affected by it. Hearing loss impacts spouses, family members, and friends. Repeating things over and over during conversation can be exhausting and frustrating. It can also be heartbreaking for family and friends to watch a loved one retreat, avoiding social situations they once enjoyed.

Don’t enable their denial

Encouraging a loved one to seek help for hearing loss is the right thing to do, even when it’s hard to know how to help. It’s important to speak with your loved one directly about their hearing loss. Gently remind them every time you need to repeat or rephrase parts of conversations they miss.

Without realizing it, well-intended ways we try to help can delay treatment. Repeating or rephrasing conversations may prevent our loved ones from realizing how much they are missing. Make sure your well-intended efforts aren’t preventing your loved one from realizing how hearing loss is impacting their life.

Schedule a hearing check-up for them

Offer to schedule and attend your loved one’s first appointment with Land of Lincoln Hearing. (You can contact us by clicking here.)

Bring any questions you have with you to your appointment. We will discuss the results of your loved ones hearing test, discuss the best treatment, and answer any other questions you may have.

The sooner they seek help, the happier everyone will be

Don’t be surprised if your loved one is hesitant to seek help for their hearing loss. Be gentle and consistent. On average, hearing aid wearers wait 5-7 years to seek treatment. Which means, your loved one is probably aware of their hearing problem, but might need a little push of encouragement and support to treat it.

Remind your loved one that they have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Being patient and supportive will help your loved one get the hearing help you will both benefit from.

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Why it’s important to check your hearing regularly

We are all concerned about our health and well-being! Benjamin Franklin once said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Whether it is diabetes, cancer, heart disease or hearing loss, we have become increasingly more focused on stopping illness through preventative healthcare. It’s one reason why we’re living longer and why, if Mr. Franklin were alive today, he’d agree that “60 is the new 40.”

We get yearly physicals to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol and evaluate risks for cancer, diabetes and heart disease. We should approach our hearing the same way.

Early treatment can help prevent future issues

In recent years, research has shown that hearing is not just about our ears! Our hearing impacts many aspects of our health and life. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to increased likelihood of dementia, decreases in cognitive function, increased isolation and higher incidences of depression. Discovering and treating hearing loss sooner rather than later can ultimately improve our overall health and well-being.

Many people will wait until they are having difficulty before getting their hearing tested. The reality is that they have most likely been living with hearing loss anywhere from 5 to 15 years before they take action. Could you imagine living with high cholesterol or high blood pressure or diabetes for a dozen years before taking action?

Start with a baseline hearing test

For many of us, the last time we had our hearing checked was when we were in grade school. According to healthcare professionals, we should get a “baseline” hearing test early in our adulthood. The recommendation is around 18 or 21. If you are past 21 and have not had a baseline test, the sooner the better.

A “baseline” hearing test will provide a frame of reference for tests later in life. It is important to remember that hearing is more than just detecting beeps! A baseline hearing test will measure your sensitivity to sounds (the beeps), but it will also measure your ability to understand speech, both at soft levels and when the volume is comfortable. In addition, the overall health of the ear will be evaluated via a visual exam.

Follow-up hearing tests may be recommended 

How often you have your hearing checked after the baseline depends on a few different variables: the results of your baseline test, your risk for hearing loss, and your age are just a few. If hearing loss exists at the baseline, yearly testing is recommended.

If your risk for hearing loss is high, yearly hearing tests are also recommended. Things that increase your risk of hearing loss include noise exposure, both at work and recreational (motorcycles, guns, loud music), as well as your age. As hearing loss is found more often with increasing age, individuals 60 years of age and older are recommended to have their hearing tested every two years, if no hearing loss was apparent in their most recent test.

If I have tinnitus, does it mean I also have hearing loss?

Tinnitus is defined as “the hearing of sound when no external sound is present.” It is one of the most common complaints reported to hearing healthcare professionals. Certainly, tinnitus is associated with hearing loss. That doesn’t mean, though, that if one has tinnitus, hearing loss is also present.

Why tinnitus and hearing loss typically come as a matched set

To hear, sound is funneled through the outer and middle ear to the inner ear. Microscopic hair cells inside the inner ear are responsible for carrying sound through auditory nerves to the brain. Hearing loss can occur at any stage of this process: the outer ear, the middle ear, the hair cells, the auditory nerve or the brain.

Interestingly, tinnitus, too, can be caused at any point in the process! For example, tinnitus can be caused by a wax impaction in the ear canal; it can be caused by middle ear disease such as fluid or Meniere’s Syndrome; it can be caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear; and it can be caused by inappropriate firing of nerve cells within the brain.

It's likely that what’s causing your tinnitus is also causing hearing loss

Because both hearing loss and, likely, tinnitus are caused or triggered by the same “malfunction” in our hearing system, there’s a good chance that if you have tinnitus, you’ll also experience hearing loss. We see that often. But not always.

Why? Because there are other triggers for tinnitus that aren’t caused by problems with the ear. For instance, medications (particularly high doses of aspirin), stress, high blood pressure, heart disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disfunction can cause tinnitus.

Get it checked out

If you are experiencing tinnitus, a visit with qualified hearing healthcare professional should be the first stop in finding a cause for your tinnitus. Because hearing loss is often associated with tinnitus, ruling out hearing loss makes sense. If hearing loss is detected, it is likely that the tinnitus is related to the hearing loss. If no hearing loss is detected, it’s time for a visit with your primary care physician to explore other possibilities. 

Contact Land of Lincoln hearing today to set up your first hearing consultation with a professional, here! Happy Hearing :)

Noise-induced hearing loss is becoming epidemic

Between 2000-2015, the number of Americans with hearing loss doubled, approaching 50 million people.

How many times have you heard someone say (or maybe you’ve said it yourself), “I’m looking forward to some peace and quiet”? We’re guessing plenty.

Between the noise at work (thank you, open office spaces), the noise outside (traffic, we blame you), noise inside (good luck finding a quiet restaurant…or gym…or sporting event) and the noise we subject ourselves to voluntarily (we’re looking at you, earbuds), finding peace and quiet can feel a bit like a treasure hunt.

All that noise is a big reason why hearing loss has nearly doubled so far this century, according to the American Academy of Audiology.

And though peace and quiet might sound dreamy at times, it isn’t when it’s all the time, as anyone with severe hearing loss will tell you.

The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is preventable. To learn ways to protect your hearing, help avoid noise-induced hearing loss, and remain in control of when those moments of peace and quiet get scheduled, consult with a Land of Lincoln Hearing healthcare professional today. Click here and we can help!

Photo by Nabeel Syed on Unsplash

Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Hearing Aids

Getting hearing aids is a big decision and a smart investment towards your future quality of life. Before you make the decision, consider these tips to help ensure you get the best hearing aids for your needs.

Do’s

1. Do speak with a hearing professional about situations you want to hear and communicate in better.

2. Do bring a third party or significant other with you to the appointment.

3. Do ask about follow-up care plans and what to expect from your new hearing aids.

4. Do be honest with your hearing professional about where and when you struggle to hear and understand.

5. Do ask about payment plans if cost is a concern.

 

Don’ts

1. Don’t make your choice based just on the cost of the hearing aid.

2. Don’t assume your hearing loss is “normal” for your age. Hearing loss is never normal.

3. Don’t skip the service plan. Your hearing needs change over time and a service plan will make sure your hearing professional will be able to have your aids adapt with you.

4. Don’t buy hearing aids from anyone who doesn’t test your hearing.

5. Don’t pick a hearing aid based on buzz words. Choose hearing aids that will help you when and where you want help.

For more tips, reach out to Land of Lincoln Hearing, here. We are hear to help you!

Hearing loss is America’s silent epidemic

Hearing loss can have a more negative impact on the quality of life than obesity, diabetes, strokes or even cancer, according to AARP, the senior advocacy organization which recently completed a survey that revealed more people report having undergone colonoscopy exams than hearing tests.

However, there is more to just losing hearing, said Conrad Hochreiter, a hearing instrument specialist at HearUSA in East Stroudsburg, a center that’s committed to providing patients with the highest-quality hearing care.

Hearing loss is also associated with an increased risk of dementia, falls and depression.

“Research shows we can help keep that cognitive decline (hearing loss) at a normal rate with a good hearing aid,” Hochreiter said.

However, officials at AARP and other experts say that many remain reluctant to get their hearing checked or to treat any hearing disorder because, unlike other serious and potential fatal ailments, hearing loss carries the stigma of being old.

“Hearing loss usually occurs in a gradual, subtle progression,” said Dr. Susan Dillmuth-Miller, a clinical audiologist and assistant professor in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at East Stroudsburg University.

Often persons with hearing loss do not realize the impact of their hearing loss on their communication partners; however, acceptance can be difficult and persons with hearing loss will often blame others for not speaking clearly or will delay treatment for an average of seven years, Dillmuth-Miller said.

Also, it’s important to express to persons with hearing loss how much they mean to you and how communication has become difficult and how it affects your relationship with each other, she said.

“Hearing loss affects both parties, the listener and the speaker. Questionnaires like the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults can start a dialogue and help persons with hearing loss realize how much the hearing loss is impacting their life,” Dillmuth-Miller said.

“Persons with hearing loss often don’t realize their deficits if speakers always raise their voice to communicate and those with hearing loss will not accept treatment unless they realize that they have a problem,” she said.

By the numbers

According to figures published by AARP, nearly 30 percent of people in their 50s suffer from hearing loss.

For people in their 60s, it’s 45 percent. And for those in their 70s, more than two-thirds have significant hearing loss.

While getting someone to accept wearing a hearing aid remains difficult, Hochreiter said popular culture has changed much over the years and those needing such devices might be more comfortable because younger individuals are regularly wearing something in their ear.

″[Hearing aids] are very discreet and comfortable now compared to many years ago,” Hochreiter said. “Today’s society, all ages are walking around with something in their ears like earbuds and Bluetooths,” he said. “If you’re going to put something in your ear, wouldn’t it make sense to put something in there that makes you hear better?”

Also, hearing loss doesn’t only affect older people.

The World Health Organization estimates that 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss. And that number is increasing, according to AARP which noted that boomers had their rock concerts, and millennials have their earbuds so, the impact of hearing damage will likely grow.

Cost issues

As far as the costs, Consumer Reports performed a nationwide survey of more than 1,100 people with hearing loss. They purchased 48 hearing aids and had their fitting checked by audiologists.

The survey found that two-thirds were incorrectly fitted, which led survey authors to conclude that the cost isn’t the real issue, but shoppers must become consumer savvy customers.

“Most people have the reluctancy as to how they can pay for them or do they even really need them,” Hochreiter said. “Most are going to tell you that they can’t afford something that they really don’t want and use that as a crutch.”

Hochreiter warned that internet price shopping could yield rates that are not realistic. He said there are budget plans, and, at HearUSA, free trials are offered to allow individuals the option of a sort of test drive.

The center offers access to a wide-range of the latest hearing aid styles and technologies and have a policy in which it offers a 60-day, risk-free, money-back guarantee on hearing aid purchases.

Still, some must be convinced.

Dillmuth-Miller recalled an elderly woman with a moderate permanent hearing loss who reported being left out.

The woman’s grown children grew frustrated with the difficulties encountered over the phone and during their visits and they grew worried for their mother since she’s a very social person, but she’d gradually became withdrawn, Dillmuth-Miller said.

“The woman could not afford the hearing aids on her own, but her children got together and gave them as a gift to her. She was grateful and wears them every day and her children feel she was herself again which was a social and engaged person,” she said.

Dillmuth-Miller quoted a 2016 AARP report that noted the average cost of a digital hearing aid is $2,300 a piece.

If a person has hearing loss in both ears, two hearing aids are typically recommended for the best results, she said.

“You can see that buying hearing aids can be pricey especially since Medicare and most insurance companies do not cover them. Some practices offer payment plans which helps manage the costs and, for children under 21, the Medical Assistance program covers hearing aids, and for qualified working adults, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation can offer help,” Dillmuth-Miller said.

She said some veterans qualify for a hearing aid benefit which provides hearing aids and services and, for others who have difficulties affording hearing aids, there are charities which help with costs like Hear Now, Sertoma, and the Lion’s Club.

“Hearing aids are fit specifically to one’s hearing loss like glasses, requires counseling to become adjusted to the changes in sound, and some require special molding and fitting,” Dillmuth-Miller said. “Buying online often does not result in helping the person hear better.”

Contact Land of Lincoln Hearing today to schedule a consultation! 

Photo by Wenni Zhou on Unsplash

These iPhone-connected hearing aids let doctors make adjustments remotely

Connected hearing aids are nothing new, but today a company called ReSound has the iPhone-compatible LiNX 3D, which can be adjusted remotely. This means doctors can access their patients’ hearing aids and make minor adjustments without the person having to revisit their office. The hearing aids also pair with an app for iOS, watchOS, and Android. Through the app, patients can talk to their doctors or learn more about the hearing aid they’re wearing.

Similarly to its predecessor, the LiNX 2, the LiNX 3D prioritizes voices over ambient sounds in a noisy environment. 

Isn't technology amazing?! Call us today to schedule an appointment to learn more about what heraing aids can do for you!