 Getting Ready for Your Follow-up Appointments
Between now and your follow-up appointment with your hearing instrument specialist, keep notes or even a journal on your progress or any problems that you had with your hearing aids. Questions to consider:
Jot down any of your questions or concerns with the devices, and bring these notes to your follow-up appointments so that your hearing instrument specialists can address the issue. Discussing Your Progress, and any Bumps Along the Way These are helpful meetings that are meant to let your hearing instrument specialist ask questions about your progress and any problems that you’ve encountered. Of course, if you are noticing issues with your hearing aids before the appointment, contact your hearing aid provider’s office to ask questions and voice concerns. The more detailed your questions are, the better help your hearing instrument specialist can provide. All of the challenging environments that you frequent give your hearing instrument specialist the information that is needed to make adjustments to the programming/settings. Adjustments can also be made if you find it difficult to communicate with loved ones. Let your hearing instrument specialist know the pros and cons that you experience while wearing them. Did something exceed your expectations? Were there any shortcomings? Give as much detailed feedback as possible, so that you can get the most out of wearing your hearing aids. Reviewing Hearing Aid Care and Maintenance Practices You should have been given a lot of information on care and maintenance for your hearing aids. Your follow-up appointment will focus on reviewing these practices and clarifying any uncertainty about them. You’ll probably get a reminder on the function of each program/channel, how to access them, and if applicable, how to use your smartphone app. Finely Tuning Your Hearing Aids With the observations, questions, and concerns that you expressed, your hearing instrument specialist will use that information to make readjustments to the hearing aids. They may add other programs, tweak existing programs, or maybe give you different domes or tubing. If some of your concerns suggest that your ears and brain are not smoothly working in conjunction with one another, after too many years of untreated hearing loss, some brain exercises may be suggested to help create a stronger bond between the ear and the brain. A listening app or auditory training can be useful in these cases. What Happens Next? If you purchase a pair of hearing aids from Pure Sound, towards the end of your trial period, contact us to schedule your follow-up. Depending on the adjustments that need to be made, you may need to schedule a follow-up sooner. The earlier any problems are addressed, the easier it will be to transition to a full-time hearing aid user. Get the most out of your hearing aids by contacting us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.
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 Severe/profound hearing loss (SPHL) can be more than just a worsened state of mild/moderate hearing loss.
Anyone who has mild/moderate hearing loss can experience frustrations while communicating. This can lead to socially withdrawing from others because it becomes too challenging and requires too much effort. As we’ve all been made well aware of, we know that becoming too isolated can cause depression. The strain of trying to hear others, or read their facial expressions can cause a person with hearing loss to become fatigued. When others communicate with you, they may not be accommodating to your listening needs. SPHL is Apparent on a Daily Basis Anyone who has SPHL has difficulty with communication in every conversational situation. It doesn’t matter if the room is loud or quiet. This obstacle hinders your capacity to form and maintain relationships that are crucial to functioning in society. It’s how we understand ourselves and know where we fit in. Not only does SPHL cause a hindrance in communication, but you may also experience other negative circumstances:
SPHL influences Mental Health Any roadblocks that interfere with relationships that you have with others will affect the way you see yourself. This can lead to mental health issues, i.e. anxiety and depression. These two factors escalate social isolation, which is already compounded by poor communication skills. It’s important to point out that very high levels of depression and anxiety can even be found in those with healthy hearing, who regularly communicate with people who have SPHL. In other words, the main concern isn’t necessarily hearing loss, but the interruption of a natural flow of communication between two or more people. Getting Help for SPHL Patients with SPHL need the best intervention immediately. Providing the proper hearing aids, along with auditory training, can guide them to their best hearing. Getting in touch with others, in a safe manner, who are going through the same problems can be of help. Peer support for any dilemma, including hearing loss, can be effective. Knowing that others have gone through the same or similar experiences can give you hope. If you are noticing any range of difficulty with hearing, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  It can feel scary and isolating when you lose your hearing. The subject isn’t always easy to broach. You may feel self-conscious about your hearing loss, or even from wearing hearing aids.
You can feel less alone knowing that people who have hearing problems are more common than you’d think. If you think that you are losing your hearing, here are three steps you can take to guide your way toward a healthy hearing journey. Do some research on Different Technology that’s Available You may think that hearing aids are big, ugly, clunky devices that sometimes make a squealing noise. That’s no longer the case today. Modern hearing aids have a sleek design, and many are so discreet that they can’t be seen by the untrained eye. Schedule a Hearing Test In some cases, hearing loss won’t become a major issue if you seek immediate help. Get your hearing tested as soon as you begin to notice trouble with your hearing. They are free in most cases. A hearing test that is conducted by a professional can detect whether you have hearing loss, along with answers and suggestions on how to treat it. Discuss Your Hearing Loss with Family or Close Friends Hearing loss can lead to isolation, which can turn into depression. It can change the way you navigate through your day. It’s always a good idea to talk to family and friends so they can better understand what you are dealing with. You might even want to ask one of them to tag along with you to any hearing care appointments that you may have. If you have any concerns about the process or feel like you need to speak with someone who has similar experiences to your own, check out the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). Book an appointment for a complimentary hearing test and consultation at Pure Sound Hearing. We have offices located in Elizabethtown, Lititz, and Strasburg.  As we’ve mentioned before in this blog, hearing loss often coincides with social isolation, which can lead to anxiety and depression. As the winter season continues, this feeling becomes more and more apparent. If you need a little guidance and support for your mental health, here are some suggestions.
Appreciate the Good Things in Life Having gratitude towards what you have can improve happiness, mental health, overall health, and your well-being. It’s been shown that writing in a “gratitude journal” once or twice each week can create a better mindset for you. Simply reflect on one act or person that you are grateful for, and write about the details in your journal. You’ll start to focus on the positive things - instead of the negative things. Creating a log about it lets you truly cherish that positive emotion. Have a Workout Routine When you exercise, not only do you give your whole body a much-needed activity, but you are also releasing endorphins. This helps relieve stress, which significantly boosts your mood. If you normally don’t work out, try easing your way into it by doing simple things that increase your physical activity. If you can, take the stairs when walking from one building level to another. You could even do chores around your home that require you to walk to different rooms or floors. When/if it is safe, shovel snow and clean the exterior of your home. Limit your activities to 30 minutes each day. Before heading to a gym, working out from home, or going out for a walk, take a look at our article: Are You a Hearing Aid User with an Active Lifestyle? Here are some Tips for Keeping Your Hearing Aids and Hearing Health in Shape. Indulge Your Senses Your senses of smell, taste, touch, sight, and hearing are not just meant for practical use and safety. Maybe you enjoy hearing a certain song or piece of music. The smell of a nice scented candle, flowers, or cup of tea is always soothing. And the taste of your favorite foods can uplift you. In some cases, a stress ball might be helpful. Everyone has a unique way of satisfying their senses, so reexamine the things you enjoy. Practice Your Favorite Hobbies Relieve stress by immersing yourself in something that you love. You can just let go and focus on the things that you enjoy. Get a Pet Interacting with a pet can lower cortisol levels - the stress hormone - and boost oxytocin levels - the love hormone. It can reduce blood pressure and alleviate loneliness and depression. If you don’t have a pet you can volunteer to walk a friend’s dog, cat-sit for the cat-owner in your life, or volunteer at a local animal shelter. If you, or a loved one, are noticing hearing loss, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Do you know that there have been numerous studies on the link between heart health and hearing health?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the number one cause of death in America. One in four deaths is caused by heart disease. This is our reminder to you: having a healthy heart is crucial to maintaining healthy hearing. How is heart function related to your ear health? Blood circulation throughout the body impacts your ear health. The microscopic hair cells in the cochlea (inner ear) only thrive when there’s a healthy amount of oxygen that goes into the blood. Heart disease may reduce the amount of blood that comes in contact with the cochlea, which can deteriorate them and impair the way they function when sounds enter the ears. When these delicate cells become weak and damaged, they cannot regrow - this is what leads to permanent hearing loss, especially low-frequency hearing loss. The Heart and Hearing Health Connection According to this study, having a personal history of heart problems in addition to obesity, smoking, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) contributed to both low and high-frequency hearing loss. In a different study conducted by analysts from Miami University in Ohio, the test subjects who were more physically fit and healthy had better scores on their hearing screenings, particularly among people who were over 50 years old. More exercise to boost heart health along with other lifestyle changes, like diet or smoking habits, can affect heart and hearing health for the better. Improve the way you eat by following a heart-healthy diet. Eat fruits, whole grains, and vegetables instead of foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Quit smoking. We are all well aware of the health risks when it comes to smoking. In addition to damaging your lungs, smoking can increase your risk of getting heart disease. If you or a loved one are experiencing hearing loss, tinnitus, or can no longer hear clearly, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a hearing test and consultation with one of our hearing healthcare providers. We offer hearing aids and assistive listening devices that can get you back on track towards healthy hearing.  If you have a child or grandchild who struggles with focus and completing tasks, you may want to consider getting them tested for both attention-deficit disorder (ADD), and hearing loss. The symptoms of these two conditions are similar, and a child can have both.
Learn more about ADD You have probably heard of ADD at least once in your life. It’s defined as a set of behaviors, which do not have any known cause and no definitive physical tests. Symptoms of ADD can imitate other health problems like hearing loss. Children who have ADD may be prone to impulsive behavior, grapple with concentrating during class, substandard skills in organization, may not attempt tasks that demand prolonged periods of mental exertion, and become quickly distracted more than their classmates. Children with a similar disorder known as attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) - may also appear to be restless, and attempt to take on multiple tasks at the same time. Adults and children grapple with these skills, but if they have conduct that is worse than their peers, this could mean that they have ADD or ADHD. Is it Hearing Loss, Is it ADD or ADHD, or Is it a Learning Disorder There has been a rise in the number of people who were diagnosed with ADHD within the past few decades. This could imply that there are some misdiagnoses or possible overlap with hearing loss that also increases. About 3 out of 1,000 children in the U.S. are born with measurable hearing loss in one or both ears. Hearing loss, whether mild or severe, can lead to learning difficulties. A child with any range of hearing loss can miss at least 50 percent of conversations and lectures that occur in school. Here are some examples of how hearing loss may be mistaken for ADHD:
Children who have ADHD typically only have normal language development in speech that is at the same level as their peers. On the other hand, children with untreated hearing loss may lag in these areas. There’s a chance that a child could have both conditions, but an accurate assessment is needed to avoid unneeded medication and find the best methods to help the child achieve in the classroom. Getting treatment for hearing loss will significantly make a positive difference in a child’s life, whether or not they have ADHD. It can be tricky to distinguish the difference between hearing loss and ADHD. Hearing loss can feel like not being able to hear someone in a conversation where entire words or parts of words are spliced out. It can be difficult to sustain your attention when most of the information is unclear. This is why hearing loss can sometimes be mistaken for ADHD. ADHD Diagnosis can Help A proper diagnosis for ADHD can help determine the right course of action for a child. Children who have hearing loss and ADHD, generally get their hearing tested first. ADHD is diagnosed through behavioral and psychological symptoms while answering a series of questions that can be subjective. A Delay in Language Acquisition Some children who have hearing loss may also experience a setback in their development of speech. Unless there is an early diagnosis, intervention, and treatment with hearing aids and speech therapy sessions, there’s a high chance that they will fall behind their peers in this realm. If your child is struggling in school and you suspect that hearing loss may be the problem, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Maybe you know a thing or two about what it’s like to have hearing loss, but here are 16 facts that you may not know about.
If you or a loved one are noticing hearing loss, get your hearing checked immediately. A hearing test and proper treatment can help save hearing loss or slow it down from getting worse. Get in touch with us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Do have hearing loss and experienced the frustrations of communicating with people at a hospital? Here are some tips for managing your hearing loss during a hospital visit.
Hearing loss can be equally as important to address as the healthcare emergency that landed you in the hospital. Not being able to completely understand the medical professionals who are taking care of you can be just as scary as your health emergency. Hospitals can be busy and noisy. People rush in, there are loud machines or announcements over the intercoms, and all sorts of people - from personnel to other patients and their loved ones - are around you and talking all at once. From masked staff members to healthcare workers with unfamiliar accents, it can be overwhelming. It’s important not to guess or tell people who are helping you that you understand what they are saying when you don’t. An incorrect response could put your entire health at risk. A lot of people, particularly the older population, go to the hospital without hearing aids. Many people with hearing loss don’t even have hearing aids due to financial reasons, or denial about their hearing loss. When you are in a noisy and busy environment, like a hospital, your hearing loss can lead to more problems. People who have Hearing Loss are More Prone to Hospitalizations Approximately 40 million adults in the U.S. have some range of hearing loss and are more likely to require hospital care. According to research from Johns Hopkins, of these 40 million adults, untreated hearing loss has a 17 percent higher risk of visits to the emergency room. They are also more likely to stay in the hospital, spend more days in the hospital, and have a 44 percent risk of being readmitted within 30 days. Practices the Hospitals can Implement Hospitals can help patients with hearing loss by:
Make sure to Advocate for Yourself, or Get Help from a Loved One Let staff, personnel, and other medical professionals know that you have hearing loss. If necessary, caregivers may need to take on this role. It is very important that you speak up about your hearing loss, and ask for accommodations. Hearing loss is an invisible disability. On rare occasions, patients have been sent to the “behavioral health” unit where individuals with mental health issues go after misunderstanding or mishearing a question, or even misspeaking. Wearing Hearing Aids in the Hospital Even though it is recommended to wear hearing aids from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep, some people leave them at home because they are afraid of losing them. If you decided to do this, alert the hospital staff about your hearing loss. Ask for a hearing amplifier. Plan ahead of time and practice using captioning apps. Otter is a great choice. With this app, conversations can be transcribed in real-time on your smartphone. For legal reasons, hospitals cannot provide this for you, but you may use it yourself. If you choose to bring your hearing aids, and they need to be recharged, bring your charger along. The hospital that you go to might be able to track down a charger for you. Remember to carry extra batteries. You can always ask staff members if they have hearing aid batteries available for you. Hearing is Important to make Proper Medical Decisions Making medical decisions can happen at any stage during your hospital visit, especially if you arrived for an emergency. Whether you can hear or have trouble with hearing, it can be difficult to understand complicated or unfamiliar medical terms/procedures. Whenever possible, have a friend or family member with good hearing and concentration involved in your decision. You may also use a transcriber on your phone. Make sure it’s accurate, and get help from the medical staff to verify its accuracy. If you find it too distracting to listen and watch at the same time, record the conversation and read the transcript at a later time. Remind doctors, nurses, and other staff members that you are hard of hearing and ask them to speak up or repeat themselves when necessary. What if Your loved one won’t Admit They Have Hearing Loss? You cannot assume medical staff members will notice that your loved one has hearing loss. On average, only about half of the staff employees will be able to recognize this. Make sure that you inform staff members during the initial admittance and when seeing new medical staff members that your loved one has difficulty with hearing. This is especially important in hospice care and nursing homes. If you or a loved one, experiences hearing loss and want an easier experience interacting with medical staff, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing. We offer assistive listening devices that can help make your emergency visits pan out better, or we can show you how to use transcription apps.  If this is the year you plan to travel, take a much-needed vacation, or have a long-awaited family reunion, you’ll want to cherish those moments by being able to hear as best as you can.
A few ways that you can prepare for this are by receiving a hearing test, a new hearing aid upgrade, a professional hearing aid cleaning, or maybe a repair. After extensive periods of isolation and communication with masks, you’re probably anticipating a reconnection with loved ones through conversations, laughter, and the simple joy of each other’s company in person. Our hearing instrument specialists are ready to help you with the professional care that you deserve.  If you currently experience hearing loss, protect your hearing from getting worse and discover what helps you hear better.
How to Stop Your Hearing from getting Worse Medication and surgery are not treatment options for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Hair cells that are damaged cause permanent hearing loss, so it’s very important to protect your hearing. If you experience hearing loss, here are some tips to stop or slow down the additional loss.
Consider a Device to Help You Hear Hearing Aids
Assistive Listening Devices (ALD)
If you or a loved one notices a change in hearing abilities, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Two National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) publications have recommendations on the best practices in preventing hearing loss. The first is Criteria For a Recommended Standard: Occupational Noise Exposure and the other is Preventing Occupational Hearing Loss – A Practical Guide.
In 1983, a hearing conservation program was required to be implemented if a worker’s noise exposure was equivalent to or greater than an 8 hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA. The NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for job-related noise exposure (85 dBA, decibels A-weighted, as an 8-hour time-weighted average). An updated risk assessment reconfirms this level and time of exposure for 85-dBA REL. In regards to hearing protection, NIOSH noted that the noise reduction rating (NRR), a single-number according to a laboratory-approved rating, that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires to be displayed on labels of every form of hearing protection that is sold in the U.S. is insufficient. NIOSH recommends calculating the noise exposure to the person who uses hearing protection in a work environment. The NRR should be derated by subtracting from the NRR 25%, 50%, and 70% for industrial-strength earmuffs, formable earplugs, and all other styles of earplugs. A Guide to Preventing Hearing Loss on the Job NIOSH published Preventing Occupational Hearing Loss - A Practical Guide in 1996. Practical modifications can be made as followed:
The most successful programs for hearing loss prevention all feature the following eight elements:
Learn about accommodations that can be made by your employer, so that you and your company get the most out of your workspace. If you are noticing hearing loss, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation from one of our hearing aid providers.  Pay Attention to Hearing Loss
In some cases, hearing loss is immediately noticeable. In other instances hearing loss can start to occur before you realize that you can no longer to hear certain sounds or comprehend speech. Loss of hearing can happen due to nerve damage in the ear, which results in your brain not being able to interpret speech the same way that healthy ears can. Hearing loss can be temporary or become permanent. Either way, seek help as soon as you notice there’s something wrong with how well you can hear. Temporary hearing loss can become permanent when essential parts of the ear are damaged and cannot be restored. Hearing Loss caused by Loud Noise Loud noise is incredibly detrimental to the inner ear (cochlea). It only takes one very loud exposure to noise or listening to loud sounds for a lengthy amount of time, to induce hearing loss. Cells and membranes found in the cochlea can become damaged from loud noise. Over-stimulation from listening to loud noises for an extensive amount of time can exhaust hair cells, which can cause them to die off. They cannot regrow. This is what causes permanent hearing loss. Hearing loss can become progressive if the exposure to loud noise continues. Additional harm can affect hearing health after the noise exposure ends. Any damage to the inner ear or auditory neural system is usually permanent. The Harm that is done to Hair Cells can Accelerate Hearing Loss On average, each person is born with approximately 16,000 hair cells which are located in their cochlea. These cells let your brain identify sounds. Nearly 30% to 50% of hair cells can be harmed or destroyed before shifts in your hearing become measurable through a hearing test. When you start to notice hearing loss, numerous hair cells are already destroyed and beyond repair. After attending a loud event like a concert, you may have a hard time hearing. Quiet voices may sound muffled or you might experience tinnitus. If no damage was done, your hearing will usually return within a couple of hours or a few days. Like blades of grass, hair cells will curve a little more if the sound is louder. They will straighten out after it recovers from being in contact with the sounds. In other instances, if loud noise destroys too many hair cells, some will die. Recurring exposure to loud noise can eventually damage a lot of hair cells. You may slowly have a harder time understanding others when they speak, especially if there’s background noise. If hearing loss progresses, it could become more challenging to comprehend speech in quiet environments. Noise Exposure can Harm Nerves in the Ears Noise can also harm the auditory nerve that transfers information about sounds to the brain. Early damage may not appear on your hearing test, but it can cause ‘hidden hearing loss’. This can make it challenging to understand speech in noisy settings. Loud noise exposure can impact your ability to hear as you age. It also impacts how quickly you might develop hearing loss, even when you are not exposed to noises. If you or a loved one are noticing any changes in the ability to hear, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  In a survey conducted by the British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association, the topic of tinnitus awareness was discussed.
Tinnitus Statistics Approximately 82% of hearing aid providers from the panel revealed that their patients are informed about the connection between hearing loss and tinnitus, leaving 18% who said that their patients are not aware of this association. One out of 8 people experiences tinnitus. Two-thirds of individuals who have tinnitus, also experience hearing loss. In most instances, hearing loss may be the source of the tinnitus. There are numerous people who, unfortunately, are unaware that they have both symptoms. The Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Combo Finding out that you have tinnitus is similar to finding out that you have hearing loss. If you have difficulty hearing high frequencies, the tinnitus usually sounds like a high-pitched beeping, ringing, or hissing sound. Some individuals who have hearing loss may be able to recognize tinnitus more easily. This is due to their inability to hear as many sounds in their environment that could mask the noises. Wearing a hearing aid might help with hearing loss and tinnitus. Many digital hearing aids can be programmed to cover up tinnitus by making other sounds slightly louder. People frequently mistake their tinnitus as the main problem, when it’s the hearing loss that’s causing their frustration. So it’s important to educate and raise awareness about the affiliation between hearing loss and tinnitus. This will help to prevent some of the hardships that may arise and provide the proper resources to help them. If you or a loved one believe you may be experiencing tinnitus and hearing loss, or only hearing loss, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Exercise is an important part of maintaining your overall health. If you’re a hearing aid user who practices physical exercises regularly, it’s advised that you wear your devices during workout sessions.
3 Reasons why Hearing Aids should be used during Exercise Routines
Be prepared by bringing Hearing Aid Gear during Workouts To get the most out of your workout, reduce distractions and feel confident while wearing your hearing aids by being prepared. Here’s a suggestion of supplies you should keep with you.
How to take care of Your Hearing Aids after Your Workout If you frequently work out, be cautious about wear and tear. This will help your hearing aids last longer, after each workout session.
Keep up an Active Lifestyle According to the Hear the World Foundation, 70 percent of hearing aid users have said that they wear their hearing aids while participating in sports and did not experience any problems. About 37 percent of users said they enjoy participating in sports more when wearing them. So if you aren’t already wearing hearing aids while playing sports, try it out. Be aware of Dangerous Noise Levels in the Gym Gyms are well-known for blasting music too loudly during workout sessions. This can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus. If you lift very heavy weights, while holding your breath, this can also cause hearing loss and tinnitus. It’s important to protect your ears from lesser-known risks to hearing health. Special settings can be programmed into your hearing aids for all sorts of environments, like gyms. Contact us at Pure Sound Hearing and talk to one of our hearing instrument specialists about programming a customized setting in your hearing aids before your next visit to the gym, or workout session from home.  Do you have older family members who lost their hearing when they were younger, or have experienced difficulties with their balance or even dizziness? Talk to them and learn more about their health issues, it could be genetic.
Hearing Loss within the Family Types of hearing loss, like presbycusis (age-related hearing loss), can be affected by genetic factors. Essentially, you can acquire an increased risk of hearing loss as you age. More research is required, but in a study on 376 Caucasian families, genetic influences are a part of presbycusis. The study also noted that even though men generally have more instances of hearing loss, mainly due to noise exposure in traditionally male-dominated jobs, women’s hearing loss was mainly caused by genetic factors. It is difficult to sift through other components that may impact these studies - such as people’s behaviors that can lead to hearing loss. Families may share the same occupations and habits, so it’s unknown as to whether it’s their genes or the similar behaviors that are connected to hearing loss. It may be a combination of the two. Be Curious About Your Family‘s Health History The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have stressed the importance of learning about your family’s health history and helping you reduce the risks of developing any potentially avoidable health issues. It is recommended that you create a list of immediate family members, and ask if they have any chronic or severe illnesses and what age they developed them. Share this information with family members and your family doctor. This information can help your doctor determine the proper tests and what age you should start these screenings. Otosclerosis Otosclerosis occurs when there is abnormal bone growth in the middle ear and affects the stapes bone. Some symptoms of otosclerosis include a gradual loss of hearing, usually struggling to hear low-pitched sounds. Other symptoms may include dizziness, tinnitus, or problems with balance. The risks of developing otosclerosis are based on your family’s history with the disease. It is usually a genetic problem that is passed from parent to child. A child who has one parent that was diagnosed with otosclerosis has a 25 percent chance of developing the disease. There’s a 50 percent chance if both parents have the disease. The demographic that is at most risk are middle-aged white women. Conductive hearing loss can be the result of the disease. Surgery can usually fix this problem. In rare instances, otosclerosis can damage sensory cells and nerve fibers located in the inner ear, which can induce sensorineural hearing loss. If you or a loved one are experiencing hearing loss or difficulty with hearing for any reason, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Hearing loss can happen to anyone, and be caused by anything. Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid it. You can reduce those chances by being aware of possible symptoms. The obvious factors, like a loud blast or repeated exposure to intense noises, are obvious causes of hearing loss, but one lesser-known cause is weight gain.
The holidays have ended, and you may have noticed some weight gain after eating all of those delicious foods. How Obesity Impacts Hearing Health Obesity can be a heated topic for many people, but some things are undeniable about it: cholesterol that builds in the arteries can lead to blood clots and inhibit proper blood flow. Like every functioning organ in the body, blood flow is needed to make sure that your ears function properly. Bad cholesterol levels that obstruct your arteries cause strain, and as a result, your ear health can be permanently damaged. Obesity is not a direct cause of hearing problems, but there is a higher risk of experiencing hearing loss due to other health factors and obesity can worsen these issues. What Changes Can You Make to Lower Your Risks? You can avoid hearing loss by:
You can have high cholesterol whether you are obese or not, so it’s still important to monitor your diet. If you, or a loved one, are noticing hearing loss contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Temporary hearing loss can be caused by so many different factors, including infections, impacted earwax, or exposure to loud noises. In many instances, this type of hearing loss is mild and it goes away very quickly. In other cases, consistent or severe hearing loss that suddenly progresses should always be addressed by your hearing healthcare provider. Here’s a list of the most common causes of temporary hearing loss.
5 causes of Temporary Hearing Loss 1. Middle Ear Infections If the region behind the eardrum fills up with bacterial fluid, there’s a good chance that an infection will develop. It’s important to note that the middle ear has a passageway that leads to the back of the throat, so an ear infection can spread due to the flu or virus. These infections are usually found in children, and they may briefly affect their hearing abilities. Typically, only one ear is affected. An infection in the middle ear can cause fluid build-up as the body tries to fight against the infection. Ear pressure caused by the fluids can affect the middle ear bones, which are used in hearing. In some instances, these fluids create a lot of pressure to the point where the eardrum can become punctured and discharge blood and pus from the ear. A ruptured eardrum can be painful, but it can usually heal itself when the infection is gone. You can use antibiotics to treat these infections. If you are given an antibiotic for your ear infection, do not stop taking them because you are feeling better. It’s important to continue taking the medication until the infection is gone to make sure the infection is completely gone. Please be aware that some antibiotics can cause hearing loss. Talk to a hearing healthcare provider when considering treatment options. 2. Swimmer’s Ear If you have recently gone swimming and now have itchy ears, pain, or feelings of fullness in the ears, you might have swimmer’s ear. This is an outer ear infection that occurs in the outer canal when water stays in your ear after being submerged in a body of water. It can infect one or both ears, and it can cause ear pain. Did you scratch your ears and can’t hear? Swimmer’s ear can also occur as a result of an abrasion or a scratch on your ear canal from using cotton swabs, hairpins, or your finger to clean your ear canal. Please refrain from placing anything small inside your ear canal. This can damage your eardrum. Again, you can use antibiotics to treat this infection. Your hearing can go back to normal with the proper treatment. Take preventative measures by making sure you get rid of any water that gets trapped inside your ear canal. 3. Loud Noises Any exposure to very loud noises - whether you’re at a concert, or using power tools without ear protection - can cause temporary hearing loss. What causes this to happen? The inner ears feature tiny hair cells that gather and transmit sound waves to the brain. These hair cells can become damaged due to very loud noise exposure. It normally affects both ears, although the severity of hearing damage can be worse in the ear that was exposed to more noise. There is usually no pain. Noise-induced hearing loss is sometimes permanent. As soon as you realize your ears have been damaged, rest your ears immediately. If possible, refrain from being exposed to any more noise by using earplugs or covering your ears with your hands. In most cases involving exposure to loud noises, the hearing should return in a short amount of time. There may be some permanent damage to the ear’s hair cells. If your hearing does not get better in a day or so, seek professional help. Remember to carry earbuds or earmuffs that help block out loud noises, if you’re going to be in a loud environment. A combination of continuous muffled hearing and ringing ears is a sign of tinnitus, which can be caused by exposure to loud noises. Be mindful of the volume, and turn it down on your devices. Where hearing protection. 4. Earwax Buildup Earwax helps trap dust and other tiny particles that enter your ears before they reach your eardrums. Earwax naturally falls out of your ear canals, but sometimes the wax becomes impacted and obstructs the ear canals. This blockage can lead to sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, which can interfere with sound waves as they make their way through the ear canal and towards the eardrum. A malfunctioning eardrum can lead to poor hearing. It can affect one or both ears and usually doesn’t cause pain. 5. Side Effects from Medication Some easily accessible drugs, like aspirin, have been connected to hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears. If you notice anything different about your hearing after taking a new medication, inform your healthcare provider. You may be advised to switch medications. This form of hearing loss is typically temporary, but there are some instances - particularly if another medication isn’t available for serious conditions - when hearing loss can become permanent. Don’t ignore hearing loss, whether it’s temporary or you have been experiencing it for a while now. Untreated hearing loss can worsen and cause additional problems other than the inability to hear. Get in touch with us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation with one of our hearing aid providers.  Did you know that three out of five older Americans who experience hearing loss do not wear hearing aids? Six out of seven middle-aged Americans who have hearing loss, also do not wear hearing aids.
Why Should You Take Action if You Experience Hearing Loss? As you may already know, hearing loss is very common, and the chances of having it greatly increase as we age. Unfortunately, most people with hearing impairment do nothing about it. It could be due to social stigma, or simply being in denial. There are negative consequences to untreated hearing loss including higher rates of cognitive decline, dementia, social isolation - which leads to depression, and a decrease in wages due to the inability to perform efficiently at your job. If you have hearing loss, the last two years have probably highlighted the difficulties you have with communicating, staying connected to others, remaining informed, and having control over your overall well-being. Modern hearing aid technology can help with social isolation, reduce cognitive decline, and help you perform better at your job. It also helps to increase your health and safety when you are out in different environments, especially areas that you don’t regularly go to. If you or a loved one are noticing a decline in the ability to hear, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation. Our hearing instrument specialists will patiently work with you to find the right solutions for you or your loved one.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported that the third leading cause of death in the U.S. is accidental injuries.
Think about that. Accidental injuries account for the third leading cause of death in this country. The results of multiple surveys that had more than 6 million American participants, indicated that people who struggle with hearing were twice as likely to experience an accidental injury, versus someone with healthy hearing abilities. If you combine the results of these findings - how accidental injuries are the leading cause of death and hearing loss raises those risks of accidents - that’s just another of many reasons to find treatment for hearing loss. In addition to reducing your chances of recurring incidents of accidental injuries, reconnecting with friends and family are also a good reason to treat your hearing loss. Get in touch with one of our specialists at Pure Sound Hearing to start your journey towards better hearing and overall health.  Sounds are heard through vibrations, A.K.A. sound waves that come in contact with our ears. The brain then interprets those vibrations as either speech, music, or other sounds.
The Outer Ear The outer ear - the anatomy of the ear that you and others see externally - harnesses sound waves into the ear canal. Sound waves move through the ear canal until it reaches the eardrum. The Middle Ear Harnessed sound waves cause the eardrums to vibrate. These vibrations are transferred to three tiny bones in the middle ear. These bones make the sound vibrations louder and transmit them to the inner ear. The Inner Ear A small snail-shaped structure that is full of fluid and located in the inner ear is known as the cochlea. Vibrations of sound create waves in the cochlear fluids. When the waves reach their highest, the tiny hair cells bend, and the vibrations are turned into electrical signals. The tiny hair cells are called stereocilia, which are receptors that can recognize the sound. The Auditory Nerve Electrical signals from the inner ear are transferred to the brain through the auditory nerve. The brain interprets the signals as sounds that you identify and comprehend. If you are having trouble with hearing, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Whether you are listening to nature sounds, the noise of laughter after a funny joke, or becoming aware of a warning signal from an emergency, hearing is a fundamental part of life.
Think about the ways that hearing, or the lack of hearing, impacts your life. 1. Be Aware of Initial Signs of Hearing Loss The World Health Organization reports that over 466 million people have a disabling form of hearing loss. It is crucial to be aware of the first signs of hearing loss so that you can immediately seek help. Immediately getting help from a healthcare provider can potentially save your hearing. If you notice muffled sounds when others speak, trouble hearing over the phone or in a crowded area, struggle hearing women’s or children’s voices, or other family members or colleagues notice you can’t hear very well, get a hearing test. 2. Reduce Exposure to Noise The only preventable form of hearing loss is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), yet it is the most prevalent form of hearing in children and adults. Make sure you wear hearing protection before being exposed to things like loud music, fireworks, or power tools. If possible, avoid these areas altogether or limit the amount of time you spend there. Be aware that your work environment may also cause hearing loss. Your employer is responsible for providing any hearing protection - such as earplugs or industrial style ear muffs - that you may need as a result of being exposed to loud noises on the job. 3. Do Not stick anything inside Your Ear Canal Many people have the habit of using cotton swabs in their ear canal. It’s a dangerous habit that can injure your ears. Inserting anything into your ear canal, like cotton swabs, actually pushes the earwax deeper into your ear canal. This can cause impacted earwax. If you must remove excess earwax, wipe it off of your ears with a warm soft cloth after your shower or bath. You may also soften the wax using ear drops, warm olive oil, water, or a commercial solution. It is not advised to use any of these if you have a perforated eardrum. If you are noticing any pain, hearing loss, or blockage, please contact us for an evaluation. 4. To Hear Healthy, Eat Healthy A proper diet and exercise are not only beneficial to hearing health, but also to your overall health. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes should be incorporated into a well-balanced diet. To help with the steady flow of inner ear fluid, eat potassium-rich foods like bananas. Consume other foods that are rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and minerals such as folate, magnesium, and zinc. Take a look at these articles for more advice on what to eat to improve your hearing: Which Vitamins and Minerals May Help Stop Hearing Loss? What Seasonal Autumn Foods can Improve Your Hearing Health? 5. Get Your Hearing Tested on a Regular Basis Just like your other annual health check-ups, hearing health should be tested every year. Getting regular check-ups on your hearing can help catch any potential issues that you may have. Noticing problems early can help avert more serious situations in the future. Get in touch with us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation with one of our hearing instrument specialists. We offer a number of hearing aids that can be programmed and tailored for your specific listening needs.  Most would argue that our sense of hearing and our sense of sight are the most important senses. If either of these senses weakens - especially as we age - it needs to be treated immediately.
Anyone who receives eyeglasses, contact lenses, or Lasik surgery usually doesn’t wait until it gets so bad that it becomes irreversible. The reason behind this is because the impact of vision loss is immediate, and it’s more obvious that it needs to be treated. The inability to drive, read, use a computer, or watch TV is serious, and it’s more evident than hearing loss. That’s not the case with hearing loss. 3 Reasons why Hearing Loss goes Untreated 1. Hearing loss sometimes happens gradually, so it’s not immediately noticeable unless you get a hearing test. Hearing tests are generally not automatically given to patients unless they voice concerns to their healthcare provider. 2. Another reason may be that most people don’t take it seriously. They may think, “It’s not a big deal.” 3. Not being able to afford hearing aids is a major factor that goes into untreated hearing loss. 6 Myths about Hearing Aids 1. “They make too many squeaking noises.” A squeaking noise can easily be fixed with help from your hearing instrument specialist. They can make readjustments for a better fitting hearing aid. 2. “There is no treatment for hearing loss.” Even though hearing loss is irreversible, you can still do something to help slow down the loss and save your brain from cognitive decline. Hearing aids can amplify sounds, and use directional/omnidirectional microphones to hear others in your surroundings. Anyone with mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss can get help with hearing aids. A professionally trained hearing instrument specialist can program your devices to hear sounds that you couldn’t without your hearing aids. 3. “My primary healthcare provider would have informed me that I have hearing loss.” As previously mentioned, general practitioners are too busy to give patients a hearing test. So unless you mention any problems with your hearing, they won’t test your hearing. In a recent poll, 80 percent of adults over 50 stated that their doctor did not ask them about their hearing in the past two years. One-third of patients have not had their hearing tested for over a decade. 4. “Hearing aids are too complicated.” The latest hearing aid technology has become more complex with advancements that make using them easier. Rechargeable hearing aids allow users to place the hearing aids in a charger so that it eliminates the hassle of changing batteries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and programmed sound processing technology will automatically hone in on speech and block out distracting background noises. Sounds are detected based on the direction from which it emanates, and automatic or manual adjustments can be made so that you can hear your best in any environment. If you are tech-savvy and prefer playing around with hearing aid features and apps, you have the freedom to do so. If you are less tech-savvy, and simply need to put them on when you wake up and remove them before going to bed, a hearing instrument specialist can install programs and settings for you. All you need to do is wear them. 5. “Hearing aids will make me stick out and look old.” Even though people of all ages wear hearing aids, for some, there is still a stigma around wearing hearing aids. In today’s society, that stigma is going away:
6. "Hearing aids are not worth the cost." Throughout this blog, we’ve discussed the potential strains on a person’s mental health, physical health, and overall quality of life if their hearing loss goes untreated. With time and patience, hearing aid users eventually discover life’s benefits of wearing their hearing aids on a regular basis. One way to get affordable hearing aids is through Pure Sound Hearing. Contact us to schedule a free hearing test and consultation. Our providers will help you select the right hearing aids for your specific needs.  It’s very difficult to escape from noises that we encounter on a day-to-day basis. Kids and teens have a lower hearing threshold than the average adult, making them more vulnerable to hearing loss.
They are often placed in noisy settings like a loud band room, or they are constantly listening to loud music, media, or video games with their headphones. Toys that make too much noise can also be dangerous. According to the CDC, about 14.9% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 have some range of hearing loss. Parents should be more aware of this. Dangerous noises that we often come across include:
The closer you are to the source of the sound, the louder it will be. Under these conditions, children are at higher risk of hearing loss. Spending one evening to see fireworks up close could instantly lead to hearing loss. Their daily environment at school can be too noisy, from bells ringing to loud chatter in a crowded hallway. Hearing Protection One of the main causes of hearing loss in children is dangerous listening habits. Children and teens generally listen to music, watch videos, or play games with earbuds resting snugly in their ears while the volume is turned up. For teens who are traveling to and from school, they tend to blast the volume to cut out the background noise. Even though that usually works, the risks of hearing loss become higher. The maximum volume level on personal listening devices can reach up to 100 decibels (dB). This is the same volume as an extremely loud leaf blower. It’s dangerous for anyone, especially kids to listen to loud music that’s blaring directly into their ears. Protect Your Child’s Hearing Health Talk to your children, or grandchildren about noise levels. Make them aware of the damage that can happen to their hearing. Rules need to be set for a safe listening routine. Volume levels should be kept at 60 dB or lower for babies, 82 dB or lower for children, 70-85 dB for teens.
If your children don’t take you seriously, find real accounts of people living with hearing loss and show them how difficult it can sometimes be to navigate through life with it. If you, your child, or grandchild experience hearing loss, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  Did you ever wonder why we have two ears? It’s not just to follow the symmetrical pattern of the rest of our body.
Having two ears that both function properly is called “binaural hearing”. Our ears are designed to harness sounds from our environment. If you have ever experienced, or if you currently experience, hearing loss in one ear, you understand the difficulty of hearing noises or knowing which direction they are coming from without another ear to hear them. Hearing aid users might also observe a difference while only wearing one hearing aid. Directional Sounds Ears transfer sound waves to the brain, which is where the sound gets interpreted. A working ear on each side of the head makes it easier to figure out where sounds are emanating from. This is known as “sound localization”, or “directional hearing”. An Extensive Range of Hearing Two ears that can hear lets you hear sounds clearer from each direction. Only being able to hear sounds out of one ear is limiting to the other side of the head. The range of hearing becomes restricted for noises, and it makes them harder to understand. When you socialize with other people, it’s easier to hear what others are saying with two ears. Struggling or feeling frustrated from not being able to hear others creates anxiety and listening fatigue. One healthy ear can hear up to 180 degrees, whereas two healthy ears can hear up to 360 degrees. Improved Quality of Sound You’ve probably experienced a few moments when just one stereo speaker or one earbud/headphone created sound. It had a poor sound quality that wasn’t loud or clear enough. This is basically what happens with your ears. Two ears provide a more balanced and natural sound. Only hearing with one ear feels odd because your brain is not receiving equal stimulation. A Buffer Zone for Loud Noises Two ears essentially create a buffer zone that allows sound to become divided among the two ears. Louder noises become easier to tolerate. Binaural hearing saves our hearing health by letting sudden, loud noises become less intense by dividing it between the ears. Hearing out of both ears is important for your overall quality of life and significantly helps with daily responsibilities. Whether you are having trouble hearing out of one ear, or both, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a free hearing test and consultation. Our providers will help you select an appropriate option for your listening needs.  It’s that time of the year when family and friends are gathering together for the holidays. If you experience hearing loss, it can feel frustrating to communicate with others.
What can you do to Communicate Better? If you believe that you may have hearing loss, schedule a hearing test immediately. Whether it’s mild or severe, a hearing test can determine whether you need additional treatment. If you do have hearing loss, your hearing instrument specialist can give proper recommendations for hearing aids. They will go over your lifestyle, goals, and budget and fit you with the appropriate devices. Do You Struggle to Hear in a Busy/Crowded Environment? Wearing hearing aids is helpful, but here are some extra tips to help with communication.
Selecting the Proper Devices Everyone’s hearing loss is different. What works for one person may not work for you. Choosing a hearing aid that focuses on speech and helps block out background noise may be helpful for most people with hearing loss. Many hearing aids feature advanced technology including Bluetooth®-connection to your smartphone and other devices, apps, customized programs, algorithms with noise reduction, remote microphones, and multi-directional microphones. Give the gift of hearing and communication by contacting us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation with one of our hearing aid professionals. |
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