Hearing screenings typically absent from routine doctor exams

This post originally appeared on Starkey.com

Today’s fact headlining the lack of hearing screenings at routine doctor exams may surprise you—or not.

If you’re surprised: It’s probably because you’ve been keeping up with the mounting research that strongly links hearing loss with dementia, cognitive decline, depression, loneliness, and falls.

If you’re not surprised: You may be familiar with the current state of shorter appointments in the U.S. and let’s face it—it’s not uncommon for physicians to prioritize other tests, labs, and questions before hearing. You’ve likely “been there,” and realize if you had any hearing loss concerns, it would be your role to mention them to the physician.

Regular hearing screenings are essential to your health

While the reasoning behind the lack of hearing screenings at routine exams isn’t clear-cut, we can take today’s fact as a reminder of how important it is to prioritize our hearing health. Regular hearing exams not only are the first step in helping to prevent the long-term detriments of hearing loss, such as dementia, but also play an immediate role in the early intervention of age-related hearing loss—which is gradual and often difficult to detect. As a result, people may not even realize they have hearing loss until it is further along and more challenging to treat.

On a positive note, the case integrating hearing screenings into regular health exams appears to be gaining some momentum: The esteemed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, for example, recently recommended routine doctor hearing screenings in a published report titled Hearing Health Care for Adults: Priorities for Improving Access and Affordability.

But while progress continues to grow, taking care of our hearing is up to us.

Fortunately, there are two things you can do:

Option 1: Tell your physician about hearing concerns

If you think you may have hearing loss, or even if you’re unsure, tell your physician. They can refer you to a licensed hearing care professional in the same way they might refer you to a dermatologist for skin issues. A hearing specialist will have the equipment and expertise to evaluate your hearing and counsel you through treatment options for any hearing issues you may be experiencing.

Option 2: Visit a hearing care professional yourself

As it stands, experts recommend having your hearing screened every three years once you’re 50. So, you can feel empowered to make it a part of annual health checks. Hearing evaluations are simple and pain-free, and can easily be set up with a hearing care professional near you.

For a head start, simply type your zip code in here to generate a list of local providers. They will be happy to show you how your hearing is doing, and as mentioned, discuss treatment if needed.

If you’re interested in a hearing test, visit your closest South Suburban Hearing Health Center to learn more about your hearing health.

Top 5 Benefits to Wearing Hearing Aids

If you’re on the fence about hearing aids, you’re not alone. Hearing loss is a common health condition that affects nearly 50 million Americans according to research supported by the World Health Organization. But contrary to popular belief, hearing loss doesn’t just affect the elderly. A study by Johns Hopkins published in The Archives of Internal Medicine found that 1 in 5 Americans age 12 and older have hearing loss severe enough to adversely impact communication.

According to the American Academy of Audiology, hearing loss is the third most common health condition in the United States, following heart disease and arthritis. The Hearing Health Foundation estimates that the number of Americans living with hearing loss exceeds those living with Parkinson’s, Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and Diabetes combined. Yet, despite the prevalence of hearing loss, experts estimate that only 20 percent of those who need hearing aids actually wear them.

Hearing aids provide a number of clinically proven benefits for hearing aid wearers including improved communication and decreased listening effort. Best of all, hearing your best will help you stay connected to the important people in your life. So for those of you still on the fence, here are the top five benefits of correcting hearing loss with hearing aids.

1. Increased Earning Power

Did you know that wearing hearing aids can actually increase your earning power? Research by the Better Hearing Institute found that untreated hearing loss can reduce annual earnings by as much as $30,000. The study also found that correcting hearing loss with hearing aids was found to reduce the risk of decreased earnings by over 90 percent for people with mild hearing loss, and nearly 77 percent for those with moderate-to-severe hearing loss.

2. Slow Cognitive Decline

Several studies have linked untreated hearing loss to an increased risk of developing dementia and reduced cognitive functioning. The decline appears greatest for those who do not wear hearing aids to correct hearing loss. A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that reduced hearing loss can actually accelerate atrophy in the auditory areas of the brain making speech understanding more difficult. The good news is that researchers have found that hearing aids help decrease atrophy while increasing hearing ability. The exciting new research further supports that treating hearing loss with hearing aids may slow the cognitive decline associated with hearing loss.

3. Reduce Annoyance Related to Tinnitus

More than 50 million Americans experience tinnitus, a high pitched ringing or clicking noise in the ears. With rare exception, tinnitus is usually accompanied by hearing loss. Wearing professionally-fit hearing aids to correct hearing loss can reduce the annoyance of tinnitus for many with hearing loss. Some products such as the Z Series product include technology specifically designed to alleviate tinnitus. Wearing hearing aids to correct hearing loss has also been shown to reduce the stress and annoyance associated with tinnitus.

4. Hearing Aid Wearers Are Satisfied With Hearing Aid Performance

According to a study by the Better Hearing Institute, more than 91 percent of those who purchased hearing aids in the last year were satisfied with their purchase. Nearly 90 percent of current hearing aid wearers would recommend hearing aids to a friend with hearing loss.

5. Better Living

Finally, the Better Hearing Institute has found that people who wear hearing aids to correct their hearing loss enjoy a better quality of life than those who let hearing loss go untreated.

Ready to learn more about hearing aids? Contact South Suburban Hearing Health Center today!

Can earwax cause hearing loss?

In short, yes, earwax can cause hearing loss. But it doesn’t occur as commonly as one might think. In fact, very few patients who are seen by hearing healthcare professionals have hearing loss that is literally due to excessive earwax (cerumen impaction).More likely, the patient has experienced a gradual decline in their hearing over time and the hearing loss has become enough that the patient is starting to have difficulty communicating with others.  It is when communication starts to become effected that people seek help.What, you might ask, causes cerumen impaction? Anything that affects the normal outward flow of ear wax may cause impaction, such as advanced age, narrow or abnormally shaped ear canals, use of a hearing aid, incorrect use of cotton swabs, or using needles, hair pins, or other objects to clean the ears. (PSA: Do not stick anything in your ear to clean it!)

Total earwax blockage is rare

What is important to know here is that soundwaves only need a tiny opening in the ear canal to reach the eardrum. So, unless the ear canal is plugged tightly with earwax, there shouldn’t be noticeable hearing loss. When cerumen impaction is severe enough to cause hearing loss, there will likely be other signs and symptoms noticed, such as dizziness, ear fullness (a feeling that something is plugging up your ear), itchiness or pain in the ears and/or ringing in the ears. Rarely does cerumen impaction occur without additional signs that “something is wrong.”The good news is that hearing loss caused by cerumen impaction is easily treated and setting up an appointment with a licensed hearing healthcare professional is easy and convenient. Contact South Suburban Hearing Health Center here!

10 tips to get more out of your hearing aid batteries

Hearing aids are getting more and more advanced. With all the extra processing power and new features in today’s hearing aids, you can typically get 3-10 days off a single battery. Why is the life of a hearing aid battery so unpredictable, where one battery may last a week, and another just two or three days? Much depends on your amount of hearing aid use, streaming, and how you care for your hearing aids.Still, there are steps you can take to maximize the life of your batteries and optimize the performance of your hearing aids.

Here are 10 tips to get the most out of your hearing aid battery:

1. Let the battery "breathe" for 3-5 minutes. After removing the tab from the battery, let the battery sit for 3-5 minutes before installing it in your hearing aid. This "activation" time allows air to reach the materials inside the battery and activate them.2. Wash your hands throughly before changing batteries. Grease and dirt on the batteries may damage the hearing aid. Also, grease and dirt can clog up the air pores in the battery.3. Open the battery door at night. When you're not wearing your hearing aid, turn it off or open the battery door to minimize battery drain. Leave the battery compartment of  your hearing device open at night so moisture can escape. Doing so will keep the battery from corroding and damaging the hearing aid.4. Use a hearing aid dehumidifier. A hearing aid dehumidifier will help absorb moisture out of your hearing aid and battery. This will allow the battery power to be used more efficiently. The dehumidifier is also a great place to store your hearing aids.5. Remove the batteries entirely if you won't be using the device for an extended period of time. This also helps to avoid corrosion and damage from trapped moisture.6. Check the expiration date on the batteries. The further out the batteries are, the fresher they are. Over time, batteries will drain slightly while sitting on the shelf. Ideally, you should buy batteries that have an expiration date a year or further from your purchase date.7. Use the oldest pack of batteries first. The newest packs will have the furthest expiration date than your older packs of batteries. You want to ensure that you use the oldest batteries first, so that you are getting the most life out of them.8. Keep the stickers on the battery. The sticker tab on the battery keeps the battery "fresh." As soon as the sticker is removed, the battery is activated and starts draining. You want to make sure you don't peel the sticker tab off until you need to use that battery.9. Keep the batteries in a cool dry place. Storing new, unused batteries in extreme temperatures can cause the battery to drain/have a shorter life.10. Invest in a rechargeable battery hearing device. Rechargeable hearing aids and batteries  —  like our Muse iQ rechargeable hearing aids  —  are starting to come out into the market. Rechargeable batteries allow you to charge the battery at night and get a full day's worth of use. Rechargeable batteries need to be replaced on a yearly basis. If you're interested in the new technology, talk to your hearing healthcare professional.For more tips on making your hearing aid batteries last longer, call South Suburban Hearing Health Center today!

The difference between how men and women listen

As a hearing instrument specialist who has spent countless hours counseling couples before and after hearing aid fittings, I’ve lost track of the number of times wives have complained that their husbands don’t listen, even after the identified hearing loss was corrected with hearing aids. So is there any truth to the assumption that women listen better than men? The question has been debated between spouses for generations, and scientific research could provide an answer.

Gray and white

Research findings suggest that men do in fact listen differently than women. But are the identified differences straightforward, clear cut or even black and white? Actually they might be – gray and white that is. Our brains are composed of both gray matter and white matter. Gray matter is thought to represent information processing centers while white matter is tasked with networking those processing centers.A combined research project between the University of California, Irvine and the University of New Mexico identified a gender difference between the amount of gray matter and white matter found in our brains. The amount of gray matter was six times greater in the brains of the male research participants, while the women participating in the study had 10 times the amount of white matter the men did.These disparities were identified in genders with comparable intelligence. A heavier reliance on gray matter may assist men with localized tasks, while increased white matter may help women excel at integrating and assimilating, a skill thought to aid language skills.Despite activating different activity centers within the brain, genders perform equally on measures of cognitive function. This means that although we listen and assimilate information differently, the difference does not appear to affect cognition or our ability to listen. Differences in the way we listen do not seem to impact listening performance.

Language processing

The anatomical composition of the male and female ear is identical, yet additional research at the Indiana University School of Medicine also suggests that men listen differently than women. Specifically, women appear to use both sides of the brain while men rely more heavily on one when listening.“Our research suggests language processing is different between men and women, but it doesn’t necessarily mean performance is going to be different,” explains Joseph T. Lurito, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of radiology at the Indiana University School of Medicine.In the study, both genders listened to the same passage read aloud. Researchers noted that the majority of women participating in the study showed activity in the temporal lobe on both sides of the brain. Male participants displayed neural activity in the temporal lobe as well, but the activity was primarily confined to the left side of the brain. Scientists believe the left side of the temporal lobe is responsible for listening and speech. Interestingly, the right temporal lobe is thought to process non-auditory functions.

Can the research be applied to the way men and women communicate?

More research is needed to link processing differences to communication styles. However, most would agree that men and women have different listening and communication styles. While listening, men tend to focus primarily on the information required to successfully complete a task or solve a problem. Conversely, women connect more to the emotional tone of the conversation. Whether or not preferred communication styles relate directly to physical differences between genders remains unclear.If a link is established, imagine how nice it would be to blame gray or white matter or temporal lobes instead of your significant other. If you find yourself becoming annoyed that your husband minimizes the emotional details of your story in favor of focusing on solving the problem you presented him with, you could theoretically blame it on his increased gray matter or his left temporal lobe. And husbands, if you find yourself losing your patience as your wife talks incessantly about seemingly insignificant details, you could blame her white matter or both sides of her temporal lobe, rather than blaming her directly.Cut your partner a little slack this upcoming Valentine’s Day. They really are listening to you, but it’s probably different than the way you are listening to them.If you think you may be experiencing hearing loss, call South Suburban Hearing Health Centers today! We will get you set up with an appointment, right away.

Too many people let their hearing loss go untreated!

It’s well known that hearing loss is pervasive and that your odds of having hearing loss increase exponentially as you get older. What’s less well known is how few people actually do anything about it. Though, when you think about it, you don’t see nearly as many people wearing hearing aids as you do glasses — so that’s a pretty big clue.Why don’t we do anything about it – that’s the question, especially when the negative effects of hearing loss on quality of life are also well known — and the benefits of treating hearing loss are so many ?If you’ve got hearing loss, you don’t need to let it constrain your life. Treat it, and live life to the fullest. You deserve it. Start by calling South Suburban Hearing Health Centers to see what your options are! We are here to help!

The Benefits of Binaural Hearing

The Greek philosopher, Epictetus, once said “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” While it is a great lesson, it is not the real reason why we have two ears. We have two ears for the same reason we have two eyes.

Why two? 

Let’s start with eyes. Together, our two eyes allow us to have depth perception. This also allows us to see in 3D. Our two eyes allow us to see, with peripheral vision, about 170 degrees around us. Have you ever tried to walk with one of your eyes closed? Do you feel a little off balance? Our two eyes let us know, visually, where we are in space.Our two ears provide a similar benefit. Two ears allow us to hear in “stereo.” When we listen with two ears, we actually hear better! More importantly, they work together to tell us where a sound is coming from, and help us focus on the voice we want to hear. Our two ears tell us, sound-wise, where we are in space. This spatial awareness is sometimes referred to as “presence.”

How hearing aids handle two ears

Until recently, when we wore two hearing aids, they worked independently. This meant that each ear was treated like it was the only ear we had. There was no communication or joint effort. So, while our ears were trying to work together, the hearing aids (or the signal provided to the ear) were not.The best hearing aids today — like our line of iQ hearing aids— now have a feature called ear-to-ear functionality or binaural imaging. This allows the two hearing aids to work together, like our two ears do naturally. Why is this important? There are several reasons.

Improved comfort

Envision yourself at a restaurant.There are people all around you talking, the wait staff is asking what you want and your friends at the table are all talking.With ear-to-ear functionality, the two hearing aids actually share information about what is going on around you. This allows the hearing aids to make an intelligent decision of what to do to keep you comfortable and help you follow the conversation!

Simple control of hearing aids

Another perk of ear-to-ear functionality is your ability to adjust both hearing aids by touching one. If you need to change the memory or setting, you only have to touch one hearing aid. When that hearing aid changes settings, it will tell the other hearing aid to change so that your hearing aids are always in the right setting and working together!

Improved phone conversations

Imagine holding the phone to one ear and hearing the call in both ears. Ear-to-ear functionality allows this as well. We know phone conversations can be difficult when you have hearing loss, particularly in a busy environment. With ear-to-ear functionality, the phone call is sent to both ears, potentially increasing your ability to follow the conversation and decrease the interference of background noise!Our two ears are designed to work together. With ear-to-ear functionality, our hearing aids can too!To learn more about how you can benefit from ear-to-ear functionality — and try a pair of our new iQ hearing aids for yourself — talk with South Suburban Hearing Health Center today about your options! Contact us here.