A new study found a correlation between iron deficiency anemia and hearing loss. A study of over 300,000 people found that those with iron deficiency anemia were two and a half times more likely to have hearing loss.
The study offers no concrete reason why the two would be related, but suggests that it could be because of reduced bloodflow to the inner ear.
Science has known and accepted for decades that brain changes occur secondary to substantial hearing loss and deafness. When a person starts to loose sounds due to hearing loss, the human brain changes as a result of altered auditory stimulation? So when a previously known and learned auditory task (such as listening in noise) becomes more effortful and challenging, the brain may endeavor to accomplish the same goal by emphasizing a greater reliance on vision to supplement what was previously accomplished via audition alone. This is true even for mild hearing loss…The higher-order areas of the auditory cortex get recruited by vision and they show functional changes. Studies have concluded that frontal and the pre-frontal areas of the brain become more active as auditory input is attenuated due to hearing loss. So, as hearing loss increases, the brain has to work harder to listen. If we define hearing as perceiving sound, and listening as the ability to make sense of sound, it seems correct to state that, as hearing loss increases, the brain expends increased effort to successfully listen, and very likely, this would be most distressing in background noise?The good news is that early treatment for even mild degrees of hearing loss can prevent or reverse cross-modal recruitment, and relieve the increased brain load present with untreated hearing loss. ‘My Audiologist” clinic located at 15 Spurs Drive . Wellington Point. Queensland have the latest hearing aid and assistive listening technology to address the effects of mild to profound hearing losses. Call today to start your journey toward better hearing, and a better quality of life!
Phone : 07 3446 5845
web : www.myaud.com.au
Worlds largest consumer market survey (more than 120,000 people) on hearing aids and hearing loss was conducted in year 2016 with a focus on the ‘non-auditory benefits’ of hearing aids, including quality of life, relationships at home and work, sense of safety and independence, and mental health. Conclusion being there is a huge improvement in all aspects of hearing Auditory or non auditory. To read the whole journal click on the link http://www.hearingreview.com/2016/06/hearing-aids-improve-hearing-lot/
…the biggest mistakes when getting hearing aids
I have been helping patients find the best solutions for their hearing problem for more than 20 years. During this time, I have met with thousands of patients, some who love their hearing aids and get great results, and some who hate their hearing aids and feel like they have wasted their money. Here are the four biggest mistakes I have seen people make.
The truth is no one wants a hearing aid. What you want is for your communication problems to go away or be significantly reduced. Smart consumers start with a list of three to five big issues they want resolved, and they ask the hearing aid provider which hearing aid will give them the best results.
It’s not what the hearing aid looks like on the outside that dictates how much it will help you; it’s what’s inside that counts. With digital technology, some hearing aids are amazingly smart: They have multiple programs built into the hearing aids to keep you hearing well no matter where you go or what you do, and they will automatically switch from program to program, adjusting the volume for you. A different hearing aid that looks exactly the same on the outside can be amazingly stupid — a simple amplifier that makes everything louder.
In addition to the cost of the device itself, there are professional fees and expertise included in the price. This is the knowledge and expertise of the person fitting the hearing aid. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for. The better the technology and the more knowledgeable and capable the fitter, the more it is going to cost — but the better your results should be. Not everyone needs the fanciest technology, but, to be honest, everyone can benefit by having a knowledgeable and experienced person doing the fitting.
Your hearing loss did not happen overnight. Most likely, it has gradually been making your world quieter and quieter for 10+ years. Plus, your ears need to work with your brain to let you hear and understand what is being said.
Think of the hearing aids like a prosthetic hand. You need to practice with that artificial hand to learn how to use it. The more you practice, the better you get. At first you may just be able to open and close the hand. With practice you learn how to pick things up and really use it to improve your life. The same is true with the hearing aids. At first it seems like you are just hearing everything and it seems really loud. Over time you learn to listen and discriminate.Those who use their hearing aids on a regular basis become successful users; those who put them on only occasionally never really get the help they need.
If your dexterity ( numb fingers, big fingers, arthritic hands) or eye sight is a concern choose a device that is easy to manage and operate. Having a dialogue with the Audiologist and trialling some trail aids is a good idea.
Call ‘My Audiologist’ on 07 3446 5845 for more information
Wouldn’t you like to know if your hearing loss is medically or surgically correctable before you invest thousands of dollars on hearing aids. Don’t you want to know if your hearing loss is indicative of a more serious underlying disease?
Not created equal
Most people think that all hearing tests are created equal, but that is not the case. A complete diagnostic hearing evaluation is done by an Audiologist. It is designed to not only measure how much hearing loss you have but also what the cause is. This is important to ensure that you get the correct medical care or surgical care for your loss. It also can lead to further medical tests, such as CT scans, MRIs or blood tests, to check for underlying conditions not visible in your ears.
A comprehensive evaluation
A complete hearing test will include checking your ears for wax and insuring your eardrum in whole and healthy. This is followed by a tone test to see how sensitive your ear is to different frequencies of tones (low pitch to middle and high pitches).
Next your hearing is checked for speech awareness and clarity — how softly you can hear words and just barely make them out, and then how clear words are when they are loud enough to correct for any loss. The next test is bone conduction, which repeats the original tone test using a bone vibrator placed behind your ear instead of listening through the headphones. This checks to see if you have problems in the middle ear area causing a blockage. The final test is usually one to check for eardrum mobility, followed occasionally by a reflex tone test.
Once all test are done your audiologist will explain the results and any recommendations they are making for follow-up care.
A hearing aid dispenser can ONLY do tests for the purpose of fitting hearing aids and not to rule out medical problems. So don’t just go into the hearing aid store for that free hearing test you see advertised in the local paper. Call ‘My Audiologist’ on 07 3446 5845 for a comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessment.
Eardrum or Tympanim membrane is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. This membrane prevents water, bacteria and other contaminants from getting into the middle ear. The eardrum also plays an important part in enabling us to hear sounds, so damage to the eardrum can lead to problems with hearing. Sometimes this membrane may rupture or tear due to an ear infection, injury, exposure to loud sound etc…Symptoms may include ear pain, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), discharge from the ear and sometimes dizziness. If you think you may have perforated ear drum ; keep your ears dry and avoid blowing through yous nose (this puts pressure on the ear drum). Visit your doctor and an audiologist. If the ear drum does not heal properly with medications your health professional may then refer you to an ENT ( Ear nose throat) Surgeon. If necessary, the eardrum membrane can be repaired using a surgical procedure. Eardrum repairs are usually successful.
Do you suspect your hearing is not as good as it had been and have a history of perforated ear drum or suspect you have a ruptured ear drum. Please call ‘ My Audiologist” on 07 3446 5845 for a comprehensive hearing assessment and advise…..
