enquire@myaud.com.auOpen: Monday - Saturday07 3446 5845Level 2, 687-689 Old Cleveland Road East, Wellington Point, QLD 4160View LocationsVisit Us

BLOG

Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
AudioHearing Loss Causes

DINING OUT WITH HEARING LOSS- Useful tips

Here are my tips for a successful experience when dining out.

  1. Provide information early. Note your desire for a quiet table in your reservation and remind the restaurant if they call to confirm. This gives them a better chance of meeting your needs than if you walk in cold. If they seat you at a less than ideal table at first, ask for a quieter spot. Persistence often pays off.
  2. Request a table in the corner. A corner table or other location beside a wall works best since there is a barrier between you and the rest of the restaurant noise. This also eliminates distractions from noise behind you and lets you better focus on the speakers at the table. A booth is also often a good choice if it has high back seats.
  3. Choose restaurants with sound absorbing decor. Carpet, curtains, cushioned chairs, cloth tablecloths and acoustic tiles are my decor of choice. Many restaurants today prefer hard surfaces like glass and wood. Preview the decor online or look for “old school” restaurants which may have a more classic design.
  4. Read online reviews. Many restaurant rating systems now include noise level as one of the criteria.
  5. Ask around. I like to trade restaurant tips with my hearing loss friends and also with my hearing friends.
CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
Audio

Noise exposure during pregnancy and hearing loss in children…

A new cohort study has shown that noise exposure during pregnancy can damage the unborn child’s hearing, with an 80% increased risk in noisy occupational environments. Until recently, it was assumed that unborn children where shielded from noise in the womb but it has been demonstrated that loud noise does in fact reach the fetus. The study carried out by the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden provides new evidence that women should avoid exposure to high levels of noise while they are pregnant.

Even if pregnant women themselves use ear protectors in noisy environments, the babies they’re carrying remain unprotected with an 80% increased risk in noisy occupational environments.

 

CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
AudioHearing Loss Causes

Menier’s Disease…

Meniere’s disease is a condition that affects the inner ear. There are 4 typical symptoms associated with Meniere’s disease:

  • spontaneous, recurrent episodes of vertigo (coming and going attacks of dizziness or giddiness);
  • hearing loss;
  • tinnitus (a constant noise in one ear, often described as a buzzing or humming sound); and
  • a sensation of fullness or pressure in the ear.

Meniere’s disease usually affects one ear, but can affect both. People aged 40 to 60 years are most likely to develop Meniere’s disease, but it can affect people of all ages.

The disease is thought to be due to an increase in the pressure of the fluid (called endolymph) contained in the membranous labyrinth, a part of the inner ear.

Medications that reduce fluid (diuretics) may help reduce the pressure of fluid in the inner ear and help control the frequency and severity of symptoms. Medicines that improve circulation to the ear, such as betahistine (brand names Seniere, Serc), may help control symptoms in some people. A hearing aid may help with hearing loss.

Eating a salt-reduced diet can help reduce fluid retention and help decrease the volume and pressure of fluid in your inner ear, and is generally recommended. This may help reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms.

Avoiding caffeine may help reduce tinnitus, and avoiding nicotine can also help improve symptoms.

Learning techniques to manage stress and anxiety and joining a support group may also help people with Meniere’s disease. Minears organisation, Whirled Foundation are few such support groups….Need more information or a friendly chat free feel to call ‘ My Audiologist” on  07 3446 5845

CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
Hearing Loss Causes

Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)

NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense “impulse” sound, such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time, such as noise generated in a woodworking shop.Recreational activities that can put you at risk for NIHL include target shooting and hunting, snowmobile riding, listening to MP3 players at high volume through earbuds or headphones, playing in a band, and attending loud concerts. Harmful noises at home may come from sources including lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and woodworking tools.

Sound is measured in units called decibels. Sounds of less than 75 decibels, even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss. However, long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for NIHL to happen.

Here are the average decibel ratings of some familiar sounds:

    • The humming of a refrigerator
      45 decibels
    • Normal conversation
      60 decibels
    • Noise from heavy city traffic
      85 decibels
    • Motorcyles
      95 decibels
    • An MP3 player at maximum volume
      105 decibels
    • Sirens
      120 decibels
    • Firecrackers and firearms
      150 decibels

Your distance from the source of the sound and the length of time you are exposed to the sound are also important factors in protecting your hearing. A good rule of thumb is to avoid noises that are too loud, too close, or last too long.

If you are exposed to noise recreational or work related get your hearing measured…… But make sure you have at lease 24 hours of no exposure to noise before getting your hearing assessed.  Please call ‘ My Audiologist” on 07 3446 5845 for a  comprehensive hearing assessment….  And yes we do Workcover claims and assessment…. We are GEPI trained and certified…. Yes we do Aviation Medical Hearing test

CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
Hearing Loss Causes

Workrelated Ototoxin and Hearing Loss- Attention painter, printer,boat builder……

Exposure to some chemicals can result in hearing loss. These chemicals are known as Ototoxic substances. Hearing loss is more likely to occur if a worker is exposed to both noise and ototoxic substances than if exposure is just to noise or ototoxic substances alone. There are three major classes of ototoxic substances: solvents, heavy metals and asphyxiants. Work activities that commonly combine noise and ototoxic substances include:

• painting

• printing

• boat building

• construction

• furniture making

• fuelling vehicles and aircraft

• manufacturing, particularly of metal, leather and petroleum products

• degreasing

• fire-fighting

• weapons firing

Some medications have also been identified as ototoxic substances. These include some anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-malarial, anti-rheumatic and antibiotic drugs. Quinine and salicylic acids (such as aspirin) are also considered to be ototoxic substances. Some of these can be absorbed through the skin and are considered particularly hazardous.  Control measures such as substitution, isolation and local ventilation should be implemented to eliminate or reduce chemical exposures. Personal protective equipment should be used to prevent skin and respiratory absorption when other controls are insufficient.

If you work with Ototoxic substances with or without exposure to noise please do get your hearing checked… Call ‘My Audiologist’ on  07 3446 5845 for a  comprehensive audiological assessment.

CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
Hearing Loss Causes

Cardiovascular Diseases and Hearing Loss

Studies have shown that a healthy cardiovascular system—a person’s heart, arteries, and veins—has a positive effect on hearing. Conversely, inadequate blood flow and trauma to the blood vessels of the inner ear can contribute to hearing loss. The inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow that it is possible that abnormalities in the cardiovascular system could be noted here earlier than in other less sensitive parts of the body.” researchers found that audiogram pattern correlates strongly with cerebrovascular and peripheral arterial disease and may represent a screening test for those at risk. Researchers even concluded that patients with low-frequency hearing loss should be regarded as at risk for cardiovascular events, and appropriate referrals should be considered.Research shows that hearing loss is frequently associated with other physical, mental, and emotional health conditions, and that people who address their hearing loss often experience better quality of life. Eight out of 10 hearing aid users, in fact, say they’re satisfied with the changes that have occurred in their lives specifically due to their hearing aids—from how they feel about themselves to the positive changes they see in their relationships, social interactions, and work lives.
When people with even mild hearing loss use hearing aids, they often improve their job performance; enhance their communication skills; increase their earnings potential; improve their professional and interpersonal relationships; stave off depression; gain an enhanced sense of control over their lives; and better their quality of life.

Do you have  a family history or predisposition towards heart diseases. Please get your hearing checked… Call ‘My Audiologist’ on 07 3446 5845

CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
Hearing Loss Causes

Diabetes and Hearing Loss

Diabetes being the fastest growing chronic disease in the world with more than 1.5 million diabetics in Australia and more than 2 million Australian adults with pre-diabetes – a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.

A recent study found that hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes as it is in those who don’t have the disease. Right now we don’t know how diabetes is related to hearing loss. It’s possible that the high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear, similar to the way in which diabetes can damage the eyes and the kidneys. But more research needs to be done to discover why people with diabetes have a higher rate of hearing loss.Since it can happen slowly, the symptoms of hearing loss can often be hard to notice. In fact, family members and friends sometimes notice the hearing loss before the person experiencing it.

Signs of Hearing Loss

  • Frequently asking others to repeat themselves.
  • Trouble following conversations that involve more than two people.
  • Thinking that others are mumbling.
  • Problems hearing in noisy places such as busy restaurants.
  • Trouble hearing the voices of women and small children.
  • Turning up the TV or radio volume too loud for others who are nearby.

If you are a diabetic or pre diabetic , or you’re concerned about your hearing call for a hearing evaluation on 07 34465845

CONTINUE READING
Raji Parangad
01/Mar/2020
Hearing Loss Causes

The Connection Between Hearing Loss And Dementia

There are many risk factors associated with dementia, but one of the most recently discovered correlations is a condition that few would consider as even related to the disease. Research has identified hearing loss as a potential indicator of the development of dementia. Compared with individuals with normal hearing, people with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia. The findings are found in a study published in 2011 made by Frank Lin, otolaryngologist and epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the US. He and his team followed 639 patients for 18 years. None of the subjects had cognitive impairments at the beginning of the study, although some did have a certain degree of hearing loss. During the 18 years of follow up, 58 cases of dementia were diagnosed amongst the 639 patients. The researchers found that for older adults with hearing loss, brain tissue loss happens faster than it does for those with normal hearing. We “hear” with our brain, not with our ears. When we have a hearing loss, the connections in the brain that respond to sound become reorganised.

Fortunately, for many people, hearing aids can provide the sound stimulation needed for the brain to restore the normal organisation of connections to its “sound centre” so it can more readily react to the sounds that it had been missing and cognitively process them.

Researchers says un-addressed hearing loss not only affects the listener’s ability to “hear” the sound accurately, but it also affects higher-level cognitive function. Specifically, it interferes with the listener’s ability to accurately process the auditory information and make sense of it.

In one study, Wingfield and his co-investigators found that older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss performed poorer on cognitive tests than those of the same age who had good hearing. The sharpness of an individual’s hearing has cascading consequences for various aspects of cognitive function. Even if you have just a mild hearing loss that is not being treated, cognitive load increases significantly.One has to put in so much effort just to perceive and understand what is being said that you divert resources away from storing what you have heard into your memory. As people move through middle age and their later years, researchers suggest, it is reasonable for to get  hearing tested annually. If there is a hearing loss, it is best to take it seriously and treat it.

You want to know more about this call ‘My Audiologist’ on 07 3446 5845……

CONTINUE READING

All Rights Reserved. ©2017 MyAudiologist. Developed by Probuk Solutions LLP.