The Complex Nature of Hearing Loss

Have you ever wondered about how your ears work? They’re quite amazing, doing more than just picking up sounds. Our ears are intricate systems that turn sound waves into signals that our brains can understand. This process happens so smoothly that we often don’t appreciate it until we experience hearing loss.

Hearing loss doesn’t happen all at once, but rather it’s a gradual process. By learning about the different stages of hearing loss and how they affect your ability to hear, you can make well-informed decisions about your hearing health care.

The Value of Spotting Hearing Loss Early

When hearing loss is identified early, you can start managing it right away. This could mean using strategies to protect your remaining hearing, or looking into solutions like hearing aids that can help you communicate more effectively. The sooner you take action, the better your chances are of slowing down further hearing deterioration.

Also, early detection gives you a chance to adjust to new ways of communicating and living. It allows for a smoother transition and lessens the impact on your daily routines and relationships. Early detection is not just about preserving your ability to hear – it’s about maintaining overall wellbeing.

Common signs of early-stage hearing loss include difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, frequently asking others to repeat themselves or having trouble following conversations with multiple people. Spotting these signs early allows for immediate intervention which can slow down further deterioration, improve communication skills and maintain overall wellbeing. It’s suggested that adults have their hearing checked every three years starting at age 20. If you’re over 50 or have noticed changes in your hearing, annual check-ups are a good idea.

Spotting Early Stage Hearing Loss

Being aware of the early signs of hearing loss can make a significant difference in how you manage your hearing health. If you often find yourself turning up the volume on your TV or radio, or if phone conversations have become harder to follow, it might be time to consult with an audiologist. These could be signs of initial stage hearing loss.

The Effect of Early Stage Hearing Loss on Daily Life

Does early stage hearing loss really affect your daily life? In short, yes.

Early stage hearing loss can subtly change how you interact with the world around you. You may find yourself asking people to repeat themselves more often or struggling to follow conversations in noisy environments. This can lead to feelings of frustration and isolation. Also, untreated early stage hearing loss can impact your safety. You might not hear important sounds like alarms or approaching vehicles as clearly as before. It’s important to address these changes early on with an audiologist for the best outcomes.

Moving into Moderate Hearing Loss

What changes when hearing loss progresses from the early stage to moderate? As hearing loss moves into the moderate stage, it becomes more noticeable. You might find that conversations become harder to follow, especially when background noise is present. This is because moderate hearing loss can make it difficult to hear certain sounds and frequencies.

People with moderate hearing loss may have trouble hearing the phone ring or understanding TV shows at a normal volume level. These challenges can make daily tasks more difficult and potentially impact your quality of life. Therefore, if you notice these changes in your hearing abilities, it’s important to consult with an audiologist as soon as possible.

Living with Moderate Hearing Loss

Living with moderate hearing loss presents its own set of challenges, but it doesn’t mean you can’t lead a fulfilling life. It’s all about understanding the obstacles and making necessary adjustments. According to the World Health Organization, around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, with many in the moderate stage. This statistic underscores the importance of awareness and proactive management.

Adapting to life with moderate hearing loss may require some changes, like using assistive listening devices or learning to read lips. However, these adjustments can make a significant difference in your ability to communicate effectively and maintain your quality of life. With guidance from an audiologist and the right tools at your disposal, you can continue enjoying life’s symphony despite moderate hearing loss.

Spotting Severe Hearing Loss Symptoms

When hearing loss progresses to a severe stage, the symptoms become more pronounced and can significantly impact daily life. Recognizing these symptoms is key for taking appropriate steps towards managing your hearing health.

Severe hearing loss can present itself in various ways. You may find that you’re unable to hear conversations without a hearing aid or that you’re missing out on sounds like doorbells, phones ringing or even car horns. If these signs are familiar to you, it’s important to consult with an audiologist promptly. Acknowledging the issue is the first step towards finding a solution.

Living with Severe Hearing Loss

Living with severe hearing loss can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. One challenge you might face is feeling disconnected from conversations and activities around you. A good solution to address this challenge is using assistive listening devices, like amplified telephones or TV listening systems. These tools can help amplify sounds, making them easier for you to hear and understand.

In addition to using assistive devices, there are other practical tips that can help make life with severe hearing loss more manageable. For instance, try positioning yourself close to the person speaking during conversations – this can help you pick up on visual cues like facial expressions and lip movements. Additionally, consider taking advantage of captioning services when watching TV or movies. And don’t forget the importance of regular check-ups with your audiologist – they’re key in ensuring your hearing aids are working optimally and addressing any concerns you may have. With these handy tips and tactics, living with severe hearing loss becomes more manageable.

The Mental Impact of Untreated Hearing Loss

As hearing loss progresses, it’s not just your ears that feel the impact. Your mental health can also be affected. This is a side of hearing loss that often goes unnoticed, but it’s just as important to address.

Feeling isolated or misunderstood because of communication difficulties can lead to stress and anxiety. It’s essential to acknowledge these feelings and seek help when needed. A few tips include staying connected with loved ones, using assistive listening devices to improve communication and consulting with an audiologist for advice on managing these challenges.

In addition, keeping a positive outlook can make a significant difference in your mental wellbeing. You’re not alone in this – millions of people worldwide are experiencing similar challenges with their hearing health. Reach out to support groups or online communities where you can share experiences and learn from others going through the same journey.

When to Seek Professional Support

Seeking professional hearing care services is a key step in managing your hearing health. Knowing when to take this step can significantly influence your journey with hearing loss. The timing for seeking professional support varies from person to person, but here’s a simple checklist that can guide you:

• Are you frequently asking people to repeat themselves?
• Do you find it difficult to follow conversations in noisy environments?
• Have you noticed a change in your ability to hear certain sounds or frequencies?
• Are everyday tasks like watching TV or talking on the phone becoming challenging?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, it might be time to consult with an audiologist. Early intervention can make a significant difference in managing hearing loss and maintaining your quality of life.

Treatment Options for Hearing Loss

After understanding the stages of hearing loss and recognizing its signs, it’s equally important to know about the various treatment options available. Each stage of hearing loss requires a unique approach to treatment, tailored to the specific needs and lifestyle of the individual.

In early stages, lifestyle changes can often help manage hearing loss. These may include avoiding loud noises or using protective equipment like earplugs in noisy environments. Regular check-ups with an audiologist are also important at this stage to monitor any changes in your hearing abilities.

As hearing loss progresses into moderate stages, individuals may find themselves facing increasing difficulties in understanding speech and participating in conversations. This is where hearing aids become invaluable. These devices are designed to amplify sounds across different frequencies, making it easier for individuals with moderate hearing loss to discern speech and other environmental sounds. In-the-canal (ITC) or in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are often recommended for moderate cases, as they provide a good balance between amplification and discreetness.

For individuals with more severe hearing loss, behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids offer a more robust solution. These devices are capable of providing higher amplification levels, making them suitable for those with profound hearing loss. By housing the amplification components in a small casing behind the ear, BTE hearing aids can accommodate more powerful sound processing technology while still maintaining comfort and usability.

Remember that these treatment alternatives should always be discussed with a qualified professional who can guide you towards the most suitable solution based on your personal circumstances. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for managing hearing loss, there are plenty of options available designed specifically for each stage – ensuring that everyone has access to the right treatment for their needs.

Understanding is Your Best Tool

Getting through the stages of hearing loss is much like driving through a city you’ve never visited before. Without a map or GPS, you might feel lost and overwhelmed. But with the right guidance – understanding each stage and knowing what to expect – you can confidently steer your way through this unfamiliar terrain. Understanding is your roadmap in this situation, helping you understand where you are, where you’re headed and how to best manage the journey ahead. Just as a seasoned traveler learns to adapt and find joy in their journey, so too can you find empowerment and resilience in understanding your path through the stages of hearing loss.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Understanding the stages of hearing loss is a journey, and like any journey, it’s easier when you’re not alone. At ChEARS Hearing Center in San Diego, CA, our dedicated team of hearing health professionals is here to guide you every step of the way. Whether you’re just starting to notice changes in your hearing or have been living with severe hearing loss for some time, we are ready to help.

Don’t let questions or concerns about your hearing health go unanswered. Reach out to us at (619) 810-1204 for more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists today. Understanding your situation is the first step towards finding solutions and improving your quality of life – let us help you navigate this path confidently and successfully.

Use Visual Cues

When enjoying the great outdoors, it is a good idea for you to use visual cues. Communication can be challenging in an outdoor setting, especially when there is a lot of background noise. In some situations, it can be a good idea for you to take note of visual cues. This could be writing, or pointing to try and convey information. Hand gestures and writing notes are all useful. If you know that you are going to be attending somewhere that is very busy, such as a pumpkin patch, then you can talk with your family and agree on hand signals, so you don’t have to strain yourself trying to hear a loved one as they shout at you from across the field.

Attend a Hearing Group

Joining a group that consists of other outdoor enthusiasts will help you gain the support you need when navigating a range of activities. These groups can give you the chance to connect with others who may understand the challenge that comes with hearing loss while giving you valuable tips that could help you make the most out of your outdoor activities. In addition to this, your new community can help you deal with some of the difficulties that come with hearing loss, such as anxiety and depression.

Use Protective Gear

When the time comes for you to plan your outdoor activities, you need to consider how loud or an environment is going to be. Taking some noise-canceling headphones with you, or even some earplugs can help you to give your ears the protection that they need. This is especially the case if you know that there is going to be a lot of loud or even motorized activity. Even though you may not feel as though loud noises are a concern because you have hearing loss, you may find that exposure to loud noises makes your hearing loss worse. This is especially the case if you have trauma from noise exposure, or if that was the reason for your hearing decline.

Be Positive

Maintaining a positive outlook and actively taking steps to improve your self-esteem can have a profound impact on your overall well-being. It’s crucial to recognize that your hearing loss doesn’t define you or limit your ability to partake in various activities. Although some adjustments may be necessary, they shouldn’t deter you from getting involved. Fall activities, in particular, offer excellent opportunities for connecting with your family and fully enjoying the autumn season. Consider motivating yourself to engage more in these activities – it can be a significant help in managing your hearing loss. Talk with your audiologist about the steps to take to ensure that you have the best experience with hearing aids.

Be Savvy with Technology

Believe it or not, learning new technology and taking advantage of it could easily help to make your life easier. There has been a huge rise in technology over the years and now you can use it to find out if there are any events that are family-friendly or even to see if there are going to be loud noises.

Technology can also be used to communicate with your family when you are out and about, such as by texting when you are close to someone rather than trying to shout over other people and straining yourself when trying to hear. Little things like this can make a major difference to your life and they can also pave the way for you to enjoy things like you used to. Talk to your audiologist about the different features you can get with your hearing aids, and if they would be right for you.

Hearing loss is something that nearly everyone in the world experiences. That being said, it’s not something that you have to go through alone. Contacting a good audiologist and seeking support from those around you, will help you to make the most out of the local events going on in your area. If you want to find out more about hearing loss, then make sure that you get in touch with ChEARS Hearing Center. You can call us today at (619) 810-1204 if you want to speak with our audiologists.

The Link Between Balance and Hearing

The link between balance and hearing is often not connected by many people. However, what happens in your ear, especially your inner ear significantly affects your balance. For every decibel of hearing, you lose your chances of being off balance and falling increase. This is why elderly people are so prone to falling in some cases.

Hearing loss is very common when you age. It is often considered a natural part of the aging process. Since hearing loss directly affects the inner ear, it makes it more likely for elderly people to fall.

The Functions of the Inner Ear

As mentioned before, the inner ear can have a big impact on balance. It consists of two sections. It is made up of the cochlea which is used for your hearing and the vestibular which is responsible for balance. The vestibular in the inner ear has looped cubes. There are three in each of your ears.

This vestibular system is extremely sensitive to any movements that you make. This is why spinning can make you feel nauseous and put you completely off balance. Once you understand how the inner ear works it is easy to see that any problems in the inner ear can cause you to feel off-centered.

Symptoms of Balance Issues

When you have balance issues it can often come with a specific set of symptoms. You may experience dizziness or nausea. You may feel like you are falling over or become lightheaded. Blurred vision is also another common symptom for those who are having balance problems. Confusion and feeling disoriented are other symptoms that may accompany a lack of balance.

Anyone with hearing loss may experience staggering while they are walking. For an elderly person, a lack of balance may not just be caused by problems with the inner ear. It can also be a result of high blood pressure and carrying excess weight. It is important to rule out these factors before visiting your audiologist.

The optimal approach is to consult an audiologist if you’re experiencing balance issues, they will be able to see if your balance issues are related to hearing loss. Your audiologist will be able to provide the best treatment plan for your hearing loss and related conditions.

How an Audiologist Can Help

An audiologist can apply several different treatment methods to help stop balance issues. The first set of treatments they may try is position treatments. Many people experience balance problems when they have to move their heads in a certain direction.

An audiologist will often test using the saccade procedure. This procedure is done by asking you to follow a marker with your eyes. These rapid eye movements will give clues about how delicate movements affect your balance. This will help your audiologist understand exactly why you are experiencing balance problems.

Audiologists also do vestibular rehabilitation with their patients. The vestibular rehabilitation program will train your balance system to become comfortable with specific movements once again. As you work with your audiologist to get your balancing system comfortable with certain positions once again you will experience fewer balancing issues.

Get Your Balance Issues Resolved

If you’re experiencing balancing issues it’s a good idea to see your audiologist as soon as you can. The sooner you visit your audiologist and let them know your symptoms, the quicker you can start getting treatment for this condition. If you have been to a general practitioner and are then referred to an audiologist, they will use the information that was gathered from your general practitioner to help create a treatment program for you.

Lack of balance is sometimes inevitable whenever you have hearing loss. However, by recognizing your symptoms, and sharing them with an audiologist, they will be better able to assess whether hearing loss is responsible for your lack of balance. You can get your hearing assessed by a qualified audiologist, learn more about ChEARS Hearing Center by contacting us at (619) 810-1204

Here’s a closer look at the impact that fatigue has on your hearing and what you can do to minimize it.

What Causes Listening Fatigue

When someone has hearing loss they must use cognitive skills and resources to listen to what others are saying. This increase in cognitive resources that are targeted towards listening more attentively is called listening effort. When you are using extra cognitive resources for listening it causes you to have fewer resources to allocate to other tasks that you need to do.

Listening more intently can mean that you are slower to respond verbally. The burning out of cognitive resources is one of the major reasons why you may experience listening fatigue. Whenever you have hearing loss, your brain has to do more work to compensate for the loss of your hearing. This means that it is doing double the work to process the same information that it would for a person who has no hearing loss. This can cause your brain to feel stressed and fatigue is the ultimate result.

Visit an Audiologist

The main way to handle hearing fatigue is to have your hearing checked by a licensed audiologist. Your audiologist will determine the level of hearing fatigue that you currently have. They will do this by asking relevant questions about your lifestyle and also testing your hearing. You may be experiencing hearing fatigue simply because you do not have the right fit of hearing aid. You may need to upgrade the hearing aid that you currently have to help reduce listening fatigue.

If you find that you’re not getting the optimal benefits from your current hearing aid, it’s possible that it may be experiencing a malfunction. Addressing this issue with your audiologist crucial for maximizing your hearing aid’s effectiveness. With the right hearing aid tailored to your specific hearing loss, you can experience a significant reduction in listening fatigue. By choosing a hearing aid that suits your needs, you open the door to improved listening comfort and a more enjoyable hearing experience.

Get Rest

An easy way to address hearing fatigue is simply by getting some rest. Stay away from listening to videos on social media apps, turn off the radio and stop watching television for a day or two. Try reading and going outdoors instead. Make things as quiet as possible since this will help with your listening fatigue.

Use Hearing Aids

Hearing aids will not only reduce your hearing fatigue but your mental fatigue as well. The important thing is to make sure that they are the right fit for you. If while fitting your hearing aid you have questions and concerns, always talk to your audiologist about them, this will ensure that you’re are getting the most out of your hearing aids.

Reduce Environmental Triggers

Your hearing loss may be caused by being in a specific environment. Try to avoid these loud environments as much as you can. If you can’t avoid loud environments because you are working in one, the best course of action is to protect your hearing as much as possible. You can talk with your audiologist about the different types of hearing protection and which will be best for you in these loud environments.

Another step you might want to take is simply to stop listening to loud music. Turn down the volume on your devices to acceptable levels when you are watching videos. Often there is an indicator on your volume button that shows when you are most likely to damage your hearing because of the loud volumes you are listening to.

Contact an Audiologist

As you can see there is a lot you may want to consider when you are experiencing hearing fatigue. There are many solutions for hearing fatigue and hearing loss. If you are having any problems at all with your hearing do not hesitate to consult with an audiologist. They can help you to quickly assess your levels of hearing fatigue so that you can get it treated as soon as possible. Learn more about ChEARS Hearing Center and how we can help by calling us today at 619-810-1204.

Why are movies so loud?

The short answer: because they can be.  With digital recordings and modern speakers, very loud sounds can now be reproduced with minimal distortion.

Making loud sounds louder than normal-and soft sounds softer than normal-is the opposite of what a person with hearing loss needs.  Someone with hearing loss may find it helpful when soft sounds are louder, but loud sounds should not be amplified at all.

The real cause of jet-engine level noise blasting at us during movies, though, isn’t technical. Directors, sound mixers, film editors and theatres use sound to force the viewer to pay attention.  Their purpose is to make the film seem more exciting, more vivid.

Although there are state and federal regulations about sound levels in work settings and our communities, there are no regulations about sound levels in movie theaters.  But after receiving many complaints, several states are considering legislation.

The sound levels measured during movies support a need for regulation.  Sound levels of 85 to 105 decibels (A) are not unusual.  Action films such as Transformers have been measured at 120dB (A), which is like standing next to a jet engine.

But the real test should not be a sound level recording or a decibel scale.  It should be us-the viewing audience.  And have you ever heard a moviegoer say, “I wish they would make it louder”?

From our Hearing Health Care News

A newsletter for our patients, their families and friends

From the Wall Street Journal 2/7/2019

Could wearing a hearing aid help stave off cognitive decline?  A growing body of research suggest the answer is yes.

Scientists are finding increasing evidence of a link between hearing loss and declines in thinking and memory.  Two studies published last year found that using hearing aids slowed or reversed cognitive decline in elderly participants, and a large trial is under way to learn more.

Hearing loss and its possible connection to more serious health problems is getting more attention after years of being dismissed as an inconvenience of age.  Research funding has increased, in part due to the aging population.  In recent years, studies have linked hearing loss to other health problems as well, including falls, depression and increased financial burden.  Health-care costs for those with hearing loss are 46% higher over a decade than for those without hearing loss, in part due to repeat hospitalizations, according to a study published in November in JAMA Otolaryngology.

Scientists say impaired hearing may increase the cognitive load on the brain, with more energy spent on processing sound and less on thinking and memory.  The loss of environmental sound cues may change the brain in other ways, too.  “Making sense of sound engages the brain’s cognitive, sensory, motor and reward systems,” says Nina Kraus, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and the founder of Brainvolts, an auditory neuroscience lab at Northwestern.  “If we do not hear well, it will compromise how we think, feel, move and [how we] combine experience from our other senses.”

Hearing loss may also exacerbate cognitive decline because it can lead to social isolation and depression.  It makes interactions more fatiguing and can lead to breakdowns in communication with caregivers, confusion and anxiety.

A study in the Lancet in 2017 found a link between hearing loss and dementia and listed managing hearing loss as one of nine “potentially modifiable health and lifestyle factors” that might help prevent dementia.

Since that study, research on whether correcting hearing loss can slow cognitive decline has increased.  Jennifer Deal, an epidemiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a leader in research about cognitive aging, says she and many colleagues have become more optimistic that through efforts to prevent hearing loss “we may be able to prevent or delay cognitive decline and dementia.”

Piers Dawes, co-author of a University of Manchester study published last year that found evidence that hearing aids may have beneficial effects on cognitive health, says, “This underlines just how important it is to overcome the barriers which deny people from accessing hearing and visual aids.”

In the study, of which Asri Maharani was a co-author, researchers at the University of Manchester followed 2,040 older adults in the U.S. for 18 years, before and after they started using hearing aids.  Cognitive decline was measured every two years using such methods as giving individuals a list of words and then asking them to repeat the words a short time later.

The study found that the rate of cognitive decline slowed after participants started wearing hearing aids. The study was published last April in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Another study, at the University of Maryland, found that hearing aids can boost brain function.  Two groups of 18 individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss were tracked.  One group had never before used hearing aids, but were now wearing them eight hours a day, while the other group didn’t wear the devices.  After six months, 15 of the 18 hearing-aid users showed improvement in working memory and neural speech processing, and a greater ease of listening, according to the study, published last spring in two journals, Clinical Neurophysiology and Neurospsychologia.

Both studies have some limitations.  In the Manchester study, there was no control group not using hearing aids, so it’s possible participants simply got better at taking the tests.

Demographic factors can play a role, too.  People who wear a hearing aid generally are more affluent and have healthier lifestyles than those who don’t wear an aid.  These factors may also protect against cognitive decline.

The Maryland study was small and short.  And some funding came from a Denmark-based hearing-aid company, Widex, which provided the devices at cost, says Samira Anderson, assistant professor in the university’s department of hearing and speech sciences.  Dr. Anderson, who was on the research team that conducted the study, says such help is necessary because the funding available for hearing research has been very limited.  The support didn’t affect her study’s findings, she says.

Any shortcomings aside, some scientists not connected with the studies say they show this area of inquiry is promising.  “It’s exactly the research we need,” says Nicholas S. Reed, an assistant professor of audiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an author of the JAMA Otolaryngology study on health costs and hearing loss.  Next, he says, “we need larger randomized control trials over three to five years that will tell us more.”

A deeper investigation is in the works: Dr. Deal of Johns Hopkins is working with Mr. Reed and other colleagues on a trial with 850 participants that aims to definitively answer the question of whether treating hearing loss will delay cognitive decline.  It launched last year and will conclude in 2022.

Experts hope that the stigma associated with wearing hearing aids will fade, with baby boomers turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 a day.  Meanwhile, the importance of hearing is only beginning to be appreciated, scientists say.

“When you ask people, ‘What do you fear most about aging?’ they all say loss of cognitive function and loneliness,” Dr. Anderson says.  “No one ever says ‘hearing loss,’ even though those things are all connected.”

Presbycusis – the loss of hearing due to aging – is one of the most common causes of hearing loss.  The most common pattern is a loss of hearing for the high-pitched sounds important for understanding speech.  In other words, you can still hear speech, but may feel that “I can hear but I can’t understand.”

Older adults – meaning adults 50 years old and over – may experience more difficulty understanding complex sounds even if they have normal hearing. These adults may not have difficulty understanding speech in a quiet room or talking with one person.  But older adults may have significantly more difficulty understanding speech in noisy conditions, such as a busy restaurant.  This increased difficulty develops even in older adults with normal hearing.

Although our ears hear the sounds around us, it is our hearing nerve and our brain that allow us to understand those sounds.  There is more and more evidence that as we get older, there are changes in the auditory system independent of any loss of hearing sensitivity.  These changes include a slowing in the speed at which our nerves transmit signals.  In other words, it’s not only our ears that can be the source of hearing difficulties – it’s also our brain.

As a result, older adults may have greater difficulty in noisy settings compared to younger individuals with the same hearing levels.  This may also explain why it is not unusual for someone to think his or her hearing has gotten worse even when hearing levels and the ability to understand speech in quiet are unchanged.

The effects of these changes in the hearing nerves ands brain may be minimized by using hearing aids to stimulate the auditory system (as well as to provide better hearing).  But as important as they are, remember that hearing aids do not correct or cure these changes to the central auditory system.  Other communication strategies, such as lipreading and avoiding noisy restaurants, can also be very helpful.

From our Hearing HealthCare News©

A newsletter for our patients, their families and friends

Wong and colleagues[1] surveyed and examined three hundred and seven surfers and found that 73.5% of them exhibited some degree of exostosis. They further found that those surfers who were involved in the sport for 20 years or more, had a higher prevalence of exostosis compared to surfers who had been surfing for less than ten years.

Research has found that the temperature of the water has a significant effect on the development of exostosis. For example, swimmers and surfers who were exposed to colder temperatures of the North Pacific Ocean were more likely to develop exostoses earlier in their life compared to those being exposed to the warmer water temperatures of the ocean in Southern California[2]. However, surfers and swimmers in Southern California are still at a great risk to develop exostoses if frequently exposed to ocean water.

Exostosis remains asymptomatic in its early stages. After repeated exposure to cold water, the growths can get bigger to the point where they start to block the ear canal. This can lead to water getting trapped behind the growth and becoming infected causing outer ear infections which require medical treatment. In more severe (yet common) cases, the exostosis can completely block the ear canal causing hearing loss. Once the exostosis grows to the point of causing infections or hearing loss, surgical intervention is required to open the ear canal.

The best way to prevent the development or progression of exostosis is to use earplugs while swimming or surfing in ocean waters. At ChEARS Hearing Center, we offer custom earplugs for surfers and swimmers. The process is simple – we take a cast of the ear canal by inserting impression material in the ears, then that cast is used to make earplugs that have a custom fit for your ears. We invite you to call our office and make an appointment to find out more about our custom earplug solutions and begin taking care of your ears today!

1 Rick, a ChEARS patient and avid surfer using his custom earplugs while surfing in San Diego.

1. Hearing test.  We’ll compare the results to your previous hearing levels.  If we find any change, we’ll recommend treatment or program your hearing aids to compensate for the change.  Many people find they hear a little better after this adjustment.
2. Ear canal examination.  Ear wax is one of the most common causes of hearing aid feedback (whistle) and hearing aid repairs.
3. Cleaning and adjusting your hearing aids.  Regular cleaning minimizes hearing aid repairs and makes sure that your hearing aids are providing the maximum benefit.  Cleaning and re-programming of your hearing aids sometimes makes a noticeable improvement.
4. Reviewing other sources of help.  This is a good time to ask about telephone amplifiers, clock and smoke alarms, and devices for television and group settings.

Please call our office if it’s time to schedule your healthy hearing check-up.

From our Hearing Health Care News letter

Diabetes is a disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. People with diabetes often develop hypertension, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular diseases.  Diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure in the United States

Diabetes is becoming more common and today affects about 10% of adults. About 40% of these cases are undiagnosed.

For many years the relationship between diabetes and hearing loss was unclear. In recent years, several large-scale studies have confirmed that diabetes is indeed a significant risk factor for hearing loss. Individuals with diabetes are 30% more likely to have hearing loss. This trend is more noticeable in younger adults. Also the severity of hearing loss may be related to the severity of diabetes.

Among diabetic adults between the ages of 50 and 69 years, about 70% have high frequency hearing loss.  It also appears that persons with diabetes develop hearing loss at earlier ages.

The researchers recommended that anyone with diabetes should be screened for hearing loss.  Treating and controlling diabetes may also reduce the likelihood or severity of hearing loss.

From our Hearing Health Care News

A newsletter for our patients, their families and friends

Winter 2017