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How Do I Know If I Have Hearing Loss?

Ever find yourself asking people to repeat themselves more often than you’d like? Or maybe you’ve noticed you’re turning up the volume on your television a little bit higher than usual? If so, you’re not alone. Hearing loss is more common than most people realize, and millions of individuals experience it every year. For some, it creeps in gradually, making it easy to overlook, while others face it suddenly. But here’s the good news: recognizing the signs early can make all the difference. Early detection not only helps protect your quality of life but also opens the door to effective solutions.

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Well Hearing is Well Being

Good hearing and communication are important through all stages of life Statistics Canada reports that 21% of adults have mild hearing loss2 whereas 7% of adults2 experience “moderate or worse” hearing loss. And hearing loss is generally prevalent over age 50. Hearing loss can be avoided through preventative actions like protecting your ears from loud sounds, practicing healthy ear care and keeping up with immunizations. Those at risk of hearing loss should have their hearing checked regularly because hearing loss can be addressed easily when it is identified in a timely manner. How can you take control of your hearing health?

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Custom Hearing Protection

Did you know that 1.1 billion people around the world are estimated to be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss? While working in a loud environment or being surrounded by noise may not be something you can always avoid, protecting your hearing IS! 50% of young people admit to listening to their music too loudly and 70% of people exposed to loud noise seldom wear hearing protection. And excessive exposure to noises higher than 85dB can damage your hearing. Here’s some common noise decibels for reference… Gun shot: 140 Jackhammer: 130 Motorsport: 100 Hairdryer: 90 Airplane cabin: 80 We’ve all been

Group of people standing together shoulder to shoulder

Gift of Hearing Contest

According to the CDC, the prevalence of hearing loss is twice as common as diabetes or cancer. And although more common in adults ages 50 and up, hearing loss a ects all ages, demographics and people across the globe. About 40 million adults ages 20-69 in the U.S. alone have noise-induced hearing loss, and approximately 3 in every 1,000 babies are born with detectable hearing loss in one or both ears. At Ear and Hearing Clinic, we believe that hearing well is essen al to being able to live life to the fullest! We are dedicated and passionate about crea ng

AN OPEN DISCUSSION

In terms of gaining widespread acceptance by those in need of hearing instruments, the largest strides have been made by recently developed “open-fit” hearing instruments. Not only have these compact instruments proven their ability to help wearers hear better in social settings (which often pose the greatest challenge to hearing instrument users), they are exceedingly comfortable. Open-fit users are particularly enthusiastic about the instruments’ design, which eliminates the need for custom-fitted molds that fit tightly in the ear canal. Instead, open-fit instruments feed processed sound from the small unity, which sits inconspicuously behind the ear, to the ear opening via a

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PREPARE FOR THE WORST

You never know when you are going to find yourself in a situation where exposure to loud noise is going to pose a threat to your hearing. It is generally recommended that you take steps to safeguard your hearing from prolonged exposure to noise levels of 85 decibels and above. For example, lawnmowers and shop tools generally register about 90 decibels, while chainsaws and drills reach 100 decibels, power saws reach 110 decibels, loud rock concerts regularly hit 115 decibels, race cars come in at 130 decibels, and fireworks/jet engine takeoffs measure 150 decibels. Fortunately, it only takes a pair of

DON’T DENY YOURSELF

Hearing-impaired individuals often lose the threads of important conversations. if not addressed, this problem can have serious consequences in terms of broken social ties and impeded career opportunities. Data confirms that failure to tackle hearing problems results in lower salaries and high rates of unemployment. For example, a hearing-impaired employee might attend a meeting and fail to fully grasp what was being said. So as not to appear obtuse, the worker might pretend to understand, but still remain in the dark. Further denial can lead to missed announcements and office banter, which leaves hearing-impaired individuals with blocked career paths. Avoiding these

LESS SLIPPERY SLOPE

Individuals with problems hearing high-frequency sounds generally have a hearing curve on an audiogram that looks like a ski slope. This type of hearing loss, the most common configuration seen by audiologists, is quite prevalent among those suffering from “presbycusis” (age-related hearing loss) and noise-induced hearing loss. Fortunately, it is also very responsive to treatment with an “open-fit” hearing instrument. This type of hearing instrument has become wildly popular among hearing-instrument users for its comfort and non-occlusive design. Unlike in-the-ear and in-the-canal hearing instruments, open-fit hearing instruments do not require the use of an ear mold. Instead, sound coming from the

TAPPING INNER STRENGTH

While most people suffering from hearing loss can be helped by a hearing instrument, those with severe-to-profound “sensorineural hearing loss” (or “nerve deafness”) may need a “cochlear implant.” this device, which counteracts damage to the “cochlea” (inner ear), has an internal and external component. The internal segment is surgically implanted under the skin behind the ear, and a narrow wire is threaded into the inner ear. The external component, which resembles a behind-the-ear hearing instrument, is connected to the internal one through the skin by means of an external magnetic disk. This arrangement of modules converts incoming sounds into electrical currents,