taken from Ear Technology Corporation website and
adapted for use at HearWell Center
1. Recognizing moisture problems
Some moisture problems are obvious, such as droplets visible in the tubing of BTE instruments. Most, however, are not so apparent because most problems are caused by moisture molecules, not visible droplets.
Even if you can’t see the moisture, you will likely notice its presence because your hearing aids will not sound as good. You may notice distortion, intermittent failures or faulty switches as the moisture soaks into the diaphragms of speakers and microphones, starts corroding metal contacts and sensitive electronics, and blocks air vents and tubing. It can even interfere with battery efficiency.
It is a good idea to suspect moisture when obvious causes such as weak batteries are eliminated.
2. How does the moisture get there?
To start with, the humidity level in a typical ear canal is high. Then, perspiration introduces even more moisture into the ear canal. Temperature changes cause condensation, as described below. Then of course there’s the accidental dunk in the shower, pool, or washing machine.
Why is water vapor attracted to your hearing aids? Simply put, warm air can hold more moisture than cold air can hold. It’s the same principle that causes your bathroom mirror to fog up during a hot shower. The hot shower introduces water vapor to the air, but the cool air can’t hold all the moisture, so it's looking for a place to land. That's when it "condenses" onto surfaces. It's landing everywhere, but it's just more noticeable on the mirror.
The same thing is happening to your hearing aids all day as you experience different levels of activity and different ambient temperatures. Again, condensation happens when warm air meets cool air, so it even happens when you enter an air-conditioned building on a warm or humid day.
Since a hearing aid has such tiny openings, once the moisture gets inside, it takes special measures to draw the moisture back out. That’s where Dry & Store comes in.
3. How to Get Rid of It
1. Open battery door at night.
2. Use an earmold blower on BTE tubing.
3. If moisture problem persist use the Dry & Store drying unit nightly available for purchase in our office.
The Dry & Store combines several technologies to effectively remove even microscopic molecules of moisture from your hearing aid:
-a controlled amount of heat;
-a large volume of warm, sanitized, circulated air; and
-a charged desiccant to absorb the moisture that is released
This information brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. To learn more about our office please visit www.hearwellcenter.com
Friday, April 25, 2008
How to Talk to your Hard of Hearing Loved One
What is the first thing many people do when they find out they are talking to a person who is hard of hearing? Yell? Walk away? Address another person instead? Ignore them? Many people do not know what to do differently when talking to someone with hearing loss and so even the best intentions can seem cruel. Talking to someone who struggles to hear is not as simple as you might think or maybe it is more simple than you thought.
Here are some guidelines to follow to help your loved one with hearing loss understand you better.
•Ask for strategies that work best; speak louder, slow down, etc.
•Speak at a normal rate.
•Avoid chewing, eating, or covering your mouth while speaking.
•Keep a close distance between you and the listener (no more than 6 feet).
•Use Facial expression and gestures.
•Make sure your face is visible to the listener
•Move away from background noise.
•Avoid sudden changes in topic.
•Give the listener enough time to comprehend your message and respond.
•Do not talk from another room.
•Rephrase (don’t repeat)
•If you are giving specific information (e.g., time for a meeting) ask the hearing-impaired listener to repeat the information to verify correct reception.
•Do not let intensity of your voice drop at the end of your sentences.
•During a group presentation, provide a brief outline of the presentation with any new vocabulary. Make use of visual aids; Be careful not to talk while you are looking at the visual aids (e.g., blackboard) and away from the audience. Re-state any questions from the audience.
•Volunteer to use an assistive device the listener may have (such as an external microphone or personal FM system).
Adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America website.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Here are some guidelines to follow to help your loved one with hearing loss understand you better.
•Ask for strategies that work best; speak louder, slow down, etc.
•Speak at a normal rate.
•Avoid chewing, eating, or covering your mouth while speaking.
•Keep a close distance between you and the listener (no more than 6 feet).
•Use Facial expression and gestures.
•Make sure your face is visible to the listener
•Move away from background noise.
•Avoid sudden changes in topic.
•Give the listener enough time to comprehend your message and respond.
•Do not talk from another room.
•Rephrase (don’t repeat)
•If you are giving specific information (e.g., time for a meeting) ask the hearing-impaired listener to repeat the information to verify correct reception.
•Do not let intensity of your voice drop at the end of your sentences.
•During a group presentation, provide a brief outline of the presentation with any new vocabulary. Make use of visual aids; Be careful not to talk while you are looking at the visual aids (e.g., blackboard) and away from the audience. Re-state any questions from the audience.
•Volunteer to use an assistive device the listener may have (such as an external microphone or personal FM system).
Adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America website.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Communication Strategies for Listeners with Hearing Loss
Whether or not you already use hearing aids or assistive devices (or other methods) to help you hear, communication strategies can further enhance your listening experience. By following these guidelines you will improve your conversations by reducing stress, controling your enviroment,and helping others understand your needs. Follow the guidelines listed below whenever possible.
1. Avoiding Noisy or Poorly Lit areas (for example: choose a quiet restaurant over a sports bar for dinner).
2. Plan ahead when possible for difficult situations.
3. Explain to others how to speak to you. “I’m hard of hearing… please speak slower.” For example.
4. Do not become distracted… pay attention.
5. Use visual clues.
6. Ask for information in writing when needed or written key words.
7. Do not pretend to understand. Let the speaker know if you do or don’t understand what is being said.
8. Take breaks when needed.
9. Repeat important information back to the speaker to be sure you understood (e.g. time and place for meeting, phone number, etc…)
10. Be realistic.
This was adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America's website
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
1. Avoiding Noisy or Poorly Lit areas (for example: choose a quiet restaurant over a sports bar for dinner).
2. Plan ahead when possible for difficult situations.
3. Explain to others how to speak to you. “I’m hard of hearing… please speak slower.” For example.
4. Do not become distracted… pay attention.
5. Use visual clues.
6. Ask for information in writing when needed or written key words.
7. Do not pretend to understand. Let the speaker know if you do or don’t understand what is being said.
8. Take breaks when needed.
9. Repeat important information back to the speaker to be sure you understood (e.g. time and place for meeting, phone number, etc…)
10. Be realistic.
This was adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America's website
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
What to Expect from Hearing Aids
Hearing aids capture the world of sound for those of us who struggle to hear the whole sound picture. Without hearing aids or other assistive device many hard of hearing people would experience isolation and resulting depression, relationship struggles and more. Hearing aids connect people to people and to the world around us. The benefits are many, but many people do not know what to expect from a hearing aid and this blog will give you some pointers.
Should I expect perfect hearing from a hearing aid? Answer: No. Hearing aids do not correct hearing, nor are they a cure for hearing loss. Hearing aids "aid your hearing" they allow you to benefit from the hearing that you have left.
Will I be able to hear at the dinner table? Answer: Yes. For most hearing aid users listening to a conversation with a few people at the dinner table in their own home is no problem. This is also a good place to practice good communication strategies. (see blog for Communication Strategies).
Will I be able to hear in background noise? Answer: Yes and No. You should not expect to hear without effort even with hearing aids in noisy listening situations; even people with normal hearing will have to work harder to hear in noise. This is a challenging listening situation where many people find hearing aids fall short. However, modern hearing aids have special features to make it easier to communicate in noisy places. Most people should experience some improvement with hearing aids over no hearing aids at all in background noise (assuming hearing aids have the noise features). In addition there are other products on the market that can be used with a hearing aid to improve your ability to hear in noise called Assistive Listening Devices (ALD).
Will loud noises hurt my ears when I wear hearing aids? Answer: No. When you first start to wear hearing aids everything will seem too loud because the sounds in your environment are being heard as if for the first time again. It takes time for the brain to adjust to hearing again. And some sounds may even seem like noise at first until you learn to recognize the sounds correctly. Hearing aids that are programmed corrected for your measured hearing loss as well as your perceived loudness threshold will control loud sounds from being too loud for you. Hearing aids employ compression. Compression does what you might guess from the name; it "compresses" sounds to keep sound levels from reaching your uncomfortable level. This is just one of many ways your hearing aid is acting like a mini computer and "thinking" for your ears.
Will my hearing aids be comfortable? Answer: Yes. It is reasonable to expect your hearing aids should be comfortable in your ears. If you have a hearing aid that is causing a sore spot it may need remade or it may need adjusted or perhaps you need some advice on the best way to put it in your ear.
Will I be able to adjust to hearing aids? Answer: Yes. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids, but it can be done. The brain has to be retrained and for some that can mean a month or so, for others it can mean several months or maybe a year of adjusting. The time it takes to adjust is call "acclimatization period" and it is different for everyone. There are ways to help. First, wear the prescribed hearing aid(s). If you were fit with two hearing aids, you need to wear both. Each ear sends information to the brain differently and the brain needs all the information to sort out the world of sounds around you. Secondly, wear your hearing aids all day. Just like getting used to glasses, dentures, jewelry or contact lenses, the more you wear it the more it seems like part of your body. Once you become used to wearing it, you will miss it when you don't' have it on. The same is true for hearing aids. Not only for the physical comfort but for auditory comfort. Follow the wear schedule that your audiologist recommends. Typically new users start at 8 hours/day and experienced users should be wearing their hearing aid all day (from breakfast to bedtime stories).
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Outside links that I find helpful to share with my patients
Helpful Hints by Dr. Mark Ross
Hearing Aids publication from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Consumer Guide "Hearing Aids FAQ" published by the American Academy of Audiology
Should I expect perfect hearing from a hearing aid? Answer: No. Hearing aids do not correct hearing, nor are they a cure for hearing loss. Hearing aids "aid your hearing" they allow you to benefit from the hearing that you have left.
Will I be able to hear at the dinner table? Answer: Yes. For most hearing aid users listening to a conversation with a few people at the dinner table in their own home is no problem. This is also a good place to practice good communication strategies. (see blog for Communication Strategies).
Will I be able to hear in background noise? Answer: Yes and No. You should not expect to hear without effort even with hearing aids in noisy listening situations; even people with normal hearing will have to work harder to hear in noise. This is a challenging listening situation where many people find hearing aids fall short. However, modern hearing aids have special features to make it easier to communicate in noisy places. Most people should experience some improvement with hearing aids over no hearing aids at all in background noise (assuming hearing aids have the noise features). In addition there are other products on the market that can be used with a hearing aid to improve your ability to hear in noise called Assistive Listening Devices (ALD).
Will loud noises hurt my ears when I wear hearing aids? Answer: No. When you first start to wear hearing aids everything will seem too loud because the sounds in your environment are being heard as if for the first time again. It takes time for the brain to adjust to hearing again. And some sounds may even seem like noise at first until you learn to recognize the sounds correctly. Hearing aids that are programmed corrected for your measured hearing loss as well as your perceived loudness threshold will control loud sounds from being too loud for you. Hearing aids employ compression. Compression does what you might guess from the name; it "compresses" sounds to keep sound levels from reaching your uncomfortable level. This is just one of many ways your hearing aid is acting like a mini computer and "thinking" for your ears.
Will my hearing aids be comfortable? Answer: Yes. It is reasonable to expect your hearing aids should be comfortable in your ears. If you have a hearing aid that is causing a sore spot it may need remade or it may need adjusted or perhaps you need some advice on the best way to put it in your ear.
Will I be able to adjust to hearing aids? Answer: Yes. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids, but it can be done. The brain has to be retrained and for some that can mean a month or so, for others it can mean several months or maybe a year of adjusting. The time it takes to adjust is call "acclimatization period" and it is different for everyone. There are ways to help. First, wear the prescribed hearing aid(s). If you were fit with two hearing aids, you need to wear both. Each ear sends information to the brain differently and the brain needs all the information to sort out the world of sounds around you. Secondly, wear your hearing aids all day. Just like getting used to glasses, dentures, jewelry or contact lenses, the more you wear it the more it seems like part of your body. Once you become used to wearing it, you will miss it when you don't' have it on. The same is true for hearing aids. Not only for the physical comfort but for auditory comfort. Follow the wear schedule that your audiologist recommends. Typically new users start at 8 hours/day and experienced users should be wearing their hearing aid all day (from breakfast to bedtime stories).
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Outside links that I find helpful to share with my patients
Helpful Hints by Dr. Mark Ross
Hearing Aids publication from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Consumer Guide "Hearing Aids FAQ" published by the American Academy of Audiology
Online Hearing Test
I hesitate to put an "Online Hearing Test" on my blog because it is so limited. The best way to determine if you have hearing loss is to visit an audiologist and have your hearing evaluated. However, that said, some people appreciate having access to a survey that will help determine the need to seek audiological care.
Please remember to answer the questions honestly or the test will be invalid.
1. Do you ask your friends, family members or co-workers to repeat themselves frequently (frequently is 3 times a day or more)?
2. Do you turn your television louder than is comfortable for others watching television with you?
3. Do you find yourself turning up the volume on the phone (whether regular phone or cell phone)?
4. Do you struggle to hear people correctly and mistake what they say, sometimes to the point of embarrassment?
5. Do you have to strain to understand conversation in noisy places (such as a restaurant or social hall)?
6. Do you find yourself lipreading people to understand what they are saying?
7. Do you lose the ability to follow conversation when you are in a crowd of people (such as an assembly or party)?
8. Do you request that other people take your phone calls because you are afraid of not hearing correctly?
9. Do you depend on other people to tell you what is being said in movies or television programs?
10. Has anyone told you that you are not hearing or that you should get a hearing aid?
Scoring:
If you answered Yes to less than 3 questions... No significant hearing loss or very mild hearing loss should be suspected
If you answered Yes to 3 to 5 questions... Moderate hearing loss should be suspected.
If you answered Yes to 6 or more questions... Significant hearing loss should be suspected.
This test was devised as a means to assess hearing performance for individuals who suspect that they need to seek hearing care options. This test is not sensitive to all types or degrees of hearing loss and should not be considered a diagnostic test. Only a full audiological evaluation will show the complete nature of hearing loss.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
For more Self Assessments Hearing Tests or Online Hearing Tests or Screenings visit
Better Hearing Institute
ASHA
Hearing Loss Association of America
HealthyHearing.com
Please remember to answer the questions honestly or the test will be invalid.
1. Do you ask your friends, family members or co-workers to repeat themselves frequently (frequently is 3 times a day or more)?
2. Do you turn your television louder than is comfortable for others watching television with you?
3. Do you find yourself turning up the volume on the phone (whether regular phone or cell phone)?
4. Do you struggle to hear people correctly and mistake what they say, sometimes to the point of embarrassment?
5. Do you have to strain to understand conversation in noisy places (such as a restaurant or social hall)?
6. Do you find yourself lipreading people to understand what they are saying?
7. Do you lose the ability to follow conversation when you are in a crowd of people (such as an assembly or party)?
8. Do you request that other people take your phone calls because you are afraid of not hearing correctly?
9. Do you depend on other people to tell you what is being said in movies or television programs?
10. Has anyone told you that you are not hearing or that you should get a hearing aid?
Scoring:
If you answered Yes to less than 3 questions... No significant hearing loss or very mild hearing loss should be suspected
If you answered Yes to 3 to 5 questions... Moderate hearing loss should be suspected.
If you answered Yes to 6 or more questions... Significant hearing loss should be suspected.
This test was devised as a means to assess hearing performance for individuals who suspect that they need to seek hearing care options. This test is not sensitive to all types or degrees of hearing loss and should not be considered a diagnostic test. Only a full audiological evaluation will show the complete nature of hearing loss.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
For more Self Assessments Hearing Tests or Online Hearing Tests or Screenings visit
Better Hearing Institute
ASHA
Hearing Loss Association of America
HealthyHearing.com
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Temporal Bone Donation
There is much to be learned about the human ear and sense of hearing. The research that is done to understand the diseases of the human ear and the causes of hearing loss and deafness are limited by the inability to surgically investigate the structures of ear without further damaging the organs of hearing and balance. Therefore, temporal bone donation offers a unique opportunity to help further the research on hearing loss and deafness. I encourage you to learn more about this by visiting NIDCD National Temporal Bone, Hearing and Balance Pathology Resource Registry
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
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