Why Wait?

We have seen thousands of patients over the years seeking better hearing. The vast majority of these individuals visit our offices willingly. Others need a bit of encouragement from family and friends. There are many reasons why people are reluctant to get hearing help. They range from vanity to cost to denial. One particular patient took a leap of faith and took the first step…made an appointment with me to have her hearing checked. Below is her story, in her own words, about her experience and the thoughts and feelings she had leading up to the day she came to Memphis Hearing Aid.

Can You Hear Me Now?         by Susan W.

In the past few days I’ve discovered that grocery stores play music, my van is making some funny noises, and my kids are really loud. The last one I knew…I just didn’t realize how loud. You see, last Thursday I got a pair of hearing aids, and I feel like a whole new world has opened up to me.

 I’ve had hearing loss for as long as I can remember. I had it as a child, and it has gotten progressively worse. I am not alone. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 17 percent (36 million) of American adults report some degree of hearing loss. It is estimated that untreated hearing impairments cost the U.S. economy $56 billion in lost productivity, special education and medical care—an annual per capita tax of $216.

 While I do not totally understand the above statistic, I do understand what having a hearing impairment has cost me. It’s cost many moments of frustration, withdrawal from certain social situations and even ministry opportunities, and the ability to relax and enjoy conversations. I could hear that people were talking, I just had to work really hard sometimes to understand what they were saying.

 Although I knew I would most likely benefit from hearing aids, getting them was something I did not seriously consider until recently. I am not alone there either. Four out of five Americans with hearing loss do not use hearing aids. In a study by the National Council on the Aging to examine barriers to wearing hearing aids, those surveyed cited cost, vanity, and the stigma of wearing a hearing aid. The most common reasons cited, however, were “I can get along without one” and “they will not help with my specific problem.”

 And those were my reasons too. I could quickly get over the vanity aspect because with my hairstyle, I knew that they would not even be seen. But I had gotten along “fine” so far without them, and I wondered if they would really even help that much. The greatest factor that held me back, however, was the cost. Hearing aids are expensive, about $1,500 to $2,000 each, and since God gave us two ears, we’re talking between $3,000 and $4,000. If you are fortunate to have health insurance, most plans do not cover these costs.

 So, how did I end up in the offices of Memphis Hearing Aid and Audiological Services last Tuesday to have my hearing tested and pick out the hearing aids that would best suit my needs and lifestyle? It was actually the result of an answer to prayer.

 In the last couple of years, I have gotten more and more frustrated by not being able to hear well. I think my family has gotten a little frustrated as well. I began praying that God would provide a way for me to get hearing aids. Then, out of the blue, my mom, who herself has hearing loss but wears hearing aids, offered to help us pay for them. She knew what I was missing out on, understood my frustration, and was confident that hearing aids would help.

A few weeks later, another amazing thing happened. When we reviewed my husband’s employee benefits for 2012, we saw that they had added hearing aid reimbursement for employees, spouses, and dependents. They would cover 80 percent of the cost. I was floored and could not wait to make an appointment.

 Since I’ve gotten my hearing aids, I’ve been able to enjoy conversations and hear sounds I’ve never heard before. I’ve watched a movie with my family without having to use the subtitles or close captioning. I can hear my kids fighting from any room of the house. I can hear them being sweet too.

 Being able to hear everything was a little overwhelming at first, but after some fine-tuning to the hearing aids by my audiologist, I am adjusting and absolutely loving it. I am so thankful for the financial assistance my mom and husband’s employer have provided, but knowing what I now know, I would save to pay every penny of it myself if I had to.

 One reason I wanted to share my story is that someone reading it may have hearing loss and wonder if a hearing aid will really make a difference. Of course only a licensed audiologist can answer that for each individual, but if they did recommend hearing aids, I would definitely check it out (most places allow you to try them for 30 days with no obligation). I only regret that I didn’t do it sooner.

 The other reason I wanted to share is that many of you probably know someone who has hearing loss but cannot afford the cost of hearing aids. Quite possibly, it is someone you love or someone who works with or for you. If you are financially able, I would encourage you to offer to help them with the cost. If you own a business, consider adding hearing aid reimbursement to your benefits, or petition your employer to add this benefit. I know that if I had a job, (outside of my full-time wife/mom/freelance writing gig) I would be a much more effective and productive employee due to my new ability to hear. You could really make a profound difference in the quality of someone’s life.

 Of course, if you are going to approach someone about helping them purchase a hearing aid, you would want to do so with sensitivity and tact. Most likely they will be very grateful, but at times I could be defensive about the fact that I couldn’t hear well. If they don’t think hearing aids will help them or that they “get along fine” without one, put them in touch with me. You can bet it is a conversation I will hear and would love to have.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. We are here to help. If you or someone you love is having difficulty hearing or understanding conversations, please call our office at 901-682-1529. We would love to help with hearing amplification. There are so many wonderful sounds to hear. They may not even know what they are missing!

How Long Do Hearing Aids Last?

The lifetime of a hearing aid can vary. Hearing aids typically last five to six years, although in some cases they may last much longer. The average life of a hearing aid in the Southeast is 5.9 years. The miniature components in hearing aids tend to wear out over time, and even when repaired, do not have the same integrity as new components. The daily use of hearing aids, while critical to improving your hearing, can cause the hearing aid to experience normal “wear and tear”.  Hearing aids are fragile miniature electronic devices. Daily they are exposed to humidity, perspiration, earwax – and sometimes rain, hairspray and other factors which aren’t ideal for a tiny medical device. These factors and the constant inner workings of the aids will lead them to begin to break down and require repairs. Use of special hearing aid dehumidifiers, which help remove moisture from the hearing aids when not in use, has been shown to prolong the life of hearing aids.  These devices can be obtained from our office.  Additionally, cleaning your hearing aids regularly will help ensure they have a long life.

In many cases, hearing loss tends to gradually worsen over time.  Therefore, new hearing aids may be required to fit your hearing loss as it changes. While today’s digital hearing aids can be re-programmed in many cases to accommodate changes in hearing, some people choose to purchase new hearing aids in order to benefit from new features that come with advancements in hearing aid technology. 

If you feel as if you have not been hearing well with your 5-6 year old hearing aids, or if you are putting a lot of money into reparing your older hearing aids, it may be time for you to visit our office to discuss the latest hearing technology.  Tremendous advancements have been made in the last couple of years that offer you exciting solutions to your hearing difficulties. Imagine…listening to your TV wirelessly through your hearing aids! We have the technology available to do this now! Please call us today to hear about what’s new in hearing amplification.

Link Between Hearing Loss and Certain Chronic Diseases

Hearing loss isn’t a harmless condition to be ignored. In fact, hearing loss often coexists with other serious health problems. There is a growing  body of research which indicates that there may be a link between the two. Studies show that people with heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression may all have an increased risk of hearing loss.

When left untreated, hearing loss alone can lead to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions. Impaired memory and the impaired ability to learn new tasks, reduced alertness, increased risk to personal safety, irritability, negativism, anger, fatigue, tension and stress are among its more common side effects. When untreated hearing loss coexists with a chronic illness, the likelihood is even greater that the individual will experience higher levels of stress and decreased quality of life.

Here’s the good news: Research also indicates that professionally fitted hearing aids can help improve quality of life for people with chronic diseases when hearing loss does coexist.                    

Today’s Tiny Hearing Aid

According to researchers at the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), “in the vast majority of cases, hearing loss can be addressed with hearing aids to help people hear better and improve their quality of life”. People with heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, and/or depression are strongly urged to talk with their doctor or visit an audiologist to routinely have their hearing checked.

 

The link between hearing loss and certain chronic diseases:

Numerous studies have long linked untreated hearing loss to diminished psychological and overall health. But an emerging body of research is now revealing a link between hearing loss and other chronic health conditions.

For example, hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with diabetes compared to those who do not have the disease, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Another study, published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases found that older adults with moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a higher prevalence of hearing loss than those of the same age without CKD. Other studies have shown that a significantly higher percentage of people with Alzheimer’s disease may have hearing loss than their normally aging peers. In fact, older adults with hearing loss appear more likely to develop dementia, and their risk increases as hearing loss becomes more severe, according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology. The researchers also found that the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease specifically increased with hearing loss. The link between unaddressed hearing loss and depression also is compelling. An Italian study found that working adults aged 35 to 55 who were affected by mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears reported higher levels of disability and psychological distress — and lower levels of social functioning — than a well-matched normal control population.

With so much evidence emerging on the potential link between hearing loss and various chronic illnesses, it becomes all the more pressing for people to identify and address hearing loss early on. And be assured that in most cases, today’s state-of-the-art hearing aids, programmed to the specific hearing requirements of the individual, can help people hear better and improve quality of life.

“We have helped thousands of hearing impaired individuals hear and understand speech better.” says Dr. Rena Booth, Audiologist.  “I have seen tears shed the first time a hearing aid was fit and have listened to spouses give a cheer when their loved one hears them talking from across the room. It truly is amazing to observe the quality of people’s lives begin to improve with the help of hearing amplification”.

(Research taken from an article by BHI.)

The Sound of Silence

Tips to Protect Your Hearing

It’s one of the top medical problems facing the world today. In the United States, one in ten adults is afflicted. Of those, 80 percent go untreated. Thirty million people are exposed to its risk factors while at work, and many do not even recognize its onset and progression — a progression that is preventable but not truly curable.

What is this prevalent yet widely untreated condition? It’s hearing loss, and once its damage is done, it can’t be undone. That’s why, as a first step, doctors implore their patients to protect their hearing by avoiding exposure to loud noise and wearing earplugs when such exposure does occur. Despite preventive measures, however, hearing loss is still a widespread problem that, fortunately, can be greatly helped by hearing aids.

Vigilant ear-plug-wearers, rock stars, teenagers, senior citizens — who, exactly, is a candidate for a hearing test? Everyone, according to audiologist Dr. Ben Cox, who established Memphis Hearing Aid in 1984. He recommends getting a quick, baseline hearing test early on, prior to the onset of hearing loss, for later comparison. Especially, says Cox, “When a person starts to notice they’re hearing but not understanding.”

For those who can’t picture themselves wearing hearing devices, says Cox, look into the idea before shooting it down. “These are not your grandmother’s hearing aids,” he says.

Older analog aids have become obsolete in favor of new streamlined, digital versions, which are essentially microcomputers that can amplify different frequencies catered to one’s individual hearing deficits, rather than simply amplifying all frequencies of sound equally (hence the reason that they are much better at filtering out background noise). Furthermore, as the patient continues to come in for check-ups, which Cox deems “vital,” he or she can let the audiologist know what particular difficulties he or she has been having, and the audiologist can tweak the hearing aid to suit those individual needs.

Depending on the level of technology (and price), digital hearing aids also have a number of options. Many can learn the individual’s preferences – if the wearer adjusts the hearing aid in a certain way in a certain environment (such as turning it down while in a restaurant), the hearing aid will automatically begin to adjust itself accordingly. Furthermore, some models can sense when a telephone is approaching the ear and change appropriately, and still newer ones can literally function as a Bluetooth headset at the switch of a button, allowing the person to speak on the telephone or listen to the television wirelessly.

These little technological masterpieces come in a variety of styles. Tiny Completely-In-Canal (CIC) aids are increasingly popular because they are virtually invisible once placed inside the ear. Often, people do not want others to know they have a hearing aid. However, attitudes about hearing aids are changing, and people are beginning to treat them as fashion statements. Baby boomers in particular are gravitating toward more visible styles of hearing aids in a wide variety of colors — polka dot, leopard print, hot pink, even school colors.

For those people, In-The-Ear (ITE) or Behind-The-Ear (BTE) models are better options. Both include a microphone connected to a wire that goes into the canal with a tiny speaker, allowing air to flow through the canal. This takes care of some patients’ complaints that the CIC style produces a hollow sound, making them feel as if they are “in a barrel.” Furthermore, BTE aids are gaining popularity because they cut down on feedback, resemble a Bluetooth headset, and are larger in size, which makes them potentially more powerful and easier to handle.

Prices range from the upper hundreds to several thousand dollars for each hearing aid, depending on the level of technology. Though not cheap, these devices are a quality-of-life investment.

“You might be in a restaurant and someone asks you, ‘Do you have the key?’ and you answer back, ‘Not any more tea.’ You know, it’s that close, and it’s frustrating,” Cox explains. “Sometimes you have to fill in the blanks — you guess at it. Sometimes you’re right, sometimes you’re wrong, and it’s frustrating for people.

“What we’re trying to do,” he continues, “is take away the frustration, so they laugh and know what they’re laughing about, or cry and know why they’re crying: Because they understood somebody.”