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Communication Habits
Good communication habits are necessary for the effective exchange of information during conversations. When you or someone you know has hearing loss communication can be a challenge.
- Speak at a natural pace
- Try to reduce background noise
- Talk face to face
- Try speech reading when possible
Wearing Hearing aids
Here some easy things you can do to enhance your experience and success with hearing aids.
The tips that follow reflect years of study and experience in caring for patients with hearing loss.
- Keep your hearing aids clean. Wax is the single greatest cause of hearing aid malfunction for the in-the-ear models. Use only a wax tool specifically made the purpose of cleaning hearing aids. Anything else could damage the instrument. Be sure to be instructed by your audiologist about the proper use of this instrument.
- Open battery door. When you are not wearing the hearing aids, open the battery door and break contact to extend the battery life.
- Keep your hearing aids dry. Never expose hearing aids to water. During the humid summer months, if your hearing aids are intermittent, use a “dri aid” kit from your audiologist to chemically dry the hearing aids. Do not use a hair dryer or oven to dry your aids.
- Resist changing volume settings. If the hearing aids have user-adjusted controls, resist constantly changing the volume settings. Find the comfortable setting and leave it alone. Changing the volume setting frequently negates one of the purposes of the hearing aids—balanced hearing.
- Keep track of your warranty. It is important that you track your warranty expiration dates. Manufacturers warranty aids for one to three years. After the warranty expires, however, there can be a significant charge for repairs that cannot be done in your audiologist’s office. If you are experiencing trouble with your hearing aids, do not delay contacting your doctor of audiology—especially if your hearing aid is still under warranty.
- Behind-the-ear hearing aid wearers. Check your tubing and ear mold regularly. Tubing should be changed when it becomes stiff or brittle.
- Beware of dogs. Dogs seem to be particularly attracted to hearing aids. If you have animals, keep the hearing aids away from them to protect both your pet and your hearing aids. This advice goes for small children, too.
- Telephone use. If you are having trouble using the telephone while wearing hearing aids, call us for a few phone tips.
- Check-ups. You should contact the Hearing Assessment Center for your annual check-up, or if you ever experience any changes in your hearing. Regular follow-up care is key to the successful treatment of hearing loss.
- When to not wear your hearing aids. Don’t wear your hearing aids while sleeping, working
Musicians
Musicians are unique in the world of Audiology. On one hand we must be concerned with and provide musicians with hearing protection. On the other hand, fidelity of music played must be kept intact in order for the musician to be successful.
There are different items that you can purchase depending on what you are trying to accomplish.
One option is a non-electronic filter, which is housed in a custom made earmold: one for each ear. These are referred to as "Musicians Earplugs" and are designed to reproduce the natural response of the open ear canal.
Music heard through these earplugs has the same quality as the original, only slightly quieter, which makes listening to loud music safer. The result is that speech and music remain clear. The fidelity of music is kept intact, which is priority #1. |
Musician earplug
Three levels of filters are available with filter attenuations of 9 db, 15db, and 25dB. A 15dB filter provides the flattest frequency response, and is usually the one we recommend.
Other popular items are in the ear monitors or just custom earmolds for your current monitor. You just have to let us know what type of monitor you have.
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Tinnitus
Tinnitus is ringing or other noise in the ear or head. Some describe it as sounding like crickets, hissing or other sounds. There are an estimated 18 million people who experience chronic and, at times, distressing tinnitus.
Possible Causes:
- Hearing loss
- Ear infections
- Medications
- Excessive ear wax
- Allergies
- Sinus infections
- High blood pressure
- Nutritional deficiencies
- TMJ (temporomandibular jaw joint disorder)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Acoustic neuroma
- Cervical vertebrae problem
- Neurologic disorders others
Things That Make Tinnitus Worse:
- Overexposure to noise
- Certain medications
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Excessive sodium intake
- Stress
- Some foods
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Things That Can Make Tinnitus Better
- Relaxation
- Wearing hearing protectors around high noise
- Masking the symptoms with pleasant music or recordings of nature sounds (ocean, babbling brook, etc.)
- Learning about tinnitus and possible methods to treat it
- Patience with any therapy – it takes time Possible Treatments for Tinnitus
- Hearing aids
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (Auditory Habituation)
- Masking
- Counseling
- Biofeedback
- Medications
- Others – hypnosis, acupuncture, herbal and dietary supplements, etc.
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You should see your physician and have a thorough evaluation by a licensed audiologist to determine the cause and to recommend treatment options.
If your ringing sensation is a result of hearing loss, it can be addressed through a variety of methods, which may relieve or even eliminate the symptoms.
Resources for Additional Information: American Tinnitus Association.
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