Hearing aids prices can vary tremendously – depending upon which option you opt for. In general, hearing aids can be divided into two categories: analogue and digital. Analogue hearing aids are based upon an older technology, using transistors to amplify sound. Even here, the hearing aids prices tend to differ because there are two types of analogue hearing aids: conventional and programmable. The programmable version allows the wearer to adjust the amplifier to match the extent of hearing loss. Needless to say, when it comes to hearing aids prices, conventional analogue hearing aids are cheaper than programmable ones. Both analogue types are cheaper than digital hearing aids.

Digital hearing aids have been described as microcomputers and when considering hearing aids prices, they are far more expensive than the analogue versions. There’s a good reason for this, though. Not only are they smaller in size, they far outclass analogue hearing aids in terms of sound quality as well. They are better at reducing feedback and work far better with telephones. In terms of hearing aids prices, with digital versions you are generally looking at 4 figures while with analogue hearing aids, you can get a good one within the 3-figure mark.

When considering hearing aids prices, it’s always best to consult with a hearing aid specialist. Hearing aid specialists can advise you as to what you might expect to pay for a hearing aid, regardless of which type you decide upon. Because hearing aids prices vary so dramatically, depending not only upon the technology but also the manufacturer, it is best to have expert guidance when considering a purchase of this type.

Sources: Hearing Haven, Sears Hearing Centre, Private Healthcare UK, WhatItCosts, HearingCenterOnline.com

Is there such a thing as TV for the hearing impaired? There is indeed and most of us have experienced it to some extent. If you have ever watched a foreign language film on television, chances are that unless you spoke that language, you watched the film with subtitles. TV for the hearing impaired follows the same principle except that the subtitles need to be activated either via the settings menu on your TV (newer versions) or by an external decoder. This is known as closed captioning. The term “closed” is used because it requires the viewer to actually activate the captioning.

TV for the hearing impaired (with closed captioning) was first successfully broadcast in 1973 with the cooperation of PBS station WETA in Washington D.C. At first it was limited to only pre-recorded programs. By 1982 however, real-time captioning was developed for live broadcasts, a very important development in TV for the hearing impaired.

1990 saw a great leap forward for people suffering from hearing loss. The Television Decoder Circuitry Act was passed, which impacted directly on TV for the hearing impaired. This law required that all analogue television sets which had screens 13 inches or larger – sold or manufactured – have the ability to display closed captioning by 01. July 1993. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 extended this ruling to include digital sets, with 01. July 2002 given as the date of compliance. TV for the hearing impaired received a further boost when TV programming distributors in the U.S. were informed that closed captioning for Spanish language programming must be provided by no later than 01. January 2010.

Sources: howstuffworks.com, Wikipedia

Active Head Rotation Testing

The VOR (vestibulo-ocular reflex) serves to stabilize our vision during movements in everyday life such as walking.  As our head turns either left to right or up and down the VOR keeps the world around us stable by applying automatic corrections to our eyes to compensate for the motion of our heads.  Very slow movements are controlled by the smooth pursuit system (movements under 2 Hz, i.e. cycles per second) while more rapid motions are controlled via the VOR system.  When this control mechanism becomes disturbed due to abnormalities of the peripheral or central vestibular system, a distorted picture of the environment becomes apparent to the patient with “slippage” of the visual image from the central vision creating what is termed as “oscillopsia” or a “bouncing” of the environment.

Traditional ENG or VNG testing has not been able to adequately test the VOR since the standard VNG battery uses only pursuit testing which tests the system at only a very low frequency of 2Hz or less.  This is also true of rotary chair testing.  The VAT or VORTEQ test is a very easy, accurate and efficient way to test the VOR system at higher frequencies (2-6Hz).  The test consists of placing a head band on the patient, which houses a small camera to record the direction and speed of eye movement and an accelerometer which measures the angle and speed of head movement. Then the patient is asked to move his or her head back and forth at increasing speed (for about 18 seconds) while staying focused on a spot on the wall which is placed about five feet in front of the patient.  The computer then analyses the data recorded as to the accuracy of the eye movements in terms of phase, speed and equality of left and right movements.  These data are then compared to standard normative data to evaluate individual patient results.  Certain patterns of abnormalities suggest either peripheral or central vestibular disorders.  Thus we now have an accurate and repeatable test of the VOR which is simple to administer for the examiner and simple to perform for the patient.

Howard Harris, M.S. FAAA

Audiologist

Sonus Hearing Care

1776 South Queen St.

York, PA  17403

howard.harris@amplifon.com

Is hearing loss reversible? It’s a common question many people suffering from hearing loss want an answer to. It all depends on what the cause of your hearing loss is. Some common causes (and treatments) of reversible hearing loss are:

• Use of ototoxic medicines, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Discontinuing the medication usually results in hearing improvement.

• Ear infection. In many cases, ear infections will clear up on their own, thereby eliminating any hearing loss that may have occurred. Otherwise, treatment with antibiotics will usually solve the problem.

• Sometimes an injury to your ear or head may cause temporary hearing loss. After proper treatment, hearing is usually fully restored.

• Conditions such as Ménière’s disease, otosclerosis or acoustic neuroma can all be treated with medication or surgery.

• Autoimmune problems can also lead to reversible hearing loss, which can be treated by corticosteroid medication.

• Some reversible hearing loss may be due to a build-up of wax in the ear canal. This can be easily removed by a doctor or through the use of an earwax removal kit (available at your local pharmacy). NEVER use a cotton swab or a sharp object to try to remove the wax; this could push the wax further in or lead to irreversible damage to your ear.

In relation to the “is hearing loss reversible” question, recent studies have shown that congenital deafness may be reversible. New discoveries have shown that a missing protein – connexin 30, may be the cause for this type of hearing loss. By increasing the amount of another protein, connexin 26, scientists were able to compensate for the missing one. These tests have so far only been carried out on mice, not humans. However, results so far seem to be promising.

Unfortunately, there is also permanent hearing loss, to which the answer to the question is hearing loss reversible, would be no. The majority of this type of hearing loss is age-related, noise-induced or sometimes both. In these cases, hearing aids can be used to treat the problem.

Be sure to consult your doctor or hearing specialist to learn more about whether or not hearing loss is reversible.

Sources: WebMD, Bio-Medicine, Hearing Loss Web

Hearing protection is key to preventing hearing loss. In a world where we are being constantly bombarded by noise, it is no wonder that hearing loss is a growing problem. Studies have shown that sounds ranging from 85-90 decibels have the potential to damage your hearing – the same level of noise generated by a lawnmower. However, the good news is that with proper hearing protection, up to one-third of all hearing loss is preventable.

So what counts as hearing protection? The obvious answer to this question is the use of equipment like ear defenders in a noisy work environment (i.e. construction site) or wearing earplugs or muffs when mowing the lawn or using other loud equipment. Noise cancelling headphones for portable music players also count as hearing protection. These types of specialized headphones are specifically designed to block background noise, therefore eliminating the need to turn up the volume to unsafe levels. However, hearing protection doesn’t necessarily stop there. Taking preventive measures such as turning down the volume on televisions, radios and stereos, along with limiting your exposure time to extremely loud environments (i.e. music concerts) all count as forms of hearing protection. This would also apply to such actions like cutting down on how many noisy appliances you have running simultaneously in your personal environment. If you work in a noisy environment but don’t have earplugs or ear defenders, you should try to take “noise breaks” every 15 minutes or so. Noise breaks are when you leave a noisy location to find someplace quiet, in order to rest your ears.

To learn more about hearing protection and the various measures that you can take, consult with your local hearing specialist or your doctor.

Sources: Best Health Magazine, Wired.com, House Ear Institute, Better Hearing Institute

What causes hearing loss? That’s the first thing people who’ve been diagnosed with some form of hearing loss want to know. There are actually many factors that can contribute to hearing loss. Some may be as simple as a build-up of earwax in the ear canal. Others are more complex, such as damage to the ear. In ascertaining what causes hearing loss, you should first establish what type of hearing loss you’re dealing with. These can be generally divided into 2 categories: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss.

Conductive Hearing Loss

What is conductive hearing loss? Conductive hearing loss is caused by something which blocks sound moving from your outer to your inner ear. What causes conductive hearing loss? Some of the more common examples inlcude: infections of the middle ear- also known as acute otitis media, “glue ear” (otitis media with effusion) which is when fluid collects in the middle ear, blockage of the outer ear due to wax build-up, otosclerosis (when the ossicles – 3 bones within the middle ear – harden and no longer vibrate properly), damage either by injury or infection to the ossicles, perforated eardrum. These are some of the reasons which pertain to the question, “what causes conductive hearing loss”.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

What is sensorineural hearing loss? Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the pathway between the inner ear and the brain has been damaged. What causes sensorineural hearing loss? Some of the reasons could be: a natural degeneration in your hearing due to the aging process (presbyacusis), being exposed to loud noise resulting in damage to the hair cells in the ear (acoustic trauma), infections such as measles, mumps and meningitis, Meniere’s  Syndrome (a condition whereby the patient experiences fluctuating hearing loss and ear pressure, dizziness, and tinnitus. These symptoms are caused by swelling and a fluid overload of the middle compartment of the inner ear – a condition known as endolymphatic hydrops), certain medication including powerful antibiotics, some cancer treatments such as chemo and radiation therapy, acoustic neuroma – a benign tumor which affects the auditory nerve, cholesteatoma – a benign skin growth which occurs in the middle ear resulting in deafness and vertigo. These are some of the more common answers to the question, “what causes sensorineural hearing loss?”

In addressing the question “what causes hearing loss?” it’s important to keep in mind that one can also suffer from mixed hearing loss, which is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Needless to say, when talking about what causes hearing loss, there are many other reasons along with those I’ve listed here; consult your doctor or hearing loss specialist to find out more.

Sources: ehealthMD, Bupa, Buzzle.com

People normally assume that a simple hearing test is enough to determine whether or not you are suffering from hearing loss. But what does that mean, a simple hearing test.

In fact, a complete hearing evaluation consists of a number of different hearing tests, including:

Audiometer Hearing Test

An audiometer hearing test involves the subject sitting in a soundproof room or booth, wearing a pair of headphones which are connected to an audiometer. An audiogram is used to measure the extent of hearing loss (if any). The audiometer emits a range of sounds at various frequencies; the subject indicates having heard the sound either by raising a hand or pressing a button – depending upon which method is used. By plotting the frequency along an x-axis and the loudness of the tone along a y-axis, the doctor or hearing specialist can see from the graph the extent of any hearing loss.

Weber Test Hearing Test

The Weber hearing test consists of placing a vibrating tuning fork on the middle of the subject’s forehead, equidistant from both ears. The subject must then indicate in which ear the sound is loudest. If the patient is not suffering from any hearing loss, then the sound should be the same in both ears. This hearing test is effective in confirming asymmetric, conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

Rinne Hearing Test

The Rinne hearing test is used to measure sound by air conduction as versus bone conduction. A vibrating tuning fork is placed on the mastoid process (a conical prominence located on the mastoid portion of the temporal bone in the skull) until the sound is no longer heard. The tuning fork is then placed just outside the ear where the sound should be heard. Someone not suffering from hearing loss generally has a better air conduction to bone conduction ratio than someone who does. What this means is sound is transmitted to the ear in 2 ways: A) Air conduction, which utilizes the parts of the ear such as the eardrum, pinna and the ossicles in order to amplify and convey sound. B) Bone conduction, which bypasses some or all of these functions and transmits sound via bone in the skull directly into the inner ear or the opposite ear. Not surprisingly, the sound is transmitted at a reduced volume. When bone conduction is better than air, that’s a symptom of conductive hearing loss. If both air and bone conduction are low, this is a sign of sensorineural hearing loss.

The hearing tests, when taken together, contribute to a complete hearing evaluation. They can ascertain whether you are suffering from hearing loss and if so, to what extent. Your doctor or hearing specialist should only conduct these hearing tests.

Sources: Wikipedia

Analogue vs. digital – that’s an important question in the world of hearing aids. Conventional wisdom today says that digital technology has revolutionized hearing aids, leaving the older analogue systems far behind. But few of us seem to know what the actual differences are when it comes to the analogue vs. digital technologies.

Analogue hearing aids amplify sound by simply increasing the size of the sound wave. Through the use of transistors, sounds are amplified and modified to suit the wearer. Once again, in addressing the analogue vs. digital debate, it’s important to take into account that analogue aids come in two categories: conventional and programmable. The main difference between the two is that the programmable version allows the wearer to adjust the analogue hearing aid’s amplifier to best match the wearer’s hearing loss. A compelling argument for analogue hearing aids in the analogue vs. digital debate is the fact that analogue hearing aids are usually quite a bit cheaper than their digital cousins.

Digital hearing aids, when presented within the parameter of the analogue vs. digital question, are a different animal altogether. Digital hearing aids are basically tiny computers, fully programmable to suit their wearers extent of hearing loss, and generally smaller in size. In the area of sound quality, this is where digital hearing aids tend to outclass the analogue ones in the analogue vs. digital question. Due to digital technology, the sound quality is generally far higher – it’s like comparing CD’s with audiotapes. They’re better at suppressing background noise, especially in noisy areas, while enhancing speech. Not only that but digital hearing aids are more effective in reducing feedback (high-pitched interference noise), easier to program and easier to use with telephones. Their major drawback in the analogue vs. digital question is their price: digital aids are more expensive.

The question of analogue vs. digital in the arena of hearing aids is obviously one that must be viewed, at the end of the day, upon the patient’s needs and affordability. When considering which technology to choose, be sure to consult your doctor or hearing specialist for a detailed explanation between the two technologies before making your decision.

Sources: Hearing Haven, Sears Hearing Centre, Private Healthcare UK

Choosing a hearing aid is one of the most important decisions someone suffering from hearing loss will ever. Therefore, it’s important to take the time to choose wisely. When considering a hearing aid, there are a few things to take into consideration, such as:

1. Which type of hearing aid you want

This is probably one of the most difficult decisions to make when it comes to choosing a hearing aid. It depends a lot on your degree of hearing loss, lifestyle (very active, less active, etc.), cosmetic preferences, for example. Hearing aids vary in design and functionality and can be categorized as: A) Completely in the Canal (CIC): the hearing aid is tiny and almost invisible, fitting directly inside the ear canal. B) In the Canal (ITC): fits in the canal but not as deeply as the CIC type. C) Half Shell: custom molded to the bottom portion of the outer ear – basically a larger version of an ITC. D) Full Shell: custom molded and fits the whole outer ear bowl. E) Behind the Ear (BTE): the device hooks over the top of the ear and rests behind it. F) Open Fit: a much smaller BTE device by which sound is directed from the device via a wire or tube that’s been directly placed in the ear canal.

2. How much it will cost

This is an important consideration when choosing a hearing aid. Hearing aids can vary tremendously in price, ranging from a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand. It’s important to know what your budget is before you decide on yours.

3. Which technology to go for

Hearing aids come in 2 types: analog and digital. Analog hearing aids are generally cheaper. Analog aids are being gradually phased out and generally aren’t as effective as digital ones. Once again, it’s good know about what options are available to you when you go about choosing a hearing aid.

There are pros and cons to every hearing device, so you should keep them in mind when choosing a hearing aid. For example:

-       CIC: Pros: nearly invisible, less wind disturbance, easy to use with telephones. Cons: battery life, no extra features such as volume control.

-       ITC: Pros: not very visible in the ear, easy to use with telephones. Cons: small size makes it harder to adjust the volume, may not fit properly in smaller ears.

-       Half Shell: Pros: usually comes with extras such as additional microphones and volume control, easy to handle, fits most ears. Cons: more visible than in ear canal models.

-       Full Shell: Pros: usually comes with extras such as additional microphones and volume control, easy to handle, fits most ears, uses larger batteries that last longer. Cons: quite visible, more susceptible to picking up wind noise.

-       BTE: Pros: quite powerful with greater amplification. Cons: usually very visible.

-       Open Fit: Pros: less visible, doesn’t block the ear canal. Cons: small batteries resulting in shorter battery life, no extra features such as volume control.

Please remember that when choosing a hearing aid, it’s important to consult your doctor and your hearing specialist before making a decision.

Sources: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, About.com, Nicholas Hurd

It’s not always easy to recognize the symptoms of hearing loss. If you find that you’re turning up the volume on your TV more often than before or that your colleagues at work seem to be mumbling a lot, then you may be experiencing the first signs of hearing loss.

Hearing loss can creep up on you gradually or it can strike suddenly overnight; there’s no telling which pattern it may take. There are, however, some signs to look out for, in order to ascertain whether or not you may be suffering from hearing loss:

- You struggle to understand what people around you are saying
- You need to turn the volume up high on your TV or your radio
- You ask people to repeat themselves frequently
- When someone is talking to you, you find yourself reading their lips to make out what they’re saying
- You find that there’s a ringing in your ears
- You frequently misunderstand what’s being said

The consequences of suffering hearing loss can be profound and far-reaching, ranging beyond the obvious physical impairment. People experiencing hearing loss tend to shun social gatherings, due to the embarrassment and stress they feel when struggling to understand what others are saying. This leads to social isolation and a feeling of aloneness. There is increased fatigue and stress, along with strain in personal relationships from misunderstandings that can arise from not being able to understand what’s being said. As a result, there is a tendency to try and avoid meeting new people as well. Far from being a minor irritant, hearing loss in any stage can be devastating.

Although there’s no telling if hearing loss can happen to you, you may be more susceptible to it if:

- There is a history of hearing loss in your family
- If you’ve taken any medication which has been proven to harm your hearing, such as amino glycoside antibiotics, some aspirins, some chemotherapy agents e.g. cisplatin, carboplatin, vincristine
- You’ve been exposed to loud noise over an extended period of time without any hearing protection
- You suffer from diabetes, thyroid problems, heart and circulation problems

For more information, you should contact your doctor or your local ear specialist.

Sources: Better Hearing Institute, FreeHearingTest.com, Dictionary.com, LLC