Walk for Hearing

I recently accepted the challenge of participating in the Walk4Hearing produced by the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Do you know that one in ten persons in the United States has a hearing loss? The goal of the Walk4Hearing is to increase awareness about the causes and consequences of hearing loss and to raise funds to provide information and support for people with hearing loss.

I am asking you to help by supporting my fundraising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift will make a difference in the lives of many! It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below.

Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight. I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Click here to visit my personal page.
http://hlaa.convio.net/site/TR/Teamraiser/2009StLouisWalk?px=1342021&pg=personal&fr_id=1530&et=_kWms2nT_8Kti2sl6-qk7g..&s_tafId=6731

Click here to view the team page for Hometown Hearing and Audiology
http://hlaa.convio.net/site/TR/Teamraiser/2009StLouisWalk?team_id=12880&pg=team&fr_id=1530&et=qgqqlBm96tn8MshpewwJFg..&s_tafId=6731

Hearing Helpers

Sometimes it can be hard for individuals with hearing loss to recognize that they depend on others to understand speech. An intervention may not be appropriate for everyone, but letting them know how dependent they are may steer them towards help.--Dr. McDonald

Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D. Executive Director
Better Hearing Institute

One of the most aggravating aspects of living with an individual with hearing loss, who is in denial (everyone mumbles they say), is constantly repeating your self, speaking louder, or interpreting the world for them. There is a way to release yourself from this maddening co-dependent relationship and at the same time to motivate your loved to seek help for their hearing loss.

Dr. Richard Carmen (Auricle Ink Publishers, Sedona) has done a masterful job of offering help to family members in his book How hearing loss impacts relationships: Motivating your loved one. In addition as advisor to the Better Hearing Institute he offers suggestions on our website under the title "When a loved one resists help".

I encourage all people caught in the trap of being the ears for their loved one to read Dr. Carmen's book and his advice on this website. But let me summarize the key aspects of how you can set yourself free:

1. Understand that being the ears of your loved one is not an act of love.

2. Assisting loved ones in denial is counterproductive and encourages co-dependent relationships. Continuing to give help could lead to your loved one's failure in life as well as impact many aspects of their quality of life such as performance on the job. It is important you understand the areas impacted by untreated hearing loss as documented on the Better Hearing Institute website.

3. And remember if you continue to help them why should they seek help?

4. Make it your ULTIMATE goal to have your loved one hear independent of you; and don't do it alone. Get your entire family and their friends in your corner in a productive conspiracy to get your loved one in denial to finally realize they have a hearing problem.

5. Dr. Carmen's practical tips are: STOP repeating yourself! STOP raising your voice! STOP being the messenger by carrying the communication load for the family! In essence this means, STOP BEING THEIR EARS!

Here is one very clever intervention that could set you free. Explain to your loved one as follows in a calm, loving, non-condemnatory voice:

The whole family has had a talk. We believe you have a hearing loss and in the past we have helped you by speaking louder, repeating ourselves, or interpreting what other people have said. In effect we have become your hearing aid. But we realized this might not be the most loving acts we can do for you. We love you very much and want you to get help for your hearing loss. So from now on we will move toward stopping repeating ourselves when you say "Huh" or "What did he say?" and we will move toward no longer speaking louder so you can understand us. Instead we will simply say the words "Hearing Helper" (or choose another signal word that has meaning for your family) before we give you help. This is our signal to you that you have just asked us to be your ears. This is our way of demonstrating our love for you — that is by showing you how many times you ask for help. So for X period of time (e.g. a few weeks) we will continue to help you but we will preface our help with the words "Hearing Helper"…we think in a short period of time you will realize how many times you seek our help in hearing."

Many loved ones in denial will soon realize how much they use your ears; when this happens they will seek help. Encourage them in their journey to a world of better hearing. And enjoy your new found freedom!

(Note: this advice is ONLY for people in denial and who have not sought help for their hearing loss)

Walk 4 Hearing

I am going to walk...anyone want to join? --Dr. McDonald

http://hlaa.convio.net/site/TR/Teamraiser/2009StLouisWalk?fr_id=1530&pg=entry

Date:
Saturday, October 3, 2009

Location:
Tower Grove Park
4256 Magnolia Ave.
St. Louis, Missouri Directions

Schedule:
Registration starts at 9am and Walk starts at 10am

Walk Chairs:
Bob Foster and Mary Stodden


I will not be able to go to the kick-off, but they are holding it on

Saturday, August 22, 2009 (2:00pm to 4:00pm)
Greater St. Louis Assoc of the Deaf
2190 Creve Coeur Mill Rd
Maryland Heights, MO 63043

Tax credit for hearing aids...it looks we are getting closer to a vote

We finally have 100 sponsors! Don't forget to call your representatives and senators regarding this important legislation. Dr. McDonald

Hearing Aid Tax Credit Races Across 100th Cosponsor Threshold

Washington — Call it the speed of sound. The Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit (HR 1646) has reached the symbolic cosponsorship threshold of 100 representatives at the end of July before the start of the 111th Congress' August reces, said the Hearing Industries Association (HIA) in a statement. In addition the HIA has also announced that Sen Olympia Snowe (R-Me) has joined as a cosponsor of the Senate's version the Hearing Aid Tax Credit (S 1019), and will cosign a “Dear Colleague” letter with Sen Harkin (D-Iowa) urging support from other senators.

This key milepost in the House was reached in only 5 months after the bill was introduced by congresspersons Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Vern Ehlers (R-Mich) on March 19. The legislation also includes 14 cosponsorships from members of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over all tax legislation. In the 110th Congress (2007-2008), it took more than a year to reach the 100 cosponsor plateau. The bill has solid bipartisan House support from 66 Democrats and 34 Republicans, says the HIA.

As an influential member of the Senate Finance Committee, which reviews all tax legislation, Snowe’s cosponsorship and active support of the bill is significant, says the HIA. A cosponsor in the previous Congress, Snowe had declined to take a leading role on the tax credit while the Minnesota election outcome was still undetermined. Norm Coleman (R-Minn) was the original Republican champion of the Senate bill.

HIA is sponsoring two constituent events during the August recess period to thank representatives for their support of the legislation and to urge them to champion the bill in the coming months.

*

The AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Nevada chapter is hosting a brunch for Rep Dina Titus (D-Nev) on Aug 22.
*

A coalition of groups, including the Hearing Loss Association of Wisconsin, members of the International Hearing Society, and local audiologists are coordinating a luncheon for Rep Ron Kind (D-Wis) on Aug 28.

Members of groups that support the hearing aid tax credit are planning other meetings with Ways and Means Committee members during the August recess to urge their support. Groups are already working to schedule meetings in Springfield, Mass; Raleigh, NC; and Bismarck, ND. Other meetings are planned for Birmingham, Ala; Clifton, NJ; Bronx, NY; and Buffalo, NY.

http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2009-08-06_01.asp

My parents got tested...so should you!

My parents came to visit me at the office. Mom thought dad was missing some words and dad said mom needed her ears cleaned! Well, turns out that mom has normal hearing and dad has some mild high frequency hearing loss. Neither of them had wax!

Both of them were concerned that the other wasn't hearing well and they needed to have a hearing test to end that age old argument...are you ignoring me????

I hope that you come in and get your hearing tested. Lets remove all doubt about what you are and aren't hearing!

Dr. McDonald

Good news for veterans!

As we get ready to celebrate our independence in a few days, it is nice to hear that a company is going to offer a break (discount) for the brave men and women of the armed forces with hearing loss. Williams Sound is going to offer their products at a discounted rate for veterans, both active and retired. Read the info below and follow the link for more information! --Dr. McDonald

Williams Sound Introduces Reduced-Cost ALD Program For Veterans

Eden Prairie, Minn — Williams Sound, a global manufacturer of wireless listening technology, has announced that it has teamed with the Military Audiology Association (MAA) to offer the Retiree Assistive Listening Device (RALD) program to retired and active-duty military service members and their families. The RALD program was created to provide these honored individuals access to assistive listening devices (ALDs) at a reduced cost, along with free personalized telephone support.

ALDs from Williams Sound are devices designed to help individuals with hearing difficulties hear more clearly in a wide array of social situations, whether those needs are specific to listening on the phone, to a television, in a group setting or during one-on-one conversations. An ALD is designed to pick up sounds from the sound source and bring it directly to the listener’s ear, without the distraction of background noise.

For more information at RALD, please visit: www.williamssound.com/rald and www.militaryaudiology.org.

Mass transit bad for your ears?

The latest news from the American Journal of Public Health is that mass transit, at least in New York, may create enough noise to be hazardous to your ears. With the world moving towards "greener" transportation, this is not good news, but it sounds like they have issued some recommendations that would reduce noise.--Dr. McDonald


Mass Transit Riding May Be Harmful To Your Ears

Washington — Riders of mass transit are exposed to noise at levels that may exceed recommended limits, and thus may experience noise-induced hearing loss given sufficient exposure duration times, reports a new study from researchers University of Washington and the Columbia University Department of Sociomedical Sciences to be published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Researchers evaluated the noise levels of a representation of New York City mass transit systems (subways, buses, ferries, tramways and commuter railways) during June and July 2007. Subway cars and platforms had the highest associated equivalent continuous average and maximum noise levels, but all systems showed some potential for noise exposure.

The study concludes: "Mass transit noise exposure has the potential to exceed limits recommended by the World Health Organization and the US Environmental Protection Agency and thus cause noise-induced hearing loss among riders of all forms of mass transit given sufficient exposure durations. Environmental noise–control efforts in mass transit and, in cases in which controls are infeasible, the use of personal hearing protection would benefit the ridership’s hearing health."

The study's authors suggest, "Engineering noise-control efforts, including increased transit infrastructure maintenance and the use of quieter equipment, should be given priority over use of hearing protection, which requires rider motivation and knowledge of how and when to wear it."
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/AJPH.2008.138297v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=subways&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

Tinnitus and Hearing aids

Just about everyday, I see patients who have tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, whistling in the ear) and one of their questions is whether or not the hearing aid will help. The good news is that for most patients, they are able to get some kind of relief from the tinnitus with consistent hearing aid use. Below you will find an article about the benefits of using a hearing aid to relieve tinnitus. ---Dr. McDonald



Constant Ringing in Your Ears? Hearing Aids Offer Hope

(ARA) – If it seems like your ears ring constantly, it’s probably not your imagination or the economy . . . and you’re not alone. You may have tinnitus, an inner ear ailment that affects between 25 million to 50 million Americans -- with about 12 million people experiencing such severe symptoms it affects their
daily lives.

The good news is treatment, including hearing aids, can offer relief to some suffering the persistent ringing, buzzing or humming associated with tinnitus,
says the Better Hearing Institute.

Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant. Causes range from ear infections and overexposure to extremely loud noises, to underlying health problems like allergies or heart and blood pressure problems. Often, sufferers are unable to pinpoint the cause of their tinnitus.

“Tinnitus can have a direct impact on a person’s emotional well being,” says Dr. Sergei Kochkin, BHI’s executive director. “Not only can their hearing be affected but also their ability to sleep and to concentrate.” Kochkin and Dr. Richard Tyler, a professor in the University of Iowa’s otolaryngology and communication sciences and disorders departments and editor of The Consumer Handbook on Tinnitus (Auricle Ink, 2008), published an article in the December 2008 Hearing Review on their survey of 230 hearing health professionals in the United States and Canada. Their survey found that six out of 10 patients reported some tinnitus relief when using hearing aids and two out of 10 reported major relief.

The symptoms of tinnitus “influence basic life functions such as socialization and
relaxation,” the duo wrote. “In severe cases it can interfere with the individual’s ability to perform adequately on the job, or contribute to psychological disorders such as depression, suicide ideation, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety and anger.”

Although tinnitus is actually common and can cause major life disruptions, the number
of sufferers who seek treatment for the problem is relatively small. One reason may be that they mistakenly believe their condition is untreatable. Unfortunately, many doctors are also unaware of the latest treatment option, BHI says. Patients may think they simply have to learn to live with the noise.

“No one should ever ignore persistent tinnitus,” Kochkin says. “Not only is every
individual entitled to a chance to regain his or her quality of life, but in rare cases tinnitus also can be a symptom of a more serious health issue that could demand medical intervention. What’s more, nearly everyone with tinnitus has hearing loss as well.”

In a recent large-scale survey by the Better Hearing Institute of the American hearing impaired population, 39 percent (more than 9 million adult Americans) indicated they had not sought help for their hearing loss specifically because they also had tinnitus. “Research shows that untreated hearing loss has its own negative social, psychological, cognitive and health effects on the individual suffering from it,” Kochkin adds. “So the individual with both untreated tinnitus and untreated hearing loss suffers an even more diminished quality of life than individuals with just tinnitus or just hearing loss.”

While hearing aids are not a cure for tinnitus, they may be able to help tinnitus patients by:

• Improving communication and reducing stress, which makes it easier to cope
with the condition.

• Amplifying background sounds, which can make tinnitus seem less loud and
prominent.

A new type of hearing aid, called the open fit hearing aid, may be particularly useful in alleviating tinnitus. The open fit hearing aid can reduce the effects of the tinnitus ringing sensation while still allowing sounds from the outside to pass into the ear.

If you think you have tinnitus have your hearing evaluated by a hearing health
professional and to explore the use of hearing aids to alleviate tinnitus. The American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO-HNS) and the American Tinnitus Association
recommends these additional tips for minimizing the effects of tinnitus on your health:

• Avoid exposure to loud sounds and noises.

• Get your blood pressure checked. If it is high, get your doctor’s help to control it.

• Decrease your intake of salt. Salt impairs blood circulation.

• Avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea, cola, and tobacco.

• Exercise daily to improve your circulation.

• Get adequate rest and avoid fatigue.

• Eliminate or reduce some stress in different parts of your life; stress often makes
tinnitus worse.

• Experiment by eliminating other possible sources of tinnitus aggravation, e.g.
artificial sweeteners, sugar, alcohol, prescription or over-the-counter medications.
(Do not stop taking medications without consulting with your health care
professional about the possible ototoxic impact of your medications.)

Furthermore the Better Hearing Institute recommends that in addition to the practical
tips above (which apply to a healthy lifestyle for all people) that people with tinnitus may receive benefit by simply understanding the causes, myths and facts about tinnitus through either counseling or self-help books. “We believe that if hearing health professionals can provide effective treatment for tinnitus, they also can be instrumental in motivating people to concurrently treat their hearing loss,” Kochkin says. “This would have a double impact in improving the quality of life for millions of Americans.”

To learn more, visit www.betterhearing.org or call the Better Hearing Institute hotline at (800) EAR-WELL (800-327-9355).

###

Editor’s Note:
Founded in 1973, The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) conducts research and engages in
hearing health education with the goal of helping people with hearing loss to benefit
from proper treatment.

Facts about Noise and your Hearing

In my practice, I see alot of patients who have been exposed to noise and now have a hearing loss which makes it difficult for them to communicate.

I present the following information in hope that it provides you with the facts you need to protect yourself from noise. --Dr. McDonald

Approximately 36 million Americans have hearing loss. One in three developed their hearing loss as a result of exposure to noise.

Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells that are found in our inner ear. Hair cells are small sensory cells that convert the sounds we hear (sound energy) into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once damaged our hair cells cannot grow back, causing permanent hearing loss.

Hearing protection decreases the intensity, or loudness, of noise and helps preserve your hearing.

• Harmful sounds are (1) too loud and last too long or (2) are very loud and sudden.

o For example, exposure to a one-time intense “impulse” sound such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time, such as sitting to close during a concert (rock, country, symphony, or any genre of music).

o You may encounter harmful sounds at work, at home, and during recreational activities. (If you work in a hazardous noise environment, speak with your supervisor or compliance officer about OSHA recommendations on your amount of noise exposure.)

• The loudness of sound is measured in units called decibels (dB). Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by prolonged exposure to any loud noise over 85 (dB).
60 dB Normal conversations or dishwashers
80 dB Alarm clocks
90 dB Hair dryers, blenders, lawnmowers
100 dB MP3 players at full volume
110 dB Concerts (any music genre), car racing and sporting events
120dB Jet planes at take off
130 dB Ambulances
140 dB Gun shots, fireworks, and custom car stereos at full volume

• Noise is dangerous if…
o You have to shout over background noise to be heard
o The noise is painful to your ears
o The noise makes your ears ring
o You have decreased or “muffled” hearing for several hours after exposure

• Protect your hearing, by…
o Wearing hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85dB for a long period of time. There are different types of hearing protection such as foam earplugs, earmuffs and custom hearing protection devices.

Contact our office for custom hearing protection devices.

o Turning down the volume when listening to the radio, the TV, MP3 player, or anything through ear buds and headphones. (Visit www.TurnItToTheLeft.com)
o Walking away from the noise.
o And, other than hearing protection, do not put anything in your ear!

Tips for looking and hearing your best at your next job interview

When it comes to job interviews, how you hear affects how you look:

5 tips for hearing and looking your best

You walk into the job interview. Your hair is groomed. Your skin is smooth. You’re wearing your best interview suit. Dahhling, you look fabulous, right?

Not necessarily. What happens when you sit down and the interviewer starts asking you a question and you suddenly realize you can’t really hear what she’s saying? Now you lean in, furrow your brows, and hunch your shoulders. You scrunch up your eyes and strain with all your might to hear your best.

How do you look now?

Unfortunately, the interviewer may see you in a different light. Now she’s wondering why you look so uncomfortable. She’s noticing the confidence slip from your face. And she’s thinking maybe she needs to keep interviewing others.

In the United States, approximately 31.5 million Americans have hearing loss, and that includes 3 out of 10 people ages 60 plus, according to the Better Hearing Institute.

With today’s down economy, many of these seniors either need to postpone retirement or return to work. Sixty percent of workers over the age of 60 are postponing retirement due to the impact of the financial crisis on their long-term savings, according to a recent CareerBuilder/USA Today national survey of employers.

And those re-entering the workforce are competing against younger workers eager to scoop up the jobs.

Excellent listening skills are ranked high by employers as desirable job attributes. Fully 73 percent of employers surveyed by ACT, a leading college and workforce planning organization, ranked listening as “extremely important” job skills.

So, while people may feel that to look young they can’t be seen wearing a hearing device, they are much more likely to be perceived as old and less capable if they ignore their hearing needs and are unable to be effective listeners.

Before going in for an interview, follow these tips:

· Take the free, easy, online hearing check offered by the Better Hearing Institute at http://www.hometown-hearing.com/quickhearingtest.asp

· If you think you may have hearing loss, call Hometown Hearing and Audiology to get your hearing tested.

· If you have a hearing loss that can be treated with hearing devices – and 95% of hearing losses can be improved with hearing devices – get fitted for them.

· Start wearing your hearing devices immediately, and see what a difference they make.

· Then, go into the interview confident in your hearing and listen-up! The job is yours.

May is Better Hearing Month!

In celebration of Better Hearing Month, below you will find some facts about hearing loss:


Approximately 36 million Americans suffer from hearing loss.

More than half of the people with hearing loss are younger than age 65.

Untreated hearing loss can affect your ability to understand speech and can negatively impact your social and emotional well-being—hearing impairment can decrease your quality of life!

Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the United States.



Signs you may have a hearing loss:

• Difficulty hearing people talk in noisy environments such as a restaurant, shopping mall, in a car, or at the movie theater.

• People seem to “mumble” all the time.

• Family, friends, or colleagues often have to repeat themselves when speaking with you.

• You have trouble hearing people when they are not facing you or are in another room.

• You have trouble following conversations.

• You have ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds in your ears.



What causes hearing loss?

• Exposure to excessive loud noise.

• Ear infections, trauma, or ear disease.

• Harm of the inner ear and ear drum from contact with a foreign object (cotton swabs, fingers, bugs).

• Illness or certain medications.

• Deteriorating hearing due to the normal aging process.
How to protect your hearing.

• Wear hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85dB for a long period of time. There are different types of hearing protection such as foam earplugs, earmuffs and custom hearing protection devices. Contact your local audiologist for custom hearing protection devices.

• Turn down the volume when listening to the radio, the TV, MP3 player, or anything through ear buds and headphones. (Visit www.TurnItToTheLeft.com)

• Walk away from the noise.

• And, other than hearing protection, do not put anything in your ear!

Hearing Aid Tax Credit

Hearing loss affects 1 in 4 households in America. Congress is considering a proposal to provide Americans with a tax credit for hearing aid treatment. They need to hear that you support this idea now! While passage of the tax credit bill may not impact you it could help a friend or relative of yours. Visit www.hearingaidtaxcredit.org and make your voice heard either for yourself or on behalf of a relative or friend. Please forward this information to anyone else who may benefit from this legislation.

Hearing Aids Can Be Fun!

There are some new developments in hearing aid technology that have made hearing aids not only fun to wear, but easy to manage!

Auto phone through both ears: You can now put the phone to one ear and the hearing aids will switch to the phone setting in both ears! This feature is called duo phone and it is very cool!

Zoom Control: You can now zoom in on the left, right, front or back depending on where you want the hearing aid to emphasize the amplification. You can now use this function on the hearing aid without a remote control!

FM systems: Studies have long shown the benefits of FM technology. Now even if you have normal hearing or a slight hearing loss but struggle in noise or need a boost in noisy settings in addition to your hearing aid, you can benefit from a dynamic FM system that has noise reduction that can significantly increase your ability to understand in noisy situations!

To learn more, visit the link to our website!

I'd like to welcome you to my blog!

Welcome to my blog. Hopefully you'll find this site both educational and entertaining -- from time to time I will post informative articles about different subjects pertaining to hearing, as well as other helpful information.

Please check back from time to time for updates; add my blog to your Favorites so you can always know where to find important information regarding your hearing healthcare.

Thanks for coming by!