Live Love Hear

Hearing with color

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:57:37 -0800

Just love it when patients decide on a color other than beige for their hearing devices! Makes me so happy that they’re having a little fun with it! This pair is for an 81 year old woman.

Caution: Safety report finds dangerously loud toy

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:59:53 -0800

According to a news report by NPR, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group released their consumer advocate’s report today, which cited over 12 toys that are in violation of federal safety standards.

Among toys that were too small and could lead to choking and others that contain high levels of chemicals (ex. lead) they warned about toys that are too loud. One such toy that could lead to hearing damage is an Elmo talking cellphone, which tested above the acceptable noise limits.

According to the actual report, they cite that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed one in five U.S. children will have some degree of hearing loss by the time they reach age 12. This could be possibly contributed to a significant number of children using toys and music players that present loud sounds. According to many research studies, extended exposure to noise above 85 decibels will lead to gradual hearing loss.

It is extremely important for parents and caregivers to be informed of any toys that could potential harm their child, regardless of their age. Awareness of such dangers, including exposure of unsafe levels of noise, can help with the prevention of permanent hearing damage.

Sources: NPR and U.S. PIRG

Shohet Ear Associates at Edison Energy Health and Wellness Expo

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:16:31 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, I attended another Health and Wellness Expo for employees at Edison Energy on behalf of Shohet Ear Associates. I had the opportunity to conduct ear exams and answer questions regarding ear health, hearing loss, amplification solutions and dizziness. Here are a few photos from the event.

TODAY Show airs a segment on hearing loss and treatment options

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:51:14 -0700

I’m thrilled anytime I see a positive piece on noise exposure awareness and hearing loss in general. On August 10th, the TODAY Show aired a segment where Matt Lauer undergoes a hearing test and discusses current issues related to hearing. His hearing test reveals a mild high frequency hearing loss in his right ear. It is an informative news story and interview with an audiologist, which gives viewers a chance to learn about the process of a undergoing a hearing test or audiologic evaluation. More importantly, this story helps raise awareness about the impact of hearing impairment on quality of life and communication. The audiologist in the segment is thorough in her examination and does an excellent job answering Matt Lauer’s questions.

The segment touches on many of the important talking points, including: potential dangers of noise exposure, preventative measures, age vs. environmental hearing loss and the latest hearing device technology options. Kudos to everyone involved! I definitely recommend watching this video clip.

Aug. 10: TODAY’s Matt Lauer takes a hearing test and discovers surprising results. In addition, Jim McDade, a man with hearing loss, shows his invisible hearing aids, and Dr. Shelley Borgia talks about how small today’s hearing aids are compared to older versions.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Shohet Ear Associates at PIMCO Health Expo

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:54:44 -0700

Last week I attended the Health and Wellness Expo for PIMCO employees in Newport Beach on behalf of Shohet Ear Associates Medical Group. It was a wonderful opportunity to speak to individuals in the community who had questions about ears and hearing for themselves or family members. I have always said that the ear is an organ that we do not necessarily pay much attention to nor appreciate - until there is something wrong. I hope that I was able to provide valuable information. Shohet Ear Associates will be participating in more of these types of expos in our community. Here are some photos that were taken at the event.

Nominate now for the Oticon Focus on People Award

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 04:30:00 -0700

If you know someone with hearing loss or a hearing care professional who is an outstanding advocate for the hearing loss community, then you should nominate them for an award!

Oticon, a hearing aid manufacturer, has announced its 14th Annual Oticon Focus on People Awards. Their Focus on People Award looks for nominees that are students, adults and advocates with a hearing loss that strive to succeed and inspire in life. They also seek nominations for outstanding Hearing Care Practitioner. And as most awards do, they also have prizes for the winners.

You can place your nominations online at the links provided.
Here is a breakdown of the categories (online nomination form)

Students – for young people with hearing loss, ages 6 - 21 (full-time students)
Adults – for people with hearing loss, ages 21 and above
Advocacy – for adults with hearing loss, who are actively involved in support efforts for the hard-of-hearing and deaf community (full-time students in advocacy apply for Student category)

There is a separate form for Hearing Care Practitioner (online nomination form)

Hearing Care Practitioner – for hearing care professionals who are currently in practice

Prizes!!!
Oticon will announce 3 winners in each category in September. First Place winners in the Student, Adult and Advocacy categories receive a $1,000 prize, a $1,000 gift to the charity of their choice and a set of Oticon advanced technology hearing instruments.

The First place winner in the Hearing Professional Category receives $1,000 and $1,000 gift to the charity of their choice. In all categories, second place winners receive $500 and third place winners receive $250. All nominees receive Certificates of Recognition from Oticon.

Who are the judges?

A panel of hearing care professionals will choose 3 finalists in each category. Then Oticon will invite the public to vote online for one finalist in each category.

What are they looking for?

Nominees with any degree of hearing loss from mild to moderate to more severe.
Achievements and contributions in any of a broad range of community, civic and social areas.
Ability to challenge outdated stereotypes of what it means to have a hearing loss.

You can visit their website for more information: Oticon USA
Nomination deadline is July 27, 2011.

Must-read blog: Hearing Sparks

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:31:00 -0700

Hearing Sparks is a delightful blog about Megan, an inspiring young lady that writes about hearing loss, technology, shows, books and more. For someone like myself who works with individuals with hearing loss on a daily basis, it’s been encouraging to read her stories. I have to admit that I have learned from Megan’s stories and it has helped me better understand and help my own patients. I hope that she will continue to blog for many years to come.

You can “like” her Hearing Sparks Facebook page and follower her on Twitter @hearingsparks.

Whittier Daily News - Youths warned of threats to hearing

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:00:06 -0700

Some time ago, I presented on hearing conservation to the 7th and 8th graders at Downey West Middle School in Downey, California on behalf of House Ear Institute in Los Angeles.

We were lucky enough to have the local newspaper, Whittier Daily News come out to cover the event. The article has been archived since this was back in May 2008, but you can read the full article below.

Whittier Daily News Article

FDA approved: Implantable hearing device

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 06:40:28 -0700

On March 17, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first 100% implantable hearing device called the Esteem® Totally Implantable Hearing System by Envoy Medical Corporation. The goal of the device is to replicate the function of the middle ear bones and improve quality of life.

The Esteem®, which is implanted under the skin behind the ear, consists of three components: a sound processor, a sensor and driver that are all hermetically sealed and biocompatible.

Here’s how it works: the ear naturally receives sound from the environment and the eardrum vibrates. The sensor, which is attached to the middle ear bones, picks up the vibrations and sends it to the sound processor. The sound processor amplifies and filters the signal and sends the signal to the driver, which is attached to the stapes. The driver converts the electrical signal back to vibrations to be delivered to the cochlea. The cochlea then sends the signal to the brain for processing. An audiologist programs the sound processor and the patient has a remote control to adjust the volume and change programs.

The device has been in a clinical trial period for five years. Shohet Ear Associates Medical Group, Inc. of Newport Beach, CA was one of three sites in the nation to participate in the Esteem® clinical trials. They reported, “At a quiet conversation level, average patient speech understanding improved by more than 45% over their hearing aids.”

According to FDA documents, the Esteem is recommended for patients who meet the following criteria.

Adult subjects 18 years of age or older
Mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss
Speech discrimination test score greater than 40%
Normally functioning Eustachian tube
Normal middle ear anatomy
Adequate space for the Esteem® implant

Another criteria that I believe should be included based on my educational training is that patients are candidates if do not benefit from wearing conventional hearing aids. I am looking forward to working with this newly accessible technology and seeing the positive impact it will have on patient’s lives. FDA reports that long-term studies will need to be performed to examine safety and effectiveness, as a condition of the approval.

Can I cure my tinnitus?

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:48:00 -0700

Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus or “ringing in the ears” but it can be managed. Tinnitus is an auditory sensation that is not related to the perception of some external sound. It has been described as some type of noise in the ears or head, such as ringing, buzzing, humming, or sounds like crickets.

The exact cause of tinnitus is hard to pinpoint exactly; however it has been associated with a problem anywhere in the hearing system and it is prevalent in about 50 million Americans (according to the American Tinnitus Association). Factors that are thought to be related to the onset of tinnitus include: change in hearing, loud noise exposure, traumatic head injury, dealing with a health crisis, taking aminoglycosides, caffeine intake, and tobacco use.

First step of treatment for tinnitus typically involves lifestyle changes to help reduce the perception of tinnitus. General suggestions include:
- Protect ears from loud noise
- Avoid silence or sound enrichment - tinnitus perception is louder when there are no distracting sounds in the environment, therefore using a low-level background noise can help reduce focus on tinnitus.
Example: sound generating devices.
- Regular exercise to help with circulation
- Avoid caffeine and excessive salt
- Stress Management

Example of a sound generator alarm clock: Travel Tranquil Moments Alarm Clock Sound Therapy Machine by Brookstone

Further management options as directed by an audiologist typically involve reducing the perception of tinnitus through tinnitus maskers for example and reducing the reaction to tinnitus through counseling, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or tinnitus retraining therapy. These various methods of reducing the reaction attempt to provide distractions from tinnitus and calm fears about tinnitus. Speak to an audiologist to determine which treatment option is most appropriate for you.

For more information about tinnitus, visit the American Tinnitus Association. If you are having difficulty with tinnitus, consult a physician and/or audiologist.

How We Hear

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:08:27 -0700

We have the ability to hear sounds and speech instantly on a continuous basis, without ever having to stop and think about it. The ear anatomy seems simple enough from the outside, yet the auditory system and the process of hearing are both fairly complex.

Our ears are composed of 3 regions with structures that function as a process to allow us to hear. These are the outer, middle and inner ear. The sensory cells in the inner ear are responsible for sending information to the brain using the auditory nerve.

To learn about the process of hearing, check out the ASHA’s website: How We Hear.

Dancing Hair Cell

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:00:36 -0700

This post is yet another reason why our auditory system is so fascinating. To appreciate this video, I need to give you a short explanation of some auditory structures and their role in hearing.

The cochlea is a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear (beyond your eardrum) that is the sensory organ of hearing. There are microscopic hair cells with stereocilia at the tips within the cochlea that are responsible for moving in response to vibrations. Basically, it is the motion of the sensory hair cells that allows signals to be sent to the brain via the auditory nerve and process sounds we hear.

The image above shows a top view of the stereocilia of an outer hair cell in the cochlea of an adult wild type mouse. Source

Hair cells are most sensitive and contract at specific frequencies. They can degenerate over our lifetime with age and can also be damaged when we are exposed to very loud sounds, which is why it is important to always protect your ears. A UK Scientist by the name of Jonathon Ashmore was able to isolate a single outer hair cell and make it dance! That’s right, dance! Check out the dancing outer hair cell.

Read an explanation of the video from Ashmore’s website here

Reusable musicians plugs: Etymotic ETY-Plugs

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:25:00 -0700

Here is a recommendation for a decent pair of musicians earplugs that you can purchase that preserve sound quality, while protecting your ears from high noise level exposure. These are less expensive than custom musicians earplugs (which can cost around $200 for a pair) but are high-fidelity meaning that sound quality of music is preserved.

They reduced the volume by 20 dB across the entire frequency or pitch range. They come with a plastic key chain container, which makes it very convenient to carry around with you.
Learn more about the product on their website: Etymotic Research, Inc.

You can also use foam plugs, similar to the ones distributed from any local drugstore.

Remember that “NNR” stands for Noise Reduction Rating. This rating will tell you the potential amount of decibel reduction the earplugs can provide, if worn properly.

Audio Demonstration of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Here is a...

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:00:00 -0700

Audio Demonstration of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Here is a simulated audio demonstration of what noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) may sound like. I typically play this at hearing awareness presentations.

Below is some information about the clip from Health & Safety Executive that was shared by a friend of mine, who is also an audiologist.

————-———-—————————————————-

Noise induced hearing loss is irreversible damage to the ears caused by exposure to high levels of noise. This recording demonstrates how hearing is gradually lost over a working life. Do NOT adjust the volume after starting to listen to the clip.

The hearing loss simulations all include the effects of noise exposure and aging. At the end of each simulation the hearing undamaged by noise for the age can be heard.
Source: Health & Safety Executive

Welcome!

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:49:00 -0700

I’ve come across plenty of people who have never heard of an audiologist… No worries, here is a quick description. According to ASHA.org, audiologists are experts in the non-medical management of the auditory and balance systems. They specialize in the study of:

-Normal & impaired hearing
-Prevention of hearing loss
-Identification, evaluation and assessment of hearing and balance problems
-Rehabilitation of persons with hearing and balance disorders
-Dispensing hearing aids and other amplification systems

As boring as it may sound, the phenomena of hearing is fascinating because of its complexity. One of the main goals for this blog is to bring awareness to people of all ages about anything audiology and hearing related. As technology advances and music quality improves at higher volumes, people need to be aware of high noise level risks.

Communicating with family, friends and loved ones plays a huge role in our overall quality in life. In practice, I strive to help individuals hear better in hopes to improve their overall well being.