Better Hearing Blog

Bluetooth and hearing aids

2010-03-12T09:03:52Z

An increasing number of options are available for wireless connection between hearing aids and Bluetooth enabled devices such as cell phones.ﾠ Bluetooth is a wireless technology that facilitates wireless communication among a variety of devices in a secure manner.ﾠ For hearing aid users, Bluetooth technology can allow signals from phones, personal music players, TVs, etc. to be wirelessly transmitted to their hearing aids.

It is important to understand that the hearing aids themselves are not capable of receiving a Bluetooth signal directly.ﾠ The power needs of this technology are more than can be provided by a hearing aid battery.ﾠ Rather some type of peripheral or "gateway" device is used to receive the Bluetooth signal and then transmit it to the hearing aids.ﾠ Between the gateway device and the hearing aids, a different type of wireless technology is used, one that requires much less power but still provides a high quality, secure signal.ﾠ With Oticon hearing aids, for example, a small device called "Streamer" is worn around the neck and can receive Bluetooth signals directly.ﾠ In turn, the Streamer sends the signal to the hearing aids.ﾠ The gateway devices use a rechargeable battery.ﾠ For two-way applications (e.g. listening/talking on the phone), the gateway device also picks up the user's voice and sends it back to the cell phone.

There are several advantages to using Bluetooth technology in conjunction with hearing aids.ﾠ Many consumer electronic devices already include this technology. ﾠﾠMost cell phones, computers, and several landline phones are Bluetooth-enabled.ﾠ Since this is a wireless technology, the need for cords and boots is eliminated.ﾠ The signal is of high quality and is presented to both hearing aids.ﾠ This provides the hearing aid user with an advantage, especially when using the telephone.ﾠﾠﾠ For devices such as TVs, iPods, MP3 players, etc. that may not be Bluetooth enabled, adaptors can be used.ﾠ In addition to the Streamer device, Oticon also has the ConnectLine products that consist of a TV adapter and a landline phone adapter.ﾠ These adaptors are connected to the TV or phone and then send a Bluetooth signal directly to the Streamer.

Bluetooth technology is fairly easy to use.ﾠ The gateway device (e.g., Streamer) is "paired" with the other device (e.g., cell phone).ﾠ This helps ensure secure communication and is generally a one-time process.ﾠ Once pairing has occurred, communication between the devices is generally automatic as long as the devices are within 30 feet or so of each other.ﾠ Your hearing healthcare professional can help you get the devices set up.ﾠ Like anything else, with a little bit of practice most individuals are able to quickly adapt and use this technology.

For some additional information on Bluetooth in general, check out www.Bluetooth.com. ﾠﾠYour hearing healthcare professional can also be a valuable resource.ﾠ The usage of Bluetooth technology in conjunction with hearing aids is rapidly evolving and will likely become a standard feature in the coming years.ﾠ

Bluetooth and Hearing Aids

2010-03-12T06:03:12Z

An Aspirin a Day May Not Keep the Doctor Away

2010-03-04T02:03:35Z

New research suggests that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and other analgesics can substantially increase the risk of hearing loss, especially in men younger than 50.

Researchers report in the American Journal of Medicine that use of acetaminophen more than twice a week by such men doubles the risk of hearing loss, use of ibuprofen and related non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk by nearly two-thirds, and regular use of aspirin increases it by about a third.

Studies in animals and anecdotal reports in humans indicate high doses of the analgesics can interfere with hearing, but there have been few studies looking at regular use and none studying acetaminophen (one brand name is Tylenol), according to the authors.

Dr. Sharon G. Curhan of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and her colleagues studied 26,917 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Their ages ranged from 40 to 75 at enrollment in 1986. Every two years, the men filled out questionnaires about their use of various drugs, as well as other lifestyle factors.

Controlling for a variety of other risk factors, the researchers found that among all men who used aspirin at least twice a week ﾠthere was a 12% increased risk of hearing loss. Among those who used ibuprofen and related analgesics, there was a 21% increase; for those who used acetaminophen, a 22% risk. But the risk was much higher when they considered only men younger than 50. In that group, there was a 33%ﾠ increased risk for aspirin use, a 61% increase for ibuprofen and related NSAIDs, and a 99% increase for acetaminophen.

It is not recognized that many drugs are ototoxic, meaning they could contribute to hearing loss. To learn more about ototoxic drugs visit the Better Hearing Institute web page on ototoxic drugs.

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Hearing Loss Association and AAA collaborate in support of hearing aid compatible assistive listening

2010-03-02T01:03:58Z

The Hearing Loss Association of America ("the nation's voice for people with hearing loss") and the American Academy of Audiology ("the world's largest professional organization of, by, and for audiologists") have just announced that their two organizations are undertaking an unprecedented collaboration that aims to increase hearing aid functionality, by enabling them to serve as wireless loudspeakers for the broadcast of PA system and TV sound.ﾠ (See here.)

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Simultaneously, Sertoma, a national service organization with 540 local clubs, is announcing that they will be supporting the adoption of this technology in communities across America. (See here.)

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Also the Hearing Review is out with a cover story on the widespread adoption of this technology in the UK and Nordic countries, in several hundred venues here in West Michigan, and now, thanks to grassroots initiatives, in places such as Tucson, Albuquerque, central Wisconsin, and New York City (where, for example, the transit authority is using federal stimulus monies to install the technology in subway information booths and call points).

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Press releases on these happenings, plus a FAQ list and a list of potential contacts, are now available.ﾠ

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Excitement is rising over what these developments portend for the 36 million Americans with hearing loss--a mostly invisible but growing population.ﾠ As Sergei Kochkin, director of the Better Hearing Institute, notes, "Perhaps we are reaching that tipping point where we indeed make the world accessible to people with hearing loss through increasing the functionality of hearing aids" (quoted with permission).

Therapy and Hearing Aids Helping Tinnitus Patients

2010-02-01T11:02:33Z

Study finds combination of therapy and hearing aids to be extremely effective.

The study performed by the Center for Assistive Devices and Communication, or the CHC, in Denmark, found many benefits for it's participants in the study. Included were; better sleep, improved concentration, and increased happiness. By combining a treatment of tinnitus therapy and properly fit hearing aids, patients had marked improvements. One hundred tinnitus suffers took part in this study over a two year period. They reported emotional improvements, such as a decreased frustration levels, and more enjoyment of life in general; along with improvements of cognitive functions, such as better concentration. They also noted less problems and work and home, along with better sleep.

You can read the full study at PubMed.

Hearing Loss in Children: A Neurological & Developmental Emergency

2010-01-29T04:01:50Z

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ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ Professionals who are providing direct services to children with hearing loss should strive to maintain developmental synchrony whenever possible. That is, if a child with hearing loss is to take advantage of these natural stages of neurological and linguistic development, our goal should be to assist the child in acquiring communication outcomes at the same rate and at the same age when typical hearing children would acquire them. For this to happen, newborn screening must occur before the child leaves the hospital or birthing center and a referral to a pediatric audiologist must be immediate. Once the diagnosis is confirmed and amplification (i.e., digital hearing aids) is fitted, prompt implementation of appropriate family-centered early intervention services must occur.

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ If the child's parents have chosen a spoken language outcome, intensive and concentrated efforts must focus on building those auditory connections within the brain. Because these areas of the brain haven't been stimulated consistently prior to receiving amplification, the child's first responses may be minimal. However, through consistent exposure to auditory input and planned reinforcement of listening and spoken language, those neural connections will quickly form. The child will begin to respond. If the child has full access to the speech spectrum (i.e., low, mid, and high frequency sounds), he will start to gain greater environmental awareness and begin to form speech sounds, combine those sounds through babbling, and produce first words. By managing the hearing loss, providing intense and consistent intervention, and having high expectations for listening, most children with hearing loss can regain developmental synchrony and progress through these natural stages in the acquisition of spoken language. For children with severe and profound sensorineural hearing loss, cochlear implantation may be necessary, but parents should have the same expectations for developmental synchrony.

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ Unfortunately, there is too much variation in the services that are provided to infants and toddlers with hearing loss. Parents are told "to wait until the child reaches the age of 18 months before working on speech development." In other situations, parents are told that "spoken language is not realistic unless the child has a cochlear implant, which most likely won't work anyway." Of course, these so called "recommendations" are simply false and more accurately reflect the professionals' poor training and deep-seeded personal bias.

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ Parents must be diligent and obtain the services that support the outcomes they desire for their children with hearing loss. Professionals must recognize that when an infant is diagnosed with a hearing loss, the child is facing a neurological and developmental emergency. If the parents have expressed having a spoken language outcome, then waiting to stimulate those auditory centers is simply unacceptable. As Carol Flexer, Ph.D., a noted pediatric audiologist, professor, and researcher, has stated, "we hear with our brains, the ears are just a way in." If we support this statement, then time cannot be wasted. Neurologically, these children are at risk, and they deserve our focused efforts to obtain developmental synchrony. Their brains can't wait.

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Hearing aid compatible assistive listening at home

2010-01-28T10:01:49Z

Someone challenged me to state of advantage of a hearing loop (compared to infrared or FM assistive listening) for home TV listening.ﾠ I've experienced four advantages to my TV room hearing loop over my previous infrared system:

1)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ It delivers superior sound, customized by my hearing aids for my own ears.

2)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ It requires no fuss with extra equipment (taking hearing aids out and putting them away, getting the receiver, putting on the headset, etc. . . . rather just push a button and Ive got customized loudspeakers in my ears).

3)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ It allows me to use my hearing aid M/T setting, enabling me to hear the phone ring or conversation (which my hearing aid incompatible system didn't).

4)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ The FM system that I tried out with my BTE aids was an additional $3000 for the two boots plus the transmitter. ﾠA home hearing loop amplifier is now selling for as little as $99 + a little more for wire or a pad.

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I'd also suggest to hearing aid providers that it's in their interests (as well as patients' interests) to increase the functionality and appeal of their core product.ﾠ The main hearing aid incompatible TV listening product is now advertising itself with "Works better than hearing aids."ﾠ

Hearing loops require, work with, and increase the functionality of, hearing aids . . . precisely what the hearing industry should welcome, yes?

Tinnitus: Is there a caffeine connection?

2010-01-21T01:01:25Z

Tinnitus, in most cases, is a subjective experience that is most commonly referred to as "ringing in the ears," and most commonly caused by exposure to loud noise. However there are many other ways that individuals can develop tinnitus, including head or neck injury, taking oto-toxic (harmful to the ear) medications or a virus that attacks the ear. Some health professionals even noted that certain dietary components, could cause, worsen or even alleviate tinnitus symptoms based on how much or how little a person's intake was.

There is much debate over whether dietary changes and or restrictions actually impact any given person's tinnitus. And it seems that this advice is as subjective as the condition itself. One of these dietary components that caused much controversy over the years is caffeine.

There has been an age-old argument on whether or not tinnitus is exacerbated by caffeine, but no scientific evidence available to prove it that it does or it doesn't until recently. A research team from the UK decided to see if the tinnitus-caffeine connection actually held water (or tea or coffee!)

I know that here at the American Tinnitus Association, we have gotten numerous letters over the years from our members that reducing their caffeine intake did cause a reduction and in some cases a total alleviation of tinnitus symptoms. However we have also heard that reducing or completely eliminating caffeine had absolutely no bearing on some individual's tinnitus and all it did was cause caffeine withdrawal including nausea and headaches. It seems that the caffeine connection is as subjective as the condition itself!

Still, as recently as 2005, we asked our ATA members in a member survey whether or not they felt that their tinnitus was affected by caffeine consumption. Though it was not a scientific survey, 24% of our members felt that their tinnitus got worse after consuming caffeine.

Contrary to all of these personal accounts, the UK team found that caffeine had no significant bearing (if any) on an individual's tinnitus. According to Dr. Lindsay St. Claire and her research team at the Center for Hearing and Balance Studies at the University of Bristol, the amount of caffeine a person consumed had no effect on the severity of tinnitus in their study. You can read more about the design of the study and how it was conducted here: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60J5EA20100120

It's also important to know exactly what caffeine is. It's a well-known vasoconstrictor (any agent that causes a narrowing of an opening of a blood vessel) of blood flow in the brain, and a vasodilator (a drug that causes dilation of blood vessels) in the muscles. In doses above 250 mg per day, scientists also agree that caffeine constricts blood flow in the brain, and can cause irritability, jitters, insomnia, heart palpitations, stomach upset, and headaches. Researchers Field et al.,found out something else about caffeine: Its consumption is so common, and its vasoconstriction effect on the brain so predictable, that its use probably confounds the results of MRIs and other brain scans. The researchers also saw abnormal cerebral blood flow in brain scans of people going through caffeine withdrawal.

Because of what we now know about tinnitus originating in the brain, it is certainly possible that for some people, other factors are coming into play (like what parts of the brain are stimulated by caffeine and what caused an individual's tinnitus) and impacting the areas in which tinnitus is originating.

So to conclude, if you have tinnitus, and are weighing whether or not to try to limit or cut caffeine completely out of your diet for "the ringing's" sake, consider the data obtained by the researchers at the University of Bristol. If you are a regular consumer of caffeine like me, you might find that the withdrawal symptoms are far worse than any benefit you might receive by cutting out caffeine completely! Since there doesn't seem to be any proven link to tinnitus worsening as a result of caffeine consumption.

To learn more about how ATA is working toward a cure for tinnitus please visit www.ata.org and consider joining the fight by becoming a member of our organization today.

Researchers find Baby Boomer hearing loss less than their parents at the same age

2010-01-20T08:01:29Z

In an earlier blog I stated that there is no hearing loss epidemic in America. If you have been following the media over the last five years you have heard dire predictions about listening to loud music and the dangers of iPods. Well the 20 year longitudinal study at Beaver Dam WI indicates that members of the rock 'n' roll generation are aging with much better hearing than their parents had at the same age.

In the first large-scale study of the hearing of 5,275 adults born between 1902 and 1962, researchers from the University of WisconsinﾠSchool of Medicine and Public Health showed that baby boomers are holding on to good hearing longer than their parents did.

The study showed hearing impairment rates (not defined but I bet it includes mild hearing loss) were 31 percent lower in baby boomers across all age groups. For example, in the group of men now in their early 60s (those born between 1944 and 1949), 36.4 percent had a hearing impairment; among men born between 1930 and 1935, 58.1 percent had a hearing impairment at the same age.

The primary researcher Dr. Wen Chen of the NIA Division of Neuroscience research stated "These two long-term population studies provide important evidence that age-related hearing loss is not inevitable."ﾠ

The researchers projected if baby boomers lost their hearing at the same rate as their parents did, about 65.5 million Americans would be hearing-impaired by 2030; this new study suggests the number is likely to be closer to 50.9 million. In comparison our MarkeTrak research indicates that 34.25 million Americans are aware of their hearing loss; in a previous study by 2030 we have estimated that the hearing loss population (or at least those aware of their hearing loss) will be 44 million. I am not sure how one can project hearing loss to the U.S. population from the Beaver Dam area of Wisconsin. However, the research does confirm our own research which shows that the growth in the hearing loss population is primarily among people who are the parents of today's Boomers.

Dr. Cruickshanks, author of the Beaver Dam study concluded that the reasons for the drop in hearing loss among boomers compared to their parents:

That hearing loss from one-time exposures such as music at a loud concert tends to be temporary. Short-term exposure leads to temporary hearing loss but it's the day-to-day exposure that leads to more permanent hearing loss.
Stricter rules about workplace noise exposure, and fewer members of the younger generation working in noisy workplaces such as mining and manufacturing.
Reduced smoking rates in younger generations should result in less chronic cardiovascular disease, which can cause hearing loss.
Because infection and inflammation are also associated with hearing loss, better health care and the widespread use of antibiotics may also be part of the explanation.

I would add that their fathers in greater numbers were also subjected to massive exposure to noise during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. In addition, the effects of noise induced hearing loss and younger people are more educated in this area. In fact our hearing loss prevention noise thermometer is the second most viewed page on the BHI website.

The study is being published in the Jan. 15 edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Source: http://www.med.wisc.edu/news-events/news/study-baby-boomers-survived-rock-n-roll-era-with-hearing-intact-/26229

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Fitting Musicians with Hearing Aids

2010-01-20T07:01:32Z

Many hearing health professionals have difficulty fitting hearing aids to musicians. One audiologist recently asked the BHI "I am just trying to find the best hearing aid or the best way to fit musicians. When I program an aid using WDRC the aid(s) make funny noises when they are playing loud instruments or singing loud. Linear works better with lots of range and a high MPO helps this issue but it isn't perfect. Just seeing if anyone else has any idea's?"

We invited Dr. Marshall Chasin, Doctor of Audiology at the Musicians Clinics of Canada to give some guidance on this issue.

This is a "front end" problem meaning that the intense components of music overdrive the A/D converter which is configured more for quieter speech than for music.ﾠ Input levels in excess of about 95-100 dB SPL are not well transduced through the system and are distorted at the front end.ﾠ NO AMOUNT OF SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING WILL RESOLVE THIS ISSUE (because that occurs after the distortion has already been created).

A quick test that audiologists can use is to set their "favorite" hearing aid to about 5-10 dB of gain and maximize the OSPL90 setting to full.ﾠ Using any commercially available test box, generate 100 dB SPL and if there is distortion, (in excess of 10%) then it must be a front end problem with the hearing aid.ﾠ This works because input (100 dB) + gain (10 dB) << OSPL90, so there should not be any saturation distortion. I published on this December 2006 (Can your hearing aid handle loud music?ﾠ A quick test will tell you", Hearing Journal, December, 2006. 22-24.

If the hearing aid does distort, and it sounds like it does from the comment, then one needs to reduce the microphone sensitivity to music.ﾠ I know this next point sounds odd, but I have used it on many hard of hearing musicians over the years... place 2 pieces of scotch tape over the hearing aid microphone(s) and this will "dumb" down their sensitivity by about 8-10 dB. The hearing aid will then be able to handle an additional 8-10 dB greater input without front end distortion.

There are some hearing aids that are better than others for handling intense inputs (such as music) and a full discussion of that can be found in the February 2009 issue of Hearing Review (www.hearingreview.com) where Larry Revit and I were the guest editors.

Best regards from Canada.

Marshall

Tinnitus Coping Stategies

2010-01-20T06:01:29Z

One-third of all adults report experiencing tinnitus at some time in their lives, and ten to 15 percent of adults have prolonged tinnitus requiring medical evaluation¹. Though there is no cure for tinnitus, there are ways to manage it. Here are 11 strategies you can use to cope with your tinnitus, both in its mild form and for those more severe cases.

1. COMPLETE AUDIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL EVALUATION WITH NEUROTOLOGIST PRIOR TO INITIATION OF TINNITUS TREATMENT TO DETERMINE ETIOLOGY AND IF ANY MEDICAL MANAGEMENT IS INDICATED. For instance, patients diagnosed with Meniere's Disease or cochlear hydrops may simultaneously be managed medically and also pursue tinnitus treatment with an audiologist if their tinnitus is bothersome.

2. AVOID CAFFEINE, ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO if they exacerbate (worsen) your tinnitus.

3. AVOID ASPIRIN AND NON-STEROID ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS IF POSSIBLE.

4. SOUND ENRICHMENT IS IMPORTANT. Avoid silence: Use a radio, fan, TV, or sound machine to provide background sound.

5. UTILIZE EAR PLUGS APPROPRIATELY:

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ a. Plugs and/or muffs for loud exposures such as guns, mowers etc.

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ b. Musician's ear plugs for concerts, movies, and religious services

6. GET PLENTY OF REST.

7. AVOID STRESS IF POSSIBLE. Stress and fatigue may worsen tinnitus.

8. SEEK ORTHODONTIAL/DENTAL CARE if you grind your teeth at night or have been diagnosed with TMJ.

9. CONSIDER EAR LEVELS DEVICES AND TINNITUS TREATMENTS IF INDICATED:

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ a. Personal hearing aids for significant hearing loss

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ b. Tranquil low-level noise generator for TRT

ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ c. Oasis device utilized for Neuromonics

10. PRACTICE MUSCLE RELAXATION EACH DAY.

11. BE WELL INFORMED REGARDING TINNITUS, but avoid keeping diaries and avoid excessive study of tinnitus in journals or on the Internet.

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REFERENCE:

¹Heller, A.J. (2003, April). Classification and epidemiology of tinnitus. Otolaryngology Clinics of North America, 36(2): 239-248.

The Extended Wear Lyric Hearing Aid

2010-01-19T06:01:05Z

If you've been researching hearing aids at all you've probably come across the new Lyric extended wear hearing aid. ﾠYour audiologist puts it in your ear about 1/4 inch from your eardrum and it stays there until the battery wears out, usually a couple months or so. ﾠSince I've fit quite a few of these now I'll give you a brief overview of the benefits and drawbacks, so that you can see if it's right for you.

First, I want you to know that there are some medical considerations that have to be made before your audiologist can fit you with this hearing aid. ﾠI won't go over all of them here, but if you're on any type of blood thinners, if you're a diabetic, or if you've had radiation to your head, sorry, you're out. ﾠFor a more detailed list, contact the audiologist in your area that provides the Lyric hearing aid or go to the Lyric web site.

Benefits:

1. You really can't see them. ﾠI had one patient surprise her physician when he looked into her ear. ﾠOther than that, even your hairdresser doesn't know for sure!

2 Very comfortable. ﾠMost of my patients don't feel it at all. ﾠSome are vaguely aware that it's there.

3.Sound Quality. ﾠThis is the aspect I was most concerned with. ﾠMy very first patient was an experienced hearing aid user with a good quality hearing aid. ﾠHe states the sound quality is better than anything he's heard before. ﾠSince then I've had many patients say the same thing. ﾠI've only had a few patients say that they liked the sound quality of their other hearing aids better.

4. Ease of use. ﾠReally, you just hear 24/7, although you do have the option of turning the device to sleep mode if you want to. ﾠYou also have the option of adjusting the volume at will. ﾠEasy to do.

So here are some of the drawbacks:

1. You have to find a provider in your area. ﾠAlthough there are more and more providers every week, there may not be one in your area yet. ﾠThis is because the training to insert the Lyric is rather extensive and not every audiologist will be willing or able to fit the device.

2. You have to have the right size ear! ﾠIn my practice about 50% of the patients that come in can be fit with the device. ﾠThink about it: ﾠthe microphone, amplifier, battery, computer chip and housing all have to fit deep into your ear. ﾠIt's a very small device that comes in many sizes, but your ear may just be a bit too small, or your ear canal may not be long enough. ﾠSomething only your trained audiologist will know.

3 Adjustment: Did I say ouch? ﾠMost patients get fit with the device and never feel it but others have some rather significant pain until their ear adjusts to having something in it all the time. ﾠThis usually lasts only a few days. ﾠAlso, until the right size is determined there may be multiple visits to your audiologist in the first month. ﾠDon't feel bad if this happens, your audiologist expects it at first.

4. Return visits. ﾠThe devices will die evenutally and you'll have to have them replaced a few times a year. ﾠSomething to consider if you live out in never never land. ﾠOtherwise you just see your audiologist for a 10 minute visit every few months.

5. Expense. ﾠThe Lyric is the only device of its kind and it took millions to develop. ﾠIf you can afford it, the sound quality and ease of use will be worth it. ﾠIf you're on a budget, there are many other incredible hearing aids out there at all price points that will do wonders at helping you to hear your best.

If you have any questions about the Lyric or any other type of hearing aid let me know. ﾠI'll give you a direct answer or find someone who can.

Happy Hearing my friends!

Dr. Barbara Jenkins

www.AdvancedAudiology.info

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Who can fit hearing aids?

2010-01-18T09:01:29Z

A recent headline from Florida reminds us of the legalities involving the fitting or dispensing of hearing aids. It read,"Venice Hearing Aid Salesman Charged with Two Felonies". The story is that of a man who has been illegally dispensing hearing aids since 2003, without a license. This man twice was unable to pass his state's certification exams was barred from retaking the tests. This story made me want to mention that the dispensing or fitting of hearing aids is a state regulated process. Those who wish to fit hearing aids must pass exams and hold a license to do so. This is to protect the consumer or patient from possible harm and from being taken advantage of. By far, most people involved in dispensing hearing aids do it for the right reason; to help those who suffer from hearing loss. But if you ever have a question about the individual you are seeing for help, check them out. Most states keep a search-able online database of license holders. Check with your states Division of Professional Registration or similarly named branch of licensed professions. They will have information available about who to contact if you have problems or questions.

You can read the story from the Hearald Tribune here.

Surprise, Metallica Drummer has hearing loss and tinnitus!

2010-01-18T08:01:24Z

Read Original Article on CNN.com

After playing Heavy Metal music for 35 years, it is no surprise that Metallica drummer, Lars Ulrich, is a tinnitus sufferer and has hearing loss. He cautions young and old alike to watch the volume of the noise around you. As a musician myself, playing drums since I was eight years old, I know first hand that damage can come from even leisurely involvement in these activities. Wearing ear plugs, especially ones made for musicians, can be a huge advantage in preserving your natural hearing.

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Apple not to Blame for Hearing Loss

2010-01-05T01:01:44Z

Thank God this "iPod is destroying our kids' hearing frenzy" has been resolved in a U.S. Appeal Court. Two plaintiffs filed I believe a frivolous class action suit against Apple because the device could reach up to 115 decibels. If listened to for 15 minutes this could cause permanent hearing loss damage and would be the equivalent volume of a baby's cry or attending a stadium football game. (See our noise thermometer on this website).

The U.S. judge ruled that Apple is not responsible for hearing loss caused by music played too loud on iPods. The San Francisco appeal court upheld a 2008 ruling, as the company warns users of the dangers of playing music too loud. I recently purchased earbuds for my iPod and found a very responsible and educational piece on safe listening habits in the box. Logically, the court also reasoned that iPod users had the option to choose how loud they raise the volume. Who is responsible for our reckless behavior?

MP3 players have been around now for 20 years. People attend rock concerts and hunters shoot guns without proper ear protection with a much greater risk of hearing loss damage. What is the solution to self-inflicted hearing loss due to recreational noise? To sue every manufacturer, who has a product delivering sound at greater than 85 dB? I think not. The solution is continued education on hearing loss prevention.

For more information on hearing loss prevention visit the BHI website.