Author: David Morse

According to the Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals, hearing test frequency should be as follows, based on age:

18 to 45 years – Every 5 years

45 to 60 years – Every 3 years

60+ years – Every 2 years

It’s imperative to start checking your hearing early in adulthood, as hearing issues can arise at any time in your life. While it’s true that most hearing loss is due to age, the advent of mp3 players and other loud devices have contributed to more hearing loss in younger people.

If you have a higher risk of hearing loss—such as working or living in a place with a lot of occupational noise—you should get your hearing tested annually. You should also get your hearing test annually if you are exposed to loud noises like motorcycles or guns on a regular basis. Your hearing test frequency is higher because you are more exposed to factors that can damage your hearing.

Ready to schedule your hearing test?  Give Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah a call at (270) 558-3996 or visit our office at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

As you spend time with your parents, maybe you have found yourself repeating sentences a little too often or turning down the volume on a television. It may be time to talk to your parents about their hearing loss and the potential benefits of hearing aids. Whether young or old, sometimes parents need convincing and coaching when it comes to getting hearing aids. Here are a few tips.

Parents with hearing loss: do your research

The first thing your parents will ask is what they can do about their hearing loss. As their child, it may feel strange turning the tables and giving them advice, but you can answer their questions with the right research ahead of time. You can compile a list of audiologists if they do not already have one, provide potential costs of hearing aids, test their hearing online using a free tool, and even find resources for the hearing loss community. Having answers may make the process less overwhelming for your parent.

Add support

Your parent may have grown up in an age where hearing aids came with a stigma. They may feel that admitting they have hearing loss means they are getting older, and this can be a tough realization. Reassure them that hearing aids are smaller, more discreet, and less stigmatized than they have been in the past. Be empathetic and supportive, and remind them you are only coming from a place of love.

Explain hearing loss

Hearing loss can often sneak up on you. Since most hearing loss happens gradually over time, it may be tough knowing when the problem is large enough to address. Provide your parent with a checklist of symptoms so they understand how hearing loss specifically affects them. Perhaps they think everyone else mumbles, have ringing in their ears, or gave up on understanding phone conversations. Listen to them describe how hearing loss modifies their life, and explain these symptoms are part of the larger issue of hearing loss.

Explain hearing aids

There are many different types of hearing aids on the market, which can be overwhelming. Talk them through how hearing aids work, what type of hearing aid might benefit them, and how their life could change while wearing hearing aids. Explain that hearing aids are unique to the wearer and can be adjusted for their comfort, lifestyle, and needs. Talk them through basic hearing aid care and how simple it can be to own a pair. They should understand that wearing hearing aids would only benefit them, never come at a detriment. Hearing aids improve social, physical, and mental health, and create a greater standard of living for the wearer.

Create a plan

Having this conversation is a fantastic step in the right direction, but there needs to be follow-up. If your parent has gone this long without calling the audiologist for a hearing check, they may be reticent to do so now. Remind your parent you are there to help. Perhaps you can call on their behalf or drive them to appointments.  The easier you make this process, the greater the chance your parent will invest and wear their hearing aids.

And please remember, at Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah, we are here to help you.  Give Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah a call at (270) 558-3996 or stop by our office at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

It is very rare that a person with hearing loss self-diagnoses the issue. While hearing loss can begin in your 30’s, the long gradual decline can be barely noticeable on a month to month or even year to year basis. In addition, as hearing declines, our brains adjust and we become remarkably effective lip readers, particularly of those we spend the most time with. We don’t even realize we are lip reading until we see that we can only understand people when they are directly in front of us.

Some of the signs of hearing loss:

• Asking friends and family members to repeat information frequently.
• Increasing the volume on the radio or TV to a level that’s uncomfortable for individuals with normal hearing.
• No longer enjoying social activities like group dinners at restaurants. Your friends think you have lost interest in them when really its just that you struggle to hear well in groups
• You constantly ask people them to repeat what they said or it appears that you forget what was just said (because you didn’t actually hear it).
• You miss the beginning of conversations because it’s hard to hear them and then when you jump in, they say “that’s what we were just talking about!”

What to do about it? First of all, don’t assume you need hearing aids. Just get a hearing test. This is a good step for your general health. Declining hearing can be an early sign of something more serious. Hearing test are quick and easy to do. They normally take about 30 minutes.

To schedule a hearing test, contact us at Purchase Ear Technology by phone at (270) 558-3996 or stop by our office at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

Hearing aids are more and more high-tech every day. Typically, you can get 3 to 10 days out of a single hearing aid battery, depending upon how much how much you engage in streaming, use the hearing aids, and get hearing aid maintenance. However, there are steps you can take to maximize the life of your hearing aid batteries.

Here are 10 tips to get more mileage out of your hearing aid batteries:

1. Give the battery three to five minutes to breathe after removing the tab and before putting it into your hearing aid. This action allows for air to get to the stuff inside the battery and activate it.
2. Don’t forget to wash your hands before changing your batteries. Dirt and grime on your hands can cause damage and clog the air pores of the batteries.
3. Keep the battery door open at night. To keep down on battery drain, turn off or open the battery door for the night. This allows moisture to escape and to keep your batteries from corroding, which would mess up the hearing aids.
4. A dehumidifier is useful. A hearing aid dehumidifier will keep moisture out of your batteries and hearing aids.
5. Remove the batteries if you plan on not using the hearing aids for awhile. It helps to prevent moisture and corrosion.
6. Make sure you are mindful of the expiration date on the batteries. Because the batteries will drain slightly on the store shelf, make sure the batters are a year out or more from the expiration date.
7. Use the oldest batteries first to get the most mileage out of them.
8. Don’t take off the sticker tab on the batteries until you are ready to use them. The sticker tab keeps the battery fresh. Once you remove the tab, the battery is activated and starts to drain.
9. Store the batteries in a cool, dry place to prevent drainage.
10. Get rechargeable hearing aid batteries. They are now available and need to be replaced on an annual basis.

Hopefully, these 10 tips will be useful to you in maintaining the life of your hearing aid batteries.  To find out more about how to extend the life of your hearing aid batteries, give us a call at Purchase Ear Technology at (270) 558-3996 or visit our office at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

The weather is beautiful, and it’s time for a family trip. But be aware: if your children use earbuds or earphones during travel, the sound may be loud enough to damage their hearing. It’s up to you to monitor the level of sound to which they are exposed.

Q: Aren’t children’s electronic devices regulated on the maximum volume they can produce?

A: Unfortunately, no. According to a New York Times article, no required standard “restricts the maximum sound output for listening devices or headphones” sold in the U.S. The Times cites a study that examined 30 headphones marketed to children and found that half of them failed to restrict volume to their advertised limits. Some allowed the sound to be “damagingly loud.”

Q: Can an electronic device’s sound level injure my child permanently?

A: Hearing damage depends on sound volume and amount of exposure, so the loudness of a child’s electronic device and how many hours a day the child uses it are crucial to their hearing health. Fifty percent of children as young as 8 to 12 may listen to music daily (nearly two-thirds of teenagers do).2 Even if younger children aren’t listening to loud music, many noisy games are marketed to them.

Hearing damage can occur at any age, and once damaged, the delicate organs of the ear cannot regenerate. Other parts of the brain than those governing hearing may be able to partly compensate for hearing damage, but no one can be sure that will happen.

Q: Why haven’t parents been warned about the risk that mobile devices pose to their children’s hearing?

A: Until recently we haven’t known a lot about how young ears are damaged, or if they are, by levels produced by their earbuds or phones. Concerns about the impact of loud music on young ears have arisen from recent controlled animal studies and retrospective study of adults exposed to intense noises. Evidence has shown that some music listeners select levels that are potentially damaging, and that the effects of early exposure may not be observed until later in life.

Q: My children love their electronic devices, and I know they share other children’s devices as well. How can I protect them from damaging sound volume?

A: First, do a bit of homework before a new device is purchased for the child. Look for one that addresses the issue of sound volume. You may be able to find one that allows you to program volume limits your child can’t override. Second, stay aware of how loud your child is playing his or her device by “listening in” when you are nearby. It is sometimes said that if you can hear what your child is listening to, it’s too loud. That’s a good place to start.

Hearing loss can occur at any age.  We encourage you to always protect your hearing and the hearing of those you love.  If you are noticing any changes in your hearing, give Purchase Ear Technology a call at (270) 558-3996 or visit our office weekdays at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

In short, yes, earwax can cause hearing loss. But it doesn’t occur as commonly as one might think. In fact, very few patients who are seen by hearing healthcare professionals have hearing loss that is literally due to excessive earwax (cerumen impaction).

More likely, the patient has experienced a gradual decline in their hearing over time and the hearing loss has become enough that the patient is starting to have difficulty communicating with others.  It is when communication starts to become effected that people seek help.

What, you might ask, causes cerumen impaction? Anything that affects the normal outward flow of ear wax may cause impaction, such as advanced age, narrow or abnormally shaped ear canals, use of a hearing aid, incorrect use of cotton swabs, or using needles, hair pins, or other objects to clean the ears. (PSA: Do not stick anything in your ear to clean it!)

Total earwax blockage is rare:

What is important to know here is that soundwaves only need a tiny opening in the ear canal to reach the eardrum. So, unless the ear canal is plugged tightly with earwax, there shouldn’t be noticeable hearing loss. When cerumen impaction is severe enough to cause hearing loss, there will likely be other signs and symptoms noticed, such as dizziness, ear fullness (a feeling that something is plugging up your ear), itchiness or pain in the ears and/or ringing in the ears. Rarely does cerumen impaction occur without additional signs that “something is wrong.”

Earwax removal by hearing professional:

The good news is that hearing loss caused by cerumen impaction is easily treated. It is within a hearing professional’s scope of practice in most states to perform cerumen removal in the office. If your hearing loss is as simple as having your ears cleaned, GREAT! If not, a visit to Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah can help you accurately uncover what might be causing your perception of hearing loss.  Give us a call today at (270) 558-3996.

The fitting and dispensing of hearing aids is part art and part science. Professionals who are licensed in the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments have been through a State-mandated training and testing protocol. An experienced professional is the key to the question “What are the best hearing aids for me?”

Because, to determine which hearing aid is best for a person, there are many things to be considered first. What is the type and degree of the person’s hearing loss? What is the shape/size of the person’s ear? What communication difficulties is the person having? What is the person’s lifestyle/activities? What hearing aid features would be beneficial for the person? What is the person expecting from hearing aids?

Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah can help you determine all these variables.

There are many different hearing aid styles and features available

Only after those questions are covered will the answer to what hearing aids are best be addressed. And there is a vast range of hearing aids available in many makes, models and circuits to choose from.

There are hearing aids that offer 96 channels, hearing aids that offer 4 channels, and everything in between! There are larger hearing aids and smaller hearing aids. There are in-the-ear hearing aids, behind-the-ear hearing aids and receiver-in-the-canal hearing aids. There are wired, wireless and Bluetooth hearing aids. The list goes on and on.

Again, this is why it is imperative that a hearing professional be involved in the process. Only then can we match the right hearing aid (of all the choices available) based on your unique needs.

Give us a call at Purchase Ear Technology today to schedule an appointment at (270) 558-3996 or visit our office located at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that hearing loss caused by noise is extremely common. According to CDC Acting Director Dr. Anne Schuchat, “40 million Americans show some hearing damage from loud noise, with nearly 21 million reporting no exposure to loud noise at work.” This means the loss is coming from everyday exposure to noise — things like leaf blowers, attending concerts or sporting events, and even sirens.

The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is easily prevented  steps.

1. Turn it down. Enjoy your music, but listen at a safe level. Fifteen minutes at maximum volume on your iPod is all it takes to damage your hearing. Listening time is cumulative so you can listen longer at lower volumes and stay safe. Try noise-canceling headphones which block out background noise, allowing you to enjoy your music at lower volumes.

2. Block the noise. Wear earplugs or earmuffs at concerts or sporting events. They come in many sizes and styles. Some are even made specifically for listening to music. If you don’t have earplugs handy, cover your ears with your hands. This works well when an ambulance or fire truck drives by you on the street.

3. Move away. The farther you are from the noise, the safer it is. Always pick a seat far away from loud speakers and if you see a noisy construction site, cross the street.

If you feel that your hearing is not as good as it should be, we can help.  Give us a call at Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah to schedule a hearing test.  You can reach us at 270-558-3996 or stop by our office located at 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001.

Although hearing loss continues to affect people at younger ages, senior citizens are still most likely to have it. About one-third of individuals between the ages of 65 and 74 experience hearing loss, while that number rises to nearly half of people older than 75. And hearing loss can make it difficult for these individuals to communicate with their friends, family members, and—if applicable—their caregivers.

Whether a professional caregiver or someone taking care of an aging family member, a healthy relationship between caregiver and patient is key to providing proper support. However, if the patient has hearing loss, it can be difficult communicating with them and lead to frustration and confusion. Should hearing loss remain undiagnosed or untreated, the patient may face greater risks to their physical and mental health.

For instance, those with hearing loss are three times as likely to suffer devastating falls. Hearing loss may also be a symptom of more serious health risks like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. And not hearing well can make people feel isolated and cause them to withdraw from social situations rather than struggle to hear conversations.

Treating patients with hearing loss

Given the risks, it’s important that caregivers not only be able to recognize hearing loss in their charges, but know how to communicate with them accordingly. Here are some tips for improving communication:

• Get their attention: Depending on the severity of the patient’s hearing loss, they might not know you’re talking to them, especially if speaking to them from another room or if they’re not facing you. Making physical contact or eye contact will help you get their attention.
• Lower the noise: If there are too many sounds competing for their attention, it will be harder for patients with hearing loss to understand you. Turning the TV off when not in use, conducting conversations away from appliances like a humming refrigerator or dishwasher, and minimizing background noise can help.
• Adjust your voice: When someone can’t hear, it may be natural to raise your voice and repeat what you said. However, this isn’t the best strategy as your patient might think you’re yelling at them. Instead, try to speak more slowly and clearly, enunciate, and pause between words.

Taking care of hearing health

In addition to adapting the way you communicate with your patient you can plan a visit to Purchase Ear Technology in Paducah, KY.  Purchase Ear Technology can evaluate the patient’s hearing and help to determine if there are any underlying health risks that may be causing the hearing loss.

We may also recommend the best course of treatment, such as using hearing aids. By helping patients hear the world around them, hearing aids can improve their quality of life. Better hearing can also strengthen the relationship between patient and caregiver by minimizing the frustration caused by hearing loss.

For more information, contact Purchase Ear Technology, 2008 Broadway, Paducah, KY  42001, call us at (270) 558-3996 or send an email to [email protected].