Author: David Morse

The age group most often affected by hearing loss is senior citizens. However, reports in recent years show hearing loss is also on the rise among teenagers. What’s behind the rise? Researchers believe earbuds and headphones are to blame. Do earbuds cause hearing loss? Not on their own! It’s actually the loud music being pumped directly into your ear canal for hours a day that ruins your hearing.

A World Health Organization report found over 1 billion teens and young adults are at risk of losing their hearing due to unsafe listening practices.

How do earbuds cause hearing loss?

Inside your inner ear tiny hair cells transmit sound to your brain. Loud sounds cause these tiny hair cells to bend and break leaving you with hearing loss. Unfortunately, once they’ve been broken there is no way to repair them.

Any noise that measures over 85dB can damage the hair cells after a certain length of time. A blow dryer runs about 90dB, a lawn mower hits 106dB and a jet plane lands about 120dB. Hearing loss can occur after 8 hours of unprotected exposure to noise over 85dB in your lifetime.  As the decibels increase the length of time it takes to damage the delicate structures of your inner ear decreases.

How to stop hearing loss from earbuds?

Anyone looking to protect their hearing, but still use earbuds should use the 60/60 rule. Limit the use of headphones to 60 minutes at a time and at 60 percent of the device’s maximum volume. If you are frequently on a subway or an airplane and find yourself turning up the volume to tune out the noise around you, you should consider investing in noise cancelling headphones. These allow you to reduce ambient noise, thereby saving your ears from painfully loud music. You should also take frequent listening breaks to allow your ears some rest.

Symptoms of hearing loss

Teens who have been exposed to loud noise over a period of time may complain of ringing in the ears (also known as tinnitus) or of a sensation of fullness, as if their ears are plugged. It can be difficult to diagnose teen hearing loss because teenagers often seem to be in their own world, not paying attention to what’s happening at home or in school.

Even minor hearing loss can make communication difficult, and can have long-lasting consequences.  A young person’s self-image may be negatively affected by hearing loss, their ability to learn may be compromised, and teenagers with hearing loss may experience difficulty developing social skills.

Hearing loss Treatment

Just like seniors, early hearing loss treatment is key to minimizing long-term impact. If you think your loved one, no matter their age, could be suffering from hearing loss call us at Purchase Ear Technology of Paducah at (270) 442-3561 to schedule a hearing test.

Hearing Loss Association of America facts:

• About 20 percent of Americans (48 million) report some degree of hearing loss
• At age 65, 1 in 3 people has hearing loss.
• 60% of the people with hearing loss are either in the workforce or in educational settings.

Hearing loss can occur for many reasons including aging, overexposure to loud noise, medication use, infection, head/ear trauma, congenital or hereditary factors, or disease.

Approximately 48 million American adults report some degree of hearing loss including nearly 50% of adults 75 years and older. Aging is one of the leading causes of hearing loss. As you age your auditory nerve becomes weaker and the hair cells in your inner ear begin to die, the fewer hair cells you have the harder it becomes to hear.

Another major cause of hearing loss is prolonged exposure to loud noise. Sounds you’ve likely encountered during your life can easily damage your hearing if they measure above 85 decibels, that includes sounds such as lawnmowers, headphones, snowmobiles, rock concerts, gunshots, and fireworks. The longer you are exposed to noises like these over your life the more damage your hearing sustains.

While a large number of Americans have some form of hearing loss, 90-95 percent of all hearing loss can be improved with hearing instruments.  We can help!  Give Purchase Ear Technology a call today at (270) 558-3996 for more information.

There are 3 primary reasons people don’g have their hearing tested:

1) Hearing loss can naturally happen over time and isn’t always noticeable. In today’s world there are so many sounds around us it makes it hard to focus. Hearing loss is not like turning down the sound on TV. Most of us will lose hearing in the high frequencies first while maintaining good hearing in their bass. This is why you will hear many with a hearing loss complain that they hear as loud as they use to but no longer can understand what is being said to them.

2) It is easy to dismiss a potential problem if you’re not ready to face the possibility of it. On average, it can take up to 7 years before someone will do something about their hearing upon initial diagnosis. Imagine all the sounds that are lost within a 7 year period! Don’t miss out on your life out of fear! In the case of my lovely patient above, she was afraid of the outcome because it was possibly going to change her entire world. We were able to help her connect back with her world.

3) Hearing loss is more noticeable to friends and family first. I’ve seen this over and over again. The person with hearing loss doesn’t realize they are even missing anything. They can’t hear people calling out to them so when they finally do hear, it’s the first time. To them, they don’t understand why everyone is so impatient. It is here where those relationships can start to feel strain. The hearing impaired person gets tired of the attitude and “nagging” the friends and family get tired of repeating themselves. If a solution isn’t diagnosed soon, those relationships will eventually give up on each other and isolation will occur. This is what we want to stop on a daily basis, people don’t have to live like that.

If you or a loved one can identify with anything outlined above, please don’t hesitate to call Purchase Ear Technology at 270.558.3996.

To all those who have served to protect our freedom, we humbly say “Thank You”.

Does your hearing loss ever scare you? Most of the time people accept their hearing loss, following communication best practices and self-advocacy tips to live their best life.  They feel confident and capable. But sometimes they get afraid. Like when their hearing aids are on the fritz for a few days or they have a particularly challenging communication experience.

These are the times when they might succumb to worry. What will their life be like as hearing loss worsens? How will it impact relationships? Health? Livelihood?

Here are the 5 things that scare people the most about my hearing loss:

1. Feeling isolated and lonely: Hearing loss makes communication more difficult and exhausting, which can often lead to self-imposed isolation. If this occurs, take a break, and then force yourself to reengage. It takes work, but the rewards of intimacy and friendship are always worth the effort.
2. Passing it on to my kids: This one won’t apply to everyone, but for some, it may. Some hearing loss is genetic. If this applies to you, simple educate your children on your condition so they know that one can thrive despite hearing loss and its challenges.
3. Becoming irrelevant: Communicating with someone with hearing loss takes extra time and planning. Why engage with the person with hearing loss when you can contact/hire/befriend someone else more easily? Every “Never mind” and “It’s not important” supports this fear. Speaking up against this treatment is our only choice.
4. Being unable to do things I enjoy: Hearing loss makes certain recreational activities harder. Luckily technology has made it possible to successfully attend the theater, listen to music, and watch movies, even with a hearing loss. Future advancements will only improve access to these activities and more.
5. Ending up alone: Hearing loss is difficult for the person with the hearing loss, but it also takes a toll on family and friends. Some worry that this burden will become too much and they will be left alone. Find support in your family and friends and a network of hearing loss friends that will be with you for quite some time.

If you are experiencing hearing loss, we hope that you will contact us at Purchase Ear Technology.  We are here to help improve your quality of life!

For those with hearing loss, hearing aids are the best investment you can make to improve your life. Think back to the moment your hearing aids were first fitted and recall the immediate clarity and amplification of sounds around you.

Because hearing loss is an invisible and gradual condition, many people who experience it are not aware of its presence. It is estimated that people wait an average of seven years from the time they first notice changes in their hearing until the time they decide to seek treatment. Most of us try to adapt to this new way of life – though it does bring many negative consequences to our physical and emotional health.

Even if you have treated hearing loss with hearing aids, it is important to keep in mind that hearing abilities are constantly changing. At the same time, it’s important to keep in mind that your hearing aids – though extraordinarily powerful little devices – do have a shelf life. After all, you do wear them all day!

Here are three reasons you might consider checking out a new pair of hearing aids.

 

Your Hearing Abilities Have Changed

In the same way one might require a higher prescription for eyeglasses, your hearing abilities may change from the first hearing exam and hearing aid fitting you received. If you find yourself constantly struggling to hear, or if sounds feel muddy and unclear, even though there does not appear to be any malfunction in your hearing aids, it may be time to update your devices. Your hearing aids are fitted to treat the precise degree and configuration of hearing loss you experience, and if sounds are less clear, then your hearing aids may no longer meet your hearing requirements.

 

Your Lifestyle Has Changed

Have you recently gotten a new job? Have you picked up a new activity? When you were first fitted for your hearing aids, we consulted with you about your lifestyle and your activities. The hearing aids with which you were fitted were selected and tailored to meet your personal needs and in the activities you partake throughout the day. If your lifestyle changes, you may find a need to change your hearing aids as well.

 

You Want Access to New Technology

Do you keep up with the latest advancements in technology? There’s no denying that it is an exciting time for hearing aid technology. So far, this year, many major hearing aid manufacturers have rolled out new and improved hearing aid models with improved wireless compatibility and rechargeable battery options that ensure confidence in your energy source as well as longer listening time.

In addition to these functions, newer hearing aid models are designed with consumer feedback in mind, thus providing wearers with even better access to speech and sound. With faster sound processing platforms and sleeker, slimmer designs, these new hearing aids provide wearers with a better listening experience than ever before.

 

Want to learn more about the latest offerings on the market? Give Purchase Ear Technology a call at (270) 558-3996 to check out the newest models available.

Tinnitus is the hearing of sound when no external sound is present. While often described as a ringing, it may also sound like a clicking, hiss or roaring. Rarely, unclear voices or music are heard. The sound may be soft or loud, low pitched or high pitched and appear to be coming from one ear or both. Most of the time, it comes on gradually. In some people, the sound causes depression or anxiety and can interfere with concentration.  If this sounds like something you are experiencing, call Purchase Ear Technology at 270.558.3996. We can help!

Noise is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Generally, noise induced hearing loss is also fully preventable, but not reversible. Once you’ve done the damage there is no way to get your hearing back. You only get 1 set of ears, remember to protect your hearing.

The effects of noise on hearing are often underestimated because the damage takes place so gradually. Here are 6 ways to reduce the noise in your life.

Protect your Hearing

1. Limit your exposure time to noisy activities. If you must raise your voice over the noise to be heard by someone within arms reach, the noise is in the dangerous range.
2. Wear hearing protection when you must be around dangerous levels of noise. This includes concerts, sporting events, motorcycles, lawn mowers, gun shots, leaf blowers, power saws and more. Foam or silicon earplugs cost less than a dollar at the drug store and they are small enough to be thrown in your purse or pocket, just in case you need to use them. If you frequently find yourself in noisy situations it would be wise to invest in higher quality ear protection whether it be earmuffs or custom-made earplugs.
3. Turn down the volume. On the television, radio, stereo, iPod etc. Doctors are becoming particularly worried about children and teens that listen to their music through ear buds at top volume. They should be taught to use the 60/60 rule: limiting the use of headphones to 60 minutes at a time and at 60 percent of the devices maximum volume. If you are frequently on the subway or an airplane and find yourself turning up the volume to tune out the noise around you, you should consider investing in noise cancelling headphones. These allow you to reduce ambient noise, thereby saving your ears from painfully loud music.
4. Buy quieter products. Compare dB ratings of things like hairdryers and vacuum cleaners. The smaller the dB rating the better. It is also a good idea to try and reduce the number of noisy appliances you run at the same time.
5. Take breaks from the noise. –Your ears need rest. Damage occurs from listening to LOUD sounds, but also from listening to loud sounds for a LONG time.
6. Get your hearing checked. Most people wait 7 to 10 years before the seek help for their hearing loss. This only ends up causing additional damage. The sooner you know what is wrong the sooner you can get it treated and get back to your life. Your hearing loss may be the result of earwax or fluid in the ear. This is easily treated and hearing restored.

Since it’s so critical to protect your hearing, make sure that your family and friends are aware of the hazards.  Ready to have your hearing tested? Give us a call at Purchase Ear Technology at 270-558-3996.

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.”¹

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). 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.

Be sure to protect your children’s hearing.  When they are older, they will be glad you did!

According to the World Health Organization, about 50 million people in the United States have disabling hearing loss. This includes 1 in 5 teenagers and 60% of returning veterans from foreign wars. But most noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable.

Prolonged exposure to any sound at or above 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss. This is the level of heavy city traffic or a school cafeteria. The good news is that most noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable. Here are three safety precautions we recommend for you and your loved ones:

1. Turn down the volume.  When enjoying music, be sure to keep it at a safe listening level. Listening to an iPod or iPhone at maximum volume (105 decibels) for 15 minutes is all it takes to permanently damage your hearing. If someone else can hear the music playing in your headphones, it is too loud.

2. Move away from noise.  The farther you are from a loud sound, the safer it is. When at a concert or other venue with amplified sound, sit far away from the speakers. If you hear an unexpected loud sound, distance yourself from it as quickly as possible. Use your hands to block the noise as you relocate.

3. Use hearing protection.  At loud places like concerts or sporting events or even on planes, wear earplugs or earmuffs. The simplest earplugs can be purchased inexpensively at most drug stores. Be sure to carry extras to share with family and friends.