Untreated Hearing Loss Can Be Devastating

The following article from the Chicago Tribune tells how hearing loss can create life-altering anguish for aging parents and their extended families, most of which can be avoided or greatly diminished by testing and treatment.

Louise Andrew: I watched male loved ones deny their hearing loss. Left untreated, it devastated their lives.

Purging closets bursting with hideous ties reminded me of how difficult it is to “gift” a father with something of value on Father’s Day.

I had a very close relationship with my father and both grandfathers, who supported and protected me always. Fatherly and grandfatherly support is a profound gift for any daughter or granddaughter. I am eternally grateful for these mentors and wish their loving influence had persisted longer.

All my fathers had excellent longevity. But what could have helped them to live even longer, more engaged and fuller lives? Here is what I wish I had given them: Release from the need to appear to be consistently strong, self-sufficient and invincible. The ability to acknowledge and adapt to advancing age and associated infirmities and the courage to admit the inability to solve every problem alone. I wish I could have gifted them the willingness to seek and use help when indicated. To release them from a belief that seeking help means you are “less of a …,” whatever it is, that you feel you must always and consistently be, as a father and as a man.

The gift I would bestow on all fathers is the courage to address the curse that took the intellect of my father, one grandfather and my father-in-law: age-related hearing loss, also known as ARHL. Not being able to hear or properly process information made these men first defensive, then blameful, isolated and in denial. Eventually it rendered them less companionable and less interesting to people around them, ignored and, ultimately, avoided by those who might have helped them prevent the dementia that resulted from ARHL.

More than 460 million people worldwide suffer from disabling hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. In the U.S., hearing loss affects one-third of those 65 to 74 years old and nearly half of those older than 75, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports. ARHL is the most common remediable cause of cognitive impairment, falls and depression. Johns Hopkins researchers found up to a fivefold increased risk in older adults of developing cognitive impairment, including dementia, when significant hearing impairment remains unaddressed.

Although I owe all of my education to my financially astute grandfather, his stubborn refusal to address hearing loss ultimately led to social isolation. As fresh memories faded, repetition of the same stories made him less engaging and, ultimately to some, the object of derision. The exact same denial in my once-gregarious father led to ostracism in his retirement community, contributing to his death by a stroke after multiple falls. My even more sociable father-in-law developed a form of dementia that was completely surgically curable, but the hearing loss he refused to address made him so uninteresting to be around that no one realized what was happening until it was too late for surgery.

By contrast, my physician grandfather, who used hearing aids, practiced medicine until he died at 81.

If you have ARHL, you may be thinking, “If everyone would just come closer, put down their gadgets, look directly at me, stop mumbling and enunciate more clearly, there would be no problem.” Right?

Wrong. Incoming students in an audiology program were required to wear earplugs for their first three days. That first day, they could ask people to repeat what they had said. By the second, students noticed their interactions became shorter and terser. By the third, people actively began to avoid them. These “hearing impaired” students were essentially being isolated. This same sequence occurs even in close and long-term relationships, albeit more gradually.

If you are beginning to experience hearing loss, your loved ones are sympathetic and supportive at first. ARHL is a disability, and it’s probably not your fault. But as it becomes more difficult to make ourselves understood, we are less likely (when communication is not truly essential) to make an effort. If we’ve brought the hearing issue up many times before, and you do not respond, you begin to seem more stubborn than fragile. ARHL is easily addressed, and yet, to a loved one, your denial of it feels as if you don’t care about your own well-being, the health of our relationship or the happiness or even safety of those who love and may depend on you.

If your father is one of the 500 million worldwide with hearing loss, try this gift: Remind him that you love him dearly and want him as a trusted adviser for as long as humanly possible. Urge him to have his hearing tested and to get hearing aids if indicated. These devices are both effective and almost invisible, and effective alternatives are also available over-the-counter.

The author, Louise Andrew, is a physician attorney, and disability rights advocate.

Consider making a free hearing ability test for your loved one.

You get out of the shower or start getting ready for the day, and you see a Q-tip on your counter. Next thing you know, it’s swirling around in your ear, only to make things muffled or hard to hear.

It’s pretty standard for patients to think they can clean their own ears, but unfortunately, it often leads to a pretty bad experience.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common earwax cleaning myths and why you should work with an audiologist the next time you think you might have too much earwax.

Why Do I Have Earwax?

EWWW…EARWAX! DISGUSTING!

Why is everyone so grossed out by earwax? 

Well, for one, it looks gross. It’s brown, greenish, gunky and sometimes gooey and sticky. Just seeing it can make you feel unclean and in need of hygiene.

But get over it! Everyone has earwax. 

And, it’s a good thing you do, or you’d be in a lot of trouble. 

There’s a reason you have earwax. It creates a waterproof lining in your ears that keeps them dry, which prevents germs and bacteria from causing constant infections. 

Earwax traps dirt and dust, and little pieces of cotton (from those nasty Q-tips), and all the stuff that gets stuck in the hairspray you accidentally sprayed in your ears. 

Wax keeps your ears lubricated and repels fungi, insects, and water.

Earwax has a purpose. It protects your ears.

Are There Different Kinds of Earwax?

Having too little earwax or over-cleaning your ears can cause dry, flaky, and itching ears and trigger infections.

Some wax is dry and flaky, and some wax is gooey and sticky. What kind you have is basically genetic. In general, Asians have dry earwax while European and African populations produce “wet” earwax.

Should I Clean My Own Ears?

GET THAT Q-TIP, BOBBY PIN, PEN KNIFE, SAMURAI SWORD OUT OF YOUR EAR! 

Most ears are self-cleaning. Every time you chew or talk, the movement of your jaw causes the dusty, germ-laden wax to be pushed toward the opening of your ear, where it usually flakes and falls out. Meanwhile, the glands in your ear canals are producing new, protective, fresh wax.

When you stick objects in your ear, you’re really not helping. You’re pushing all the wax deeper into the canal and causing it to keep building up. Then the wax gets impacted.

  • You get hearing loss
  • You get an earache
  • You get tinnitus (ringing in your ear)
  • Your ears itch
  • Your ears smell bad
  • You puncture your eardrum

5 Things That Can Cause Excessive Earwax Build-Up

There are five main reasons why you might have excessive earwax. Some of these are things you can control, whereas others are just part of our genetics.

  1. The number one cause of excessive wax buildup is self-cleaning attempts.
  2. Genetics – some people just produce too much. It runs in the family
  3. Headphones*
  4. Hearing aids*
  5. Age – the ears produce less moisture, and the ear canals can narrow, causing the dry wax to get stuck.

*Your ears need to breathe and get air. Wearing headphones and using hearing aids can block the ears from performing their natural self-processing.

Common Earwax Cleaning Myths

We get patients every day who tell us about something they’ve heard online, or from a friend about cleaning their ears. Next thing you know, they tried something, and it made everything worse. 

Here are some of the most common earwax cleaning myths we’ve heard:

Myth: Ear candling is a safe and effective way to remove earwax and toxins.

Ear candling, or ear coning, involves placing a lit, hollow candle into the ear canal, with the belief that it creates suction to draw out earwax and impurities. 

Medical experts and scientific studies have consistently debunked this practice as both ineffective and highly dangerous. 

It does not remove earwax; instead, it can lead to severe burns, introduce candle wax into the ear canal, cause ear infections, or even puncture the eardrum. 

The residue found in candles after use is typically just candle wax and soot, not earwax.

Myth: You should clean your ears daily to maintain good hygiene.

While it’s important to keep the outer ear clean, the inner ear canal is remarkably self-cleaning. 

Your ears are designed with a natural “conveyor belt” system, where old earwax is gradually moved out of the ear canal through jaw movements (like chewing and talking). 

Attempting to clean your ears daily, especially by inserting objects, can disrupt this natural process, push wax deeper, and cause more problems than it solves. 

For most people, simply wiping the outer ear with a damp cloth is sufficient.

Myth/Fact: Over-the-counter ear drops are a universal solution for all earwax problems.

Ear drops can help soften earwax, which can aid in its natural expulsion or make professional removal easier. 

Many over-the-counter drops contain ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide that work to break down earwax. 

However, they are not a universal solution. 

Ear drops should be used with caution and often under the guidance of a healthcare professional, especially if you suspect you have a perforated eardrum, an ear infection, or ear tubes. 

For significant or impacted earwax, drops alone are usually not enough, and professional removal by an audiologist or doctor remains the safest and most effective method.

Cleaning Your Ears Isn’t a DIY Project. Call Hearing Health Center Today to Get Your Ears Cleaned Today.

Cleaning your ears isn’t a do-it-yourself project. Even if you use an over-the-counter remedy, how do you know if it worked? You can’t see what you’re doing in there.

If you think you have earwax buildup, do NOT try to fix it yourself. Your audiologist or doctor can remove it quickly, easily, comfortably, and professionally.

Schedule an appointment with one of our audiologists at Hearing Health Center for a comprehensive hearing exam and be on your way to better hearing.

Is it the laser, or is it the Ophthalmologist that saved your vision?

Is it the artificial heart, or is it the surgeon that saved your life?

All hearing aids are a piece of plastic. Granted, some pieces of plastic are more expensive than others depending on the electronic components and computerized technology inside the plastic. But essentially, hearing aids are plastic devices.

So, is it the piece of plastic, or is it the provider you see that’s behind successful use and adaptation to hearing aids?

Purchasing hearing aids online and at retail establishments might be tempting to save money, but they lack the critical elements for successful hearing aid use and satisfaction:

  • Lack of professional evaluation may not accurately reflect your true hearing ability and may miss a medical or surgical problem.
  • Without professional and personalized fitting, the hearing aids may not sit correctly in your ears causing pain, discomfort, and slippage.
  • Inadequate programming can lead to over or under amplification.
  • You may be on your own for troubleshooting issues or adjustments.
  • Lack of regular maintenance can cause more breakdowns and repairs.

While online and retail purchased hearing aids might offer a lower upfront cost, the potential for poor fit, improper programming, and lack of support and ongoing care can render the hearing aids ineffective. You’ve wasted your money.

In a recent study by the National Institutes of Health, the number one reason for success and satisfaction with hearing aids is the hearing care provider. 

Hearing aids are medical devices regulated by the FDA and are only available through licensed hearing care providers.

Hearing care providers, specifically doctors of audiology, are exceptionally trained and educated to diagnose the cause of hearing and balance problems, including tumors, growths, and infections. If the problem is not medically or surgically treatable, doctors of audiology have a comprehensive understanding of the software and algorithms of the different hearing aid manufacturers.

You are unique. Your brain, lifestyle, needs, and sound preferences are different from your best friend or neighbor. Audiologists assess all the above before determining which hearing aids would be best for you. 

The fitting, programming and adjustments of the hearing aids are personalized for your brain’s processing ability and your listening preferences to ensure optimal performance and comfort. 

Ongoing support and continuity of care are essential for optimal results and long-term hearing health. Hearing aids are not a one-shot deal. They are a lifetime _. Just like teeth, hearing aids need regular checkups and maintenance. Just like your vital statistics, your prescription can change. Yearly hearing evaluations are crucial so adjustments can be made to accommodate any changes to your hearing and brain processing ability.

Bottom line: See an audiologist for the best outcome and satisfaction with your hearing aids.

Don’t let ear pain or hearing loss bring you down this summer. Concerts, yard equipment, and swimming all have the potential for life-changing hearing loss if you don’t take the proper precautions ahead of time. 

That’s why we believe that enjoying the sounds of summer shouldn’t come at the cost of your long-term hearing well-being. That’s why we’ve put together this guide on five essential ways to protect your sense of hearing throughout the sunny months.

5 Ways to Protect Your Hearing Health This Summer

If you plan to enjoy your summer thoroughly, consider these tips when protecting your hearing health.

1. Be Smart about Loud Noises at Summer Events

Summer is synonymous with outdoor concerts, festivals, and fireworks displays. 

While enjoyable, these events often involve prolonged exposure to high decibel levels.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss. 

To put this into perspective, concerts can reach 100-110 decibels, with fireworks peaking at nearly 150 decibels.

How to Protect Your Hearing:

Earplugs are the best protection against hearing loss in the summer. While not trendy, they do wonders for protecting the long-term health of your hearing.

Opt for high-fidelity earplugs designed for music, which reduce the volume evenly across frequencies, preserving the sound quality while lowering the intensity. 

You can get away with foam earplugs, but they might muffle sounds more.

Also, keep a safe distance from loud noises. That means avoiding being right in front of the speakers or the fireworks’ launch area.

You might even want to take listening breaks. Find a quieter area to allow your ears to recover from the loud noises.

2. Guard Your Ears During Water Activities

While swimming and boating are quintessential summer pastimes, they can also lead to hearing damage if not taken seriously.

Water introduces moisture and other irritants into your ear canals, leading to swimmers’ ear. Symptoms of swimmer’s ear include pain, hearing loss, and more.

How to Protect Your Hearing:

Did you know they make swimming earplugs? 

Custom-molded or over-the-counter swim earplugs can create a watertight seal, preventing water from entering the ear canal. 

Get a pair if you’re prone to ear infections or spend much time in the water during the summer. Your hearing health will be much happier for it.

When you’re done in the water, dry your ears.

After swimming, gently tilt your head to each side to allow water to drain out. 

You can also use a soft towel to pat your outer ear dry. Avoid inserting cotton swabs deep into the ear canal, as this can push debris further in and potentially damage the eardrum.

3. Protect Your Ears from Extreme Heat and Sun

Extreme heat does not directly cause hearing loss; other heat-related illnesses could lead to hearing loss.

For example, sun exposure causes dehydration, affecting the inner ear’s fluids. Heatstroke may also decrease blood circulation to the ears.

These conditions might not directly relate to hearing loss, but protecting yourself limits the chances of something unfortunate. 

How to Protect Your Hearing:

This advice is just helpful in general: stay hydrated. The last thing you want ruining your summer is a case of dehydration or heatstroke.

Proper hydration supports all bodily functions, including those of the inner ear.

4. Be Mindful of Loud Yard Work and Power Tools

Yard work can be loud, especially if you’re mowing the lawn, using leaf blowers, and operating power tools.

Lawn mowers, for example, can produce noise levels between 90 and 105 decibels, while leaf blowers can reach up to 110 decibels.

Even just a few minutes exposed to this high-level noise could cause hearing health damage in the short and long term.

How to Protect Your Hearing:

We suggest investing in a good pair of earmuffs or industrial-grade earplugs designed to reduce noise from power tools. 

You want a snug fit while providing substantial noise reduction.

It also doesn’t hurt to break up your yard work into shorter sessions to reduce the overall duration of noise exposure.

5. Pay Attention to Ear Discomfort or Changes in Hearing

This summer, don’t ignore minor ear discomfort or temporary changes in hearing. 

Many exciting events might come your way this summer, but ignoring persistent pain, pressure, drainage, or a sudden change in your hearing could lead to more serious issues if left untreated.

Call Hearing Health Center immediately to schedule an appointment if your hearing or pain changes.

What to Do:

If you experience persistent ear pain, drainage, sudden hearing loss, or tinnitus that doesn’t subside, consult a hearing healthcare professional immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment often prevent long-term complications.

Also, don’t try to self-diagnose or treat ear problems with over-the-counter remedies without consulting a professional, especially if symptoms are severe or persistent.

Struggling with Ear Pain? Having Trouble Hearing?

At Hearing Health Center, our team is ready to help you with any ear problems you might be experiencing. Our team of expert audiologists can help you with temporary hearing loss, hearing aid fittings, and so much more.

Call us today or book an appointment online to get your hearing health where it needs to be this summer.

This is the rallying cry from baby boomers all over the country that ruined their hearing going to concerts and listening to loud music.

Millions of baby boomers are experiencing the foibles of their youth and suffering the consequences.

“My average patient used to be in their late seventies,” said Dr. Ronna Fisher, AuD. Of Hearing Health Center.  “Today my average patient is in their early sixties.”  Fifty percent of people over the age of sixty have a significant hearing deficit that interferes with their everyday life.

Yet, at the same time, some of these baby boomers still perceive hearing problems as an old person’s issue.  “They still think, “hearing = old,” and refuse to recognize and admit they have difficulty hearing and understanding,” said Dr. Fisher.

“Hearing loss runs in my family,” proclaimed Dr. Fisher, who has been wearing hearing aids since she was fifty. “At first, I used to think, ‘I’m too young to wear hearing aids. Then I realized, I’m too young not to wear hearing aids.”

Baby boomers are all about living longer, being more active and communicating their vast knowledge…to their employees, to their children, and anyone else willing to listen to their wisdom.

Astute baby boomers understand that communicating is a two-way street.  making the rest of their lives the best of their lives.  And they’re realizing that it’s all about communicating.

Age doesn’t matter.  Book a FREE hearing test today. 

hearing loss prevention

Hearing ability is a precious gift that enriches us and helps us connect to the world. Unfortunately, due to hectic lifestyles and impractical choices, hearing loss has become increasingly common – affecting all ages. But the good news is that many of these hearing loss cases are preventable. By practicing healthy choices and taking proactive steps, you can safeguard your hearing health for ages to come.

Hearing loss is still the most common chronic health issue across the United States; it reduces your ability to decipher speech and sounds around you. Those who work in noisy environments, especially at construction sites, factories, or as road crews, may lose their hearing sooner than others due to constant noise without proper protection. Those who listen to loud music with headphones, attend open-air music festivals, frequent nightclubs or play games with constant loud noises in their ears – all get highly affected. The key to preventing or slowing down hearing loss is to understand what is “loud” and limit the exposure. Understand that the louder the volume, the less time you can listen to it before it impacts your hearing ability.

WHAT IS HEARING LOSS?

Hearing loss refers to a reduced or diminished ability to pick up on sounds or even understand them. Its severity can range from minor to extreme, depending on the underlying reasons – this includes ear infections, prolonged exposure to loud sounds, hereditary predisposition, head injury, side effects of a medicine, and aging.

WHAT ARE THE EARLY SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS?

It is important to note early signs, although they vary depending on the individual or specific type of hearing loss. Read on, and if you notice any of these signs or have concerns, connect with our hearing healthcare professionals to treat during the initial stage:

Difficulty Deciphering Conversations: One of the early signs of hearing loss is experiencing trouble or struggling to follow conversations, especially when in noisy environments. You may find comprehending what others are saying challenging, leading to repetitive questions or clarification.

Increasing Volume: Turning the volume up or if you find asking others to repeat themselves; a volume that others find too or extremely loud, indicates the onset of hearing loss. Gradually raising the volume over time is a major early sign.

Withdrawal from Social Events: Individuals experiencing hearing loss find themselves withdrawing from social gatherings or group conversations. Difficulty deciphering speech leads to feeling frustrated, embarrassed, and even isolated. This causes individuals to avoid situations that demand extensive communication.

Tinnitus: The perception of ringing, buzzing, or other ghost sounds in the ears, all are associated with hearing loss. If you often experience tinnitus, especially with other signs such as difficulty hearing, it is advised to check your hearing.

Misunderstanding: Another early sign of hearing loss is often misinterpreting or misunderstanding spoken words. You may find that certain sounds or speech patterns are muffled or unclear, leading to confusion as well as miscommunication.

WHY IS HEARING LOSS NOWADAYS AFFECTING PEOPLE AT EARLY AGE?

There are myriad reasons why hearing loss appears to affect people now at earlier ages. Before we discuss it any further, it is important to note that not everyone experiences hearing loss at a younger age. Listed below are some factors that contribute to the perception:

  • Exposure to Noise: The ever-growing prevalence of loud environments and prolonged exposure to extreme volumes such as recreational activities, loud music concerts, and the constant use of personal audio devices set at high volumes are contributing majorly to hearing damage. Continuous exposure to excessive noise accelerates the onset of hearing loss. Sure, that favorite song of yours by Taylor Swift sounds great at volume 10, but it is affecting your ability to hear.
  • Occupational Hazards: Certain occupations regularly expose people to high levels of noise. This includes those working at construction sites, manufacturing facilities; aviation, transportation, and entertainment are prone to noise-induced hearing loss, especially if you don’t wear protective gear for your ears.
  • Lifestyle Choices: As mentioned at the beginning of the post, this modern lifestyle involves exposure to loud environments, such as clubs, sporting events, or concerts where high volume is evident and consistent – contributing to hearing damage. Additionally, the increased use of personal audio devices for extended periods, at high volumes, impacts hearing health.
  • Medical Conditions: Some medical conditions, such as genetic disorders, infections, or autoimmune diseases, can lead to hearing loss, especially at an earlier age. Genetic predisposition affects individuals, making them prone to hearing issues.
  • Increased Awareness: More and more people are now aware of the importance of hearing health, thanks to the cutting-edge diagnostic tools that led to improved identification and detection of hearing loss in the early phase. More and more people affected by hearing loss are seeking professional help and testing their hearing ability, contributing to the perception of early-onset hearing loss.

How to prevent hearing loss?

Listed below are important hearing loss prevention tips:

1.Protect Your Ears Against Noise

Exposure to loud noises is a major cause of hearing damage – you could be at a concert, power tool, or sporting event and wear earplugs or muffs to reduce the impact of excessive sound. Keep the volume at a normal level, especially when listening to music or watching TV – especially with headphones on.

2.Take Breaks from Noise

Giving your ears regular breaks is advised, especially when in loud environments or with headphones on. If you work at a loud site or in a noisy setting, take proper breaks in quieter areas, allowing your ears to recover. It is advised to let your ear calm down.

3.Be Cautious with Headphones

While earbuds and headphones offer entertainment with convenience, don’t forget that they can be harmful, especially when used improperly. Limit your use of headphones or earbuds, and when you do, keep the volume at a reasonable level. Consider using noise-canceling headphones since they block external sounds, allowing you to enjoy music without turning up the volume.

4.Follow a Healthy Lifestyle

Myriad lifestyle factors influence your hearing health. Avoid smoking; it can contribute to hearing loss. Manage chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes – they affect your auditory system. Stay physically active and practice a balanced diet to promote overall well-being – this includes the health of your ears.

5.Be Cautious with Medicines

Certain medications, also known as ototoxic drugs, damage your hearing. This means if you are prescribed medication, consult your healthcare professionals about potential side effects on your hearing. Be vigilant and report any effects or changes in your hearing during or post medication.

6.Schedule Regular Hearing Tests

Like any other routine medical check-up, regular hearing evaluations play a key role, especially in detecting any potential hearing loss early. Schedule an appointment with trusted audiologists or hearing healthcare experts to monitor your hearing health while addressing the concerns.

SUMMARY

Hearing loss can happen at any age and for many reasons, but fret not! Bear in mind that age-related hearing loss isn’t preventable or curable; however, you can take steps to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. You can avoid noise-related hearing loss by getting annual hearing health testing, avoiding ear-damaging loud sounds, wearing ear protection muffs around loud noises, practicing safe headphone listening, stopping medications that cause hearing loss, and quitting smoking that causes hearing loss.

ABOUT HEARING HEALTH CENTER

We at Hearing Health Center are a team of professional audiologists that don’t just treat ears but treat the brain. We understand that we don’t hear with ears since they are merely add-ons that catch sound and channel it to our brains. The brain then processes and makes sense – which is why your ear must send the correct amount and quality of sound. Hearing Health Center, being the leading and trusted hearing clinic, introduced digital hearing aid technology to Chicago.

Need help hearing better? Contact us today!

Did you know that 1 in 10 people in the US have diabetes? That’s 34.2 million Americans! Diabetes causes a partial or absolute deficiency of insulin. Insulin is responsible for creating enzymes that break down fat, starches, and sugar in the blood. An increase in blood sugar damages the inner lining of arteries. The body responds by creating plaque on the artery walls which restricts blood flow.

How does diabetes affect your hearing?

This thickening of artery walls affects an area of the inner ear called the stria vascularis, causing it to atrophy and prevent it from doing its job efficiently. The stria vascularis is responsible for controlling the chemical makeup of the inner ear, which allows the hair cells to change mechanical information into electrical information– a key part of how we hear! Some studies show that an abnormal stria vascularis can even cause hair cell death, permanently damaging your hearing.

A 2008 study by the National Institutes of Health showed that people with diabetes are twice as likely to have hearing problems. In fact, even the 88 million people in the US with prediabetes have a 30% higher likelihood of having hearing problems. That’s 1 in 3 Americans at an increased risk!

Get a baseline hearing test if you have diabetes

If you or a loved one have diabetes or prediabetes, it is important to have a baseline hearing test. Monitoring your hearing is vital to your overall health. Like diabetes, hearing problems can develop gradually, and early detection is critical. In honor of Diabetes Awareness, Hearing Health Center offers complimentary hearing check-ups at all five locations.
Click here to book an appointment

5 Summer Activities That Can Permanently Cause Damage and Alter Your Life

Fireworks

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, elaborate firework displays reign supreme. Most fireworks have sound upwards of 125 dB, (think diesel engines or the level of sound which actually causes pain), easily causing permanent hearing damage.

 

Outdoor Concerts

Summer festivals, outdoor concerts and music festivals are great summer activities for the entire family. However, since outdoor venues cause the sound to disperse, bands turn the music up even louder. In addition to permanent hearing damage, oftentimes, the results of listening for too long and too loud, is tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Sometimes it goes away…and sometimes it doesn’t. Always try to sit away from the speakers.

 

Parades

Marching bands, sirens, motorcycles, and revving engines are loud…louder than you think. Loud enough to cause hearing damage in just a few minutes.

Yard Work

Any noise measuring in excess of 80 dB (decibels)has the potential to be harmful to hearing. Heavy traffic, window air conditioner, noisy restaurants fall into this category. Most equipment used for yard work measures in excess of 95dB.

Air & Water Shows

The sights and sounds and aerial stunts of air and water shows are exciting and breathtaking. But the noise of the jet engines can be ear-splitting, especially when pilots venture close to the ground. A jet engine at takeoff is 140 decibels. At that level, and depending on how close you are, damage can happen within minutes.

PROTECT YOUR EARS AND YOUR HEARING

Wear ear plugs. Custom-made (made from an impression of your ears for an exact fit) are best. But over-the-counter, foam plugs will do the job. Children are especially prone to hearing damage from loud noise. Their ear canals are smaller, and it takes less noise to cause irreversible damage. Protect yourself and your kids by wearing earplugs. Baby Banz makes lightweight foam-filled ear cups for youngsters.

Itchy, Itchy Ears: Common Causes and Solutions

By Dr. Hilary MacCrae, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA

When asking about ears, every audiologist has heard this: “My ears don’t hurt, but they itch a lot!”  Whether or not a person uses hearing aids, itching in the ears is very common.  But why?

A lot of things can cause itching all over the body, and the ear is no different.  I’ve briefly listed some common causes and solutions, but saved an in-depth look for conditions related to hearing aid issues.

CAUSE: Dry Skin

Itchy, dry skin in the ear canal can be caused by your environment—cold winds and dry air in the winter and over-air conditioned air in the summer. It can also be caused by over-cleaning (especially with cotton swabs, which can absorb natural oils too quickly) and by natural aging. 

SOLUTION: Moisturize

A drop or two of an oil like Miracell® in each ear at night will absorb while you sleep and often provides fast relief—but take care to never place oil in an ear that has history of holes in the eardrum. Lotion on a little finger or cotton swab can also be put inside the ear canal. Often a humidifier can be the answer to dry skin.

CAUSE: Medical Conditions

Medical conditions like allergies, outer ear infections like “swimmer’s ear” and eczema or psoriasis can cause or worsen itching inside the ear canal. Surprisingly, high levels of stress or anxiety can be felt as itching and discomfort all over, including inside the ears.

SOLUTION: Seek Medical Treatment

Ear, nose, and throat physicians: If allergies or ear infections are the issue, physicians specializing in the ears, nose, and throat (“ENTs” or “otolaryngologists”) can prescribe helpful treatments. Dermatologists: Skin-specialized doctors can help with diagnoses like eczema and psoriasis, for which there are many different treatments available. If you think stress might be the problem, talk it out with a licensed counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist.  You may relieve yourself of more than just an itch!

Hearing Aid Issues

Although hearing devices don’t usually cause allergic reactions, there are other ways they might contribute to itching.

  • Ear wax: If there is a build-up of ear wax inside the ear, a hearing aid can make it worse, causing itching or irritation until the ear is cleaned.
  • Loose fit: If a hearing aid is sitting too loosely inside the ear, it can “tickle” the canal and cause itching.
  • Tight fit/moisture: If a hearing aid has a very tight fit in the ear, and is worn for a very long time each day, moisture can accumulate behind the hearing aid and cause a damp, itching feeling (kind of like when you sweat in the summertime).
  • Sensitivity to cleaning solutions: While the hearing aids themselves are usually hypoallergenic, clients will rarely experience allergic reactions to cleaning solutions either in our clinic or over-the-counter versions used at home.

SOLUTIONS: See Your Hearing Care Provider

  • Audiologists, and audiology assistants: The hearing care providers at HHC can work with you to look at the fit of your hearing devices (loose/tight) and make recommendations of how to proceed with other changes and treatments. We can also look deeply in your ears, a process called “otoscopy,” to see if dry skin, ear wax, or allergic reactions are the problem.  When in doubt, contact your provider!

Scratch Them…Gently!

There’s nothing else like scratching an itch, but we have some recommendations for how to go about it, to avoid causing more problems. Here are some techniques:

  • Push and wiggle: Placing a finger on the space in front of the ear and “wiggling” can help ease itching with or without a hearing aid in place. This is using the flat of your finger, not your fingernail!
  • Readjust your hearing device: If possible, remove and re-place your hearing aid, or pull the ear bud in and out, to apply some pressure inside the ear and scratch that itch.
  • “Referred” itching: This one is a bit weird…Often used by people with missing limbs, “referred” itching is when you scratch itch by not scratching it at all! Instead of trying to reach deep inside your ear canal, gently scratching another part of the body (like the back of your hand) while thinking about your itchy ear (“referring” the itch to the ear), can provide a surprising amount of relief. I’ve used this myself when I get an itch on the bottom of my foot in the car. Sometimes it works!
  • What NOT to do: Don’t place foreign objects like Q-tips, bobby pins, long fingernails, pens or pencils, paperclips, or golf tees (yes, we’ve been told someone used a golf tee!) in your ears for itching or wax removal.  These objects can push ear wax toward the ear drum, or cut the skin inside the ear and cause bleeding.  When that cut begins to scab over and heal…it will itch even worse!

No one likes to be uncomfortable, but itching is part of daily life.  Try some of the solutions listed above, and don’t hesitate to contact your hearing care provider if you’d like more guidance or advice on how your unique ear needs to be treated.

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