Reprinted from Voice on America
A new study links second-hand smoke to hearing loss in children.
Some 1,500 teenagers were given hearing tests in the study. They were also tested for cotinine, which is produced when nicotine is metabolized, so it's a good marker for exposure to tobacco smoke.
"What we found was that the higher the level of cotinine in their blood - and thus the higher the level of exposure to second-hand smoke - there was greater prevalence of the hearing loss," says Dr. Anil Lalwani of New York University Medical Center, who conducted the study.
In conducting the study, Lalwani wanted to extend what was known about the association between second-hand smoke and the ear. For example, children exposed to tobacco smoke get more ear infections.
"We also know that adults who smoke have an earlier hearing loss than adults who do not," Lalwani says. "And this made us wonder whether early exposure to second-hand smoke that children would be exposed to, is that also deleterious to the auditory system?"
Most of the 12- to 19-year-olds in the study who had measurable hearing loss weren't aware of it. They might miss things in class and not hear instructions. Lalwani says the loss could be enough to be causing real harm.
"Kids who have second-hand smoke exposure have behavioral issues as well as cognitive issues. So it's quite possible that even this mild hearing loss that these children might have may be impacting their development in school."
Why hearing is affected by second-hand smoke remains a bit of a mystery. Lalwani suggests it may be because of known effects of tobacco smoke on blood vessels, possibly compromising the flow to the inner ear. Another possibility is a toxic component of the smoke acting more directly.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Link Between Hearing Loss And Falls
Reprinted from Voice On America
Researchers have found an intriguing link between the risk of falling and hearing loss.
Among aging populations, falls are a major health hazard. A stumble that might lead to just a painful bruise in a younger person can result in a broken hip, disability, and even death in older adults.
Researchers analyzed data from an ongoing U.S. health study, called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Lead author Frank Lin, of Johns Hopkins University, said he and his colleague, Luigi Ferrucci of the National Institute on Aging, compared measurements of hearing loss in adults age 40-69 with participants' response to questions about any recent falls they might have had.
"And what we found is that someone's hearing ability is directly related to their chances of having falls in the past year," Lin said. "For someone with just even a mild hearing loss compared to normal hearing, they basically had about a three-fold increased chance of having falls over the past year."
Lin's study found a strong association, not cause-and-effect. But why might hearing loss contribute to falling? He says there are several possibilities.
Poor hearing could make people less aware of the environment around them. Or it may be linked to another function of the ear, specifically the inner ear, which isn't used just for hearing.
"It actually helps you maintain balance; so it provides balance information to the brain. But in the current study, we actually accounted for someone's balance ability, and we still saw this association between someone's hearing abilities and their chances of having falls over time."
Lin's findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, confirm several previous studies that have probed the link between hearing loss and falls.
Researchers have found an intriguing link between the risk of falling and hearing loss.
Among aging populations, falls are a major health hazard. A stumble that might lead to just a painful bruise in a younger person can result in a broken hip, disability, and even death in older adults.
Researchers analyzed data from an ongoing U.S. health study, called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Lead author Frank Lin, of Johns Hopkins University, said he and his colleague, Luigi Ferrucci of the National Institute on Aging, compared measurements of hearing loss in adults age 40-69 with participants' response to questions about any recent falls they might have had.
"And what we found is that someone's hearing ability is directly related to their chances of having falls in the past year," Lin said. "For someone with just even a mild hearing loss compared to normal hearing, they basically had about a three-fold increased chance of having falls over the past year."
Lin's study found a strong association, not cause-and-effect. But why might hearing loss contribute to falling? He says there are several possibilities.
Poor hearing could make people less aware of the environment around them. Or it may be linked to another function of the ear, specifically the inner ear, which isn't used just for hearing.
"It actually helps you maintain balance; so it provides balance information to the brain. But in the current study, we actually accounted for someone's balance ability, and we still saw this association between someone's hearing abilities and their chances of having falls over time."
Lin's findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, confirm several previous studies that have probed the link between hearing loss and falls.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Good Hearing = Good Mood
Reposted from Marketwatch.com
Investing in your hearing health is worth every penny and has self-esteem benefits. As many as 72 percent of U.S.-based respondents agree that getting a hearing aid was definitely worth it, and that their hearing aids are worth every cent. An overwhelming majority - 83 percent - of all hearing aid users surveyed agreed that their quality of life changed for the better once their hearing improved. Among all U.S.-based respondents, 76 percent with hearing aids said their devices have a positive influence on their general mood, and 68 percent report an improvement in their mental fitness, evidenced by heightened receptiveness and improved concentration.
People with untreated hearing loss also reveal the importance of good hearing for good mental health. Globally, respondents affected by moderate to severe hearing loss who did not wear a hearing aid reported feeling sad or depressed more frequently than hearing aid owners (22 percent without a hearing aid versus 15 percent with a hearing aid). Additionally, these individuals were more likely to feel insecure and anxious (21 percent without a hearing aid versus 13 percent with a hearing aid) and suffer from insomnia more often (31 percent without a hearing aid versus 24 percent with a hearing aid). These symptoms are often regarded as possible first indicators of depressive disorders.
"People with hearing loss lack some important opportunities for human contact," said Gail B. Brenner, AuD., Hearing Technology Associates LLC, Philadelphia, PA. "The consequences of this isolation can be the development of depression and increased anxiety, but also increasing mistrust of others. While the tendency for depression among people with untreated hearing loss is significantly higher, differences between people who use hearing aids and people who have no hearing loss are marginal. This shows that a hearing aid can support the prevention of depression for people who experience hearing difficulties."
Better Hearing = Better Love Life
Of all U.S.-based respondents who have hearing aids, 68 percent confirmed that their personal relationships improved since they started wearing hearing aids. Furthermore, almost half (44 percent) of U.S.-based respondents surveyed said that their love life had changed for the better since wearing a hearing aid.
You can take an online hearing quiz and read more about hearing loss here, or call 801-770-0801 for a free hearing consultation.
Investing in your hearing health is worth every penny and has self-esteem benefits. As many as 72 percent of U.S.-based respondents agree that getting a hearing aid was definitely worth it, and that their hearing aids are worth every cent. An overwhelming majority - 83 percent - of all hearing aid users surveyed agreed that their quality of life changed for the better once their hearing improved. Among all U.S.-based respondents, 76 percent with hearing aids said their devices have a positive influence on their general mood, and 68 percent report an improvement in their mental fitness, evidenced by heightened receptiveness and improved concentration.
People with untreated hearing loss also reveal the importance of good hearing for good mental health. Globally, respondents affected by moderate to severe hearing loss who did not wear a hearing aid reported feeling sad or depressed more frequently than hearing aid owners (22 percent without a hearing aid versus 15 percent with a hearing aid). Additionally, these individuals were more likely to feel insecure and anxious (21 percent without a hearing aid versus 13 percent with a hearing aid) and suffer from insomnia more often (31 percent without a hearing aid versus 24 percent with a hearing aid). These symptoms are often regarded as possible first indicators of depressive disorders.
"People with hearing loss lack some important opportunities for human contact," said Gail B. Brenner, AuD., Hearing Technology Associates LLC, Philadelphia, PA. "The consequences of this isolation can be the development of depression and increased anxiety, but also increasing mistrust of others. While the tendency for depression among people with untreated hearing loss is significantly higher, differences between people who use hearing aids and people who have no hearing loss are marginal. This shows that a hearing aid can support the prevention of depression for people who experience hearing difficulties."
Better Hearing = Better Love Life
Of all U.S.-based respondents who have hearing aids, 68 percent confirmed that their personal relationships improved since they started wearing hearing aids. Furthermore, almost half (44 percent) of U.S.-based respondents surveyed said that their love life had changed for the better since wearing a hearing aid.
You can take an online hearing quiz and read more about hearing loss here, or call 801-770-0801 for a free hearing consultation.
How Loud Is Too Loud?
Dr. Garrett's daughter just finished a science project where she won honorable mention. What kind of project would the daughter of an Audiologist do you ask? Something based on hearing, of course!
The gist of the project was on determining what form of hearing protection really works best in noise. She tested active noise-cancelling head phones, passive noise-cancelling headphone, foam earplugs, cotton, hands over ears, and fingers in ears. Surprisingly enough, the best results were for putting your fingers in your ears.
An important part of her project dealt with researching at what point sounds become "too loud" and are actually damaging your hearing. Here is a chart showing the Maximum Recommended Noise Dose Exposure Levels:
So, how do you know if the noise level is too high? If you have a smart phone, there are some new apps out there that work pretty well as sound level meters.
iPhone Apps:
1. dB Volume Meter
http://itunes.apple.com/us/
meter/id353432115?mt=8
(or http://tinyurl.com/6rtrbka if link is broken.)
2. TooLoud?
http://itunes.apple.com/us/
Android App:
3. deciBel SPL Meter
https://market.android.com/
search_result
(or http://tinyurl.com/7uqhf2y if link is broken.)
If you think that your hearing may have been damaged due to noise exposure, go to our website at www.utahhearingaids.com for more information or call our office for a free consultation with a Doctor of Audiology at 801-770-0801.
The gist of the project was on determining what form of hearing protection really works best in noise. She tested active noise-cancelling head phones, passive noise-cancelling headphone, foam earplugs, cotton, hands over ears, and fingers in ears. Surprisingly enough, the best results were for putting your fingers in your ears.
An important part of her project dealt with researching at what point sounds become "too loud" and are actually damaging your hearing. Here is a chart showing the Maximum Recommended Noise Dose Exposure Levels:
| Noise Level (dBA) | Maximum Exposure Time per 24 Hours |
|---|---|
| 85 | 8 hours |
| 88 | 4 hours |
| 91 | 2 hours |
| 94 | 1 hour |
| 97 | 30 minutes |
| 100 | 15 minutes |
| 103 | 7.5 minutes |
| 106 | 3.7 minutes |
| 109 | 112 seconds |
| 112 | 56 seconds |
| 115 | 28 seconds |
| 118 | 14 seconds |
| 121 | 7 seconds |
| 124 | 3 seconds |
| 127 | 1 second |
| 130–140 | less than 1 second |
| 140 | NO EXPOSURE |
So, how do you know if the noise level is too high? If you have a smart phone, there are some new apps out there that work pretty well as sound level meters.
iPhone Apps:
1. dB Volume Meter
http://itunes.apple.com/us/
meter/id353432115?mt=8
(or http://tinyurl.com/6rtrbka if link is broken.)
2. TooLoud?
http://itunes.apple.com/us/
Android App:
3. deciBel SPL Meter
https://market.android.com/
search_result
(or http://tinyurl.com/7uqhf2y if link is broken.)
If you think that your hearing may have been damaged due to noise exposure, go to our website at www.utahhearingaids.com for more information or call our office for a free consultation with a Doctor of Audiology at 801-770-0801.
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