Hear And Now

New Study Shows Link Between Diabetes and Hearing Loss in Women

2012-02-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

A recent study has proven that diabetes is often associated with hearing loss in women. The study, done by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, examined the medical records of 990 men and women who had hearing tests between 2000 and 2008. Patients with diabetes were divided into two groups: well-controlled and poorly controlled. The poorly controlled diabetics had 28% worse hearing than those without diabetes.

The study also discovered that the younger the diabetic was, the more likely she was to suffer from hearing loss.

Because men are already more likely to experience hearing loss due to louder lifestyles and activities, the study was not able to prove any relationship between diabetes and hearing loss in men.

The implications in this study are significant. There have been previous links proven between diabetes and loss of sight, so many physicians recommend yearly vision exams when a patient is diagnosed with diabetes. This study implies that they should also be referred for yearly audiologic examinations as well.

This information was presented at a medical meeting and should not be conclusive until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. You can find out more about hearing loss at www.utahhearingaids.com or call our office for a free hearing consultation at 801-770-0801.

Get Your Hearing Checked During American Heart Month!

2012-02-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

What do those two things, hearing and heart health, have to do with each other? Research shows plenty. For example:

In one study, published in The Laryngoscope, researchers hypothesized that low-frequency hearing loss is associated with underlying cardiovascular disease; and a mathematical formula using audiometric pattern and medical history to predict the probability of cardiovascular diseases and events was developed and tested. The researchers concluded that the audiogram pattern correlates strongly with cerebrovascular and peripheral arterial disease, and that it may represent a screening test for those at risk. The researchers also concluded that patients with low-frequency hearing loss should be regarded as at risk for cardiovascular events, and that appropriate referrals should be considered.

In another study, published in the June 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers looked at hearing sensitivity in older adults and its association with cardiovascular risk factors. They concluded that modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease may play a role in the development of age-related hearing loss. Risk factors associated with poorer hearing sensitivity in men included high triglyceride levels, high resting heart rate, and a history of smoking. In women, poor hearing sensitivity was associated with high body mass index, high resting heart rate, fast aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV), and low ankle–arm index (AAI).

In still another study, published in the June 2010 issue of the American Journal of Audiology, the authors reviewed research that had been conducted over the past 60 plus years. They found that the negative influence of impaired cardiovascular health on both the peripheral and central auditory system, and the potential positive influence of improved cardiovascular health on these same systems, was found through a sizable body of research.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our Doctors of Audiology, call us at 801-770-0801 or go to www.utahhearingaids.com for more information.

New Study Links Hearing Loss With Increase Risk of Dementia

2012-02-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

A recent study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging has found that adults with hearing loss are significantly more likely than adults with normal hearing to develop dementia. The study also concluded that the greater the hearing loss, the higher the risk.

The study followed 639 people ages 36 to 90 who initially did not have dementia. The volunteers were tested for hearing loss and dementia every two years for nearly two decades.

Researchers found that those with hearing loss at the beginning of the study were much more likely to develop dementia by the end. The risk of dementia only began to rise once hearing loss began to interfere with the ability to communicate-- for example in a noisy environment such as a restaurant.

Interestingly enough, the study also found a link between hearing loss and Alzheimer's risk, but the link was not as strong as between hearing loss and dementia.

The author of the study, Frank Lin, M.D. says that whatever causes dementia also causes hearing loss, but they don't have clear evidence. He states that it is more likely that the stress caused by the effects of untreated hearing loss contributes to dementia and Alzheimer's.

Previous studies have proven that those with untreated hearing loss experience fatigue, stress and frustration after spending extra energy trying to decipher what those around them are saying. This also contributes to social isolation, which has also been proven to contribute even more to dementia. Dr. Lin says that it could be a combination of those two-- neurological stress and social isolation, that is the cause.

Unfortunately, people don't tend to give hearing loss the same kind of attention they give other conditions such as high blood pressure. However, this research tells us that we may want to take a more serious look at treating hearing loss-- not just as a matter of improving quality of life, but also as a matter of increasing over-all health.

Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a greater emphasis on hearing loss research and on finding the link between hearing loss and other aging related conditions.

If you would like a free hearing consultation with a Doctor of Audiology, please call our office at 801-770-0801.

You can read the full study from the Archives of Neurology here.

Hearing loss — a great disease burden, but very little research carried out.

2012-01-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

Hearing loss affects more and more people. The World Health Organization says that hearing loss will be one of the top 10 disease burdens in many countries and will have a great social and economic impact. Despite this, 40 times less money is used on research into hearing loss than on cardiovascular conditions per person affected.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that by 2030 adult onset hearing loss will be in the top 10 disease burdens in high or middle income countries, above cataracts and diabetes.

According to Action on Hearing Loss, hearing loss is therefore a potential health crisis that we cannot ignore. It is therefore worth noting that a lot less money is used on research into hearing loss than for example cardiovascular conditions and diabetes.

Significant costs

Innumerable studies from around the world have documented, that hearing loss has significant personal consequences and social and economic costs and impacts both employment and education.

Research by Action on Hearing Loss has shown that even at times of low unemployment, people with severe and profound levels of hearing loss were more than four times more likely to be unemployed than the general population. Hearing loss also more than doubles the risk of depression in older people and children with hearing loss have an increased risk of mental health problems.

Source: Hearing Matters, Action on Hearing Loss, 2011

Researchers believe that there is a direct link between tinnitus and stress.

2012-01-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

Do you suffer from tinnitus (ringing in your ears)? Did you know that recent studies have proved that tinnitus is 2.5 times more prevalent in those under stress? This is shown by a study from The Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

In the study, the test persons were exposed to stressful situations, for example answering questions while at the same time being interrupted. After the test, blood tests were taken as were new hearing tests. The blood tests tested for levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone which is activated in stressful situations and animal tests have shown that cortisol affects hearing.

“We found that tinnitus is 2.5 times more prevalent in people who are under long-term stress,” says Professor Barbera Canlon, who was one of the people leading the research.

Perceiving sound poorly

There was also a clear tendency showing that sound recognition and the ability to perceive spoken numbers in noise was worse in the group of stressed subjects than in other people, says Barbera Canlon.

According to Barbera Canlon, this is the first time that it can be proven that long-term stress has an effect on hearing.

“It is important to consider long-term stress and the risk of burnout when treating tinnitus and over-sensitivity to sound,” says Barbera Canlon.

The researchers surmise, that tinnitus and stress react together in that stress can lead to tinnitus and tinnitus can lead to stress.

Thorough investigations

The researchers looked at 348 people, who were divided into three groups depending on their stress levels. The subjects underwent a thorough health examination and hearing tests. 31% of the participants in the study said, that they had tinnitus and a third of these had severe tinnitus.

Reprinted from www.hear-it.org

Getting An iPod For Christmas? Watch The Volume!

2011-12-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

Reprinted from The Atlantic

Portable music players may be contributing to permanent hearing loss among many casual listeners, gradually leading to the inability to discern speech. An iPod's maximum volume is more than 10 times as loud as the recommended listening setting, audiologists say, and the sensory damage caused by prolonged listening is irreversible.

Since the iPod was introduced in 2001, hearing loss has been an obvious problem among young patients of Brian Fligor, an audiologist at the Boston Children's Hospital.

"It depends on what you call major hearing loss, but there are a couple of cases (among children and teenagers) where using headphones contributed to a person's hearing loss that was enough that they needed to use hearing aids," Fligor said. These cases generally involved other factors contributing to the problem but were mainly music-related.

Hearing damage from loud music is not always permanent, but prolonged exposure to loud noise can lead to health problems such as hypertension and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.

The biggest concern is that as hearing worsens over time, people may lose some ability to distinguish consonants and understand speech.

MUSIC-INDUCED HEARING LOSS
Noise-induced hearing loss occurs, simply, when sensitive cells in the inner ear are exposed to loud noises. These "hair cells," which convert sound energy into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain, can't grow back once they are damaged.

According to the National Institutes of Health, "long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss" -- noise louder than city traffic but not as loud as a lawnmower. The louder the sound, the shorter the time it takes to damage hair cells.

At maximum volume, an iPod reaches about 103 decibels, which can cause permanent hearing loss in a matter of minutes while listening through ear buds. In-ear headphones, like the earbuds that come with an iPod, send loud music straight into your ear and directly toward sensitive cells.

Noise-amplifying headphones, such as the kind DJs might use in clubs to hear over background club music, can produce louder sounds and take less time to cause irreversible damage. Just 15 minutes of listening at 100 dB can be harmful, according to the NIH.

PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS
For regular iPod users, the negative effects of loud listening might not be immediately noticeable.
"Noise-induced hearing loss or music-induced hearing loss happens very slowly over time," said audiologist Cory Portnuff. "I think in a few years we'll be able to see some effects of music players on hearing, but we're still easily five to 10 years away from seeing larger scale effects."

Portnuff has been studying the effect of portable music players on hearing loss as part of his doctoral dissertation at the University of Colorado. Studies on the hearing effects of portable music players have been around for decades, first looking at cassette and CD players. Portnuff's research is the first to use a monitoring device attached to participants' iPods to take away the unpredictability of self-reporting.

Consistent with previous research, his study found that people will increase their listening levels in proportion to background noise. But he said the most interesting or, rather, concerning result of the study was finding that 17 percent of the people monitored were putting themselves at risk for music-induced hearing loss from daily activities, exceeding the maximum allowable dosage for the day.
"It's a small but substantial group, about one in six people that are putting themselves at risk for hearing loss," Portnuff said. "That on its own is not a huge number, but when you think about the number of iPods in the world, we start to get a little concerned."

The biggest concern is that as hearing worsens over time, people may lose some ability to distinguish consonants and understand speech.

Most people are exposed to the problem throughout their lives, though the change is gradual. Some jobs require prolonged exposure to loud noises, such as those in factories or on construction sites. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recognizes the risk, limiting workers to 40 hours per week while exposed to noise at 85 to 90 dBA. Even then, it's acknowledged that this doesn't necessarily protect against hearing damage.

As Beltran recognized a little too late, it's an occupational hazard for musicians. But going home and listening too loudly to a portable music player increases the risk.

"The best cure is prevention," Peck said. "We only have one set of ears -- there are no spare parts."
Portnuff recommended casual music listeners follow the "80-90 rule": listen at 80 percent volume (about 90 dBA) for 90 minutes, then let your ears rest. Sensitive cells are like batteries that need to recharge after a while.

"My car is capable of driving 120 miles an hour down the streets, but as a society we set speed limits because those are safer," he said. "We need to set some sort of speed limit for music listening."

If you want more information on hearing loss or protecting your hearing, visit www.utahhearingaids.com or call 801-770-0801.

TIme's Almost Out for Christmas Hearing Aid Nominations!

2011-12-08T11:01:00.000-08:00

We are so excited for our second annual Hear For Christmas giveaway. Last year, we were able to give away 4 sets of digital hearing aids to those in need. We look forward to this all year. Here's the response from one of the candidates we chose:

Dear Dr. Garrett & Staff,

Words cannot convey how your kind generosity has changed my life for the better. Hearing is indeed a blessing. I can continue to play my violin in the symphony, work in the operating room, and live my life to the fullest now. I even can hear my two year old grandson say "I love you, Grandma!" and I can hear the cries of my new born grandson! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
S.J. from American Fork

We are accepting nomination still until Monday December 12, 2011. You can submit an application online at http://www.utahhearingaids.com/christmas_form.php for yourself or a loved one.

Why Not To Buy Hearing Aids Online

2011-12-02T08:24:00.001-08:00

Emmett, Idaho -- A hearing aid exploded near an Emmett man while it was being charged.

He wasn't' seriously injured but, now he wants to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else.

He was trying to help someone by buying the hearing aid online. It turned out his good intentions to help someone literally blew up in his face. He says he wants everyone else to know that buying a hearing aid online is not a good idea.

Kevin Airrington just wanted to help an elderly neighbor who has a hearing problem.

"He asked me about getting a hearing aid because he went to the ear doctor and it's about $3,000 and his insurance wouldn't cover it," said Airrington.

So he looked online and found one on eBay.

"It was like $22 bucks, really cheap," said Airrington.

The product was made in China.

"We knew it wouldn't work like a three thousand dollar hearing aid, but we thought it might help him enough to where he wasn't going 'huh' all the time," said Airrington.

It arrived by mail on Monday.

"I open it up; I'm kind of excited that it's here for him. I'm going to charge it up so it's all charged up ready to go as soon as he comes over," said Airrington.

He plugged it in and went back to what he was doing.

"Less than five minutes later, there was this big loud kaboom," said Airrington.

"I hear, this bang and I look around and my dad he looks confused himself and he's holding his face," said Nicholas James, Airrington's son.

"My face was burning and my ear was ringing. There was quite a bit of pain," said Airrington.

He couldn't' figure out what had happened.

"I see pieces of plastic all over and, you know, after looking around I realized this is what happened," said Airrington.

The hearing aid had been blown to bits.

"The hearing aid exploded like a bomb, just kaboom!" said Airrington.

"Just think what would happened if it had exploded in somebody's ear," said James.

Airrington was slightly injured in the face, but what's worse is his hearing was affected. He got a refund for the product and he also called eBay and they said they were sorry, but there was nothing they could do.

"And they said 'yes, if somebody sent you a bomb through eBay all you do is leave negative feedback,'" said Airrington.

An expert from the Idaho Elks rehab hospital says it's not only a bad idea but, also illegal to sell hearing aids online directly to customers.

He says it's best to go to a trained doctor to get a prescription in the first place.

"One thing you get is their professional expertise and training how to adjust and fit that hearing instrument and how to do the follow up care. The real success of most hearing aid patients is in the relationship with the audio expert they are working with," said Michael Sturmak, chief operating officer of Elks Hearing and Balance Center.

A professional will make sure it's fitted properly and that the hearing aid works correctly.

"Plus, you don't have any real understanding of what you're getting. You may be getting something someone made in somebody's garage," said Sturmak.

To find out more about investing in better hearing with a certified Audiologist, go to www.utahhearingaids.com.

New Study: 1 in 5 Over the Age of 12 Have a Hearing Loss

2011-11-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

Reposted from http://news.yahoo.com/hearing-loss-far-more-common-expected-210408085.html

MONDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Hearing loss affects
about one-fifth of Americans aged 12 and older, a far higher number than previously believed, researchers report.

They examined data from people whose hearing was tested during National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2001 to 2008. Based on the World Health Organization's definition of hearing loss (unable to hear sounds of 25 decibels or less in the speech frequencies), the NHANES data showed that 12.7 percent (30 million people) of the U.S. population aged 12 and older had hearing loss in both ears and 20.3 percent (48 million
people) had hearing loss in at least one ear.

Previous estimates put the numbers at 21 million to 29 million.

This new study also found that rates of hearing loss nearly doubled with every decade of age, and that women and blacks were significantly less likely to have hearing loss at any age.
It's not clear why women and blacks are less likely to experience hearing loss, study leader Dr. Frank Lin said in a university news release.

Lin is an assistant professor with dual appointments in both the department of otolaryngology-head & neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and in the department of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

It may be that the female hormone estrogen and the melanin pigment in darker skin could have a protective effect on the inner ear, which Lin and colleagues plan to investigate in future studies.

Lin said the findings of this study, published Nov. 14 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, will help research into hearing loss and its potential consequences such as cognitive decline, dementia and poor physical functioning.

"This gives us the real scope of the problem for the first time and shows us how big of a problem hearing loss really is," Lin said.

If you would like to learn more about hearing loss, go to www.utahhearingaids.com. To schedule a free hearing exam and consultation with a board certified audiologist, call 801-770-0801.

Why NOT To Use Cotton Swabs To Clean Your Ears

2011-11-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

An old saying tells us not to stick anything in our ears smaller than our elbow. Audiologists have told their patients this for years. It seems like common sense, but a new study has confirmed that there is a direct association between those who ignore that advice and use cotton swabs to clean their ears and ruptured ear drums.

When you clean your ears with a cotton swab, you risk damaging your ear drum if the swab goes too far into the ear. A study shows, that more than half of the people who visit ear, throat and nose specialists confess to using cotton swabs to clean their ears.

A ruptured eardrum, also known as tympanic membrane perforations (TMP), is a tear in the tympanic membrane, which separates the outer ear from the inner ear. A ruptured eardrum may be accompanied by sharp ear pain, an earache, ear drainage, ear ringing or buzzing, dizziness or hearing loss. In severe cases, vertigo and facial paralysis can occur.

A ruptured eardrum can lead to discomfort, and even though the study showed that most cases healed on their own within two months, surgery can in some cases be required.
Alternative ways to clean your ears

As for alternative ways to clean your ears, study co-author Dr. Michael Seidman, director of the division of otologic and neurotologic surgery at Henry Ford Hospital, recommends these methods:

Mix equal amounts of cool peroxide and hot tap water. Allow the mixture to reach body temperature and then gently irrigate the ear. No more than twice a month.
Mix one part plain vinegar and one part water and use four or five drops once a week.
Try an over-the-counter ear wax removal product and follow the directions carefully.
Make an appointment with a doctor to have ear wax removed. Those in Utah County can call 801-770-0801 to schedule a wax-removal appointment. You can also go to our website at www.utahhearingaids.com for more information on the ear.

The study

The study was carried out by researchers from Henry Ford Hospital. In the study, the researchers examined the medical records of 1,540 patients who suffered from ruptured eardrums between 2001 and 2010.

Tinnitus and Neuromonics for our Veterans

2011-11-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

Did you know that tinnitus is one of the most common post-war complaints of our returning soldiers? Watch this CNN story about one soldier's experience and how Neuromonics helped him.

Should I Get Help For the Ringing In My Ears?

2011-11-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Nothing is as scary as something that you don't understand. Educating yourself about any condition is the first step to treating it.

Even though tinnitus usually begins with a hearing loss, the problem is not exclusive to the ears. It is the result of neurological mis-fires in the auditory system and within the parts of the brain that affect your conscious thoughts and emotions.

Every case of tinnitus is unique, but there are some commonly accepted explanations for its cause.

In our brains, there is neurological activity occurring all of the time. Normally, this activity is “masked” by everyday sounds. When something happens to alter the natural balance of activity (such as a hearing loss, head trauma, etc…), the neurological activity is changed and the brain interprets this activity as sound. This could be a rustling, whistling or ringing sound—and it is this sound that it known as tinnitus.

50 million Americans suffer from tinnitus, but only about 4% of those suffer badly enough to seek professional treatment. This first step in treatment is an evaluation by an audiologist who will diagnose the problem and present treatment options and recommendations.

So how do you know if you are one of the 4% who should seek professional help? Follow this link to take a simple online self evaluation. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an evaluation with the ONLY clinic in the Intermountain West that is able to provide both Neuromonics and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, call 801-770-0801.

You can also sign up for our free education seminar on November 15th in Lehi, UT to have any questions answered and to hear about the latest treatment options. RSVP by calling 801-770-0801.

Tinnitus Seminar November 15th 2011 in Lehi, UT

2011-10-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

Timpanogos Hearing and Balance will hold an informational seminar on tinnitus Tuesday, Nov. 15, 6:30-8 p.m., at the Best Western Timpanogos Inn in Lehi.

Layne Garrett, Au.D., director of audiology at Timpanogos Hearing & Balance, will speak at the seminar. He will discuss living with tinnitus and developments in treatments for tinnitus, the widespread condition defined as the perception of sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus affects more than 50 million people in the United States. The condition, usually brought on by exposure to loud noise, is especially significant in the military, with more than 34 percent of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from tinnitus.

The seminar will include discussion of the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment (NTT), a particularly effective treatment protocol delivered through its easy-to-use Oasis device. The device is the only FDA-cleared, patented and clinically proven medical device with documented long-term relief of severe or chronic tinnitus. Timpanogos Hearing & Balance is one of only four providers in Utah to offer the NTT, which CNN recently featured in its profile on tinnitus.

The Oasis device looks like a small consumer music player and works by desensitizing the patient’s tinnitus perception. The patient wears the device for a prescribed number of hours on a daily basis, listening to soothing music that audiologists customize to each person’s unique hearing profile. A recent independent study shows that more than 90 percent of patients who use the NTT experience a significant reduction in tinnitus.

“The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment has proven to be one of the most effective ways to treat tinnitus on a long-term basis,” says Garrett. “The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment reduces hypersensitivity and annoying environmental sounds – all by allowing the user to enjoy music, without constant distraction of their tinnitus. In effect, the treatment enables the brain to create alternative pathways so tinnitus is no longer perceived.”

RSVP, More information

The seminar, free of charge, will be open to the public as well as medical providers and clinicians who find tinnitus a debilitating condition among their patients. Seating is limited; RSVP is required to Timpanogos Hearing and Balance at 801-770-4744 or info@utahhearingaids.com by Nov. 11. Light refreshments will be served at the event.

The Best Western Timpanogos Inn is located at 195 S 850 E in Lehi. For more information, contact the office or visit Timpanogos Hearing & Balance’s website at www.utahtinnitus.com

Timpanogos Hearing & Balance (www.utahhearingaids.com)

With locations in American Fork and Spanish Fork, Timpanogos Hearing & Balance is an audiology practice that helps adults and children with hearing and balance challenges. The professional staff includes three audiologists and two audiology technicians in addition to professional office staff. The practice offers a complete assessment of tinnitus and treatments for tinnitus, ranging from hearing aids to the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment.

New Study Shows That Musicians Hear Better

2011-10-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

Parents are often told that having their children learn to play a musical instrument helps them to be better students. However, recent studies indicate that learning to play a musical instrument helps you to hear better when you get older.

The study, published in Psychology and Aging, carried out hearing tests on 74 adult musicians and 89 non-musicians. It found a 70-year-old musician's hearing was as good as that of a 50-year-old who did not play.

Hearing normally declines as people age. By 60, 10-30% of people have moderate hearing loss. By 80, that goes up to as many as 60%. Problems are particularly seen in the central auditory processing system, which is associated with understanding speech, especially when there is background noise - often described as the "cocktail party problem".

Previous studies have shown musicians have better hearing than non-players. But this research, by a team at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto, looked at adults of all ages - from 18 to 91 - to see how people were affected as they aged.

They carried out hearing tests on 74 amateur and professional musicians (who had played since the age of 16, were still practising and had been given formal music lessons) and 89 non-musicians (who had never played an instrument).

Musicians were significantly better at picking out speech against noise.

The researchers suggest that lifelong musicianship mitigates age-related changes in the brain, probably due to musicians using their auditory systems at a high level on a regular basis.

Benjamin Zendel, who was part of the research team, said: "We found that being a musician may contribute to better hearing in old age by delaying some of the age-related changes in central auditory processing.

"This advantage widened considerably for musicians as they got older when compared to similar-aged non-musicians."

All people, whether musicians or not should protect their hearing and have annual hearing exams after age 60 to monitor their hearing. You can call for a free hearing consultation at one of our two Utah County offices at 801-770-0801 or see http://www.utahhearingaids.com/ for more information about hearing and hearing protection.

“Use It or Lose It” – Why Your Brain Needs Hearing Aids

2011-10-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Many studies have shown that hearing better helps family relationships, helps people to increase their earning potential, and improves health and safety. Recent studies, however, have shown that untreated hearing loss causes cognitive degeneration and early intervention considerably slows that decline.

On average, people tend to wait five to seven years between first experiencing hearing loss symptoms and actually getting help for it. But research shows there are good reasons to seek hearing loss treatment sooner rather than later.

Early intervention prevents your brain from forgetting what to do
Over time, reduced stimulation to the ears and brain can actually impair the brain’s ability to process sound and recognize speech. Once speech recognition deteriorates, it is only partially recoverable with hearing aids in place.
Early intervention slows cognitive decline and communication problems
When you can’t hear what’s going on around you, it contributes to reduced mental sharpness and communication abilities.
Early intervention improves the use of hearing aids themselves
The earlier people begin to use hearing aids, the more comfortable they are with them, and the easier it is to learn to use them to greatest advantage. (If your world has been mostly silent, it can take longer to adapt to once again hearing all the little environmental sounds like fans, airplanes and footsteps.)

If you or someone you love is experiencing untreated hearing loss, realize that waiting longer is going to actually worsen your problem. Taking action sooner rather than later will not only let you live a fuller life for a longer period of time, but will slow down the progression of the condition.

Timpanogos Hearing & Balance offers free hearing consultations with a Board Certified Audiologist. They will examine your ears, test your hearing, and explain the results and their recommendations clearly. If hearing devices are recommended, we will let you try them for free for a week to make sure that you can really see a difference.

Call and schedule your free consulation today at 801-770-0801 or go to http://www.utahhearingaids.com/news.php for free online offers!

One Patient's Lyric Hearing Success

2011-10-13T10:38:00.001-07:00

If you have ever wondered about the completely invisible, hassle-free Lyric hearing aids, take a look at the success of one patient who has used hearing aids for years. Thanks for the good words, Mr. Matson!

You can find more information on our site at: http://www.utahhearingaids.com/lyric.php or call for a free demonstration and two week trial at 801-770-0801!

"Blindness Separates Us From Things, But Deafness Separates Us From People"

2011-10-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880. Contrary to popular belief, she was not born blind and deaf, but was left with those disabilities after a serious illness at the age of 19 months. In spite of her obvious physical limitations, Helen worked very hard to become and educated, contributing member of society and a hero to anyone who has a disability.

She had the following to say about her perceptions on being blind and deaf:

"I am just as deaf as I am blind. The problems of deafness are deeper and more complex, if not more important than those of blindness. Deafness is a much worse misfortune. For it means the loss of the most vital stimulus-- the sound of the voice that brings language, sets thoughts astir, and keeps us in the intellectual company of man. "

"Blindness separates us from things but deafness separates us from people."

"Children who hear acquire language without any particular effort; the words that fall from others’ lips they catch on the wing, as it were, delightedly, while the little deaf child must trap them by a slow and often painful process. But whatever the process, the result is wonderful. Gradually from naming an object we advance step by step until we have traversed the vast distance between our first stammered syllable and the sweep of thought in a line of Shakespeare."

Those who live with hearing loss in any degree are missing part of that "most vital stimulus" talked about by Helen Keller. The good news is that of the 34 million people who have hearing loss in the United States, 95% of them can be helped.

If you or someone you love experiences the lonely effects of hearing loss, contact a hearing professional such as Timpanogos Hearing & Balance (801-770-0801) to begin the journey back to hearing today!

Queen drummer Taylor reliant on hearing aids

2011-09-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

A long life as a musician in the rock band Queen has left its mark on drummer Roger Taylor’s hearing, but the rocker is still active

Years of playing loud music has made Roger Taylor hard of hearing and reliant on hearing aids. "I guess it was inevitable and hardly surprising given what I have been doing for the past 40 years,” the Queen star says.

My standard reply

There is a running joke in Taylor’s house, that no matter which question you ask the Queen drummer, the response is always the same. “Half-past seven is my standard reply,” Taylor says with a smile. “It doesn’t matter whether they’ve asked me what I want to drink, watch on TV or where I want to go on holiday.”

Behind this private joke lies the uncomfortable truth that one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music has suffered dramatic hearing loss.

Found By His Wife

My wife was the one who kept pointing out that the TV volume was up too loud, though I could only just hear it. Then I kept missing out on dialogue in films and at dinner parties and social gatherings I couldn’t understand what people were saying. It felt strange and frustrating to a point where I was starting to lip-read. I realised my hearing wasn’t what it should be,” the drummer explains.

Hearing aids help

Taylor is now wearing hearing aids in both ears. Luckily, the hearing loss has not affected Taylor’s vocal range, but his hearing aids are a great help. “I can still pitch perfectly but without the hearing aids I don’t hear the intricate high parts of the actual spectrum. It goes all ‘wooferly’.”

Good company

Taylor is not the only rock musician struggling with serious hearing loss e.g. The Who's Pete Townshend is also suffering from hearing loss, so the Queen star feels he is in "good company".

One Man's Experience Hearing Better

2011-09-19T13:15:00.001-07:00

New Research Shows That Hearing Aids Help Majority of Users to Regain Quality of Life

2011-09-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC — According to a new research study conducted by the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), today’s technically advanced, sleekly designed hearing aids are helping people with hearing loss regain their quality of life and remain socially involved.

The researchers surveyed 2,000 hearing aid users from across the United States and found that 8 out of 10 hearing aid users are satisfied with the changes that have occurred in their lives specifically due to their hearing aids. In addition, 82% of participants say that they would recommend hearing aids to their friends.

“This survey clearly reveals how dramatically people’s lives can improve with the use of hearing aids,” said Sergei Kochkin, PhD, BHI’s executive director and frequent contributor to The Hearing Review.

The improvements that participants saw in their quality of life as a result of their use of hearing aids were broad and varied. Among the findings:

■Nearly 70% of hearing aid users said their ability to communicate effectively in most situations improved because of their hearing aid;

■A little more than half said their hearing aids improved their relationships at home, their social life, and their ability to join in groups;

■Roughly 40% noted improvements in their sense of safety, self-confidence, feelings about self, sense of independence, and work relationships;

■Between 25% and 33% of hearing aid users said they even saw improvements in their romance, sense of humor, cognitive skills, and mental, emotional, and physical health;

■91% of all hearing aid users surveyed are satisfied with the ability of their hearing aids to improve communication in one-on-one situations; and

■85% of hearing aid users are satisfied their hearing aids improve communications in small groups; 80% while watching television; 78% while outdoors; 78% during leisure activities; 77% while shopping; and 77% while riding in a car.

Kochkin commented that outdated notions about hearing aids pose a significant barrier that inhibits people from addressing their hearing loss. He also said that public perception of hearing aids hasn’t kept pace with the new technologies and discreet designs of today’s modern devices. Furthermore, the misperceptions are holding people back from improving their quality of life by addressing their hearing loss.

Indeed, the BHI study reveals that 79% of people who do seek help and use hearing aids are satisfied with them, and 86% are satisfied with the benefit they derive from hearing aid usage.

“Today’s hearing aids are about staying young, not growing old,” Kochkin explained in the press statement. “People want to hold onto their vitality as they enter and move through middle-age. But when someone ignores a hearing loss—which oftentimes has progressed gradually over time as a result of repeated noise exposure—that individual unwittingly begins losing the very vitality they treasure. What this research shows, however, is that those who do face their hearing loss and use hearing aids are experiencing significant and satisfying improvements in their quality of life.”

For more details, see the entire news release on BHI’s Web site.

SOURCE: Better Hearing Institute

Hearing Aids May Help Decrease Brain Atrophy

2011-09-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Reprinted from Hearing Review: http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2011-09-08_05.asp

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania shows that declines in hearing ability may accelerate gray matter atrophy in auditory areas of the brain and increase the listening effort necessary for older adults to successfully comprehend speech. However, a hearing aid may help decrease the atrophy, as well as help hearing ability.

When a sense (taste, smell, sight, hearing, touch) is altered, the brain reorganizes and adjusts. In the case of poor hearers, the researchers found that the gray matter density of the auditory areas was lower in people with decreased hearing ability, suggesting a link between hearing ability and brain volume.

Lead author Jonathan Peelle, PhD, research associate in the Department of Neurology, explained in the press release, "As hearing ability declines with age, interventions such as hearing aids should be considered, not only to improve hearing, but [also] to preserve the brain." He added, "People hear differently, and those with even moderate hearing loss may have to work harder to understand complex sentences."

In a pair of studies, researchers measured the relationship of hearing acuity to the brain, first measuring the brain's response to increasingly complex sentences and then measuring cortical brain volume in the auditory cortex. Older adults (60-77 years of age) with normal hearing for their age were evaluated to determine whether normal variations in hearing ability impacted the structure or function of the network of areas in the brain supporting speech comprehension.

The studies found that people with hearing loss showed less brain activity on functional MRI scans when listening to complex sentences. Poorer hearers also had less gray matter in the auditory cortex, suggesting that areas of the brain related to auditory processing may show accelerated atrophy when hearing ability declines.

In general, research suggests that hearing sensitivity has cascading consequences for the neural processes supporting both perception and cognition. Although the research was conducted in older adults, the findings also have implications for younger adults, including those concerned about listening to music at loud volumes. "Your hearing ability directly affects how the brain processes sounds, including speech," says Peelle. "Preserving your hearing doesn't only protect your ears, but also helps your brain perform at its best."

The research appears in the August 31, 2011, edition of The Journal of Neuroscience and was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Physicians should monitor hearing in patients as they age, noting that individuals who still fall within normal hearing ability may have increasing complaints of speech comprehension issues. Patients should talk to their physician or an audiologist if they are experiencing any difficulty hearing or understanding speech.

Is Your Child Hearing Well?

2011-09-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Child Hearing Loss

Hearing loss at any age is an emotional issue. It robs you of a sense that adds so much to the richness of life. This loss is especially heartbreaking in children. Not only does it impact the sound experience of a life yet to be lived to the fullest, but it also creates a barrier to a child's number one job, learning. Fortunately, many causes of hearing loss are treatable, and it is often possible to return the sounds of childhood to a young life. Read on to learn more.

Categories of Hearing Loss

As with adults, hearing loss in children is measured in degrees. The loss can range from mild, one that causes difficulty hearing hushed tones such as a whisper to moderately severe, where the child can still hear loud speech, to a total loss resulting in deafness.

Hearing loss in children typically falls into two main categories. The most common, a conductive hearing loss, is associated with conditions in the external or middle ear that block the transmission of sound. These conditions can include ear infection, fluid in the ear, impacted earwax, a perforated eardrum, a foreign object in the canal or birth defects that alter the canal. Many of these conditions are treatable through minor procedures or surgery.

Sensorineural loss, also known as "nerve deafness", is the second type. This occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or nerve pathways from the inner to the brain. Most often, this type of loss is caused by congenital. It can also be caused by the use of ototoxic drugs (antibiotics), premature birth with a very low birth weight and some of the resulting treatments or a number of other medical conditions. Although there is no cure for this type of hearing loss, in most cases children can often be helped with hearing aids.

Symptoms

Signs to look for possible hearing issues in children of different ages are:

Newborn / infant:

•Not startling at loud noises

•Not showing normal speech development

Toddler and older:

•Sitting close to the television with the sound turned up to a loud volume

•Having difficulty in school

•Not responding to someone that is talking without being face to face

•Stating they are having difficulty hearing

If you believe your child is experiencing a hearing loss, please come to our office in American Fork or Spanish Fork to meet with our Audiologists. Timely hearing testing, diagnosis and treatment will provide the best course of action ensuring the highest quality lifetime experiences for your child.

Hearing Aids Running On Methanol?

2011-09-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Reposted from http://www.hearit.org/

In just a short time, hearing aid batteries could be replaced by a drop of methanol.

Danish scientists are working on replacing the existing batteries in hearing aids with easily rechargeable fuel cells which run on methanol.

”We have come further than we ever could have hoped when we started this project of designing methanol-based batteries which can replace the traditional zinc batteries in hearing aids today”. That is what Leif Højslet Christensen, head of the Danish Technological Institute, and head of the project, says.

Recharging in 30 seconds

The vision of the project is that the batteries in a hearing aid should not need to be replaced for five years. Instead, one should simply take the hearing aid with its in-built fuel cell out and fill it with methanol for 30 seconds in a recharger. After this, it can be put back in the ear.

“Our realistic hope right from the start was to get a fuel cell to last for a month before it needed to be changed. Now, we have reached a life of five weeks. We are very satisfied with that,” says Leif Højslet Christensen.

”We are also very satisfied that we have developed a docking station – a recharger- about the size of a mobile phone, in which one opens the lid, puts the hearing aid in, closes it again and pushes a button, so that the fuel cells are refuelled with methanol.”

Leif Højslet Christensen explains, that they have already attached a hearing aid to a fuel cell via wires and can, in practice, say that the hearing aid runs on methanol. The goal now is to make the fuel cells small enough that they can be put directly in the hearing aid.

Perhaps ready by 2012

“We expect to launch the first fuel cells, which can be used directly in hearing aids, in 2012 – 18 months earlier than expected,” explains Leif Højslet Christensen.

There are around 40 million hearing aid users in the world. They use 3.7 million batteries per year, which today contain mercury. The more of these which can be replaced, the better it is for the environment.

Leif Højslet Christensen explains, that each fuel cell uses 1:100-200 thousandths of a litre of methanol in each recharging. According to him, the waste products are water vapour and carbon dioxide, which are both totally harmless to both people and the environment.

The Danish Technological Institute is working with scientists from DTU Nanotech in Copenhagen and Institute of Chemistry at the University of Aarhus.

Sources: Hørelsen 01, 2011 and Auris, 01, 2011

Hearing helper? Help loved ones deal with hearing loss-the right way.

2011-08-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hearing loss is a common problem in our noisy society. So is denial you're experiencing hearing loss.

To compensate for hearing loss, people in denial will often ask those around them to repeat information at greater volume, unintentionally compelling their loved ones to act as their ears. Yet acting as ears for a hearing-impaired loved one who is in denial can actually do more harm than good.

Dr. Richard Carmen, an advisor with the Better Hearing Institute, offers tips on how to get loved ones to admit their hearing loss and seek treatment:

* Stop repeating yourself and stop raising your voice.
* Enlist the entire family in helping your hearing impaired loved one overcome his denial.
* Use an alerting phrase like "Hearing Helper," and say it every time a hearing-impaired loved one requires you to repeat information or raise your voice in order for him to hear better. The repetition will bring home to the person how often he or she asks for help to hear.

To learn more about hearing loss and effective treatments, visit the Better Hearing Institute's Web site at www.BetterHearing.org.

(Reprinted with permission from the Better Hearing Institute.)

Collecting Hearing Aids for Christmas Donation Program!

2011-08-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Reprinted from Daily Herald http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_6e6b92f5-15ea-57dd-ae94-44ec9dda31e2.html by Heidi Toth

Hearing aids have now joined soda cans, cell phones and bald tires on the list of "stuff you have no use for but somebody else does."

Timpanogos Hearing and Balance, a hearing center with offices in Utah County, and the Utah Department of Health are collecting old hearing aids that are cleaned up, refurbished and then donated to people who need hearing aids but can't afford them.

That list is longer than people might think. Grandpa's old hearing aid probably will end up in the ear of a working man who's supporting his children or a teenager with a hearing disability.

"There's a huge need, actually," Kim Garrett, the Timpanogos practice manager, said.

They started collecting hearing aids several years ago in concert with America Helps, a nonprofit organization that sends old hearing aids to people in Africa who need them. That's still a part of their mission, but Garrett said after a while they realized a significant number of people in Utah County needed hearing aids but couldn't pay for them. So now the company focuses its work close to home.

That need isn't just that people are struggling with rising medical costs; it's also that more people are experiencing hearing loss at a younger age. Garrett said the fastest-growing range of people developing hearing problems are younger than 55 years old.

You can blame the earbuds for that one.

While there are many reasons for hearing loss, the trend of cranking the volume on MP3 players plays a significant role in younger people losing their hearing, Stephanie McVicar, an audiologist with the Utah Department of Health, said. The sensitive hearing organs can suffer permanent damage from overexposure to loud music, explosions and other loud noises.

Those are the people Timpanogos Hearing and Balance is focused on helping. The health department has geared its donation efforts toward children who are born with hearing disabilities. Utah has about a 98 percent rate of screening newborns for hearing loss, which can be passed down genetically or be the result of an infection the mother contracted while pregnant. However, not all of the families who find out their baby has a hearing disability have the means to fix it, as many private health insurers don't cover it, and the state only pays for those families who are on Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Now, thanks to donations of reused hearing aids, more children up to 5 years old are getting fitted for hearing aids quickly, often before they start school.

"Oh my goodness, it's huge, particularly in a child," McVicar said of the impact of being able to hear properly. "The sooner these kiddos get fit, the better off they're going to be."

A child's managing audiologist puts the child on a waiting list and, if the family meets the financial criteria, the child is then fitted from the stock of donated hearing aids. That stock works for all but the most severe cases, she said.

Any hearing aids can be donated; those that don't work for hearing loss in children can be returned to manufacturers for credit.

Timpanogos Hearing and Balance also will take any hearing aids, Garrett said. They work with a company that adjusts the hearing aids so each meets a person's needs, and all but the old hearing aids can be refurbished. Those that cannot be adjusted are sent to Africa, since the villages they're going to do not have the capability to do the adjusting.

Timpanogos Hearing and Balance collects year-round and during Christmas selects people from all of those nominated to receive hearing aids. To nominate someone, go to www.utahhearingaids.com.

Timpanogos American Fork office: (801) 763-0724

Timpanogos Spanish Fork office: (801) 853-8153

Children's Hearing and Speech Services: (801) 584-8215

You can nominate yourself or someone else for this program by going to http://www.utahhearingaids.com/christmas_form.php

Dr. Garrett On Helping Everyone to Hear Better

2011-08-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hearing for the Whole World

2011-08-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

RePosted from http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_07844ae9-3da3-5147-8435-1588be987c10.html?print=1
Local doctor providing hearing aids to people in Ghana

Special to the Daily Herald
Posted: Friday, August 19, 2011 12:06 am

The ability to hear is something many people take for granted. But without it, communication can be very difficult.

And in a country like Ghana, a person with hearing loss can have a hard time finding employment. Those who can't find work often live in desperate poverty.

Dr. Layne M. Garrett, an audiologist at Timpanogos Hearing and Balance, has given the gift of improved hearing to hundreds of people in Ghana, from the capital city of Accra to tiny villages across the country.

Garrett says most of the hearing loss he encounters in Ghana comes from genetic factors or diseases like malaria. He has traveled to Ghana three times since 2005, and has another trip planned for November. He estimates that his team of audiologists, medical doctors, nurses, educators, and support staff has fit about 3,000 needy folks with hearing aids. The hearing aids are donated to Timpanogos Hearing and Balance, and are sometimes refurbished before being taken to Ghana.

In addition to the difficulties of finding employment, a person with hearing loss can often be physically at risk if they are unable to hear an approaching vehicle or a smoke detector, for example. Hearing loss can reduce people's ability to communicate with and understand others, straining relationships and leading to problems like depression, isolation, and withdrawal.

Garrett remembers one small boy, about 3 years old, in Ghana in 2005. The boy's family knew he couldn't hear, so they brought him to Garrett's clinic, where the boy was fitted with a hearing aid.

"Watching his face light up the minute he was able to hear his mother's voice was just an incredible thing," Garrett recalls.

Garrett doesn't confine his humanitarian work to overseas. During the Christmas season, Timpanogos Hearing and Balance operates a program to fit local people with hearing aids on a charitable basis. The office is currently accepting nominations on its website, utahhearingaids.com.

"Being able to help people, whether they're there or here, makes the experience worthwhile," Garrett says.

Matt Lauer's Hearing Test

2011-08-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Great story on the increasing prevalence of hearing loss, the process of having your hearing tested, and the options for treatment. Thanks, Matt Lauer!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We're on T.V.!

2011-08-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here's the YouTube video produced by Spanish Fork Channel 17 of our Grand Opening. Thank you Spanish Fork Chamber of Commerce!

Interesting Facts About Hearing.

2011-08-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

The world is filled with many interesting facts. Here are a few interesting ones about our miraculous ears.

1.The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.

2.Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

3.The ears of a cricket are located on the front legs, just below the knee.

4.A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.

5.Most people associate ears with hearing and sound but don’t realize that the inner ear helps them to have good balance as they walk and run as well.

6.The smallest bone found in the human body is located in the middle ear and is only 2.8 millimetres long. It is also commonly known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup and collectively all three bones can fit together on a penny.

7.Animals hear better than humans, especially dogs who can hear at much higher frequency than humans.

8.When you go up to a high elevation, your ears pop. This is because your Eustacion tubes are equalizing the pressure between the outside air and that inside your ear.

9.The ear continues to hear sounds, even while you sleep.

10.Fish do not have any ears but they can hear by the changes of pressure through the ridges on their body.

11.Snakes can hear through their jaw bone and through a traditional inner ear. In essence, snakes have two types of hearing mechanisms, which also helps them hear and catch prey.

12.Sitting in front of the speakers at a pop or rock concert can expose you to 120 decibels, which will begin to damage hearing after only seven and a half minutes.

13.Thirty-seven percent of children who have a minimal hearing loss will fail at least one grade.

14.Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs that grow on their antennae.

Free Money!

2011-07-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the Grand Opening of our new Spanish Fork office, for a limited time, we are QUADRUPLING our referral bonus. That's right. If you refer a friend, family member, or anyone else into our office and that person purchases hearing technology, we will send you:

Your referral will also get a free consultation with one of our AudigyCertified audiologists, as well as $1000 off of their technology purchase. You don't have to be one of our patients to take advantage of this offer. Just make sure that the person you are referring mentions your name (or call us yourself and let us know.)

This offer is for a limited time and is simply our way of thanking those who let their friends and family members know where they can receive the best hearing care in the state of Utah! Call our American Fork office at 801-770-0801 or our Spanish Fork office at 801-853-8153 for more details or to make an appointment.

(*Thank you amount will be given on an American Express gift card.)

Grand Opening!

2011-07-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

The ribbon is cut and we are now officially open in Spanish Fork. Thank you so much to the wonderful Spanish Fork / Salem Chamber of Commerce for helping us to get this fun event set up. Here are a few pictures:

Cutting the Ribbon-- thank you to family, old friends and new friends for your support!

Thank you to Sam's Club for a delicious cake!

Here's Kim, Dr. Garrett, and Dr. Forsey being interviewed for Spanish Fork Channel 17 News.

Inside the reception area of the new office.

Thank you everyone! We look forward to seeing you soon at one of our two locations!

Timpanogos Hearing & Balance Now Open in Spanish Fork!

2011-07-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the new Spanish Fork Branch of Timpanogos Hearing & Balance located at 642 East Kirby Lane, #102! Phone number: 801-798-7210. (We are in the same parking lot as Wingers on Highway 6)

We are officially open for business in that location, but our official Grand Opening Ceremony will be Thursday, July 14th at 12:00 pm. We will have local television coverage, refreshments, gifts, and more! We'd love to see you there!

This office, like our office in American Fork is an Audigy Certified, full-service hearing and balance clinic serving the people of Southern Utah County. We provide:

Comprehensive hearing evaluations for all ages
Sales and service for all major brands of hearing technology
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) evaluation and treatment
Balance evaluation and treatment
Ear plugs and hearing loss prevention
Ear wax removal and management
All insurance plans accepted

Please join us for our special event or stop in to say hi and to see the new office!

View Larger Map

Meet Dr. Steven Forsey!

2011-06-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

We would like to introduce to you the newest member of our team, Dr. Steven Forsey! Dr. Forsey will be mainly working in our NEW SPANISH FORK office, which will open in July 2011. (More information coming soon!)

Dr. Steven Forsey was born and raised in Spanish Fork. He has strong roots in southern Utah County as his family owned and operated “Forsey’s Variety Store” in Spanish Fork, Payson, Nephi and Heber City. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Brigham Young University and his Doctorate of Audiology degree from Idaho State University. Dr. Forsey specializes in hearing aid sales and service, balance and dizziness assessments of adults, diagnostic hearing and pediatric hearing assessments. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and is certified by the American Speech Language-Hearing Association.

In his spare time he enjoys snowboarding, hiking, spending time with his family, and changing the air filter is his favorite way to pretend he is good with cars. He is married to Mandy Johnson also from Spanish Fork and has three children.

Dr. Forsey will be wroking in the American Fork office until July--- stop by and say hello!

Check Out These Hearing Videos!

2011-06-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

In an effort to promote more educated choices among our patients, we have been working on our website. We now offer professionally produced video clips on our site on the following topics:

We hope that you enjoy these informative videos!

Calorie restriction may delay age-related hearing loss

2011-06-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US have succeeded in delaying age-related hearing loss in mice by restricting their intake of calories.

Experiments with mice have shown that a 25% reduction in calories activated a single enzyme, Sirt3, which helped preserve hearing. The experiments are described by researches in the journal Cell.

"If we can find compounds that activate Sirt3 we may be able to obtain some of the benefits of caloric restriction without having to restrict our calories," said Tomas A. Prolla, a professor of genetics at University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US and senior author of the new paper.

Prolla and his colleagues carried out experiments with normal mice and mice deprived of the Sirt3 enzyme. In one experiment both groups were fed the 25%-reduced calorie diet for 10 months. The diet had the same weight loss effect on both groups.

Although the diet delayed hearing loss at various frequencies in the normal mice, it did not work at all in the mice lacking Sirt3.

Energy factories and free radicals

The experiments also suggested how the benefits of caloric restriction play out at the molecular level.

"What seems to happen that drives caloric restriction is that the organism senses it is under stress," Prolla explained. "There are then metabolic changes that favour self-preservation."

Under normal conditions, he said, levels of Sirt3 are low. Caloric restriction appears to boost levels of Sirt3 and the boost helps the cells' energy factories, called mitochondria.

The mitochondria produce not only the energy, but also atoms called free radicals, which damage cells and advance the effects of aging. When Sirt3 levels rise, however, they reduce production of the harmful free radicals. One result is less damage to cells, including the cells of the inner ear.

"We need to find out which are the main mediators of caloric restriction," Prolla said, explaining that the current study indicates Sirt3 is one of them. "Once we've identified them we can come up with interventions that mimic caloric restriction."

Click here for the full article from the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel

A Couple of Random Items

2011-05-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

We finally got a new sign for the front-- the old one faced West and was starting to melt. Take a look when you are driving by on 300 North!

Secondly, as adults over 55 are the fastest growing group of technology users, we thought we'd pass along the following guide to texting abbreviations-- specifically for seniors. Enjoy!

MIDDLE AGE TEXTING CODES:

ATD -at the doctor.
BFF -best friend fell.
BTW -bring the wheelchair.
BYOT -bring your own teeth.
FWIW -forgot where I was.
GGPBL -gotta go, pacemaker battery low.
GHA -got heartburn again.
IMHO -is my hearing aid on?
LMDO -laughing my dentures out.
OMMR -on my massage recliner.
ROFLACGU -rolling on floor laughing and can't get up.
TTYL -talk to you louder

ConnectLine Microphone Helps In Difficult Communication Situations

2011-05-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

At Timpanogos Hearing and Balance, we are constantly striving to provide the newest and best tools for our patients to communicate better with their loved ones. Recently, Oticon has developed a new tool that has been very successful for some of our patients.

The Oticon ConnectLine system empowers users to take full advantage of their Oticon hearing instruments’ wireless connectivity by streaming audio from a variety of modern communication and entertainment devices. With ConnectLine Microphone, patients can capture audio from a much more personal source in even the most difficult listening situations. New ConnectLine Microphone is a discreet clip-on microphone designed to pick up a companion’s voice, filter out surrounding sound and transmit conversation wirelessly through the Streamer to the user’s hearing instruments. For users, the wireless transmission from the microphone to the hearing instruments means enhanced ability to engage in one-on-one conversations in environments that may have been difficult if not impossible before.

“There are listening environments that make it almost impossible for people with hearing loss to carry on one-on-one conversations,” says Oticon President Peer Lauritsen. “When driving in a car, face-to-face communication is not an option. Everyone is facing the same direction, eliminating the possibility of lip and facial expression reading. This scenario is exacerbated by sound bouncing off the windows and background road noise. Other noisy environments such as social gatherings or restaurants also reduce the likelihood that quiet conversation between two people can be understood and enjoyed. The ConnectLine Microphone can help to bridge those communication gaps, empowering people with hearing loss to stream their conversation partner’s voice wirelessly to their hearing instruments.”

The discreet ConnectLine Microphone is worn by the user’s companion and connects wirelessly to the Streamer, allowing the user to hear the other person’s voice directly through his/her hearing instruments. With ConnectLine Microphone and other Connectline solutions including the ConnectLine TV Adapter and Phone Adapter, hearing device users have the potential to participate more actively and interact more naturally in some of life’s most important situations.

Call our office at 801-770-0801 if you are interested in trying out some of this fabulous new communication technology!

May is Better Hearing Month!

2011-05-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Since 1927, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month each May. This month of awareness is a good time to analyze your own hearing and determine if you are one of the estimated 28 million Americans who have a hearing loss that can be treated. You may have a hearing loss if you:

• frequently ask people to repeat themselves

• often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it better

• understand people better when you wear your glasses or look directly at their faces

• lose your place in group conversations

• keep the volume on your radio or TV at a level that others say is too loud

• have pain or ringing in your ears

"People who see themselves in these statements should see an audiologist for a hearing test," said audiologist (your name).

"Even a very slight hearing loss can have an impact on your daily life," said Dr. Garrett. "Hearing loss is treatable, and there is no reason for anyone to miss all the important sounds of life."

Annual hearing checkups is a good idea for people age 45 and up, according to audiologists, the professionals who specialize in preventing, identifying, assessing, and treating hearing disorders.

Audiologists can prescribe hearing aids and assistive listening devices, and they can teach people with hearing loss how to concentrate on hearing all sounds. Call 801-770-0801 during the month of May to schedule your free hearing health check up!

Best of State!

2011-05-09T13:13:00.000-07:00

Winners were just announced for Best of State 2011 and Timpanogos Hearing & Balance was named Best of State in Auditory Services! We are so excited about this honor-- we are very proud of our staff and their never-ending care for our patients.

If you haven't come into our office for a while, come in and say Hello and see the big improvements we've made in the last few months. You'll be surprised!

New Hearing Loss Survey Results

2011-04-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sergei Kochkin, an American hearing expert, has carried out various studies, the MarkeTrak Surveys, of hearing impaired Americans and their use of hearing aids. In his 2008 survey, MarkeTrak VIII, he found that:

More than 35 million Americans, 11.3 percent of the population, were hearing impaired.
More than 25 million of them did not have a hearing aid.
Only about 28.5 percent of hearing impaired Americans actually use hearing aids.

Furthermore, among people who suspect that their hearing is impaired, three in four wait for years before seeking treatment. The ratio is unchanged even among those whose suspicion is confirmed. Those are the findings of a new online survey conducted by hear-it.org.

Many hearing impaired people live with their untreated hearing loss for years, according to a new survey conducted by the non-commercial hear-it organization. Three in four people, who suspect that their hearing is impaired, said they believe that they have suffered from their hearing loss for more than a year. 37.5 percent said that they have lived with their untreated hearing loss for more than five years.

'My hearing loss got worse' is the main reason, given by 55.4 percent in an American survey, when hearing impaired people decide to get their first hearing aid. Many of them experience an improvement in their quality of life as they adapt to their hearing aids.

The finding was among the results of the extensive MarkeTrak VIII survey on hearing impairment in the US, conducted in 2009 by the American hearing expert, Sergei Kochkin. The MarkeTrak surveys are published every four years.

51 percent of the respondents indicated that they agreed to accept their first hearing aid partly because their family kept telling them that they had to do something about their bad hearing. 26 percent said that the hearing health care professional had influenced their decision.

Hearing aid specialists, family doctors and free hearing aid programs also were credited with some degree of influence.

The survey found that the average time from individuals become aware of their hearing loss until they are treated with hearing aids is 6.7 years. Non owners with hearing loss have been aware of their hearing loss for 12 years on average without seeking treatment.

Other studies have shown that hearing aids contribute to improvements in the wearers' quality of life as well as their hearing. 70 percent of the respondents in a German study found that their enjoyment of everyday life improved after they were fitted with digital hearing aids. Hearing impaired people with no hearing aid often have difficulty communicating with relatives, friends and colleagues and often feel isolated as a result.

Thanks, Emily!

2011-04-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

Check out this video from one of our very satisfied patients!

Battery Tips

2011-04-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

One frequent complaint about hearing technologies is the inconvenience of batteries going out too quickly. Here’s how to make your batteries last longer.

Hearing aids will not work without batteries. In its magazine, Auris, the Swedish hearing association HRF gives some tips as to how get the most out of your batteries.

Zinc-air batteries should also be given a little time to “charge up” before they can be used. These batteries need air to work and it takes about a minute before the air has reacted to the zinc in the battery

Leave the batteries in their packaging until you need to use them
Store them at room temperature, not in the refrigerator
Only remove the coloured strip when you need to use them. This will protect the battery from oxidisation.
Do not put the coloured strip back on, as this can damage the battery.
If you do not use your hearing aid at night, turn it off and open the battery compartment. This reduces the risk of condensation and preserves the battery’s power.
Do not store batteries in your pocket.
Do not let batteries come into contact with metal objects.

Introducing Lyric!

2011-03-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Timpanogos Hearing and Balance is pleased to announce they have become one of the first providers in the country to offer the new, revolutionary Lyric hearing device. Lyric is the world's first and only 100% invisible extended wear hearing device and has recently been featured on CNN, Fox News, and in the New York Times.

Lyric was recently featured on Good Morning America. The story highlighted Lyric's small size, the fact that you can exercise with Lyric and wear headphones comfortably, and that once placed it is completely invisible.

Click Here or on the image to the right to View the Full Good Morning America Feature

What To Expect

Getting started on the path toward better hearing is easy. With Lyric® Hearing, you get your own customized Lyric devices in one simple office visit to your Lyric trained hearing professional's office. Lyric is a non-surgically placed device, and no anesthesia is required. Sizing and fitting you for new Lyric devices should take less than one hour.

To begin your experience, schedule an initial appointment with your local Lyric trained hearing professional.

Initial Patient Visit

Your initial visit will begin with an evaluation of your specific hearing loss condition. Based on this evaluation, your trained Lyric hearing professional will determine if Lyric is the best option for your hearing and lifestyle needs.

Evaluation Steps

•Perform hearing exam to assess your hearing loss

•Conduct ear exam to check size/shape of your canal and ear health

•Evaluate your lifestyle/hearing needs

Once you and your hearing professional have determined that Lyric is the right solution for you, you will be sized and fit with Lyric. This process has three simple steps that enable you to leave the office with your Lyric hearing devices.

Sizing and Fitting Steps

•Size and place Lyric

•Program Lyric

•Discuss how to use Lyric, Q&A, and follow-up visits

After completing the steps above, you will start to experience the benefits of Lyric Hearing.

Follow-up Visits to Receive Your New Lyric Devices

Lyric devices may be used until they cease to function or for a maximum of 120 days. Individual replacement needs may vary. Patients should expect to return to their hearing professional's office for 10-minute replacement visits.

Benefits

100% INVISIBLE

No one will know why you're hearing better except you.

Unlike traditional hearing devices, Lyric®'s small size and placement in the ear canal make it totally invisible. Lyric allows you to enjoy the benefits of better hearing without anyone ever knowing you're using a hearing device.

EFFORTLESS HEARING, 24/7

With Lyric, you can forget the hassles of traditional hearing aids.

Lyric allows you to hear 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for months at a time.* You can use Lyric during your activities ? such as sleeping, showering, exercising, using external headphones, and talking on the phone. There are no batteries to change, no maintenance is needed, and no daily insertion is required. Lyric is a hearing solution that lets you lead your life day to day without constantly being reminded of your hearing loss.

*Lyric is not waterproof.

NATURAL PLACEMENT, NATURAL SOUND

Lyric is designed to take advantage of your ear's anatomy. Lyric's unique design and placement work with your ear's anatomy to deliver exceptional sound quality. Lyric uses your outer ear to naturally direct sound into the ear canal without the need for multiple settings or complicated programs.

The exterior of Lyric is made of a soft material specifically designed to contour to your ear canal. Lyric is comfortably placed in your ear canal during a routine visit to your Lyric trained hearing professional. Your ENT physician and audiologist will work together to make sure your Lyric system is fitted and adjusted specifically for your individual hearing needs. Once you are wearing Lyric, you can still adjust the volume if needed, as well as turn the device on and off.

How Lyric Works

Lyric® is comfortably placed in the ear canal by a Lyric trained hearing professional during a routine office visit. No surgery or anesthesia is required.

Once placed, Lyric is 100% invisible, allowing you to enjoy all the benefits of better hearing without anyone knowing you're using a hearing device. You can use Lyric for months at a time*, there are no batteries to replace and no repairs to make. Just visit your hearing professional's office as needed* to receive new devices with the latest Lyric technology.

Lyric is sold on a subscription basis, meaning you will purchase a year's worth of Lyric devices at a time. You will be guaranteed to have the most advanced Lyric hearing technology currently available, since you will be receiving new devices at each follow-up office visit.

Uniquely designed and placed, Lyric works with your ear's anatomy to deliver exceptional sound quality. Lyric uses your outer ear to naturally direct sound into your ear canal without the need for multiple settings or complicated programs.

Lyric will be programmed for your specific hearing needs. You will be able to adjust the settings and volume on your device as needed, as well as turn the device on and off.

Developed by ENT physicians and audiologists, Lyric was built around three key concepts that hearing professionals have known for years:

•Sound quality improves with proximity to the ear drum.

•Many people with hearing loss are dissatisfied with their hearing aid options.

•Consumers desire a hassle-free, invisible solution.

Lyric Technology features:

•Biocompatible soft foam seals engineered to contour to the ear canal; safe to wear 24/7, months at a time*

•Proprietary mechanical and coating technology developed to protect the device from moisture and ear wax

•A proprietary battery designed to last up to 120 days

•A programmable sound processing system designed to work millimeters from the ear drum and allow for both microphone and receiver placement in the ear canal and out-of-sight

What some of our patients are saying:

"It is a little bit of a miracle."

- Alfred, Lyric User

"I was fishing on the lake and I heard a conversation from someone who I could not even see. I golf, hunt and fish and I hear better than I have in years."

- JD, Lyric User

"My dog was ill and I needed to hear her in the night. I can sleep with these on and hear just fine. I feel so much safer at night."

- Pat, Lyric User

Call our office at 801-770-0801 to set up your free evaluation!

How We Hear Part II

2011-02-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

The cochlea is by far the most complex part of the ear. Its job is to take the physical vibrations caused by the sound wave and translate them into electrical information the brain can recognize as distinct sound.

The cochlea structure consists of three adjacent tubes separated from each other by sensitive membranes. In reality, these tubes are coiled in the shape of a snail shell, but it's easier to understand what's going on if you imagine them stretched out. It's also clearer if we treat two of the tubes, the scala vestibuli and the scala media, as one chamber. The membrane between these tubes is so thin that sound waves travel as if the tubes weren't separated at all.

The piston action of the stapes moves the fluid in the cochlea. This causes a vibration wave to travel down the basilar membrane.

The stapes moves back and forth, creating pressure waves in the entire cochlea. The round window membrane separating the cochlea from the middle ear gives the fluid somewhere to go. It moves out when the stapes pushes in and moves in when the stapes pulls out.

The middle membrane, the basilar membrane, is a rigid surface that extends across the length of the cochlea. When the stapes moves in and out, it pushes and pulls on the part of the basilar membrane just below the oval window. This force starts a wave moving along the surface of the membrane. The wave travels something like ripples along the surface of a pond, moving from the oval window down to the other end of the cochlea.

The basilar membrane has a peculiar structure. It's made of 20,000 to 30,000 reed-like fibers that extend across the width of the cochlea. Near the oval window, the fibers are short and stiff. As you move toward the other end of the tubes, the fibers get longer and more limber.

This gives the fibers different resonant frequencies. A specific wave frequency will resonate perfectly with the fibers at a certain point, causing them to vibrate rapidly. This is the same principle that makes tuning forks and kazoos work -- a specific pitch will start a tuning fork ringing, and humming in a certain way will cause a kazoo reed to vibrate.

As the wave moves along most of the membrane, it can't release much energy -- the membrane is too tense. But when the wave reaches the fibers with the same resonant frequency, the wave's energy is suddenly released. Because of the increasing length and decreasing rigidity of the fibers, higher-frequency waves vibrate the fibers closer to the oval window, and lower frequency waves vibrate the fibers at the other end of the membrane.

Higher pitches vibrate the basilar membrane most intensely near the oval window, and lower pitches vibrate the basilar membrane most intensely at a point farther down the cochlea. But how does the brain know where these vibrations occur?

This is the organ of corti's job. The organ of corti is a structure containing thousands of tiny hair cells. It lies on the surface of the basilar membrane and extends across the length of the cochlea.

Until a wave reaches the fibers with a resonant frequency, it doesn't move the basilar membrane a whole lot. But when the wave finally does reach the resonant point, the membrane suddenly releases a burst of energy in that area. This energy is strong enough to move the organ of corti hair cells at that point.

When these hair cells are moved, they send an electrical impulse through the cochlear nerve. The cochlear nerve sends these impulses on to the cerebral cortex, where the brain interprets them. The brain determines the pitch of the sound based on the position of the cells sending electrical impulses. Louder sounds release more energy at the resonant point along the membrane and so move a greater number of hair cells in that area. The brain knows a sound is louder because more hair cells are activated in an area.

The cochlea only sends raw data -- complex patterns of electrical impulses. The brain is like a central computer, taking this input and making some sense of it all. This is an extraordinarily complex operation, and scientists are still a long way from understanding everything about it.

In fact, hearing in general is still very mysterious to us. The basic concepts at work in human and animal ears are fairly simple, but the specific structures are extremely complex. Scientists are making rapid advancements, however, and they discover new hearing elements every year. It's astonishing how much is involved in the hearing process, and it's even more amazing that all these processes take place in such a small area of the body.

How We Hear... Part 1

2011-01-20T14:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever stopped to think about how incredible your ears are? The fact that we can hear at all and with such amazing clarity is really a miracle of design and function. Let's talk a little about how our marvelous ears work.

To hear sound, your ear has to do three basic things:

•Direct the sound waves into the hearing part of the ear

•Sense the fluctuations in air pressure

•Translate these fluctuations into an electrical signal that your brain can understand

The pinna, the outer part of the ear, serves to "catch" the sound waves. Your outer ear is pointed forward and it has a number of curves. This structure helps you determine the direction of a sound. If a sound is coming from behind you or above you, it will bounce off the pinna in a different way than if it is coming from in front of you or below you. This sound reflection alters the pattern of the sound wave. Your brain recognizes distinctive patterns and determines whether the sound is in front of you, behind you, above you or below you.

Your brain determines the horizontal position of a sound by comparing the information coming from your two ears. If the sound is to your left, it will arrive at your left ear a little bit sooner than it arrives at your right ear. It will also be a little bit louder in your left ear than your right ear.

Once the sound waves travel into the ear canal, they vibrate the tympanic membrane, commonly called the eardrum. The eardrum is a thin, cone-shaped piece of skin, about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) wide. It is positioned between the ear canal and the middle ear. The middle ear is connected to the throat via the eustachian tube. Since air from the atmosphere flows in from your outer ear as well as your mouth, the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum remains equal. This pressure balance lets your eardrum move freely back and forth

The eardrum is rigid, and very sensitive. Even the slightest air-pressure fluctuations will move it back and forth. It is attached to the tensor tympani muscle, which constantly pulls it inward. This keeps the entire membrane taut so it will vibrate no matter which part of it is hit by a sound wave.

The compressions and rarefactions in sound waves move your eardrum back and forth. For the most part, these changes in air pressure are extremely small. They don't apply much force on the eardrum, but the eardrum is so sensitive that this minimal force moves it a good distance.

The cochlea in the inner ear conducts sound through a fluid, instead of through air. This fluid has a much higher inertia than air -- that is, it is harder to move (think of pushing air versus pushing water). The small force felt at the eardrum is not strong enough to move this fluid. Before the sound passes on to the inner ear, the total pressure (force per unit of area) must be amplified.

This is the job of the ossicles, a group of tiny bones in the middle ear. The ossicles are actually the smallest bones in your body. They include:
•The malleus, commonly called the hammer
•The incus, commonly called the anvil

•The stapes, commonly called the stirrup

When air-pressure compression pushes in on the eardrum, the ossicles move so that the faceplate of the stapes pushes in on the cochlear fluid. When air-pressure rarefaction pulls out on the eardrum, the ossicles move so that the faceplate of the stapes pulls in on the fluid. Essentially, the stapes acts as a piston, creating waves in the inner-ear fluid to represent the air-pressure fluctuations of the sound wave.

This amplification system is extremely effective. The pressure applied to the cochlear fluid is about 22 times the pressure felt at the eardrum. This pressure amplification is enough to pass the sound information on to the inner ear, where it is translated into nerve impulses the brain can understand.

The cochlea is by far the most complex part of the ear. Its job is to take the physical vibrations caused by the sound wave and translate them into electrical information the brain can recognize as distinct sound.

Next time, we'll learn about how the cochlea translates that physical energy into electrical information...

This Year I Will...

2011-01-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

During the last three days back at work, I think that I have written 2010 instead of 2011 nine out of ten times. I can't believe that we are in a new year already!

January is the month of resolutions. Things we all do for a week or two, and then find ourselve back in our old ways. (I wonder just how many people are on diets right now that weren't on them a month ago?) Why is it that we all make goals that we realistically won't keep?

One simple resolution that can make a huge difference for many people-- not only personally, but to their families as well is the goal to hear better. Studies have shown that it takes an average of 7 years from the time a person first notices a hearing loss until the time where they actually do something about it. During those 7 years, gradual changes take place where the person finds themselves less in touch with their family and friends, not as engaged in their work or social lives, and generally socially isolated.

Don't let 7 years worth of damage done by hearing loss affect your life. We always tell our patients this-- we promise that your hearing loss is much more noticeable then the nearly invisible hearing technology that we have available now.

"Resolve" to hear better today!!

New Study Indicates New Reason For Age-Related Hearing Loss

2011-01-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

Millions of tiny sensory heir cells in the inner ear enable you to hear. Age-related hearing loss involves the death of some of these sensory hair, nerve and membrane cells. Since the hair and nerve cells do not regenerate in humans, their death leads to permanent hearing loss.

Researchers in the USA have now, with the help of research on mice, found out that these sensory hair cells can be destroyed if the so-called mitochondrial membrane, which protects the cells, is destroyed. This can occur if there is too much Bak protein present. Should this happen, proteins can find their way into the cells and break them down, causing the cells to die. Bak is typically induced by oxidative stress and its levels increase as people age.

So if oxidative stress triggers damage and death of hearing-related cells, enhancing the antioxidant defences of the mitochondria should reduce such damage, says postdoctoral researcher Jinze Xu, one of the researchers behind the study.

The studies with the mice show, that older mice without Bak protein have the same good hearing as young mice.

It is estimated that in the USA alone more than 28 million Americans will be affected by the condition by 2030.

Source: www.eurekalert.org, www.pnas.org

Hearing Loss More Likely In Individuals With Chronic Kidney Disease

2010-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

Individuals with moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) are more likely to suffer from hearing difficulties compared to healthy people of the same age, researchers have revealed in an article that appears in the American Journal of Kidney Disease.

Researchers from the Universities of Sydney, Melbourne and Macquarie in Australia examined the medical records of 2,564 people aged 50 or more, of whom 513 had moderate CKD.

More that 55 % of all the patients with CKD had some degree of hearing loss. Among people who had no kidney problems less than 30 % had hearing loss. Furthermore, severe hearing loss affected almost 30% of the CKD patients, compared to just 10% of the others.

The figures were adjusted for other risk factors that may affect hearing, such as age, sex, noise exposure, diabetes and more.

Possible explanations

University of Sydney, said:

The link between hearing loss and CKD can be explained by structural and functional similarities between tissues in the inner ear and in the kidney. Additionally, toxins that accumulate in kidney failure can damage nerves, including those in the inner ear. Another reason for this connection is that kidney disease and hearing loss share common risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure and advanced age.

What is chronic kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease is a slow and progressive loss of kidney function. Over a period of several years the condition worsens until eventually there is permanent kidney failure. Many people don't know they have CKD until their kidney function is down to 25% of normal. The main causes of CKD are diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Free Hearing Aids For Christmas

2010-12-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time for family. It is a time for music and laughter and enjoying memories with friends and loved ones.

None of these things is possible with a hearing loss.

Timpanogos Hearing and Balance in American Fork is happy to announce that they will be giving away a set of digital hearing devices to one recipient for Christmas—no strings attached.

“We’ve been able to help thousands of people to hear better over the last 7 years, but we realize that there are many more out there who need to hear better, but can’t afford it. I became an Audiologist to help people to hear better—as many people as I can. We are grateful to be in a position where we can give back to the community and help someone who has no other way to help themselves,” says Dr. Layne Garrett, owner of Timpanogos Hearing and Balance.

The hearing devices will be given away based on need and on their ability to truly make a difference in the recipient’s life. You may nominate yourself or someone else. To apply, write a 500 word description of how hearing better could make a difference for the applicant. Attach the person’s name, age, city of residence, and phone number. You can email this information to Christmas@utahhearingaids.com, fax it to 801-763-8282, or mail it to Timpanogos Hearing and Balance 321 E 300 N American Fork, UT 84003. You can also click here to fill out an online form.

Applications must be received by December 12th.

Men Are More Likely to Experience Noise Induced Hearing Loss

2010-11-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

For years, we've known that about 60% of our patients are men. We've come up with a few theories for this, but recently, we discovered a study that confirms one of them: men are more likely to experience noise-induced hearing loss.

In the first study of the demographics of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), researchers found men are 2.5 times more likely to lose their hearing due to noise than women. Over 5,000 participants between 20 and 69 years of age were analyzed with audiometric testing. More than 13 percent suffered from NIHL. Especially white married men are significantly more at risk than women concludes the report which was presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO

NIHL is a preventable and increasingly prevalent disorder that results from exposure to high-intensity sound, especially over a long period of time. Researchers hope this study will put more focus on education and prevention and lead to increased screenings for the common problem.

The authors believe this is the first study of its kind to delve in to the demographics of NIHL using the most recent figures from 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). They believe this information can allow greater education, preventative, and screening efforts.

Source: Ivanhoe Broadcast News and redOrbit

Seriously First Class Hearing

2010-11-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

Every few years, something happens in the hearing technology industry which pushes everything forward by leaps and bounds. Open fit hearing aids did that a few years ago. Phonak has just released a new product with some features that promise to push that envelope again. They call it the Ambra.

The Ambra is a true First Class communication device. We refuse to call it a hearing aid for the simple reason that, if it works as promised, the Ambra will enable a person with a hearing loss to actually hear in certain situations as well as (and just maybe even better) than a normal hearing person.

You read right. Better.

Here's how they do it.

This is an illustration of standard, monaural directional microphones. Monaural directional microphones have a broad forward focus (gray beam) enabling improved audibility for all sounds within the beam. However, they have always had a problem with one-one-one communication in a noisy environment.

StereoZoom enables the wearer to narrow the beam further and focus on a single speaker, while suppressing other interfering sounds. Communication, even in situations which were considered impossible, is now possible.

The introduction of ZoomControl revolutionized directional hearing and set a benchmark for binaural
processing. It automatically tracks and focuses on speech, regardless of the direction, without the need to face the speaker. Once activated, auto ZoomControl automatically selects the direction of the dominant speech source. For example, when driving in a car, the hearing device will focus on whomever is talking-- regardless if they are in the front seat or in the back.

When focusing to one side, the speech signal is picked up and amplified by the instrument on that side; simultaneously the entire signal is streamed to the other ear. As a result, the desired signal is heard in both ears, dramatically improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This unique feature provides natural binaural listening with all of its advantages.

It is this feature that will allow those wearing the devices (even if they have a hearing loss) to have a significant communication advantage in noisy places over those without the device (even those with perfectly normal hearing.) You may soon find people with normal hearing wearing these devices in restaurants, at trade shows, and in other noisy environments.

We are just fitting our first of these devices this week, but so far the results are encouraging. We will definitely keep an eye on this technology and let you know if it really is as good as it says that it is!

People With Untreated Hearing Loss Lose As Much As $30,000 Annually

2010-11-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hearing loss can mean a lower income and higher prevalence of unemployment in people who do not use hearing aids. Unemployment is, however, not higher among hearing aid users than among those with normal hearing. Hearing aid users’ income is also almost as high as among people without hearing loss. This is shown in a study from the USA. The study also estimates that the loss of income for people with untreated hearing loss in the US is $176 billion.

In the US the MarkeTrak VIII study of more than 40,000 households has demonstrated that hearing loss has a deleterious impact on earnings and unemployment rates.

The study shows that there is a $14,100 income differential between subjects with mild and severe hearing loss. People with untreated hearing loss lose as much as $30,000 annually, depending on their degree of hearing loss.

Hearing aids were shown to mitigate the impact of income loss by 90%–100% for those with milder hearing losses and from 65%–77% for those with severe to moderate hearing loss.

The loss in income for people with untreated hearing loss due to underemployment is estimated at $176 billion, and the cost to society is estimated to be as high as $26 billion in unrealized federal taxes.

There was a strong relationship between degree of hearing loss and unemployment for unaided subjects. Those with severe hearing loss had unemployment rates of 15.6%, double that of the normal-hearing population (7.8%) and nearly double that of their aided peers (8.3%). Thus, one would expect that the cost to society of unemployment benefit payments is double that for normal-hearing households, depending on degree of hearing loss.

Unemployment rates for aided subjects were not significantly related to degree of hearing loss.

Source: The Hearing Journal, October 2010, Volume 63, Issue 10

New Studies Show that Alcohol Consumption Leads to Hearing Loss

2010-10-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

We've heard for a long time that certain drugs can cause a decrease in hearing, including pain killers and some forms of chemotherapy. A recent German study has now linked alcohol consumption over time to hearing loss.

Studies have long shown that alcohol consumption shrinks the brain and does damage to the central auditory cortex. Researchers from the University of Ulm in Germany recently tested both heavy and social drinkers BAEP levels (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials) by testing the level of damage in the part of the brain that enables you to hear. The results indicate that drinking affects the ability to hear.

The alcohol researchers believe that drinking can result in brain damage, while the quantity of alcohol and the length of time needed to accomplish this remain unknown. So even though the ears may still be functioning perfectly, the brain is longer able to process the sounds.

People who suffer from alcoholism may also have damage within their ears. The high levels of alcohol in the bloodstream can create a toxic environment which can damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea. This condition is known as ototoxicity.

According to a British study, alcohol and noise can cause temporary hearing loss in combination or separately. All of the participants in a study were found to have temporary hearing loss. The researchers also believe that a regular ingestion of alcohol may lead to permanent hearing loss in the long term.

The researchers showed that the more alcohol ingested the worse the hearing was, at least temporarily. In particular, the hearing of low frequency sounds like the ones in speech were most affected.

The British study also indicated that older subjects and those with a previous history of heavy drinking were more affected.

Did You Know That Hearing Aids Are Tax Exempt?

2010-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Did you know that, unlike many medical devices that are sold retail, hearing aids are exempt from the medical device tax? This saves the typical patient from $100 to $350 when they purchase hearing technology.

Here is an excerpt from that 2400 page law which was passed in March:

Subchapter E - Medical Devices
SEC. 4191. MEDICAL DEVICES.

IN GENERAL. - There is hereby imposed on the sale of any taxable medical device by the manufacturer, producer, or importer a tax equal to 2.9 percent of the price for which so sold.

TAXABLE MEDICAL DEVICE. - For purposes of this section - IN GENERAL. - The term 'taxable medical device' means any device (as defined in section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) intended for humans.

(2) EXEMPTIONS. - Such term shall not include - (A) devices classified in class I under section 513 of such Act, eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and any other medical device determined by the Secretary to be of a type which is generally purchased by the general public at retail for "individual use." and by inserting after the item relating to subchapter D in the table of subchapters for such chapter the following new item...

From Ear Trumpets To Space Age Technology

2010-10-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

Fun Stuff From www.healthyhearing.com

The evolution of hearing aids has gone from rudimentary and downright-unsightly earpieces to almost-unseen and ultra-sensitive hearing devices. While it may seem that this evolution from the bulky and larger hearing aids to streamlined and virtually invisible hearing aids was a normal course of events for individuals with hearing loss, it really shows that the marriage of high-technology and modern-medicine is a wondrous event to behold.

Big and Ugly no More - Hearing Aids Now Sleek and Stylish

The myths are still out there concerning hearing aids and we will look at some of the most dynamic and untruthful right here and right now. For starters hearing aids are no longer big and ugly units that seem to extend the individual wearers ears out 6 to 12 inches. Currently there are hearing aids that fit inside the individual wearer's ear and cannot be seen at all by the suspecting or unsuspecting individual. Another myth is that the hearing aids are virtually ineffective along with the myth that they really are quite unsightly to gaze upon and wear as well. With improved technology, especially digital technology, hearing aids have been taken to a whole new level and this is in large part to a laser-focused mindset from the designers who are now making hearing aids as cool as dark sunglasses.

From big trumpets to.... cool hearing aids
How Did Hearing Aids Become Cool?

The very first hearing aids were referred to as ear trumpets and were the pioneers, so to speak, of the entire field of hearing aids. The problem with ear trumpets was of course that they were too bulky to be portable and the invention of transistors signaled the end of the too-heavy and inefficient hearing aids. The digital age, specifically one of the latest innovations which is referred to as ADRO (adaptive dynamic range optimization) technology, came in the nick of time and has benefited literally millions of individuals with hearing loss issues almost instantaneously. Hearing aid technology has certainly come a long way since this time. With new designs that fit behind the ear or even in the ear with every color imaginable to fit personality, skin tone, hair color and design specifics these hearing aids are now part of the fashion instead of a detractor to the overall wearer's look.

Bluetooth Excitement

One exciting new development in the world of hearing aids is that they can now be seen as personal Bluetooth headset devices thanks in part to the wireless capabilities and high technology breakthroughs that the digital age has presented to everyone. When tied in directly to hearing aids individuals can now watch TV or listen to music with the wireless signals being piped right into the hearing aid device! Talk about your high-tech hearing aid situation! There are even hearing aids that now adapt over time to your personal preferences so that there is no resetting of preferences or any type of manipulation of the device as the hearing aids are quite intuitive to say the very least.

Lost in Translation?

While this is all fine and good and high technology does have its benefits the importance of hearing aids cannot be lost in translation. Hearing aids exist to aid the individual person with regaining some or perhaps all of their previously lost hearing capacity. The ability to hear again is the number one reason and benefit to those that adorn these apparatuses of hearing aid benefit.

iPod Jamming

It is great that individuals can now hear their favorite music streamed in and piped in from their iPod or even watch 60 Minutes and have the audio streamed right into their ears! In the hearing aid industry the bottom line is that the wearers have improved hearing and the hearing aid device can be either stylish and seen and adored or unseen and hidden, the choice is now theirs!

Leap into Digital Age

If you were to ask 10 individual hearing aid wearers what their number one priority and goal would be most if not all will tell you the same thing, improved hearing. The beauty of high technology and our leap into the digital age has made everything smaller and better and this is why hearing aids are cool in today's high-tech age.

Better and Smaller

Just how far will the hearing aid industry go is anyone's guess but we can inform you that hearing aid manufacturers, researchers and scientists in labs and college universities across the nation and world for that matter are diligently working on better and smaller hearing aid devices. One of the obvious goals is to have the hearing aid physically become part of the human anatomy much like inter-ocular optical surgery now can do. By implanting the hearing aid into the ear canal of the individual wearer the industry could then say that they have done what started out with an ear trumpet, complete the cycle of restored hearing, invisibly.

Space-Age Technology

Although this sounds like space-age technology this is what was probably said when the people heard that one day we would be able to lose the ear trumpet for a smaller more advanced hearing aid and that the earth is flat not round! If you have a hearing issue or feel that you are not hearing as well as you used to then please have a hearing professional check your hearing and maybe you will be the one with the cool, sky-blue hearing aid listening and listening clearly to the Grateful Dead?

10 FUN FACTS ABOUT HEARING

2010-10-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

Fish do not have ears, but they can hear pressure changes through ridges on their body.
The ear’s malleus, incus and stapes (otherwise known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup) are the smallest bones in the human body. All three together could fit together on a penny.
The ear continues to hear sounds, even while you sleep.
Sound travels at the speed of 1,130 feet per second, or 770 miles per hour.
Dogs can hear much higher frequencies than humans.
Ears not only help you hear, but also aid in balance.
Snakes hear through the jaw bone and through a traditional inner ear. In essence, snakes have two distinct hearing mechanisms, which helps them hear and catch prey.
Sitting in front of the speakers at a rock concert can expose you to 120 decibels, which will begin to damage hearing in only 7 1/2 minutes.
Thirty-seven percent of children with only minimal hearing loss fail at least one grade.
Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs growing on their antennae.

Why Choose An Audiologist?

2010-10-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

Your hearing care is a big deal. When surveyed, a majority of people would prefer to lose their sight than their hearing. However, the reality is that as we get older (and as life gets noiser), most of us will suffer some form of hearing loss.

95% of hearing losses are able to be corrected or aided with proper amplification. However, the success of the patient depends largely on the expertise of their health care provider in making the correct diagnosis, prescribing the most effective treatment plan, and setting reasonable expectations.

There are two groups of people who can prescribe hearing aids: audiologists and hearing instrument specialists. While both are licensed by the state, they are very different.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of audiologists and hearing instrument specialists.

Audiologist (AuD or MS)

Hearing Instrument Specialist (BC-HIS)

Education

Doctorate or Masters degree in Audiology, plus a fellowship or internship

High school diploma or equivalent, passing a test, plus 1 year of supervision

Specialties

Trained in testing and treating hearing loss, balance disorders, tinnitus and other medical issues

Only able to test hearing for the purposes of selling a hearing aid

Insurance

Can bill insurance for testing done

Not able to bill insurance

Quite simply put, when you are choosing a hearing care professional, you can choose between a highly educated professional or a trained salesman. You decide!

Cookies and Cleanings In October

2010-10-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

As part of our anniversary celebration, please join us for

October Cookies & Cleanings

When: Every Wednesday on October

Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Address: 321 E 300 N American Fork, UT

Who: Anyone who wears hearing technology and would like to have

them cleaned for FREE!

Just our way of saying thank you to our wonderful patients and friends. Call us at 801-770-0801 if you have any questions.

What Does AudigyCertified™ Mean?

2010-10-04T11:51:00.001-07:00

Timpanogos Audiology is one of only three AudigyCertified™ hearing and balance centers in the state of Utah.

But what does that really mean?

AudigyCertified™ professionals possess the highest credentials and are among the country's most experienced hearing care professionals. Our expertise is measured by our commitment to patient satisfaction, continuing education, and the application of current AGX hearing aids. AGX technology is the highest level of technology from the best manufacturers in the world. You can only get AGX technology at an AudigyCertified™ practice, such as Timpangos Audiology.

We understand that "value" is not measured by price alone. Rather how well we meet your expectations for service - how well we translate our knowledge into customized hearing solutions and the quality of the experience we offer to you.

AudigyCertified™ professionals have demonstrated an ability to map individual hearing requirements to complex product and hearing aid choices in a simple, user-friendly, and efficient manner.

Simply put, because we have been designated as a superior hearing health care provider, we have access to superior technology, superior training, and superior resources for our patients. You can be assured that you will receive the very highest level of care available when you come into our office!

If you or someone you know may have a hearing loss, call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation with one of our AudigyCertified™ professionals. You will be happy that you did!

801-770-0801

It’s Our Anniversary!

2010-10-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

We love fall. Cooler temperatures, changing leaves, football, AND October is our anniversary!

This year, we are celebrating 7 years of serving the people of Utah County. Much has changed in the last 7 years—both in the hearing industry, and in our office. Here are a few of the significant events and developments of the past 7 years:

Speaker-in-the-ear technology has revolutionized the way that hearing instruments are fit and worn. This development has made a huge impact in comfort and satisfaction.
SMART technology which allows hearing aids to recognize and adjust to their environments.
Technology which allows hearing aids to differentiate between speech and noise.
Deep fitting, truly invisible hearing technology.
Electronics friendly, Blue-tooth enabled technology that works with your cell phone, television, computer, etc.
Timpanogos Audiology became AudigyCertified™, granting us status as one of the premier 170 practices in the country.
Our office has grown from one audiologist and 2 part time staff to 2 audiologists and 3 front office staff members.

We can’t wait to see what happens in the next 7 years! Thank you for your support as we strive to help Utah County to hear better!

Hear Better Invisibly!

2010-09-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Introducing the World’s First Invisible-In-The-Canal Aid

100% Invisible

100% Amazing

Many patients have asked us why we don’t fit the Lyric© hearing system that has been so heavily advertised in this area. The answer is simple: first, we feel like that product is not a good value for our patients. Secondly, we knew that something better was coming down the line.

Introducing AGX9—the world’s first 100% digital, 100% invisible hearing technology. Whereas other deep insertion products (like Lyric) used out-dated analog technology, AGX9 offers all of the functionality of the best hearing aids in the world, in the tiniest package that we’ve ever seen.
The red hearing aid in the above picture shows where a normal in the canal aid would fit in the ear-- slightly visible to someone looking straight into your ear. The black aid is the new AGX9 technology-- completely hidden in the ear.

We could tell you all about the engineering and programming that make it possible, but what you really need to know is simple:

You will hear better and no one will be able to see how.

AGX9 features include:

Invisible-in-the-Canal The only 100% custom, invisible, digital and fully programmable hearing aid
PureWave Feedback Eliminator Virtually eliminates buzzing and whistling
Voice iQ Designed to maintain speech understanding in noise and reduce listening effort*
T2 Remote Lets you adjust memory or volume settings using any touch-tone phone

If you are interested in more information about this revolutionary hearing product, please give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our AudigyCertified™ audiologists.

“I’ve never heard sound quality like this from a hearing aid.”
Larry, AGX9 wearer

“It’s like I got my ears back. I don’t even notice I’m wearing them—I just hear again.”
Dave, AGX9 wearer

AGX9 technology is only available in Utah County at Timpanogos Audiology. Call us at 801-770-0801 to schedule a free consulation to see if AGX9 is right for you.

The Effect of Not Wearing Hearing Aids

2010-09-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Effect of Not Wearing Your Hearing Aids - A Case Study of Paul
by Rick Kirkham

Paul came into Ohana Hearing Care as a 50 year old male who had been wearing hearing aids for nine years. Paul had a moderate-severe hearing loss in both ears. The hearing loss was equal in both ears. Paul walked into the office wearing just the right hearing aid. He told me his left hearing aid had stopped working four years ago and he never replaced it.

Testing was done to find out how correctable Paul's hearing loss was. The results were as follows:

Paul's right ear, the ear which wore the hearing aid on a regular basis, showed a correctable hearing loss of 80% of what the average person would understand when Paul wore a hearing aid in the right ear.

Paul's left ear, the ear which went without a hearing aid for four years and had the same hearing loss as the right ear, showed a correctable hearing loss of only 40% of what the average person would understand when Paul wore a hearing aid in the left ear.

The ONLY difference between Paul's left ear and his right ear was he supported his hearing and level of correctable understanding with a hearing aid in the right ear and did not wear a hearing aid in the left ear.

The moral is use it or lose it.

Accept your level of hearing loss.

Accept that you may have limitations due to your hearing loss even with hearing correction.

Accept the help that you have available due to your hearing loss

Wear your hearing aids regularly each day to keep from losing more of your ability to understand speech.

Find out more at:
http://GlobalHearingServices.com

Painkillers may cause hearing loss

2010-09-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin and paracetamol can lead to hearing loss if they are taken often. It is especially young men who risk hearing loss.

A study performed by researchers at among others Harvard University indicates that easily available painkillers can have a negative effect in the form of hearing loss. It is especially young men who need to be aware of this. The study also shows, that the younger the men, the greater the risk of hearing loss.

The younger, the greater the risk

The study suspects that by taking painkillers at least twice a week, you could double the risk of mild to severe hearing loss by the age of 50. Regular aspirin users under the age of 59 years of age had a 33% higher risk of suffering from hearing loss compared to the non-regular aspirin users. They noticed that men over the age of 60 did not have any association with hearing loss and regular aspirin intake.

Paracetamol/acetaminophen are especially under the spotlight. The study shows, that those under the age of 50 who use paracetamol/acetaminophen on a regular basis are 99% more likely to have hearing loss. In other words, the risk of hearing loss is doubled. Those between 50-59 years of age were 38% more likely to have hearing impairments, while those over 60 had a 16% higher risk of developing hearing loss compared to non-users.

The Study

The researchers studied data collected from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study of 26,000 men over an 18 year time frame together with a questionnaire about pain medications. Regular use of the drugs was defined as two or more times per week. In the analysis, the results were adjusted for other factors that may affect hearing. These included age, race, body mass index, alcohol intake, folate intake, physical activity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or elevated cholesterol.

Source: www.heraldsun.com.au

Not Your Grandma's Hearing Aids!

2010-09-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

The following article is copied in part from www.hear-it.org.

Hearing aid technology is constantly evolving and becoming increasingly advanced. Modern hearing aids are small high-tech computers, constantly being refined and developed to provide better reproduction of natural human hearing.

The progress allows for increasing numbers of sophisticated features to be built into the hearing aids and providing improved sound reproduction. The ability to adapt the devices to individual demands with respect to your daily environment and type of hearing loss is constantly improving.

More programming

The most advanced modern digital hearing aids are constantly analysing the sounds of your environment and changing between built-in programs, automatically selecting the appropriate programming mode for the specific situation.

The entire sound reproduction is constantly adapted by the hearing aid to provide you with the best possible hearing.

Intrusive background noise cut out

Many hearing aids have two microphones, making it possible to focus on specific sound sources while reducing irritating background noise.

At a reception the voice of the person you are looking at can be accentuated while the voices of others around you are softened.

Behind-the-ear hearing aids used to make it difficult for the user to determine the direction of the sounds. This is no longer the case. Complicated calculations in the hearing aids now make it possible for the brain to determine where the sound is coming from. This type of hearing aid has also become sleeker and less obtrusive than earlier models.

Advancements

The technical advancements open up new possibilities, such as:

Irritating echoes and hollow sounds can be reduced.
Dedicated telephone software is activated when you put the receiver to your ear.
Automated adaptation to loop or FM systems makes the hearing aid receive signals from the appropriate transmitters.
Remote control, allowing you to change selections made by the hearing aid.
Adaptation of extremely small ear molds in order to eliminate annoying feedback (occlusion).
Bluetooth technology is being incorporated into hearing aids. It allows for wireless connection of your mobile phone to your hearing aid.

More effective adjustments

Hearing aids must be continuously adjusted to get the best possible results.

A built-in digital hearing aid log makes it easier for the audiologist to fine-tune the hearing aids to suit your daily environment. The adjustments can be based on your comments as well as technical data recorded in the hearing aids.

Personal style

While the technology is advancing, styling and design is deemed to be of great importance, as well. The hearing aids must look attractive and be as small and unobtrusive or stylish as possible. Color choices and different shapes are now available to suit your personal style. Some hearing aids are designed to be worn in combination with jewelry for your ears.

Bottom line: These are not your grandmother's hearing aids! Modern technology has made it more effective, more convenient, and more attractive to hear better!

Quick Fixes When Your Hearing Aid Isn't Working

2010-09-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Just like every other electronic device, every once in a while, hearing aids can stop working. Here are a couple of things to check before you bring your aid in for service:

* Try putting in a new battery.
* Check that the battery is in the correct way
* If your hearing aid has a volume control, check that it is not turned down completely.
* Check that you have not switched it to the “T” setting (for loop listening) by accident.
* If your hearing aid has a programme button/switch, it may be on the wrong programme, or be muted.
* Take your hearing aid out and check that the ear mould or ear tip is not blocked with wax
* Check that the tubing is not twisted, squashed or spilt

If none of these quick fixes seems to solve the problem, please bring it into our office so that we can get your technology working for you as quickly as possible!

Congratulations, Dr. Garrett!

2010-08-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

Recently, Dr. Layne Garrett of Timpanogos Audiology was certified as part of the American Institute of Balance Worldwide Network of Vestibular and Equilibrium Specialists. This network is comprised of Audiologists, Physicians and Physical and Occupational Therapists who specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with balance disorders.

According to the National Institutes Health, 90 million Americans will experience dizziness, vertigo or imbalance sometime in their lives. As the U.S. population continutes to age, with 78 million baby boomers on the horizon, increasing falls with aging and the dangers of fractures and loss of mobility and independence is of great concern. Dizziness is the number one complaint of adults over age 70. The good news is that research now clearly shows that with early evaluation and treatment, many cases of dizziness can be treated quickly and easily.

If you or someone that you love suffers from dizziness or balance issues, please call our office at 801-770-0801 for a free screening appointment.

General Practicioners Often Miss Hearing Loss

2010-07-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

A new Austrailian study has recently found that hearing loss-- especially age-based hearing loss-- is often missed by general practicioners.

One adult in five and over half of those 80 and older experience hearing loss that should be treated. Some reasons suggested by the study for the missed diagnosis or referral include: time constraints, inadequate remuneration or lack of awareness of simple tools to identify hearing loss. Prof Mitchell, the head of the study, said internet-based education programs could be used to educate GPs about the importance of early identification of age-related hearing loss.

As with most chronic problems, patients need to advocate for themselves. This means asking your physician about any hearing problems that you experience at your appointment.

The 60 / 60 Rule

2010-07-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

Most of us like to listen to music. iPods and MP3 players have made this much easier to listen to just what we want to hear.

The problem is, most of us are listening too loud.

Did you know that earphones turned up to maximum can actually exceed the noise level that you would hear at a rock concert? In fact, recent studies at Boston University have shown that when you use earphones other than those that come with the mp3 player (unfortunately, these are the ones that usually sound the best!), sound levels can reach as high as 139 dB-- about the noise of a jet airplane on take off! It only takes a few minutes of exposure to those levels of sound to start hearing loss.

The recommended rule of thumb is no more than 60 minutes at no louder than 60% of maximum output. Keep that in mind and your more likely to keep your hearing!

Types of Balance Disorders

2010-06-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

The following information was obtained from the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders. If you experience any of these symptoms, please call our office to schedule a balance evaluation at 801-770-0801.

There are more than a dozen different balance disorders. Some of the most common are:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or positional vertigo is a brief, intense episode of vertigo that occurs because of a specific change in the position of the head. If you have BPPV, you might feel as if you're spinning when you look for an object on a high or low shelf or turn your head to look over your shoulder (such as when you back up your car). You also may experience BPPV when you roll over in bed. BPPV is caused when otoconia tumble from the utricle into one of the semicircular canals and weigh on the cupula. The cupula can't tilt properly and sends conflicting messages to the brain about the position of the head, causing vertigo. BPPV sometimes may result from a head injury or just from getting older.

Labyrinthitis is an infection or inflammation of the inner ear that causes dizziness and loss of balance. It frequently is associated with an upper respiratory infection such as the flu.

Ménière's disease is associated with a change in fluid volume within parts of the labyrinth. Ménière's disease causes episodes of vertigo, irregular hearing loss, tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in the ear), and a feeling of fullness in the ear. The cause of this disease is unknown. For more information, read the NIDCD fact sheet Ménière's Disease.

Vestibular neuronitis is an inflammation of the vestibular nerve and may be caused by a virus. Its primary symptom is vertigo.

Perilymph fistula is a leakage of inner ear fluid into the middle ear. It can occur after a head injury, drastic changes in atmospheric pressure (such as when scuba diving), physical exertion, ear surgery, or chronic ear infections. Its most notable symptom, besides dizziness and nausea, is unsteadiness when walking or standing that increases with activity and decreases with rest. Some babies may be born with perilymph fistula, usually in association with hearing loss that is present at birth.

Mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS) is a balance disorder in which you feel as if you're continuously rocking or bobbing. It generally happens after an ocean cruise or other sea travel. Usually, the symptoms will go away in a matter of hours or days after you reach land. However, severe cases can last months or even years.

Next installment: How balance orders are diagnosed.

Out of Balance?

2010-06-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

We have recently purchased new state-of-the-art balance equipment. For the next few posts, we will be focusing on the balance system, including symptoms, causes, diagnoses and treatment.

What are the symptoms of a balance disorder?

If your balance is impaired, you may feel as if the room is spinning. You may stagger when you try to walk or teeter or fall when you try to stand up. Some of the symptoms you might experience are:

Dizziness or vertigo (a spinning sensation)

Falling or feeling as if you are going to fall

Lightheadedness, faintness, or a floating sensation

Blurred vision

Confusion or disorientation

Other symptoms are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and fear, anxiety, or panic.

Some people also feel tired, depressed, or unable to concentrate. Symptoms may come and go over short time periods or last for longer periods of time.

What causes a balance disorder?

A balance disorder may be caused by viral or bacterial infections in the ear, a head injury, or blood circulation disorders that affect the inner ear or brain. Many people experience problems with their sense of balance as they get older. Balance problems and dizziness also can result from taking certain medications.

In addition, problems in the visual and skeletal systems and the nervous and circulatory systems can be the source of some posture and balance problems. A circulatory system disorder, such as low blood pressure, can lead to a feeling of dizziness when we suddenly stand up. Problems in the skeletal or visual systems, such as arthritis or eye muscle imbalance, also may cause balance problems. However, many balance disorders can begin all of a sudden and with no obvious cause.

Next post: Types of balance disorders and how they are diagnosed.

Choose the Right (Ear, That Is)

2010-05-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

Having a hard time hearing in noisy situations? Try positioning your head so that the speaker you are trying to hear is aimed at your right ear.

Recent Italian and British studies have proved that people understand 58% better when spoken to in the right ear.

Professor Sophie Scott, of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, agreed.

"Most people process speech and language on the left-hand side of the brain and while it is not cut-and-dry a lot of what goes in our right ear will be dealt with by the left-side of the brain.

"The other side of the brain is more involved in things such as interpreting emotion and that is why we have these kind of findings.

"We can also see this tendency when people use the phone, most will naturally hold it to their right ear."

The Real Cost of Hearing Loss

2010-05-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

We've all been told that hearing loss affects our relationships and our mental health. Studies show that it also affects our wallets.

An American study "The societal costs of severe to profound hearing loss in the US", found that the societal cost of hearing impairment totals an average of US$300,000 over the lifetime of a hearing-impaired person.

The researchers estimated that 67 per cent, or $200,000 per individual, of these costs are due to lost work productivity.

The Better Hearing Institute in the U.S. made a similar estimate of the societal costs. BHI estimated the annual cost of untreated hearing loss to be US$56 billion in the United States and 92 billion euro in the EU, mainly due to lost productivity. According to the study, the estimated societal costs of not treating hearing loss in Europe in the years 2001 to 2005 amounted to a staggering 400 billion euro.

Compared to those costs, it is relatively inexpensive to treat hearing loss. The best technology available today costs around 3% of what you can expect to lose if you leave hearing loss untreated. Furthermore, the earlier you treat the hearing loss, the less likely that you are to suffer any financial loss from the condition.

Kind of puts the costs in perspective, huh?

Coping with Tinnitus

2010-05-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to cope with tinnitus. The following are some suggestions:

Rest and relaxation. Tinnitus tends to be exacerbated when you are tired and
under stress. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night along with relaxation
techniques (such as yoga and deep breathing exercises) can help to lessen the
effects of tinnitus.
Limit caffeine, alcohol and sodium. These things have been shown to have
adverse effects on blood pressure, which in turn makes tinnitus worse.
Protect your hearing. Hearing-loss induced tinnitus gets worse as hearing loss
increases. Protect your hearing by avoiding loud noises and wearing ear plugs in
noisy environments.
Avoid Aspartame and MSG, as a new study has recently linked these chemicals, often found in prepared foods and "diet" foods and drinks to increased tinnitus symptoms.

Tinnitus Treatment

2010-05-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Just as there are many causes of tinnitus, there are also many treatment options. Here are a few that are currently available:

Neuromonics: The treatment utilizes a customized neural stimulus combined with specific music, delivered according to a coordinated program. The treatment is designed to interact, interrupt, and desensitize tinnitus disturbance for long term benefit. Neuromonics has been shown to reduce symptoms quickly and provide significant, long-term relief. This treatment has been shown to be effective for 90% of suitable tinnitus cases.

Hearing Aids: Many people notice tinnitus only when they are in a quiet environment. This happens because the ambient noise prevalent in day to day life covers up tinnitus. When something happens to cause hearing loss, there is less ambient noise to cover the tinnitus, thus making it appear louder. For many people, treating the cause of the hearing loss can completely or partially cover up the tinnitus. Hearing aids are often a good option to treat certain types of hearing loss. A hearing exam performed by an audiologist can determine what type of hearing loss is occurring and he or she can recommend appropriate treatment.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) teaches the brain to recognize that tinnitus is not a threat and can be ignored. TRT in conjunction with maskers if often an effective treatment.

Sound Therapy: Oftentimes, external sound can “mask” the tinnitus and help the brain to not pay so much attention to it. This can be something as simple as turning on a fan, a radio or a simple sound generator. Sometimes, an audiologist will prescribe a masking device which creates a constant sound in the ear. A simple analogy behind this treatment is that of getting a new refrigerator. You notice the sound the refrigerator makes for a few days until your brain learns to ignore the sound. A masker works in much the same way. As the brain learns to ignore the sound being generated by the masker, it also begins to ignore the tinnitus.

Alternative Treatments: There are many “natural” remedies for tinnitus. However, at the present time, the American Tinnitus Association has the following to say about these treatments:
“Some people have taken minerals such as magnesium or zinc, herbal preparations such as Ginkgo biloba, homeopathic remedies, or B vitamins for their tinnitus and found them to be helpful. Others have experienced tinnitus relief with acupuncture, cranio-sacral therapy, magnets, hyperbaric oxygen, or hypnosis. A few of these therapies have been researched in an attempt to verify the anecdotal claims. But the results have not conclusively identified these treatments as helpful for tinnitus. Your doctor might give you clearance to try them for tinnitus anyway given that they generally carry little risk to health and some people find them helpful.” (American Tinnitus Association, http://www.ata.org/professionals/tinnitus-treatments November, 2009)

Drug Therapy:Many drugs have been researched and used to relieve tinnitus, but there is not a drug that has been designed specifically to treat tinnitus. Some drugs that have been studied include anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax, antidepressants like nortriptyline, antihistamines, anticonvulsants like gabapentin, and even anesthetics like lidocaine. All successfully quieted tinnitus for some people.

Next post, we'll discuss some coping strategies for living with tinnitus.

What Is That Ringing In My Ears?

2010-05-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's called tinnitus. (Some people say it ti-NIGHT-us and some TIN-i-tus-- both are correct.) The clinical definition is when a patient experiences sound where no external sound exists. In layman's terms, it's when you hear a ringing, buzzing, whooshing, screeching or crackling sound, but no one else can hear it.

At some point, especially after being at a loud concert or sports event, nearly all of us will experience temporary tinnitus. For one in five of us, the condition becomes permanent. Twenty percent of those people will seek medical help. Worst of all, another twenty percent of that group will have such severe symptoms that they cannon function in their normal lives.

Tinnitus is often a symptom of hearing loss, but it can also be a symptom of many other diseases, as well as a side-effect of certain medications. It can cause irritability, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, social withdrawal, and anger.

In our next post, we will discuss some of the treatment options for tinnitus.

Want a closer relationship with your children? Wear you hearing aids!

2010-05-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

A recent survey among baby boomers indicates that hearing impairment affects their relationships with their adult children. The survey was based on responses from hearing impaired baby boomers (born in the two decades following World War 2), and adult children of baby boomers, one or both of whose parents were suffering from hearing loss.

Almost half of the adult children believed that their parents’ hearing loss had affected their relationships. One in three of the younger generation stated that their hearing impaired parents miss out on important things in their lives. Many said they have chosen to speak and share less with their hearing impaired parents because hearing loss gets in the way.

Even though a majority of the interviewed baby boomers were aware of the adverse effect of their hearing loss on their relationships with their children, only 11 percent of them used a hearing aid.

”Being hard of hearing is a personal struggle, but people with hearing loss often forget that their impairment can have a profound effect on the relationship they have with their friends and family,” said Barry Williams, an audiologist behind the study.

The survey polled two groups: 1,026 men and women born between 1946 and 1964, and suffering from hearing loss; and 1,006 men and women whose parents were born between 1946 and 1964 and were suffering from hearing loss.

Happy National Better Hearing Month!

2010-05-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

May is a good month in the hearing world. The American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) has designated May as National Better Hearing Month.

This means a couple of different things for us in our office. It means that we are sending out a newsletter to our patients, full of great information which we will be posting on here over the next couple of weeks. It means that we will have a special drawing for great prizes for all of those who refer their friends and family in for hearing screenings. It also means that we will be working hard in the community to spread the word about protecting your hearing and treating hearing loss.

Most importantly, celebrating better hearing gives us each a chance to take note of the wonderful sounds we enjoy-- whether we wear hearing aids or not. Birds singing, children laughing, a gurgling stream-- what is your favorite sound? Do you hear it as well as you would like to? If not, what a great month to do something about it!

Welcome to the Timpanogos Hearing and Balance Blog!

2010-04-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Timpanogos Audiology Blog-To-Better-Hearing. Hearing loss is an issue that effects every aspect of life-- everything from relationships and health to economics and even safety.

The purpose of this blog will be to post hearing industry news, better hearing tips, success stories, and even information on balance and tinnitus issues. If you have a question or a topic that you'd like to see addressed, please feel free to comment and we will respond as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading!