Common Hearing Questions
Here you'll find information on many of the most commonly asked questions regarding hearing health care. If your question is not covered here, feel free to email or call us for more information.
- My friend just got new hearing aids that "talk" to each other. Is this really possible?
- My son was given a hearing test at the hospital just after birth? It was really nice to know he can hear, but is this test really necessary?
- I have a funny, I guess you could call it "ringing,” sound in my ears. It is only there when the room gets really quiet. Is this a sign of a hearing problem?
- I know this sounds silly, but I don’t want anyone to know I have hearing aids. How big and bulky are these new hearing aids?
- I have worn hearing aids for many years. I love my aids but have a lot of difficulty when talking on the telephone. I have to take them out because they squeal. Is there any thing that can help?
- I have had my hearing aids for four years, how long can I expect them to last?
- What is Hearing Loss?
- Hearing Loss and Communication
- Common Hearing Disorders
- Determining the Cause of Hearing Loss
- Why Should I Have My Hearing Checked?
- Proper Hearing Evaluation
- Conditions Associated with Infants & Infant Hearing Testing
- Music and Hearing Loss
- Noise Induced Hearing Loss
1. My friend just got new hearing aids that "talk" to each other. Is this really possible?
There are hearing aids now available that "communicate" through a wireless connection. The purpose is to give the wearer binaural (stereo) hearing. Your brain functions best when sound inputs are equal for both word understanding and background noise. Talk with a board certified audiologist to see if this new technology will benefit you.
back to top2. My son was given a hearing test at the hospital just after birth? It was really nice to know he can hear, but is this test really necessary?
Absolutely! Newborn infants are screened for several potential problems such as PKU and other genetic disorders. Hearing loss occurs in 2.5 of every 1000 births. It is important to identify hearing loss as early as possible, because babies start learning how to use sound as soon as they are born. Listening in the first months of life prepares babies to speak and for a lifetime of learning.
Children learn much of their speech and language abilities from birth to age five. If a child is having hearing problems, speech and learning can be significantly delayed. Audiologists are trained to test the hearing of young children and, if necessary, determine the best type of correction medical treatment, hearing aids or another assistive listening device for each individual's hearing loss. The Audiologist will also monitor a child's hearing so that modifications or medical treatment can be made if the hearing changes.
3. I have a funny, I guess you could call it "ringing,” sound in my ears. It is only there when the room gets really quiet. Is this a sign of a hearing problem?
What you are describing is called tinnitus. Literally millions of people have some form of sound that is perceived when no sound is actually present. In many cases, it accompanies hearing loss. But it also is associated with TMJ, allergies, low and high blood pressure, and certain medications. If you have tinnitus, consult your family doctor for the appropriate referral(s) to other medical professionals such as a board certified audiologist or Ear, Nose, Throat physician.
People who suffer from tinnitis often describe it as a ringing or buzzing in one or both ears, and are often reluctant to talk to people about it for fear that others will think that they are imagining things. This condition is frequently associated with hearing loss or other auditory problems. While there is not yet a cure for tinnitus, in some cases the noises can be masked. Many of the hearing problems related to tinnitus can also be treated to bring some relief. Hearing professionals can also advise you of lifestyle changes and other methods to cope with the constant noise.
4. I know this sounds silly, but I don’t want anyone to know I have hearing aids. How big and bulky are these new hearing aids?
A recent survey found that vanity is the number one reason that Americans don’t wear hearing aids. The newest designs in hearing aids are winning awards in technology for their innovative size and design as well as superior function. The new open fit behind the ear hearing aids hide the hearing aid completely behind the wearer’s ear and transmit the sound into the ear through a tiny 1 mm tube. These aids all but eliminate the bothersome loud, hollow sound of the wearer’s voice while providing better signal processing in background noise.
5. I have worn hearing aids for many years. I love my aids but have a lot of difficulty when talking on the telephone. I have to take them out because they squeal. Is there any thing that can help?
Telephone switches/circuits have been available for many years with most hearing aids. In the past few years, newer technology has been developed to allow for automatic or switchless telephone circuits. You simply put the telephone over the hearing aid and it will change to the telephone setting. These automatic telephone circuits are available in behind the ear, in-the-ear and in-the-canal sized hearing instruments.
6. I have had my hearing aids for four years, how long can I expect them to last?
Hearing aids typically last 4-6 years. Although this does not seem like a long time, remember they are mechanical devices. Like any other mechanical device, your car for example, they will wear out. Hearing aids are typically worn 10-15 hours daily and compared to your car or television, that is A LOT of use. Advances in hearing aid technology are moving rapidly, each year hearing instruments offer wider flexibility in fitting and better sound processing. This may also influence your decision making as to when the time is right for you to consider new hearing aids.
7. What is Hearing Loss?
Hearing Loss Affects Over 28 Million Americans.
Hearing loss is a term that refers to any degree of loss that is beyond the range of normal. It is possible for you to have a slight hearing loss and not know it if it doesn't interfere with your everyday life. Unfortunately, a hearing loss is often accompanied by a reduction in the ability to understand speech, which often leads to feelings of frustration and isolation from important people in your life. Many times hearing loss that cannot be medically corrected can be corrected with hearing aids. New technology allows hearing aids to be adjusted for your specific hearing loss, and not simply amplify all sounds.
8. Hearing Loss and Communication
Do you spend much of your time asking people to repeat parts of a conversation to you? Difficulty carrying on a normal conversation is one of the first signs of hearing loss. Not being able to hear or clearly understand speech can be difficult, both for you and for the people you are communicating with. It can put a strain on your personal and business relationships, and also make it difficult for you to feel at ease at school, at church -even at parties. This hearing loss can many times be corrected with a hearing aid adjusted specifically for the frequencies that you are having difficulty hearing.
9. Common Hearing Disorders
Many of the common disorders associated with a hearing loss are preventable or medically treatable. Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, can be caused by wax, exposure to loud noise or inner ear problems. Conductive Hearing Loss occurs when sound is not transmitted efficiently to the normal nerve, and is caused by ear infections or middle ear damage. It is often medically correctable. Sociocusis is the term for hearing loss resulting from environmental noise. It happens gradually and is permanent, but it can be prevented by the use of hearing protection.
10. Determining the Cause of Hearing Loss
More than 28 million Americans currently have hearing loss. Hearing loss most often falls into one of two categories: conductive or sensorineural. A conductive hearing loss involves the outer and middle ear. It is frequently the result of wax blockage, a punctured ear drum, ear infection or birth defect. This loss is often medically or surgically correctable. A sensorineural, or nerve, loss involves the inner ear, and is most often the result of trauma, exposure to loud noise, infection or a history of family hearing problems. Sensorineural hearing losses are most often managed with hearing aid systems. An Audiologist is the only provider licensed and trained to distinguish among these losses.
11. Why Should I Have My Hearing Checked
When your hearing loss doesn't interfere with your daily life, it may be difficult for you to realize that you have hearing loss. However, it is important to catch and correct a loss before it begins to affect your day-to-day activities. Often, the first sign of hearing loss is the tendency to pay attention to conversation only when it is directed to you, because it has become too difficult to follow involved discussions -a habit which frustrates you and your friends and family. Hearing aids can often correct the problem, restoring your hearing to comfortable levels and often lessening your sense of isolation and frustration. A hearing test can also provide a benchmark against which later tests can be compared for progressive hearing loss.
12. Proper Hearing Evaluation
Evaluating the hearing system can be complex and sensitive. More than a simple and quick exam performed in a location other than a specially sound treated room is necessary to distinguish between a medically correctable hearing loss and a loss that will benefit from a hearing aid. Audiologists are the only hearing professionals trained and licensed to evaluate your hearing with more sensitive diagnostic equipment. While audiometers are used to measure hearing to fit hearing aids, we use it as part of our comprehensive assessment to rule out medically correctable hearing loss. We also use Acoustic Impedance to determine if there is ear disease; Auditory Brainstem Response equipment to assess the hearing of infants or to rule out problems such as tumors; and electronystagmography (ENG) to assess inner ear disorders.
13. Conditions Associated With Infants
There are many factors that have been found to be associated with infant hearing loss. A few of the signs you should look for include serious infections (such as German measles, herpes, HIV or ear infection), a difficult birth, a birth weight of less than 3-1/2 pounds, a cleft palate or other unusual appearance, or the need for a blood exchange or transfusion. In addition, if any member of your family has had permanent hearing loss since childhood, your infant could have a hearing problem. While the presence of one of these signs does not absolutely mean that your baby will have a hearing loss, it does mean that you should consider having your infant's hearing tested by a trained Audiologist.
Hearing is an essential part of your child's development, especially in the areas of speech and learning, so it is very important that any hearing deficiency be diagnosed and treated or corrected as early as possible. Our Audiologists are experienced in the use of the latest technologies to accurately test even the youngest infants for hearing problems. Often, parents are the first to realize that their baby has a hearing problem. If you are concerned about your child's hearing, discuss your concerns with your physician or Audiologist.
14. Music and Hearing Loss
Much has been written about the hearing damage that listening to loud music can cause. Few people realize, however, that musicians also suffer from tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, caused by prolonged exposure to loud noises. Tinnitus is often an early signal that hearing loss is occurring. Even symphony musicians, whose acoustic seating arrangement causes the music to be played directly at the musician in the next row, can experience hearing loss. Hearing protective devices have been developed that, unlike ear plugs, don't hinder a musicians ability to hear the music but do moderate dangerous sound levels.
15. Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Recreational and Workplace Noise Major Causes of Hearing Losses.
Pneumatic hammers, industrial motors, stock car racing and shooting all are contributors to noise levels that can affect hearing. Noise induced hearing loss is considered the number one industrial health hazard, but you can take steps to minimize the problem. It is important to use the hearing protection recommended by your employer or audiologist. Noise is damaging if it causes a stuffy feeling in your ears, if you have to raise your voice to talk, or if it causes ringing in your ears. New tests, including the otoacoustic emissions test, can detect damage to the nerve fibers in the ear before that damage becomes a handicap.