Understanding Hearing Loss

From KXAN.com:

Many people suffer from hearing loss. In fact, the latest available statistics show that over 10% of the U.S. population report difficulty hearing! That's over 31.5 million people! And as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, that number promises to increase dramatically!

Are you are one of those millions of people who do not hear as well as they once did? If so, you are certainly not alone. Consider these statistics reported by Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute :

• 3 in 10 people over age 60 have hearing loss; 
• 1 in 6 baby boomers (ages 41-59), or 14.6%, have a hearing problem; 
• 1 in 14 Generation Xers (ages 29-40), or 7.4%, already have hearing loss; 
• At least 1.4 million children (18 or younger) have hearing problems; 
• It is estimated that 3 in 1,000 infants are born with serious to profound hearing loss.

In addition, studies have linked untreated hearing loss to emotional, physical, mental, psychological and even economic disadvantages! And, to make matters even worse, there are many "myths" about hearing loss that prevent those with hearing loss from doing anything about it.

Click here to view a video about the consequences of untreated hearing loss and the myths that surround it!

Causes of Hearing Loss

One of the most common "myths" about hearing loss is that only "old people" suffer from it! In fact, the reverse is true! The majority (65%) of people with hearing loss are younger than 65 and six million people in the U.S. between 18 and 44 suffer from hearing loss (Better Hearing Institute website).

The truth is that there are several causes of hearing loss with "exposure to noise" ranking high among the reasons. The primary causes of hearing loss are:

• Exposure to noise 
• Medicine 
• Aging process 
• Disease 
• Head trauma

Click here to find out more about the causes of hearing loss:

Types of Hearing Loss

Not all hearing loss is corrected through the use of hearing aids or alternative listening devices. Type of hearing loss determines the specific treatment required.

There are four types of hearing loss:

• Conductive: This could be caused by something as simple as earwax buildup! 
• Sensorineural: This is caused when tiny hairs in the cochlea are missing or damaged. 
• Mixed: This is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss 
• Central: Strokes and central nerve diseases are often the cause of this type of hearing loss. 

Hearing Aids: More Important Than We Thought?

New studies from the Journal of Neuroscience are showing that hearing loss in older adults ;can lead to loss of brain volume. The MRI's results suggest that even moderate declines in peripheral auditory acuity lead to a systematic downregulation of neural activity during the processing of higher-level aspects of speech.

Hearing Loss and Earthquakes

A very strange story is being reported concerning a 75 yr old with hearing loss. Robert Valderzak, from Virginia had been using a special speakerphone with a light on it that flashed when it was ringing and an audio device system to communicate. After experiencing an earthquake his hearing was somehow restored. Robert considered it an act of G-d.

Second Hand Smoke Causes Hearing Loss

Who would have thought that second hand smoke could cause hearing loss? ABC reports that a study found connection in teens between second hand smoke and hearing loss:

The researchers noted that the link of secondhand smoke exposure with elevated thresholds ranging from 0.5 kHz to 8 kHz suggests "that the injury to the inner ear is global."

In addition, the unilateral hearing loss is probably an early phase of ocular damage that is likely to progress in severity, they cautioned.

The elevated thresholds at 2, 3, and 4 kHz were particularly important, according to Lalwani and colleagues.

"These mid-to-high frequencies are critical for hearing in humans and are responsible for the clarity of hearing that allows us to discriminate between similar sounding words," they observed.

Possible mechanisms by which secondhand smoke could result in auditory damage include effects on the vasculature of the inner ear and injury from nicotine or other components of the smoke.

Hearing loss in young children has been shown to interfere with not only speech and language development, but also cognitive function, academic progress, and social interaction.

But newborns and young children are routinely screened for hearing difficulties, while adolescents are not.

The findings of this study suggest that teens who are exposed to secondhand smoke should have their hearing tested, and parents and caretakers should be made aware of the auditory hazards of their smoking.

Limitations of the study include its use of cross-sectional data which doesn't allow assignment of causation, lack of information on duration and sources of secondhand smoke exposure -- including prenatal exposure -- and absence of data on other factors such as exposure to loud noises.

The researchers also were unable to rule out the possibility that some of the participants had conductive, rather than sensorineural, hearing loss.

They concluded, "Future studies need to investigate the adverse consequences of this early hearing loss on social development, academic performance, behavioral and cognitive function, and public health costs."

Diabetes Could Cause Hearing Loss?

WebMD reports that in an analysis of 13 studies people with Diabetes were twice as likely to have a hearing loss problem that those without. That in and of itself is not clear proof of cause and effect but would suggest that those with diabetes get tested regularly for hearing loss issues.

Blood Vessel Damage

It’s unknown why hearing loss is more common among people with diabetes, but most researchers believe that damage to the blood vessels is the main culprit, according to Pamela D. Parker, MD, of the A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Mesa, Ariz. She has studied the link between hearing loss and diabetes for years but was not involved with the new study.

Researchers believe that over time, the high blood sugar levels that characterize diabetes may damage the small blood vessels of the inner ear, making it harder to hear. Autopsy studies of diabetes patients have shown evidence of such damage.

Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes and about 34.5 million Americans have some type of hearing loss, according to the American Diabetes Association.

A 2008 study showed that 54% of people with diabetes had at least mild hearing loss in their ability to hear high-frequency tones, compared with 32% of those with no history of diabetes. And 21% of participants with diabetes had at least mild hearing loss in their ability to hear low-to-mid frequency tones, compared with 9% of those without diabetes.

The new study suggests that people with diabetes are 2.3 times more likely to have mild hearing loss, defined as having trouble hearing words spoken in a normal voice from more than 3 feet away.

These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.

Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss: BAHA

Here is an article about BAHA, which stands for for bone-anchored hearing aid.The implanted system works through direct bone conduction and in 2002 was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss.BAHA allows sound to be conducted through the bone rather than via the middle ear, It consists of three parts – a titanium implant, an external abutment and a sound processor. The system works by enhancing natural bone transmission as a pathway for sound to travel to the inner ear, bypassing the external auditory canal and middle ear.

The implant is placed during a short surgical procedure and over time naturally integrates with the skull bone in a process call osseointegration.For hearing, the sound processor transmits sound vibrations through the external abutment to the titanium implant. The vibrating implant creates vibrations within the skull and inner ear that stimulate the inner ear’s nerve fibers, allowing hearing.

The device is used to rehabilitate people with conductive and mixed loss hearing impairment who suffer from chronic infection of the ear canal, congenital ear malformation, people with a single-sided hearing loss as a result of surgery for a vestibular tumor of the balance and hearing nerves. It is used both in adults and children.

The device costs $4,000 in the US plus the cost of surgery The only manufacturers are the Sydney, Australia-based Cochlear Limited, which registered BAHA as a trademark, and the Gothenburg, Sweden-based Oticon Medical.

Teenage Girls Hearing Loss, It's Rising

While boys have traditionally been more likely to suffer from noise-induced hearing loss, a study set to be published in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics suggests that teenage girls are rapidly closing the gap.According to Daniel J. DeNoon of WebMD Health News, the study shows that, between 2005 and 2008, 16.7% of girls and 17.7% of boys suffered from hearing loss by the age of 19. Those figures represent a slight decrease in hearing loss among teenage males, they also mark a 5% increase in hearing loss in teenage females, DeNoon reports.Elisabeth Henderson of Harvard Medical School (HMS) and her colleagues also discovered that the percentage of teens who reported listening to loud music within a 24 hour period had increased from 20 percent in the late 1980s/early 1990s to 35 percent more recently, according to Alison McCook of Reuters Health. That would seem to suggest that MP3 players may be at least partially to blame.

However, Dr. Peter Rabinowitz of Yale University told McCook that it was too early to tell whether or not portable music players were to blame. "This study does not totally prove that loud music is causing hearing damage in kids," he said, adding that the increased percentage of teens losing their hearing was cause for concern and that the medical community "should be doing something to prevent it."A total of 4,310 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 participated in the study. Each of the subjects completed audiometric testing during National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 1988–1994 and 2005–2006, according to Henderson and colleagues.Along with Henderson, Dr. Marcia A. Testa of the Harvard School of Public Health Department of Biostatistics and Dr. Christopher Hartnick of the HMS Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, are credited as co-authors of the paper, which is entitled "Prevalence of Noise-Induced Hearing-Threshold Shifts and Hearing Loss Among US Youths."


For more information on noise-induced hearing loss visit the  U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

ASHA Reminds You: Enjoy Your MP3's but Use Them Carefully

With many consumers wishing for and expected to receive electronics for gifts this holiday season, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is reminding the public about the potential risks of noise-induced hearing loss and a negative impact on communication development that can happen from the misuse or overuse of various types of devices.

“By no means are we saying that that the public shouldn't buy or have the electronics that are so popular” ASHA President Tommie L. Robinson, Jr, Ph.D., CCC-SLP says. “Rather, it's all about awareness and usage. There are ways to use them that are not only safer and healthier, but also contribute to a person's ability to enjoy the electronics their whole life.”

In the case of listening to MP3 players, ASHA recommends the following hearing protection steps:

•     Turn down the volume. A good rule to follow is do not turn the volume past the 50% mark. (If you can hear a person's music from their earbuds or headphones, the volume is turned up too loud.)
•     Take listening breaks. Don't listen to audio devices for longer than one hour at a time.
•     Adults need to model good behavior. Wear hearing protection such as ear plugs in nosy environments.
•     Take the Buds Pledge from the http://www.listentoyourbuds.org website.
•     Find a local certified audiologist for guidance on hearing protection and care through ASHA's online resource ProSearch (http://www.asha.org/findpro/).

A January 2010 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation study showed that young people between ages 8-18 spend more than 7 hours daily using various forms of entertainment media including televisions, computers, video games, iPods, and cell phones. . The study also found that ownership of personal audio devices such as iPods and MP3 players among children increased from 18 to 76 percent in just the past 5 years.

The consequences of a hearing loss can be devastating, especially for a child. In fact, studies show that even a mild hearing loss due to excessive noise can lead to delays in speech and language development, affecting a student's ability to pay attention in the classroom. Exposure to loud noise has also been linked to numerous physiological changes, sleep difficulties, digestive problems, delayed emotional development, stress related disorders, behavioral problems, body fatigue, and possible immunological effects.

Meanwhile, ASHA is concerned that overuse of entertainment media could reduce opportunities for language interactions and reading and writing. For example, children need practice using words and interacting with adults and peers. Thus, if they spend excessive amounts of time with such media, it “may adversely affect language development because these children are not receiving the language models and play interactions upon which further language acquisition is built.” (Beyond Baby Talk: From Sounds to Sentences, A Parent's Complete Guide to Language Development (2001))

Read more: at Bezinga

Beware of Noisy Toys for Child Hearing Health

Many people are unaware of toys that are so loud, they could be a potential cause for hearing loss.Hearing loss develops over time and it's important to protect children from developing hearing disabilities down the road by keeping the following list in mind

2010 Ten Noisiest Toys

1. Bell Riderz Block Blaster  from Bell Sports, Inc. - 129.2 dB
2. Cars Shake ‘N Go Ramone from Mattel, Inc. -.119.5 dB
3. Transformers Optimus Prime Cyber Sword from Hasbro - 110.1 dB
4. True Heroes Sonic Battle Blasters from Geoffrey, LLC - 110 dB
5. CAT Mini Mover from Toy State Intl Ltd. - 104.8 dB
6. Rocket Boost Iron Man 2 from  Hasbro - 103.2 dB
7. Road Rippers Rush & Rescue Fire Truck from Toy State Intl Ltd.-101.6 dB
8. Interaction Morris from Learning Curve Brands, Inc. - 98.7 dB
9. Proto Bat-Bot Figure from Mattel, Inc. - 98.6 dB
10. CAT Honk & Rumble Wheel from Toy State Intl Ltd. - 96.6 dB

(Courtesy of the Sight and Hearing Association. View and print the 2010 Noisy Toys List.)

FDA & Hearing Aids

Having trouble hearing? Over 35 million children and adults in the United States have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss can have a negative effect on communication, relationships, school/work performance, and emotional well-being. However, hearing loss doesn't have to restrict your daily activities. Properly fitted hearing aids and aural rehabilitation techniques can help in many listening situations. Aural rehabilitation helps a person focus on adjusting to their hearing loss and the use of their hearing aids. It also explores assistive devices to help improve communication. Hearing aids for both ears are typically the norm for most hearing impaired people, but some may need only one hearing aid.

This site provides general information on hearing aids, types of hearing loss, different types and styles of hearing aids, how to get a hearing aid, benefits and safety of hearing aids, hearing aids and cell phones, other products and procedures to improve hearing, and a checklist of steps to remember and consider before purchasing a hearing aids.

This site also includes information on the difference between hearing aids and sound amplifiers that amplify environmental sounds for consumers with no hearing loss. FDA regulates hearing aids, which are intended to compensate for hearing loss. On the other hand, FDA does not consider sound amplifiers to be medical devices when labeled for recreational or other use by individuals with normal hearing. However, certain safety regulations related to sound output levels still apply to these products.

This site provides general information on hearing aids and is not intended to provide medical advice. If you have questions about your health, the best source of information is your hearing health care professional.