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Ringing in your ears is an annoyance at best. When it continues as a chronic problem, it can also disrupt all areas of your life. Whether you suffer from unwanted sound in your ears on rare occasion or as part of an ongoing battle, our tinnitus specialist in North Phoenix is here to discuss ways to keep the ringing at bay.

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the name for unwanted sound in your ears. This sound can be present in a variety of forms such as ringing, whooshing, rushing, or even buzzing. Tinnitus is a surprisingly common condition in people who suffer from hearing loss, with as many as 75% of hearing loss patients experiencing symptoms. If you or a loved one suffer from chronic tinnitus, we recommend visiting our office for a hearing test.

What Causes Tinnitus?

Although the cause of tinnitus is unknown, most experts agree that tinnitus is your brain’s way of compensating for your hearing loss. When you cannot hear well, your brain loses the stimulation that sound normally provides. To make up for this missing stimulation, your brain creates phantom sound in your ears.

How Can You Treat Tinnitus?

Our tinnitus specialist in North Phoenix warns people against places that promise cures for tinnitus with pills or surgery. These types of “miracle cures” simply do not work, and in some cases they can even endanger your health.There is hope, however! The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has approved one method of treating tinnitus, and while this method may not be an overnight cure, it is safe, non-invasive, and scientifically proven to help decrease or even eliminate ringing in the ears. This FDA-approved treatment is called tinnitus therapy, and it involves ongoing, doctor- or specialist-supervised activities to help stimulate your brain.

Schedule a Consultation with Our Tinnitus Specialist in North Phoenix Today!

At Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, we strive to stay at the forefront of safe, advanced treatment options for tinnitus. If you or a loved one suffer from ringing or other unwanted sound in your ears, schedule a hearing assessment with our tinnitus specialist in North Phoenix today.The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to audiology, feel free to contact Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, with a convenient hearing center located in Phoenix, AZ, by clicking here or by calling 602.265.9000.

Your hearing is one of your most valuable assets. It connects you to your friends, family, and the world around you. What you may not realize, however, is the degree to which hearing takes place in your brain, not your ears! In fact, because your brain is different from everyone else’s, you hear differently than other people around you. Our experienced audiologist is here to discuss the fascinating ways that your brain helps you to hear and the connection between hearing, cognitive overload, and memory loss in Phoenix.

What Does Your Brain Have to Do with Hearing?

Think of your ears as microphones that pick up sound. Once those sounds enter your ears, your brain has to decode and figure out what the sounds mean. Without your brain, you wouldn’t be able to process, enjoy, or comprehend anything that you hear.Your brain does something else amazing with the sound received by your ears. To demonstrate this, try reading the following verse…Roses are redViolets are _____Sugar is sweetAnd so are you!Did your brain figure out that the blank in that verse is supposed to say “blue”? It does the same thing when you are listening to someone speak in a noisy room. There are times when your ears don’t catch sound completely. When this happens, your brain works to fill in the gaps to create meaning.

Avoid the Danger of Cognitive Overload

Unfortunately, when you suffer from hearing loss, your brain must go into overdrive to fill in numerous sound gaps all the time. This can leave you feeling tired, and social gatherings can start to feel like work instead of fun. Your memory can suffer, as well, since your brain can only work so hard at so many things at once.

What Is BrainHearing™?

BrainHearing™ is part of the broader NeuroTechnology™ field of audiology (the science of hearing), and as the name suggests, this technology works in harmony with your brain. It automatically adjusts and optimizes sound to match your unique hearing profile and personal sound preferences. The result is a more natural hearing experience that’s customized to your needs.When your hearing aid incorporates BrainHearing™ technology, your brain doesn’t have to work as hard to filter out unwanted background noise to create meaning from sound. The result is greater enjoyment and more energy to listen to your friends and family!

Schedule Your Consultation for Hearing, Cognitive Overload & Memory Loss in Phoenix

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids can provide you with a real-world hearing assessment and treatment consultation, during which our audiologist will be happy to answer all your questions about BrainHearing™ and other hearing rehabilitation technologies. Call our friendly office at 602.265.9000 to schedule your appointment today!The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to audiology, feel free to contact Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, with a convenient hearing center located in Phoenix, AZ, by clicking here or by calling 602.265.9000.

Recent studies on hearing aid use have made an astounding discovery - although hearing aid technology has improved significantly during the last decade, hearing instrument user satisfaction has not increased at the same rate! Experts believe this is because many people aren’t wearing the right hearing aids.If you wear hearing aids or are thinking of pursuing hearing loss rehabilitation, this may be the most important article you read all year! Our experienced audiologist explains hearing aid measurements in North Phoenix below.

What Is Wrong with Today’s Hearing Aids?

Reports published by Hearing Review and the Hearing Journal indicate that 34.25 million people in the United States suffer from some type of hearing loss. Of those people with significant hearing loss, 25% already own hearing instruments, and the majority of these owners experience moderate-to-severe hearing loss.More than one million of these patients are not satisfied with their hearing instruments and confess to not using them. If hearing instrument technology and design have improved, why are people not having an improved experience?Key factors expressed are:

• Not enough benefit
• Poor fit
• Unacceptable discomfort
• Unsatisfactory performance with background noise
• How to Improve Your Hearing Aid Experience

Our goal at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids is to help our patients achieve the best benefit possible from their hearing instruments. Studies have shown that if your audiologist adjusts your hearing aid solely based upon the manufacturer’s fitting algorithm, without real-ear testing, it may result in an inaccurate hearing prescription. Studies found that these initial-fit algorithms are often an inadequate amplification prescription, and research in England showed improvement in patient satisfaction when patients were fit with real-ear measurement.

What are Real-Ear Measurements (REM)?

Real-ear measurements provide a method for objectively assessing the accuracy of a hearing aid fitting. The reason for real-ear measurements is that individual ears are different between patients, and occasionally one ear can even differ from the other ear on the same patient! Those differences have a major effect on the benefit a hearing instrument provides to the wearer. The only way to truly account for those individual ear differences is for your audiologist to take a physical measurement of how your hearing aid is amplifying sound in the specific ear canal. Real-ear measurements make this possible, and that is why they are considered the “gold standard” method for achieving a proper hearing aid fit.

Contact Us for Hearing Aid Measurements in North Phoenix Today!

At Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, we use the most advanced equipment on the market to measure Real-Ear Measurements (REM) on our patients who use hearing instruments. Real-ear testing enables measurement of the sound delivered by a specific hearing aid in the ear canal of a specific individual. It is the most accurate procedure for measuring actual results. If you are interested in having an optimal hearing experience, real-ear measurement provides the most accurate information to fit your hearing aid. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation and see how Real-Ear Measurements can help with your hearing loss.The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to audiology, feel free to contact Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, with a convenient hearing center located in Phoenix, AZ, by clicking here or by calling 602.265.9000.

Tinnitus is that annoying and persistent ringing; buzzing or clicking you may hear in one or both of your ears. For some, it is a high-pitched ringing that occurs 24/7. For others, tinnitus can sound as loud as a chainsaw and come and go for no apparent reason at all. Others still report a loud banging sound that is consistent with each heartbeat. Whatever type of tinnitus you suffer from the results are often the same.Tinnitus is obnoxious, annoying and often downright maddening or exhausting.While there is not currently a cure for tinnitus, there are, luckily, ways to manage it and keep its frustrating effects at bay. If tinnitus is getting in the way of your quality of life or sleep, following these tips may help you better manage your tinnitus.

1. Get your hearing checked. We put this one first not because of the job that we do, but because tinnitus is often the first sign of hearing loss. For some people, tinnitus may be your auditory system’s way of “creating” sounds it is missing due to a hearing loss. If you have a hearing loss that can be treated with hearing aids, there are many options that have built in tinnitus relief. These aids are perfect for people who suffer from both of these issues and they have had great results for many patients. If you haven’t had your hearing checked yet, your tinnitus relief may just be a hearing aid away.
2. Check your medicine cabinet. A staggering 590 medications and drugs have been linked to tinnitus and/or hearing loss. These drugs include both prescription and over-the-counter medications for a multitude of ails from minor aches and pains, to depression or even cancer. If you notice ringing in your ears after taking a certain medicine, reach out to your doctor right away to discuss a possible change of meds. It is also important to tell your doctor all the over-the-counter and prescription medicines and vitamins you currently take, as many times it is a combination of multiple drugs that cause the tinnitus symptoms.
4. Watch your diet. In general, the healthier one eats, the more likely their tinnitus stays at bay. In particular, it has been found that a Mediterranean diet – high in fish oils, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fruits and seeds, are great for keeping tinnitus under wraps. Try to avoid red meats, processed foods, trans fat and refined sugars the best you can. It has also been found that specific foods such as chocolate, caffeine, cheese or wine may trigger tinnitus and make it worse.
6. Fake it ‘till you make it. Tinnitus tends to be an issue of noise relativity. It seems to bother us less when we are in a busy restaurant and more when we are trying to fall asleep at night. An easy strategy for taming tinnitus is to use background noise to distract us from it. For example, listening to peaceful music or white noise may help us be better able to drown out our tinnitus when it is the most bothersome.
8. Consider stress-relief techniques or therapy. Tinnitus can be a bit of a catch 22, whereby it can make us sleepless, irritated or anxious. On the other hand, sleeplessness, irritation and anxiety tend to make tinnitus worse. It is important to employ any strategies that work for you to remain as calm and stress-free as possible. Mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques work for some people, whereby others opt for more structured cognitive behavior therapy, biofeedback therapy or sound therapy.
9. Who Gets Tinnitus?
10. Tinnitus can make a person feel very alone and isolated, especially when surrounded by people who do not understand how annoying it can be. When in the thicket with your tinnitus, it is important to remember that you are not alone. In fact, it is estimated that about 50 million Americans suffer from tinnitus, and it is the most commonly reported injury for soldiers returning from combat.
11. How AZ Balance & Hearing Aids Can Help
12. If you’re suffering from tinnitus, reach out to our friendly team today. We look forward to working with you in an effort to find you relief from the obnoxious symptoms of your tinnitus. Relief may be a lot closer than you think.

Have you noticed you’ve been a bit more accident prone than normal lately? It might not just be a random onset of clumsiness. Experiencing more accidents may actually indicate an issue with your hearing. In fact, a new study found a direct and convincing correlation between self-reported hearing loss and risk of injury producing accidents. The study was published in the JAMA Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and was based off a 232.2 million participant survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Findings and Specifics of the Study

The study was published last month and used eight years of data, from 2007 to 2015. The researchers intended to study the effect of hearing loss on accidental injury during work, leisure and while driving. Participants were asked to report their hearing as “excellent”, “good”, “a little trouble”, “moderate trouble”, “a lot of trouble”, and “deaf”. Participants were also asked to report accidental injuries they had experienced in the 3 months preceding the survey date. The survey indicated that in all three categories: work, leisure or sport and driving, degree of hearing loss affected the rate of accidents. Compared to participants who reported their hearing as “excellent”, those who reported their hearing as having “a little trouble” were 60% more likely to have experienced an accidental injury, those with moderate hearing were 70% more likely and those with a lot of hearing issues were a whopping 90% more likely to have experienced an accident that resulted in injury.Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya, the lead author of the study recognizes that while the survey does rely solely on self-reported hearing loss rather than an objective measure like a formal hearing assessment, the results are still very striking and conclusive. He says of the results, “Not hearing warning signs when jogging, cycling — that can put you in harm’s way. Hearing loss is not just a social nuisance. It can predispose you to injury.” (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/27/well/live/hearing-loss-may-make-you-accident-prone.html).To access the summary of this study and it’s findings, visit the publication here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2676015?redirect=true.

Why Does This Matter?

Accidental injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. If hearing loss plays in the role of increased risk of sustaining these injuries, then treating hearing loss may help to reduce them. This is not the only study that has linked hearing loss to an increased risk of falls, injuries or safety concerns.In 2017, John Hopkins University published a study entitled, “Hearing Loss and Falls Among Older Adults in the United States”. In this particular study, objective auditory assessments were used to determine a participant’s hearing abilities. These findings were then coupled with vestibular function. Vestibular function measure’s a person’s balance and ability to orientate oneself in spatial environments. This study had astounding results. The researchers discovered that even just a mild degree of hearing loss tripled a participant’s risk of falling. As hearing loss degrees worsened, the participant’s risks went up 140% for every 10 decibels of hearing loss (https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52548-New-research-links-hearing-loss-to-an-increased-risk-of-falls).

Can Hearing Aids Help?

The exact reason hearing impairments are linked to more falls is unknown, but scientists and doctors believe a few factors play a role. Firstly, those with a hearing impairment have a decreased awareness of the environment around them because they cannot hear subtle sounds. Another contributing factor is decreased spatial awareness (or awareness of where one’s body is in space as related to other objects and people). The third known factor is the cognitive overload that happens with hearing loss. If your brain is constantly straining to hear and understand, there can be a lack of cognitive energy for other things such as balance (https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52548-New-research-links-hearing-loss-to-an-increased-risk-of-falls).Hearing aids can definitely help reduce the risk of all of these factors. With hearing aids comes an increased environmental awareness. With hearing aids, the softer and more subtle warning sounds are more likely to be heard and falls more likely to be avoided. It has also been proven that hearing aids decrease the mental strain put on your brain. When your brain is not pouring its cognitive energy into trying to hear and understand, it can also take care of other factors such as awareness of safety issues as well as increased balance.If you have noticed an increase in slips or falls or any of the other early signs of hearing loss, reach out to our friendly team at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids today. We look forward to working with you as your rediscover the magic of hearing.

For the very first time, the Phoenix Police Department and the Arizona Commission for Deaf and the Hard of Hearing have teamed up to improve relations between police officers and the deaf and hearing impaired community. The training opportunity gave officers the chance to get specialized training on how to handle tactile situations with a person who has a hearing impairment.On top of education for officers, volunteers from the deaf and hard of hearing community were also given the opportunity to learn. Volunteers were able to participate in role-play of common situations from the perspective of the officers. Emmett Hassen, a hearing impaired participant stated, "there's been some anxiety because I didn't really understand what they did on a daily basis, but after the training that we had today, it really does help understand that more so it relieves some of that” (http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/special-police-training-on-how-to-communicate-with-people-who-are-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing).Throughout the day, the general consensus seemed to be positive for both the deaf volunteers as well as the police officers. For example, Sargent David Montoya felt the training made him more aware of things he could do as an officer to improve communication with someone who has a hearing impairment. "It helps us understand if they're having these challenges” he says, “if they're struggling to communicate, we're part of that communication. Communication is a two-way street. There are things we can do on our end like … a deaf person may have that card in their visor that has information, being aware of alternative ways of communication as opposed to just talking.”Ultimately, the training was positive for all involved and improved relationships were forged between the deaf and hard of hearing community and the Phoenix police department.

Is This Really Necessary?

For most of us, getting pulled over is unnerving and stressful. For people living with a hearing impairment, these feelings are amplified. While most interactions between police officers and members of the hearing-impaired community end peacefully, there have been situations where a little miscommunication has had deadly results.In 2016, a 29-year-old man was shot and killed by a police officer in North Carolina. Daniel Harris was unarmed, and only feet from his front door at the time of the shooting. According to the officer involved, Daniel had been speeding and when the officer attempted to pull him over, Daniel continued driving instead. It is unclear whether Harris knew he was being pulled over, as he would have been unable to hear the sirens. Upon arriving home, Harris exited his vehicle and an exchange occurred between him and the officer, which ended in Harris being shot and killed on the scene. Witnesses to the tragic event say it appeared that Harris was attempting to communicate via sign language. According to most reports, Daniel Harris was unarmed and had just landed an exciting new job. (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/daniel-harris-shooting-mourners-remember-deaf-man-killed-police-questions-n636776).Tragically, Daniel Harris’ story is not unique. Just a few months ago another deaf man was fatally shot by police, this time in Oklahoma. In September 2017, officers in Oklahoma City were responding to a hit-and-run incident that led them to an address where they encountered 35-year-old Magdiel Sanchez. Sanchez was holding a two-foot metal pipe with a leather strap around his wrist. Officers report ordering Sanchez to drop the weapon, but he did not comply. Neighbors who were witness to the shooting report yelling to the police officers that Sanchez was deaf and unable to hear them. Unfortunately, their cries went unheard and two officers fired fatal shots at the same time. It was also reported that Sanchez also had developmental disabilities and was unable to talk. Medical personnel pronounced Sanchez dead on the scene. Sanchez’s father owned the car involved in the hit and run and Magdiel was not in the vehicle at the time of the incident (https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/21/552527929/oklahoma-city-police-fatally-shoot-deaf-man-despite-yells-of-he-cant-hear-you).These terrible stories are difficult to comprehend and shed a fair amount of light on the need for more training for police officers when they come into contact with a person who has a hearing impairment. More police departments should follow Phoenix’s lead and implement training procedures to help prevent tragic accidents like the two stories mentioned above.

Visit Us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

Treating hearing loss is an important part of staying safe in your surroundings. If you believe you are experiencing changes in your hearing, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids to schedule a consultation.

Our world is getting louder, without a doubt, and amidst all that noise, our hearing is at risk. Unfortunately, we often become acclimated to noise pollution without recognizing the hazard it poses to our ongoing hearing health.Noise pollution affects our hearing in the long and short term. Immediately we may notice a decreased ability to focus and concentrate around noise. Noise levels can also impact our ability to sleep and get the proper amount of rest. In the short run, excess noise exposure in our environment can cause permanent hearing damage if left unchecked. Over time, permanent hearing damage accrues into significant hearing loss meaning that noise pollution today shapes our hearing in the future.

Know Your Hazardous Noise

Listen to your surroundings. Do you hear loud traffic or construction? Maybe your neighbor is using their lawn mower or there is an appliance running in your home. All of these things operate around the threshold of hazardous noise.OSHA has set standards for dangerous noise levels on jobsites, but they are important levels for everyone who wants to protect their hearing to know and understand. At a workplace, noise levels cannot exceed 85 decibels without the provision of hearing protection. In the mid-1970s the EPA released a rough guideline for noise pollution, warning people to protect their ears if they were regularly surrounded by 75 dB of noise or greater. The 75-dB threshold is capable of causing hearing damage with continual 24-hour exposure.At 85 dB, sound permanently damages your hearing after 8 hours of exposure. As decibel levels increase, the safe sound exposure time drops dramatically. Noise at 95 decibels limits your safe exposure to 4 hours, while at 105 dB sound does permanent damage in an hour or less. Sounds that register at 120dB and above are not safe at any exposure and may cause physical pain to the ear.

Testing Sound Levels

How do you know if the environment around you is too loud? Your first indication is your own ears. If it is hard to hold a conversation at normal voice levels and difficult to concentrate on tasks, there may be a noise problem involved. Often sound that is 75 dB or greater will seem irritating to our ear and make us take notice. However, more and more people are accepting these overly loud conditions as part of everyday life, unaware that it may be causing lasting damage.Smart technology puts quick and accurate decibel reading quite literally in the palm of your hand. Multiple free smart phone apps have the ability to measure incoming noise and let you know if your sound exposure is at a hazardous level. If you think your surroundings may be too loud, spend some time measuring sound in your area with a decibel reader. Constant noise above 75 dB is a cause for concern, as is ongoing daytime noise, like construction sounds, that register at over 85 dB.

Protect Yourself When It Is Too Loud

What do you do when you know your life is too loud? Noise pollution can be frustrating, so it is important to find solutions that are personal and more community-driven. For your own health, you’ll need to find ways to protect your hearing around noise. Use quality ear protection like ear muffs or ear plugs to dampen the sound level you are exposed to. At home, you can use sound dampening curtains and flooring to weaken noise coming in from outside your home.In your community, be active about raising noise pollution awareness. If your neighborhood doesn’t have enacted quiet hours, petition your local government to better regulate excessive noise. Education is part of the equation as well. Talk to your friends and neighbors about the hazards of environmental noise to build coalitions. Discussing the issue with local school districts can help bring noise awareness into the classroom and teach children how to take care of their hearing.

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

People always have questions about their hearing and at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, we’ve got answers. When it comes to connecting you with great hearing options, complete hearing exams, balance solutions and hearing aid technology our fantastic team helps you stay on top of your hearing wellness.

At Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, our team is committed to improving your life and how you enjoy it. Communication is essential to all relationships, from personal to professional and communication issues could be signaling hearing loss.

Day-to-day issues

Are you struggling to hear conversations? Can you hear your phone ring – in your pocket or purse? How about in the next room? Can you hear someone talking to you from the next room? Do you have to keep changing the tones and chimes on your phone because you are missing notifications? Are you turning up the TV and the radio in your car?If you answered “yes” – then it does seem communication issues are affecting your life.

“I’ll just deal with it”

Sure, you can keep turning up the TV and the radio, but what about the arguments when family members turn them down because they are too loud? Gradual hearing loss creeps into your every-day life and starts impacting a full range of things before you even realize it.First you may just miss parts of a word because different vocal tones change the pitch of a word – think about speech patterns and how vowels and consonants put different emphasis or a tonal quality on certain words. So, you start trying to guess what a word is when you miss part of it. That can certainly lead to issues both on a personal and professional level.

It gets a little worse

You start losing whole chunks of a sentence. You can’t hear the birds outside anymore or the wind through the trees. Could you hear the buzzer on the washer or the dryer when it turns off? How about the oven timer or the carbon monoxide alarm upstairs if you are downstairs?You find you can’t follow a conversation at a restaurant, around the water cooler at the office or during a conference you are attending. You have issues with accented or stuttered speech. While you may not personally know or work with anyone that fits that criteria – what about cashiers at stores, servers at restaurants, new people you meet through personal or professional relationships?

The strain is exhausting

Trying to fill in the gaps of a conversation you may be having because you can’t hear all of it is exhausting. You are straining to hear, straining to process, straining to answer appropriately. There’s tension headaches, grinding teeth – missed opportunities – it’s taking its toll physically before you know it.At home a pleasant conversation may be becoming a thing of the past. There’s yelling on both sides, you have to keep stopping a conversation and asking to have something repeated, you are interrupting over and over again, you can’t get the punchline of a joke. Family members would rather go to another room than sit with the television turned up – the volume is up on your phone and your electronic devices and you still are straining to understand because words at a certain pitch or tone escape you. You may get a little paranoid and start thinking people are deliberately leaving you out of things because you can’t hear them.If communication at work is essential and you are having communication issues the anxiety about your job is likely seriously stressing you out. Because you aren’t hearing everything, your boss may start thinking your inattention to what is going on around you means you don’t care about your job as much as you used to.

Communication is essential

Speaking, listening, enjoying – living – it all takes communication and hearing loss just messes with all those things! The average adult waits between five and seven years to get hearing loss addressed. Think of what you may miss in that time and what sort of impact that will have on your personal and professional life. There are hearing devices and hearing assistance instruments that can improve your hearing right now. Hearing aids are miracles of amplification and that are so much subtler than they used to be.Why wait? The caring team at Arizona Balance and Hearing can address your concerns, provide you with a comprehensive hearing test, and put you on the road to effective communication right now!

Did you know that hearing loss can come between you and happiness? Leaving your hearing loss untreated can have some serious unintended consequences. It can negatively affecting your mental health and impede your quality of life. It can all be traced back to how large a role communication plays in our lives. Not being able to communicate adequately can lead to a wide range of problems, not the least of which are depression, anxiety and social isolation.

Hearing Loss and Anxiety

Untreated hearing loss can limit us and shape our behavior. When it comes to hearing loss and anxiety, the connection between the two is strong. Hearing loss often manifests in a way that you can detect sound, but have trouble comprehending meaning from it. This is especially true in complicated sound environments like a noisy train station or a busy restaurant. People with hearing loss often find it hard to separate relevant speech and sound from background noise in such environments. Consequently, it detracts from the ability to relax in a situation.Having untreated hearing loss can sever people from their favorite activities. Instead of savoring enjoyable situations like dinner with friends or seeing a live concert, hearing loss can turn make the experience confusing and frustrating. In stressful situations, comprehension problems caused by hearing loss can provoke stress and anxiety. Hearing loss restricts our understanding of our surroundings and anxiety can take advantage of our instincts and discomfort. The negative reinforcement of anxiety can sap the pleasure and ease from everyday activities, turning pastimes we once enjoyed into uncomfortable ordeals.

Hearing Loss and Isolation

Social isolation is a serious problem that can be brought on or exacerbated by untreated hearing loss. Just as hearing issues can provoke anxiety by changing how we relate to the world, it can also easily shut us out of our social connections. While hearing loss is making our social experiences in the world more stressful, it simultaneously drives us away from the people and connections we know and depend on.Often hearing loss strains the ability to partake in a conversation. Talking and connecting with others becomes more difficult and less enjoyable when you have to compensate for untreated hearing impairment. This can make a person less willing to engage with their friends, coworkers, family and other social networks, withdrawing from situations where hearing loss makes them uncomfortable. At first, this may seem like a once-in-a-while occurrence, skipping a get together with friends or avoiding phone calls because your hearing makes conversation less pleasurable. This can form a pattern that sets the stage for isolation, gradually weakening your social connections.

Hearing Loss and Depression

Living with untreated hearing loss greatly increases your risk of depression. When your ability to hear is compromised, your ability to communicate suffers. Oftentimes people with hearing loss report feeling like they are not understood by others, in addition to difficulties understanding what others are saying to them. The added effects of anxiety and isolation can also compound into deep unhappiness and depression.Depression saps our drive and energy, it holds us back from our goals, crushes self-esteem and can be life-threatening. Depression can destroy hard-earned success and happiness and makes the body vulnerable to other health issues. By increasing our risk of disconnection from others, leaving hearing loss untreated makes us more vulnerable to depression.

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

The news is not all bad however. Although untreated hearing loss makes you more susceptible to anxiety, depression and social isolation, there is hope. While much hearing loss is permanent, most hearing loss can be treated effectively with hearing aids and assistive devices. Treating hearing loss can keep us connected to the world, helping minimize the negative effects of hearing loss. Taking care of your auditory wellbeing is an important step towards taking care of your happiness and mental health.Be sure to maintain your hearing health with an annual check-up with our hearing specialists at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids. Support your hearing throughout the year – if you notice issues or problems hearing sound or understanding speech, come see us for hearing help. Additionally, if you are already using hearing aids, Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids is hear to help you maintain your hearing, connect with your happiness and get the most out of life!

Oticon has officially become the first hearing aid brand to earn an CES Innovation Award for their revolutionary new HearingFitness App. The new app has been released this year and was designed to work in conjunction with Oticon’s Opn hearing aids. The app aims to give users encouragement and advice on hearing better, hearing protection and healthier living. The HearingFitness app tracks hearing aid use and listening environments. The app also collates and interprets data collected from other wearable devices such as heart rate, sleep habits, exercise and other health markers. The HearingFitness app is the first application created by a hearing aid manufacturer that is focused on healthy hearing and living.

Why Track Hearing Aid Use?

Shockingly, there are some people who own hearing aids and do not wear them as often as they should. It can be especially tempting for first time hearing aid wearers to opt out of wearing their devices, as they can feel awkward in the beginning. It is important to remember that there is always an adjustment period to getting used to hearing aids, and the only way to overcome the adjustment period is to practice wearing your aids! The HearingFitness App keeps track of when and how often a user is wearing their aids, and gives gentle reminders along the way. The app also tracks listening environments, to help you understand when and where you are having the most difficulty hearing and understanding.

The Connection Between Your Hearing and Your Health

Did you know that researchers have found a strong correlation between untreated hearing loss and dementia? In fact, a recent study published in The Lancet concluded that hearing loss is amongst the highest risk factors for developing dementia from mid-life. The exact reason for the correlation typically falls into two different categories of thought. The first is that struggling to hear and understand causes your brain so much stress and energy that other areas of your brain begin to atrophy. The other school of thought revolves around the social isolation typically associated with hearing loss. (http://www.hearingreview.com/2017/11/oticon-hearingfitness-app-wins-2018-ces-innovation-award/).For those with untreated hearing loss, social situations can begin to feel like more of a chore than a leisure activity. Many people with untreated hearing loss decide to opt out of family gatherings or work happy hours simply because the frustration of keeping up with conversations is so taxing. Because of this, many people with hearing loss experience social isolation. Social isolation is a key and important risk factor of dementia.

Oticon’s BrainHearing Technology

For a few decades, Oticon has focused on creating it’s trademarked BrainHearing technology. This technology uses a “Brain First” approach that is designed to make hearing easier on the brain and assist the brain in processing and understanding sounds. This BrainHearing technology allows hearing aid users to have the mental energy to engage at work, at home, and in their social lives. BrainHearing technology is also the workhorse behind the HearingFitness app. Combining actual user data and relevant feedback, the app will help people to optimize the use of their hearing aids. For more information on BrainHearing technology, visit the website here: https://www.oticon.com/solutions/brainhearing-technology

CES Innovation Awards

The CES Convention is considered the “Global Stage for Innovation”. Every year, the Consumer Technology Association, CES holds a convention where thousands of companies come together to unveil their exciting new advances in technology. While some advances, such as the HearingFitness app will be available for consumers immediately, others are showcasing technology that we may be able to get years down the road. Along with the HearingFitness app, this year’s CES Convention showcased tiny home robot companions from Honda 3E, augmented reality glasses, and crazy concept cars including facial recognition technologies and self-driving capabilities. (http://time.com/5100244/best-ces-2018-consumer-electronics-show/).

AZ Balance and Hearing Aids

If you think you may be noticing some of the early signs of hearing loss, it is important to schedule a hearing assessment with a specialist as soon as possible. Whether you’re in need of a hearing assessment or are simply curious about Oticon Opn hearing aids or the new HearingFitness app, feel free to reach out to our friendly team today.

What an awesome win for Arizona! Besides it being the state’s birthday this month, we have quite a bit to celebrate. We are proud to announce that our legislature has officially become the first in the nation to offer closed captioning services for all of it’s committee and floor meetings in either chamber. This is great news for the 1.1 million Arizonians currently living with a hearing loss, as governmental processes in our state just got a whole lot more inclusive.

Prior Supports for People with Hearing Loss

The Arizona Legislature has a pretty good reputation when it comes to accommodating those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment. Last year, the legislature installed hearing loop technology throughout the Capitol. At the time, Arizona was only the second state legislature in the nation to make this upgrade to their buildings. Hearing loop technology allows hearing aid and cochlear implant users to receive sounds directly into their hearing aids, rather than trying to hear through the echo of a large room. Representative Lela Alston has a hearing loss and reportedly almost cried when the hearing loop technology was unveiled last year. She says of time before the loops, “I was hesitate to speak out often because I could not hear what my colleagues were saying… Having this looping system has allowed me, as a member of the Legislature, to fully participate." Because of the hearing loops, an elective representative was able to better serve her constituents. How great is that?While beneficial, hearing loops don’t solve the problem for all people with hearing loss, for example, those who do not wear hearing aids, or are deaf.

How Closed Captioning Services Assist those with Hearing Loss

Unlike hearing loops that transmit sounds to hearing devices, closed captioning allows listeners to read the conversations, in real time, as they are happening. It’s easy to see how this support would benefit everyone with a hearing loss, but especially those who cannot hear at all and rely on sign language or lip reading, or those who have very minimal hearing. Implementing the closed captioning services had almost unanimous and bipartisan support from members of both the House and the Senate.The new service is also getting support from local advocates of hearing impaired rights. Sherri Collins, the director of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing said of the new systems, “We are the state of the art on accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing." She also noted that people with hearing loss can now be a more active part of the democratic processes happening in our state.As mentioned earlier, the live captioning assistance will be available for all committee and floor meeting in both the state House and the state Senate. If you or someone you love would be interested in using this service, you must simply request it on the legislative website here: https://www.azleg.gov/emailazcdhh/. Please note, the legislature does currently require at least 24 hours advance notice in order to provide the service.No matter your political views, it’s easy to agree that our state legislature is doing pretty well when it comes to the rights of those in the deaf and hearing-impaired community. In just one year, we have been the second in the nation to provide hearing loops and the first in the nation to provide live text streaming! Nice work, Arizona!

How AZ Balance and Hearing Aids Can Help

Although things are getting better and practices throughout the country are becoming more inclusive, it is still important to check your hearing at least once a year. Even if you haven’t noticed any changes in your hearing, annual checks are advised after the age of 55. This way, you and your audiologist can track your baseline, and will be able to quickly see if there has been any loss in your hearing from year to year. This will be extremely handy, since most people who don’t get regular checks wait an average of seven years from the time they notice changes in their hearing to the time they seek treatment. Reach out to our friendly team today. We look forward to working with you.

For most of the country, Valentine’s Day means cold nights in front of hot fires. For us Phoenicians, February brings warm days and pleasant nights - perfect for celebrating the month of love with our special someone or our friends and family. There are plenty of events to delight all of your senses this Valentine’s Day in Phoenix, however, we have decided to focus on the events that are the most pleasant to listen to. Makes sense, as we are in the industry of helping you hear better. Valentine’s Day 2018 is a great way to celebrate all those you love. Read below for our favorite activities to hear this February with your family or your special someone.

1. Go see Cinderella at the Phoenix Symphony Hall

Bring the whole family to Phoenix Symphony Hall to be transported into the pages of the classic and romantic fairytale, Cinderella. Audience members of all ages will be delighted with the beautiful costumes, elegant and powerful dancers, and gorgeous music coming from the accompanying and world-renowned Phoenix Symphony. The performance of Cinderella is presented by Ballet Arizona and only available for a select period of time, specifically to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The show has 1-2 performances daily, and runs from February 15th-18th. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: http://balletaz.org/performance/cinderella-2018/

2. Paint at the Farm at South Mountain

Spend some quality time with your favorite “little person” at this special Valentine’s event. This event is perfect for daddy/daughter Valentine’s dates, or for good times with Grandparents while mom and dad enjoy a romantic afternoon. During this “Big Little Paint Date” you and your little one will be walked step-by-step through a simple painting on a single canvas you share. While painting, you can also enjoy tasty treats and listen to sweet tunes and the wonderful sounds of nature abound at the Farm at South Mountain. The event will be held on Sunday, February 11th from 1pm - 3pm. For more information or to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-little-paint-date-valentines-event-tickets-42284203190?aff=es2

3. See Hamilton at ASU Gammage

Every few years or so, a Broadway production becomes an international sensation. Such is the case of Hamilton, a modern day telling of the life of Alexander Hamilton - founding father and Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War. The show combines jazz, blues, hip-hop, R&B, rap and broadway music to tell the fascinating story of this historic American figure. The show runs daily from February 6th to February 25th. Act fast, the show will sell out quickly, as it has sold out in cities and concert halls throughout the world. For tickets and information, visit the ASU Gammage website here: https://www.asugammage.com/

4. Listen to some blues at the Rhythm Room

Cozy up with your loved one while rocking out to some of the best live blues and jazz the valley has to offer. The Rhythm Room is an intimate space dedicated to Jazz and Blues tunes, with live music each and every evening. On February 10th, you can spread the love even further, since all the proceeds from this event go directly to the HART fund. The HART fund assists families of people in the blues community who have suffered hardships such as severe illnesses or funeral costs. The doors open at 7pm. To get more information and see the lineup for the evening, visit: https://www.rhythmroom.com/event/1614661-valentines-day-blues-phoenix/

5. Get your hearing tested at AZ Balance and Hearing Aids

Bear with us on this one. No one thinks of hearing assessments or hearing loss as a very romantic topic, however, many studies have connected treating hearing loss with hearing aids and improved romantic and familial relationships. Imagine the twinkle of romance in your loved one’s ear when they realize you can hear them when they whisper in your ear on the dance floor, or how much more fun communication will be when you don’t have to ask her to repeat herself so often? While not the typical Valentine’s sizzle, getting your hearing assessed could be the most romantic thing you do for your love this year.

Many cases of hearing loss – either due to natural aging or noise induced – are also progressive. The simple definition of progressive hearing loss is hearing loss that gradually becomes worse over time. Most people who have hearing loss have a progressive form. Progressive hearing loss happens when more and more sound-detecting sensory hair cells within the inner ear gradually become damaged and unusable.

Exciting new research from the United Kingdom recently made some interesting discoveries about a biological marker which may be a cause of progressive hearing loss. This new discovery could lead to new treatments to better assist those with hearing loss.

All About the Study

The research study was funded by UK based charity Action on Hearing Loss and conducted by researchers at King’s College London, the Welcome Trust Sangar Institute and the University College London. The researchers were using lab mice to investigate why the mice with a specific gene mutation suffered from progressive hearing loss. The mutation always occurred on the S1pr2 gene in the mice who suffered hearing loss.

During the study, researchers concluded that a degeneration of the stria vascularis as well as low endocochlear potential were correlated with the hearing-impaired mice. This study is significant to hearing loss in humans because this gene is also associated with a human’s ability to hear (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20160817/Researchers-discover-new-biological-mechanism-involved-in-progressive-hearing-loss.aspx).

What is a Stria Vascularis?

Believe it or not, the stira vascularis is a body part you use every day, but have probably never even heard of. Stria vascularis is one of the many components of our complicated auditory system. The stria vascularis is the upper portion of the spiral ligament, which forms the outer lining of the cochlear duct. It contains many capillary loops and blood vessels, and it produces one of the fluids necessary for the maintenance of healthy hair cells. The hair cells are extremely important to our hearing, as they are responsible for turning sounds into electric signals that are sent to the brain for processing.

Analysis and Outcome of Study

The potential impact of this study on the lives of those living with progressive hearing loss or who are at risk for the condition is great. Karen Steel, a professor at King’s College and the lead researcher on the study says of the findings, “Our finding suggests that designing treatments to boost the function of the stria vascularis could be important in treating some forms of progressive hearing loss. What is needed now are accurate ways of diagnosing what part of the ear is affected so that in the future the most appropriate treatment can be administered” (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20160817/Researchers-discover-new-biological-mechanism-involved-in-progressive-hearing-loss.aspx). Of course, more research is necessary in order to move forward on creating these treatments, but these findings do mean good things may be on the horizon.

All About Action Hearing Loss

Action Hearing Loss is the non-profit organization that funded this research. Action Hearing Loss is the world’s largest donor-supported hearing research program, and is dedicating to funding research that will help healthcare professionals in finding better cures and treatments for concerns such as hearing http://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/how-we-help/businesses-and-employers/loss and tinnitus.

Action Hearing loss also does much more than fund research. They offer a plethora of useful information on their website, assist with communication and hearing aids, and help those suffering from hearing loss connect to supports they may need. The charity also offers training for businesses in hiring and supporting employees with hearing loss, installing hearing loops at places of employment and offers sign language training. This all-encompassing non-profit also works in schools and colleges in order to help education facilities and organizations better support their students who are deaf or have a hearing loss. To learn more about the great work being done by Action Hearing Loss, visit their website here: http://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/

How AZ Balance & Hearing Aids Can Help

No matter the cause for your hearing loss, it is best to reach out to your local hearing aid specialists if you have noticed changes in your hearing. Reach out to our friendly team today to schedule your comprehensive hearing exam if you have noticed any of the early signs of hearing loss. We look forward to hearing from you and walking with you on your journey to improved hearing and a better quality of life!

A Brief History of Service Dogs

Animals generally and dogs specifically have been used by humans to complete specific tasks for tens of thousands of years. Throughout ancient human history dogs have helped hunters track down and catch prey, to tracking down wounded soldiers during wartimes. There are some ancient mentions of dogs acting as helpers for those with disabilities, such as ruins found in an Ancient Roman city which depict a dog assisting a blind man.In more recent history, seeing-eye dogs became increasingly popular service animals in the late 1920s in the United States. It wasn’t until the 1960s when people began to use the help of service animals for disabilities other than blindness, such as hearing loss (https://assistancedogs.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/the-history-of-the-service-dog-part-ii-celebrating-international-assistance-dog-week/).Today, service dogs help thousands of people with disabilities such as hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder and autism to live a happy, healthy and independent life.

State Senator Believes There is Service Dog Fraud in Arizona

An Arizona politician out of Fountain Hills believes there is a growing issue in Phoenix regarding service animals. John Kavanagh is a Republican member of the Arizona Senate, who represents district 23. Kavanagh supposes that dog owners in Arizona are abusing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) service animal laws, by bringing their typical pet dogs into businesses and public places acting as service animals. Kavanagh says of the issue, “people complain all the time… I see it everywhere… everyone sees it, and its getting out of control”.To combat the problem, Kavanagh has set forth a proposal that would allow a judge to impose a fine of up to $250 for anyone who fraudulently represents an animal as a service animal in a public place.In Kavanagh’s proposal, a business that is under the impression someone is fraudulently representing an animal as a service animal can file a complaint and have the issue heard by the court. In the courtroom, the individual would be expected to provide written proof that the animal had been trained to complete a specific task that is covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If not, the person could be subject to the fine (http://azdailysun.com/news/local/senator-seeks-law-to-deal-with-fraudulent-service-animals/article_e84a161a-c6bf-59a0-b1e0-ddee92cd3f98.html).Under the proposal, business owners would not be allowed to refuse service or entrance on the premises if an owner is not able to produce this written proof “on the spot.”

Arizona Center for Disability Law Attorneys Disagree

Sarah Kadar, an attorney with the Arizona Center for Disability Law does not agree with Senator Kavanagh’s assertions. She says of the issue, "I think Kavanagh and others who are putting these (laws) forward are making a big deal like there's thousands of people out there with these fraudulent service animals” (http://azdailysun.com/news/local/senator-seeks-law-to-deal-with-fraudulent-service-animals/article_e84a161a-c6bf-59a0-b1e0-ddee92cd3f98.html). Kadar believes that there is no (or a very minimal) issue with Arizonians misrepresenting their animals as service animals in public spaces. She believes that this proposal, if passed, will disproportionately punish people with disabilities for the actions of a very few.Kadar also finds major flaw with the proposal itself. For example, in Kavanagh’s plan, individuals will be required to show specific written proof that their animal has been trained for a specific job outlined by ADA. Kadar points out that there is absolutely no mandate under ADA for service dogs to be formally trained. Because of this, people who have self-trained their service animals for ADA approved tasks will be subject to fines under the proposal. The proposal also heeds the question, what will happen to those who are unable to provide proof of training for their animals?Kadar also reminds readers that all business owners have the right to ask two permitted questions that can weed out any potentially fraudulent animals. "Most people aren't going to lie and make up a disability and make up what their animal is trained to do in response”, Kadar says (http://azdailysun.com/news/local/senator-seeks-law-to-deal-with-fraudulent-service-animals/article_e84a161a-c6bf-59a0-b1e0-ddee92cd3f98.html).

Service Animal Services for Hearing Loss in Arizona

A quick Google search will unveil a vast array of companies and non-profits specializing in training service dogs for individuals who are deaf or have a hearing loss. If you or someone you love would benefit from the assistance of a service animal for their hearing loss, here are some helpful resources to get you started: http://savvycanines.org/hearing-dog/If you believe you have a hearing loss, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids today. We provide comprehensive hearing tests and hearing aid fittings.