When we begin to lose our hearing, one of the first things that we notice are changes in conversations with friends and loved ones. While we might not notice changes in our ability to hear music, we often notice that conversations on our favorite television shows or chats at parties become almost impossible to understand.This is often one of the biggest reasons someone will seek out a hearing test. That's because these changes we have in our ability to understand speech can have a big impact on our relationships, and our happiness. Hearing aids can transform not just our hearing, but also our relationships with loved ones since they make these conversations not just possible, but also enjoyable!Even though hearing aid wearers will notice improvements in conversations after getting a hearing aid, they often don't know why. Hearing aids are more than just amplifiers of sounds – they change the way we understand particular sounds depending on our hearing needs. When it comes to speech, this is what you should know about hearing aids and speech recognition.

Frequencies in Speech

Just like most sounds, speech is made up of many different frequencies. Combinations of frequencies is what tells our ears and brain if a sound is high or low – high-pitched sounds are actually higher frequencies, while lower sounds are lower frequencies.Combinations of frequencies and our ability to perceive them is what makes it possible to understand speech. That's because these combination of frequencies make up the letters and sound combinations we use in words and sentences. Lower frequencies make sounds like G or B, while higher frequencies make the sound for P or T.When we hear someone speak, we often use these higher frequency sounds to differentiate between words and sounds. It's what tells us if a person is saying the word “bad”, or the word “pat”. However, when we lose our hearing, what often goes first is our ability to understand higher frequency sounds. Consequently, we might not have all of the sound information we need to differentiate between “pat” and “bad”.When words become muddy, we have to concentrate even harder to understand sentences – sometimes to the point where we must watch someone's mouth to understand what is being said. This can be tiresome, and often makes it hard for us to carry on lengthy conversations without becoming too tired or even cranky!Hearing aids target these higher-frequency sounds and amplify them, which makes all the difference in speech. Suddenly our brains are getting the information we need to understand what a person is saying. This can in turn make it easier to carry on longer conversations and help our relationships in the process!

Background Noise and Speech Perception

Understanding speech when we experience hearing loss is hard enough. Combine that with loud environments where background noise competes with sound from speech, and we might find ourselves withdrawing from social situations entirely for fear of losing our ability to speak with our friends and family.Beyond just amplifying high frequency sounds to help with speech, many hearing aids have the ability to amplify sounds coming from a particular direction. That means that when we are in a restaurant and talking to someone across the table from us, our hearing aids can focus amplification on them instead of the clanking of dishes behind us. This makes speech recognition even easier.Depending on your hearing aid, certain aids can focus their microphones in specific directions either automatically or manually. Some hearing aids even have remote controls or smartphone apps that allow us to control the direction of our hearing aid microphones. For even more control, some aids connect to hand-held microphones that we can point toward a speaker!Hearing aids change our lives for the better, and improve our relationships in the process. If you are having a difficult time understanding speech and conversations, it might be a sign that it's time for a hearing test. Contact our team to find out about your hearing and to find the right hearing aid for you!

Hearing Aid Accessories For Even Better Hearing

Hearing aids have the ability to change our lives for the better. Our relationships improve, we're able to enjoy our hobbies more easily and we reconnect with the world around us. To say the least, a hearing aid might be the best thing you can do for your health and happiness as you age.But even beyond a hearing aid, there's more to know about solutions to hearing loss. Hearing aids are often just the first step toward better hearing – the right accessories can make all the difference in your hearing experience.After finding the right hearing aid, the next step is to find the right aid accessories. Depending on your budget and your lifestyle, these three clever accessories could be the perfect hearing addition for you.

Hearing Aid Bluetooth Wireless Transmitters

Believe it or not, we're even more connected to our devices than most of us even know. Technology advances every single day, and with each new advancement are new ways to stay connected with our phones, televisions, radios and tablets. Unsurprisingly, hearing aids aren't far behind, with opportunities to connect with our devices included in many aids.Depending on your hearing aid, you can easily connect to your phone and other devices via a Bluetooth transmitter. For an aid wearer, that means getting to bypass listening to sound through a speaker, and instead streaming that sound directly to your aid. This is done using an external transmitter that does the work for you – and with a few clicks of a button, you can take phone calls or listen to the television more easily and with more sound clarity.These are great accessories for those that use their phones, tablets and other ‘smart’ technology on a regular basis.

Rechargeable Batteries and Charging Docks

No one likes finding themselves with a dead battery at an unexpected moment. There are few experiences more frustrating than finding your car battery, phone battery or e-reader battery dead without a replacement or a place to charge them. So imagine how frustrating it can be for hearing aid wearers to find their hearing aid battery dead while out and about – and having no replacement batteries on hand!This is more common than you think, since carrying around replacement batteries is not exactly commonplace. That's where smartphones and aids are different – one can easily be charged while the other needs a replacement battery. However, certain hearing aids make it even easier with rechargeable batteries and charging docks.That means you can easily charge your hearing aid batteries alongside your phone at night, on your bedside table. Depending on the aid, these charges can last up to 12 hours, which means you're unlikely to find yourself without an operating hearing aid during the day. Plus, that means you won't need to fumble with small hearing aid batteries either!Hearing Aid Remote ControlsCall it lazy, but hardly any of us want to get up and walk across the room to change the channel or adjust the volume on our televisions. The same goes for our radios – and the reason we can stay seated while changing settings on our TVs and radios is thanks to the remote control.For hearing aids, settings are often adjusted directly on the aid or automatically adjust. For many aid wearers, they'd prefer more direct and easy-to-see control at their fingertips. Certain hearing aids have remote controls (or even connect to remote control apps for smartphones) so that a wearer can have more control over basic settings like volume or sound environment settings.For those that want control at their fingertips, a remote control can be a great accessory!Of course, it’s always best to make decisions about your hearing needs with the help of a hearing professional. Contact our hearing experts to talk about your specific hearing needs and how to meet them. We’re ready to make your hearing experience the best that it can be!

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208aPhoenix, AZ 85013(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

Best Hearing Aids for Severe to Profound Hearing Loss

What is Severe to Profound Hearing Loss?

Those with hearing loss know that hearing is a personal experience. Within the condition itself, there are many degrees and configurations of one’s hearing abilities. Hearing loss degrees range from mild to profound. Mild and moderate hearing loss interferes with the ability to clearly hear sounds between 25 to 40 decibels (mild hearing loss) and 40 to 70 decibels (moderate hearing loss).Severe hearing loss makes it difficult for people to hear anything quieter than 70 to 95 decibels. People who experience profound hearing loss struggle to hear anything quieter than 95 decibels or higher.Approximately 33% of people with hearing loss experience severe to profound degrees. For those who experience severe to profound hearing loss, high-powered hearing aids are necessary.

Our Top Picks for Severe to Profound Hearing Loss

Hearing aid manufacturers offer hearing aid models that treat severe to profound hearing loss. Here are our top picks.

Siemens Nitro

The Nitro is a behind-the-ear hearing aid that is designed to address severe to profound hearing loss. Nitro offers excellent amplification, outstanding speech intelligibility (especially sounds in lower frequencies), and listening enjoyment. Powered by Siemens’ BestSound Technology, Nitro is equipped with wireless connectivity, allowing wearers to stream phone calls, music, and other media directly to their ears. For all of its power, Nitro has low battery consumption. Nitro also comes equipped with tinnitus therapy and telecoil (to connect to hearing loop systems for extra amplification).

Oticon Dynamo, Sensei SP, and BTE Plus Power

Oticon introduced three power hearing aids in 2015 to address the diverse needs of severe to profound hearing loss. Built on the Inium Sense platform and equipped with Oticon’s BrainHearing Technology, all three hearing aids offer clear sound and better speech understanding. The Speech Rescue feature enhances speech in higher frequencies, and BrainHearing Technology supports the brain’s function in the auditory process, allowing for an easier listening experience. Feedback cancellation eliminates the frustrating sounds of feedback, especially in aids with higher amplification. BTE Plus Power may be found in popular Oticon hearing aid models such as Alta 2, Nera 2, and Ria 2 families. Sensei SP is designed for pediatric hearing loss, while the Dynamo may be coupled with a cochlear implant.

ReSound ENZO2

ReSound’s ENZO2 is a super power smart hearing aid with excellent sound quality and durable design. The Spatial Sense feature gives ENZO2 wearers enhanced directionality to identify where sounds are coming from. ENZO2 has greater amplification without noise and feedback, and better speech understanding. These wireless behind-the-ear hearing aids connect to your personal electronic devices, allowing for phone call and music streaming. Other features include Binaural Directionality II, to deliver spatial awareness and focus on speech within noise; Noise Tracker, to improve listening in noisy environments; and Sound Shaper, to capture high frequency sounds and improve speech audibility.

Widex SUPER

SUPER is a small, receiver-in-the-ear hearing aid that enhances speech in noisy environments, boasts a long battery life, and is weather resistant. SUPER is especially useful for capturing speech from speakers who are situated behind the wearer. SUPER is equipped with a powerful receiver and amplifier, as well as InterEar feedback cancellation which eliminates the whistles of feedback with higher levels of amplification. SUPER is also equipped to soften sudden, harsh loud sounds for a comfortable listening experience. Customized earmolds for the receiver ensure a good fit – and thus, good sound.If you believe you are experiencing higher degrees of hearing loss, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids.

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208aPhoenix, AZ 85013(602) 265-9000info@arizonabalance.com

Best Hearing Aids for Kids and Teens

Children with hearing loss face many challenges during different stages of life, from infancy through the school years, and beyond. Hearing loss will impact their life differently in the transition from being in the security of your home to being on their own in challenging environments such as school, sports, and other activities.Studies have shown that early detection and intervention can vastly improve their abilities to develop language skills on a par with hearing peers. These interventions include early family-centered therapy, speech therapies, assistive listening devices, and, of course, hearing aids.

Hearing Aids and Childhood Development

Hearing aids, in particular, are vital to the development of children and teens. Studies have shown that consistent use of hearing aids for children with hearing loss benefits in many ways:

• Although hearing loss happens in the ears, the real effect is in the brain’s auditory centers, so the brain structures must be stimulated to develop. The ears receive the sound, and send signals to the brain, where they are processed to give meaning.
• In order to develop full, rich verbal language, children must be able to tune into the speech sounds around them. It is critical to hear as much as possible during waking hours to support language development, which includes vocabulary, sentence structure, and speaking.
• Hearing aids improve self-confidence and esteem, which, in turn, help with the development of social functioning, academic achievement, and vocational success.

Makers and developers of the latest hearing aid technology have focused on the challenges of hearing impaired children and teens, and offer many safe and resilient hearing aids options to meet their ever-changing needs as they progress from infancy to adolescence.

Best Hearing Aids for Kids & Teens

Siemens Active Kids and Teens Portfolio feature several options. The Carat A connects to FM assistive listening systems and streams sound directly to kids’ ears – an asset in the classroom. It also improves speech in noise and wind. The Pure hearing aid is discreetly designed and rechargeable, with many high-tech features.For teens, Siemens offers Motion SX, SA, and PX, rechargeable hearing aids with the capacity to treat higher degrees of hearing loss. The Nitro hearing aid is designed specifically to address severe to profound hearing loss. Insio is a discreet, in-the-ear hearing aid. For more active kids, the fully waterproof Aquaris provides great sound in any environment, whether it’s the pool or the classroom.Oticon offers their Sensei line of fully automatic, durable and customizable hearing aids that provide high quality and fast sound processing, adaptive directionality, noise management and feedback cancellation. Equipped with BrainHearing Technology, it is designed to support the brain in the listening process. Sensei is equipped with Voice Priority to enhance speech intelligibility in the classroom, and is a wireless hearing aid, connecting to TV, phones, and Bluetooth audio sources. ReSound offers Up Smart Hearing Aids for children. As a behind-the-ear hearing aid, it grows with your child, providing comfort, stability, durability and tamperproof casings. It is equipped with excellent speech recognition and noise cancellation features, and a line of wireless assistive listening devices, supporting classroom performance by enhancing the teacher’s voice and cutting out distracting background noise.Starkey offers hearing aids with kid-friendly features and colors equipped with BluWave 3.0, a fast operating system to balance sounds from the environment, and are tamperproof and resistant to water and debris. Starkey hearing aids provide kids with a clear and comfortable listening experience, customizable to give kids an opportunity to share their personalities. Starkey’s Dynamic Direct Audio Input gives kids an extra boost through an FM assistive listening device, excellent for academic use.Phonak has dedicated four decades to developing hearing aids designed specifically for children and teen: the Sky V offers durable behind-the-ear hearing aids. With automatic adjustment to any environment and optimal auditory input, Sky V encourages learning and language development. The simple controls indicate when the battery is low and when the different features and programs have been activated.Widex offers several hearing aids targeting different age groups in childhood. The Widex BABY hearing aid provides babies with access to sounds in their environment, supporting their language and speech development. This hearing aid is very small in size, designed to fit in the smallest ears, safely and securely. For older children, the entire catalogue of Widex hearing aids is available, with the same robust Widex features available to adults.

You don't have to live with untreated hearing loss. Contact us today!

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208aPhoenix, AZ 85013(602) 265-9000info@arizonabalance.com

All About Pediatric Hearing Loss

While hearing loss can occur at any age, hearing difficulties at birth or that develop during infancy and toddler years can have serious consequences. Just as each child is unique, so is a child’s hearing loss. It is helpful to understand how the ear works, how hearing loss is diagnosed (with degrees and types of hearing loss), and what treatment options are appropriate for your child’s hearing.Sound enters through the ears, but is processed and understood by the brain. Children with hearing loss have the same listening and understanding potential as those with normal hearing. However, without proper diagnoses and treatment, these children can experience difficulties in the development of normal speech and language development – vocabulary, grammar, word order, idiomatic expressions, and other aspects of verbal communications.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Children

Between one and six of every 1,000 children in the United States may be born with a severe to profound hearing loss, which fall into three categories:Conductive Hearing LossMay indicate an abnormality in the structure of the outer ear canal, the middle ear, or fluid in the middle ear that interferes with sound transfer.Sensorineural Hearing LossA type of impairment caused by abnormalities of the inner ear or the nerves that carry sound impulses from the inner ear to the brain. While most severe sensorineural hearing loss is genetic, it can also be caused by an infectious illness.Mixed Hearing LossA combination of conductive and sensorineural, as described above.Hearing loss of any kind is further divided into degrees:

• Mild – A child hears some speech.
• Moderate – A child hears almost no speech.
• Severe – A child hears no speech at normal level.
• Profound – a child hears no speech at any level.

Understanding Signs of Hearing Loss

If can be difficult to know if your child has hearing loss, especially in infancy. Here are some signs:Infant or Toddler:

• No reaction to loud noises or voices, or nears some sounds and not others
• Does not notice you until he/she sees you
• Has stopped babbling or experimenting with making sounds, other than those that he/she can feel (such as gurgling or vibrating noises)
• Babbling does not progress to understandable speech, such as single words, by 12-15 months
• Has trouble with balance when sitting or walking

School-Aged Children:

• Does not follow or understand simple commands
• Is easily frustrated or has communications breakdowns
• Depends heavily on lip-reading
• Is falling behind with speech and communications skills
• Is easily exhausted from constant concentration just to understand speech

Testing and Treatment

A person of any age can be given a hearing test, even newborns. While many doctors (especially ENTs) can test and treat for fluid in the middle ear, which is a common cause of childhood hearing loss, actual levels and degrees of hearing should be tested by an audiologist. The audiologist will record testing data onto an audiogram, which is a visual illustration of your child’s hearing loss, measured in hertz (Hz) for pitch and frequency, and decibels (dB) for loudness, for both ears.Upon diagnoses of hearing loss, your child will be referred to an Otologist, Otolaryngologist, or Pediatric Otolaryngologist (also known as an ENT physician). The initial role of this physician is to determine the specific nature or cause of the hearing loss, whether it is medically or surgically treatable, and, if appropriate, provide clearance for hearing aid fitting.No single treatment or intervention is the answer for every child or family. Treatment and intervention options include:

• Early detection, intervention and special education, available through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, starting as early as 3 months
• Hearing Aids
• Cochlear Implants – for severe to profound hearing loss
• Bone-anchored hearing aids
• Other assistive devices, such as an FM system and captioning
• Medical and Surgical procedures
• Speech Therapy

With proper diagnoses and treatment, even children with severe hearing impairment can grow to be full participants in the world around them.If you are concerned about your child's hearing, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids.

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208aPhoenix, AZ 85013(602) 265-9000info@arizonabalance.com

Best Hearing Aids to Treat Tinnitus

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the term used to describe the condition of having ringing, buzzing, cricket, ocean or other kinds of noise in the ear or originating from the head, that only you can hear. Tinnitus is a Latin word that literally means ringing. It is an abnormal perception of sound, unrelated to an external source, and can range from a low roaring to a high pitched squealing or ringing.Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition, not a disease in and of itself, like headache, pain, temperature, hearing loss and vertigo. It will not cause deafness, although many people with tinnitus also have hearing loss or pressure symptoms to some degree.Tinnitus is a fairly common disorder. It can be occasional, constant, or fluctuating, mild or severe. It can affect one or both ears, originating in the middle ear (behind the eardrum), or in the sensorineural auditory system, or within the head.Common causes of tinnitus include:

• Hearing Loss
• Stress and depression
• Loud noise exposure
• Buildup of earwax or other form of blockage
• Abnormal bone growth in the ear
• Meniere’s disease (and inner ear condition involving abnormal fluid pressure of the inner ear fluid
• Disorders of the temporomandibular joint (where the jawbone meets the skull).
• High blood pressure
• Medication

Effects and Impact of Tinnitus

Tinnitus affects everyone differently, but can have a major impact on one’s daily life. Some people can ignore their tinnitus most of the time. For others, the condition can be so disrupting and disturbing that it negatively affects their everyday lives in a host of ways.The most common areas in which tinnitus has a direct influence are:

• Sleep – Many sufferers of tinnitus report that their symptoms interfere with their ability to get to sleep.
• Focus and concentration – Some people report that they have difficulty staying on task and concentrating because of their tinnitus, including reading and working.
• Hearing – For many, the unwanted sounds produced by tinnitus compete with or mask speech and environmental sound perception.
• Thoughts and feelings – Tinnitus sufferers frequently report feeling anxious, irritable and depressed because of their condition.

Can Tinnitus be cured?

Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for tinnitus. Although there is no cure, there are many ways to take control of your tinnitus and reduce its impact on your life.Education and counseling, in combination, can be effective tools to help you learn to manage the effects of tinnitus.Your hearing professional can help you manage your symptoms and help you to find relief through sound therapy, in conjunction with hearing aid technology.

Hearing aids that provide tinnitus solutions

Many makers of newer-technology hearing aids are addressing the need for tinnitus relief. Some have designed built-in features into the hearing aids themselves, and others utilize apps that work seamlessly with smartphones to provide on-the-go control of the tinnitus support benefits of your hearing aids. All are designed to help reduce the effects of tinnitus by providing relief sounds, or “noisers”, which are soothing, often rhythmic sounds and tones. This type of sound therapy helps push the unwanted sounds to the background. These therapeutic solutions address white noise, pink noise, speech noise, and high tone noise, and most offer remote control management of the programs. Here is a run-down of tinnitus relief solutions as offered by the following makers:

• Siemens – BestSound® Technology, available with their Ace™, Pure®, Carat™, Aquaris™, Motion®, Siemens Life™, Insio™, Nitro®, and Orion™ products.
• Oticon – Built-In Tinnitus SoundSupport, available with their ProTi line: Alta2, Nera2, and Ria2 hearing aids.
• ReSound – Their Lirax2 hearing aid offers add-on smartphone app compatibility. This therapy ranges from a library of relief sounds to more advanced frequency shaping and sound variation settings.
• Widex – Widex’s approach is their unique Zen Therapy, which employs counseling, stress relief, and a program of random, soothing harmonics, available on their newer devices, and as a stand-alone therapy.
• Unitron – Unitron’s MoxiKiss aid provides integrated tinnitus suppressor, a sound generator called SoundCure Serenade.
• Starkey – MultiFlex Tinnitus Technology provides relief sounds and remote control, available with their “Z” series products.
• Phonak – The Phonak Tinnitus Balance Portfolio is a customized management plan based on sound therapy, which has 3 key elements: Tinnitus Balance hearing aids, relief sound generator, and an add-on app.

If you are experiencing a ringing of the ears, contact us at Arizona Balance & Hearing Aids about the best solution for your tinnitus – relief may be just around the corner!

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

When Should I Update My Hearing Aids?

The answer to this question is not as cut-and-dry as you may think. There are several factors to think about when you consider updating or upgrading your hearing aids.Innovative new hearing aid technology is constantly addressing issues that tend to prevent optimum hearing experiences, with new functions and technological innovation. In addition, your hearing changes over time, and older hearing aids can have adjustment limitations. Here are some questions and suggestions to help you decide whether you should update your hearing aids.

Are your hearing aids functioning well?

If you have experienced the following within the past year, your hearing aids may no longer be serving your needs:

• Turning up the volume on your aids more often?
• Diminished hearing capacity in situations that were previously easier?
• Increased static or other unwanted noise from your aids?
• Trouble hearing on the phone?
• Wearing your aids is more tiring than before?

If you’ve had your hearing aids for less than 3 years, and they are no longer meeting your needs, you should talk to your hearing health provider. A provider can determine if adjustments or repairs can resolve the issues. Excess humidity and temperatures, dust and dirt buildup can signal the need for cleaning and maintenance. Without regular maintenance, the performance of your hearing aids can greatly diminish over time.If you have had your hearing aids for more than 3 years, and especially if you are wearing older analog hearing aids, consider that there are many issues older aids cannot resolve, such as suppression of background noise and annoying whistling that are often the hallmark of analog hearing aids.

Are your current hearing aids sufficient to your needs?

It might be helpful to list the most important issues surrounding your hearing environments. Such issues might include hearing conversation at parties or in restaurants, hearing on the phone while away from home, and hearing during outdoors activities. If your current hearing devices are not delivering significant benefits in these situations, you might want to consider newer technology than can address the issues, and can be customized to your particular lifestyle and environment. Additionally, newer hearing aids can be much less obvious, with choices regarding size, hair color and skin tones, while others are designed to be invisible in the ear canal.

Are your current hearing aids sufficient for your hearing prescription?

For optimum benefit from your hearing aids, they must be set to your hearing prescription. Your hearing provider should verify for you that your aids are meeting your prescription by performing a real-ear measurement” to determine the sound levels produced by your hearing aids inside your ear canals. If these sound levels are insufficient, it may require an adjustment to the digital programming, or cleaning and/or repair. If the fitting cannot be made corrected, you might want to consider replacement.

Is the cost of upgrading worth it, in order to take advantage of new technology?

If your hearing aids are performing optimally, meet your prescription, and otherwise are not problematic, should you upgrade just to have the latest technology? To answer this, it is important to identify your current needs and wants concerning your hearing environment. New technologies can be a huge boon to your lifestyle, and here are some features that might tip the balance:

• Bluetooth technology – hands free streaming of phone calls to both hearing aids simultaneously, resulting in bidirectional hearing.
• Longer battery life with the convenience and ease of rechargeability.
• Waterproof, dustproof and shock resistant designs for active lifestyles
• Customizable programming to enhance your hearing experience
• Noise and reverberation suppressionThe bottom line is that you need to assess your level of satisfaction with your current hearing aids, list and prioritize your hearing needs and wants, and have your hearing professional evaluate your current aids. Learn about what new hearing aid technology can do to improve your hearing experience, and decide on cost versus benefit expected.

If your current hearing aids are utilizing out of date technology, and not meeting your needs, then the answer is a resounding yes! To learn more, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids.

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

An Innocent Kiss on the Ear? Here’s Why Not to Do This!

Babies! So adorably sweet, cuddly, and soft…….who is not compelled to kiss and cuddle them? By all means, do so….but please, not on the ears!Those little ears may be tender and soft, but did you know that a kiss on the ear opening cannot only cause permanent hearing loss, but also a host of other problems including over-sensitivity to sound, distortion, ringing, and fullness in the ear?

"Kiss of Deaf"

This phenomenon, called “cochlear ear-kiss injury”, “Reiter’s Ear Kiss Syndrome”, and “Kiss of Deaf”, has recently emerged, and is being studied by Dr. Levi Reiter of Hofstra University, following an account of a mother and child. Here is the incident that brought about the study.

• A mother and her 4-year-old daughter were sitting on the floor, watching TV. The child impulsively hugged her mother and vigorously kissed her, directly on the opening to her left ear canal. This created considerable suction which applied negative pressure to the ear drum. The mother reported feeling as though the air had been sucked out of her head. What followed was total hearing loss in that ear, and a very intense, screeching tinnitus, along with facial tics and pain.
• Fortunately, most of her hearing returned a few hours later, but she was left with a permanent 35 dB hearing loss in the lower frequencies. The screeching tinnitus subsided into a permanent soft rushing sound, but she sustained hyper-sensitivity to sound, distorted hearing, and facial twitching. It was discovered that she had lost her auditory reflex, caused by a tiny muscle tear. It is believed that the intense suction on the eardrum pulls the chain of three tiny bones in the ear. The third bone, the stirrup-shaped stapes, then tugs on the stapedial annular ligament, causing turbulence in the fluid of the cochlea, or inner ear.

After beginning his study, Dr. Reiter began to receive reports from people all over the county full of horror stories of injuries resulting from everyday activities involving innocent kisses on the ear. Once this phenomenon was reported in Newsday, he started hearing from people worldwide with similar experiences, and is preparing to submit his most recent findings to the International Journal of Audiology and the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

Babies and small children are particularly vulnerable to hearing loss and damage due to ear kisses

Their ear canals are smaller, so the intense suction and negative pressure caused by a direct ear kiss is going to have a much greater impact on a baby or child, than on an adult. A baby will undoubtedly cry after such a painful kiss, but since babies cry for so many reasons and cannot communicate why, the cause of pain and resulting hearing loss can go unidentified for years, perhaps until a first school screening.While there are many other causes of sudden unilateral hearing loss, such as a blow to the ear, impulse noise (such as an exploding firecracker), and Q-tip use, the prevalence of hearing loss from ear kisses is not yet known, but cases continue to flood in.The bottom line is, never kiss anyone, child or adult, directly on the ear! Mothers and fathers, grandparents, and siblings just love to kiss babies and small children, and must be warned of this danger. Especially concerning are little children who try to kiss a baby sibling. They are not discerning about where they plant their kisses and how forcefully they do it.Share this knowledge! Prevention and education are the best ways to avoid “The Kiss of Deaf”!

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

Benefits of Rechargeable Hearing Aid Batteries

There is no question that today’s hearing aids have become more powerful and integrative with other technologies. While these advances have exponentially increased the performance and convenience of hearing aid devices, they also create an exponential surge in power needs for the hearing aids.

The Problem with Disposable Batteries

Zinc-air disposable batteries are today’s standard. These batteries have an advantage of having to carry only one of its active materials, zinc, while the other, oxygen, comes from the atmosphere. However, these batteries are generally capable of sustaining only low levels of current without significant loss in energy capacity.Performance is also affected by external conditions, such as humidity, altitude, and temperature.  Once these batteries are activated by means of removing the adhesive tab covering the holes, the cell has a relatively short span of time for use before becoming inactive, requiring disposal and replacement within 3 to 10 days on average.Frequent battery changes can be frustrating; especially for hearing aid wearers with dexterity issues and battery death can happen at inconvenient and inopportune moments.  When you consider the rapid infiltration of wireless communications and device connectivity technology into new hearing aids, the frequency of battery replacement will become increasingly more significant.

Benefits of Rechargeable Batteries

The obvious solution is, of course, rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries have been around for over 30 years. Only recently has rechargeable battery technology advanced to be able to meet current cosmetic demands while powerful enough for today’s feature-loaded hearing devices.Rechargeable batteries for hearing aids and other devices have a number of advantages over disposables:Comfort and ease of use – Just drop your hearing aid into a charging station, no need to remove and replace tiny batteries constantly.Environmental Impact - Most disposable batteries end up in landfills.Cost and Convenience – Although initial cost can be higher, over time, the cost can be far less and the convenience of not having to purchase disposable batteries is huge.Safety – Disposable batteries are easily dropped and can be dangerous or even fatal to pets and children if ingested, and some are flammable.Ease of Mind and Flexibility – Knowing that your hearing aid battery will last through important events.Until fairly recently, most rechargeable hearing aid batteries were Nickel-metal Hydride (NiMH). These batteries have a comparable initial cost to disposable batteries, but have certain failings. One is capacity fading – which means that the life of the battery is reduced each time the battery is charged and discharged. Therefore, they need to be replaced annually, and can result in higher costs overall. Another is a short battery life – NiMH rechargeable batteries are typically unable to provide enough energy to last a full day for many hearing devices.Silver-zinc (AgZn) battery technology has been used by NASA and the military for years. The early batteries took advantage of silver-zinc’s high energy density, but were not viable for commercial use generally because of the limited number of recharges each battery could hold.

Make the Switch to ZPower!

In response to these limitations, and at the request of several hearing aid makers, ZPower, has taken silver-zinc battery technology to the next level. ZPower’s Rechargeable Hearing System for Hearing Aids is the result of over 7 years of development and testing to bring a superior, unmatched micro battery technology to the market, which exceeds the performance, safety and environmental benefits of any other rechargeable micro battery.Important Highlights

• At Least 40% more capacity over other rechargeable batteries.

• Achieves 400+ recharges without losing significant energy storage.

• Safe, water-based, non-flammable electrolyte.

• Complete in-house recycling process, a single pair can keep more than 200 disposable batteries out of the landfill.

• Made in the USA, from start to finish!

ZPower’s rechargeable hearing aid batteries are considered a game changer, making a phenomenal difference in the quality of experience for hearing aid wearers. ZPower Rechargeable Hearing Aid Batteries are available for many makes and models of today’s highest quality hearing aids, such as Phonak, ReSound, and Siemens. To find out if your hearing aids are ZPower compatible, ask us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids.

You don't have to live with untreated hearing loss. Visit us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids!

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

Best Hearing Aids for Active Lifestyles

Burgeoning technology makes it possible for even the most active people with hearing loss to continue to pursue their passions. If you are coping with hearing loss, but love to swim, run, hike, cycle, rock climb, or play sports outdoors, there are many hearing aid options for people who have active lifestyles.

Issues You May Have with Your Hearing Aids

Outdoor activities can present many issues for the hearing aid wearer.

Wind Issues

Runners, walkers, and cyclists can find themselves struggling with wind in their hearing aids, causing uncomfortable noise.

Moisture Problems

Another worry for athletic hearing aid wearers is that the device may be damaged by unexpected rain or by perspiration.

Adjustment Difficulty

While on the go, it can be difficult to make on-the-fly adjustments to hearing aids in order to adapt to changing environments.

Best Hearing Aids for Active Lifestyles

Fortunately, new technology within several hearing aid lines can eliminate these problems, allowing you to fully enjoy your active lifestyle with comfort and confidence. Some hearing aid options are designated “Made for iPhone”, which means they connect with iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch devices to make your hearing aids work like Bluetooth stereo headphones. Some also feature Android compatibility.Here are three of the best options:

ReSound LiNX2

Constructed from the highest quality, durable materials, every component is coated with iSolate™ nanotech inside and out to repel water, dust and corrosive substances such as earwax and sweat. These hearing aids stand up to the punishment of everyday life, while barely invisible. This product is Made for iPhone.ReSound LiNX2 hearing aids deploy an array of premium audiological features that emulate the human ear, and take advantage of the brain’s natural ability to process sounds. Its features include Binaural Directionality™II with Spatial Sense. By continually exchanging data about the sound environment, two hearing aids dynamically optimize directionality settings in all listening scenarios, preserving the spatial cues needed to detect where sounds are coming from. Other important features such as Binaural Optimizer ™ II, Noise Tracker™, Sound Shaper™, and Windguard™ work in synchronicity to reduce unwanted noise, provide feedback cancellation, and help to make high pitched sounds audible again by lowering pitch, without compromising speech understanding.

Starkey Halo

Features of the Starkey Halo include feedback cancellation, improved high-frequency sound by lowering pitch, and directional microphones that work together with noise reduction technology in changing environments. The SoundSpace tool on the TruLink app lets you make minor adjustments to sound quality to suit your particular preferences on the go. HydraShield™2 nano coatings repel both water and wax.This Made for iPhone hearing aid, along with the user-friendly TruLink™ Hearing Control app, is engineered to work with Apple devices to stream calls, music and more, directly from your iPhone to your hearing aids.

Siemens Aquaris

With Aquaris, you can work in the garden, perspire at the gym, swim and dive, all while delivering great sound quality with comfort and clarity. Exceptionally sturdy, built to withstand rough-and-tumble activities, this unit is also ideal for kids and teens. It has all of the award winning features of Siemens state-of-the-art hearing aids, coupled with extra protection and convenience of Bluetooth connectivity for streamlined hearing experience. Talk to your hearing professional about which aids would best enhance your busy and active lifestyle.This is hearing at its best, the Siemens Aquaris lets the sound in, keeps the elements out. This is the only truly waterproof, dust-proof, scratch-proof, and shockproof hearing aid on the market, with a completely sealed housing and battery door and an attachable sport clip for extra security. Aquaris is perfect for people who spend time in demanding environments, keeping the delicate inner workings of your hearing aids safe from potentially damaging dust, sweat, and humidity.If you are interested in learning more about hearing aids for active lifestyles, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids!

You don't have to live with untreated hearing loss! Visit us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids.

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

If you have a hearing loss, choosing a hearing aid can be an overwhelming decision. There are many aspects to consider when investing in hearing aids: price, technology, special features, size, and the placement in the ear. The right hearing aids will be an investment in your quality of life, so it is important to take the time to learn about available options to determine the best choice for your lifestyle.

New Technology

Companies are introducing increasingly advanced hearing aids. Technological advances have been seen from many manufacturers, giving consumers more powerful hearing aids than ever before. Phonak recently launched a new processing platform, Venture™, which doubles the processing power of their previous platform. It also uses 30% less power, meaning a substantially longer battery life.New advances have also improved the ability to fine tune your hearing aid to your unique needs. GN Resound offers the ReSound Smart app for Apple and Android, which is designed to pair with ReSound LiNX² hearing aids. LiNX² offers Binaural Directionality II with Spatial Sense. This gives a natural sense of where sounds are coming from, making sure you can understand every word of a conversation in noisy environments.

Fully Integrated into Your Life

Great strides have been made in designing hearing aids to pair seamlessly with all of the various devices you might use daily. Have you ever wished that your hearing aid worked directly with your iPhone, television, bluetooth speakers, or car audio system? Now that possibility is a reality with Starkey’s Halo Hearing aid. Halo, the Silver Award winner of the 2015 Edison Award, is a Made for iPhone device. Halo works with the easy-to-use TruLink Hearing Control app to stream pristine sound from phone calls, music, and more directly to your hearing aids. Halo is available in receiver-in-canal or behind-the-ear styles, to meet the hearing needs across a wide range of losses.Oticon’s recent release, Opn, is the world’s first internet-connected hearing aid. The connection to the cloud allows the possibility of your hearing aid notifying you when someone is at your door or when an email is delivered to your inbox. Opn can be connected to your smartphone, kitchen appliances, and security system. It also easily syncs to a television or radio, and even to your car.

Size and Fit

Many consumers are looking for the smallest hearing aids possible. Hearing aid manufacturers are meeting this demand by producing increasingly smaller designs. However, smaller hearing aids might not have the power that your particular loss demands. Completely-in-the-canal hearing aids are the smallest and least visible option. Newer behind-the-ear hearing aids boast reduced size and can be worn by all ages, including children. Open fit hearing aides are another variation of the behind-the-ear style. This less visible style doesn’t plug the ear like smaller styles, allowing your own voice to sound more natural to you. Additional styles are available, making it easy to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.

How to Choose?

There are a number of factors to consider when deciding on the style of your new hearing aid. Consider your individual hearing loss, ability to maneuver the smallest of controls, available technology, and desired look. As you review the different styles available, remember that you are not alone in this decision. Your hearing healthcare provider will partner with you to determine the very best style for your loss and needs.

You don't have to live with untreated hearing loss! Contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids for a consultation.

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000

info@arizonabalance.com

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Fight to be Heard

Fighting to be Heard

Last year was the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and many people assume that it is adequately protecting those with disabilities. Certainly, today’s culture has embraced certain changes, such as wheelchair access and fair housing expectations. However, the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing community have been frequently overlooked or misunderstood. To increase awareness and the importance of these rights, a deaf and hard of hearing rights movement has begun to gain ground.

What is the Problem?

One example of the ADA failing to protect the rights of the deaf comes from Lydia Callis. Ms. Callis wanted to give her mother a gym membership. When calling the gym in Arizona, she mentioned the need for a sign-language interpreter for her deaf mother to be able to understand the session. The health club declined to provide an interpreter, despite Lydia informing the club that it was required per ADA laws. This is just one example that shows the general misunderstanding or blatant disregard of the laws designed to empower people to have full understanding of the transactions and decisions affecting their daily lives.As New York City leads the movement, a flurry of lawsuits has arisen. Last year, New York City’s Department of Homeless services settled a case that charged its shelters with failing to provide interpreters for deaf residents. Another case claims two local hospitals refused a deaf couple’s requests for interpreters after the husband had a heart attack.Some ADA violators have been sued multiple times. At least three suits have been filed against the New York City Police Department. Last September, Opal Gordon, 53, was arrested for violating an order of protection. Police officers did not try to communicate with her and failed to provide an interpreter for more than 20 hours. Andrew Rozynski, a lawyer and fluent American Sign Language signer, accuses the Police Department of “flouting the law,” in regards to their failure to follow the provisions of the ADA.

Bringing Change

Despite their past failures to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act’s laws, the New York City Police Department is finally implementing change. Three precincts are introducing a pilot program to help the deaf and hard of hearing gain better access to police services. Deputy Commissioner Susan Herman indicated that the program will give the department access to two American Sign Language interpreters. Supervisors will also have tablet computers to access interpreters by utilizing a translation service on Skype.Another important milestone in this movement was recently attained. On March 14, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed bills that will benefit the deaf community. One bill requires all city agencies to dedicate at least one staff member to assist those with disabilities. Another bill ensures that promotional materials for public events organized by the city detail the forms of accessibility that will be available, such as Braille, interpreters, or large print.

What’s Next?

As deaf and hard of hearing people and their supporters advocate for change, the movement continues to gain momentum. Organizations such as the New York Center for Law and Justice, a nonprofit offering legal and social services to the deaf and hard of hearing community, have been taking on ADA discrimination suits. The law is clear, however. The community and supporters must continue to demand that their voices be heard.

You don't have to live with untreated hearing loss! Visit us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids today.

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208aPhoenix, AZ 85013(602) 265-9000info@arizonabalance.com

Helping a Loved One with a Hearing Loss in a Nursing Home

Many of us have loved ones with a hearing loss living in a nursing home or care facility. We ensure their needs are being met, check to see if they are eating well, and tend to urgent medical needs. With so many considerations, hearing health is often overlooked, resulting in frustration, isolation, depression, and cognitive decline. There are many small ways that you can help your loved one take care of their hearing health to avoid these frustrations, and help them hear to the fullest.

Hearing Loss in Nursing Homes

Recent studies indicate that approximately 80 percent of patients in long-term care facilities have a hearing loss. However, the extent of a patient’s hearing loss is often unknown to the staff. A study of 279 nursing home residents showed that just 30 residents had a hearing exam in the past year. 81 percent of the residents received no hearing health care within the past 12 months.Residents report that the effort to maintain and use their hearing aids in a nursing home environment seems too difficult, resulting in decreased use. Common reasons for avoiding regular use include poor fit, pain, difficulty programming, malfunctioning equipment, or a lack of help from the staff.

Importance of Regular Use

Consistent use of a properly fitted and programmed hearing aid can have far-reaching effects on the health of your loved one. Studies have linked untreated hearing impairments to accelerated rates of brain tissue loss, decreased cognitive function, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. As hearing declines, people are more likely to avoid socialization and are more frequently diagnosed with depression than their hearing-aid wearing counterparts.

Ways to Assist

Your assistance can make a significant impact on your loved one’s likelihood of properly utilizing their heading aid devices. There are a number of ways you can help:

Label hearing aids

Labeling the patient’s initials or name with permanent marker will help the care facility locate the correct owner, should the hearing aid be misplaced. Hearing aids can even be painted with a bright color so they are easy to spot if they fall out.

Safe Storage

Provide a small plastic, lidded box for nighttime storage. Routinely storing hearing aids in a safe place will make it easy to locate and use the next morning.

Maintenance

Assist with routine maintenance. Hearing aids should be cleaned regularly with a soft cloth. Check and change batteries as needed.

Regular Check-ups

Schedule and transport to appointments. Regular check-ups and yearly exams are vital to ensure your loved one is using their hearing aids correctly. Helping with scheduling and transportation will ensure that your loved on receives the one-on-one care of their hearing health care provider.As our loved ones are often unable to fully depend on their care facility to meet their hearing healthcare, we must consider how we can help them receive the proper care and maintenance for consistent use.These quick and easy steps will make a world of difference in their hearing health!

Experiencing changes in your hearing? Visit us at Arizona Balance & Hearing Aids today:

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000info@arizonabalance.com

Conditions Linked to Hearing Loss

Chronic health problems and hearing loss are both significant concerns for many Americans. While some people think a hearing loss is a minor condition that can be ignored or untreated, it often coexists with other serious health issues. Studies show that people with conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia all have an increased risk of hearing loss. It is important to address your hearing loss and be vigilant in protecting your overall health.

Hearing Loss and Heart Disease

Studies show that a healthy cardiovascular system has a positive effect on hearing. On the flip side, an unhealthy cardiovascular system can cause inadequate blood flow or trauma to the blood vessels of the inner ear, contributing to hearing loss. According to a study conducted by David R. Friedland, MD, PhD, patients with a low-frequency hearing loss should be regarded as at-risk for cardiovascular events, and should be referred for follow-up evaluations with their primary healthcare provider.

Damage Caused by Medications

Although medications are widely used to mange a variety of health concerns, there may be an unwanted side effect. Hearing loss, both temporary and permanent, can be linked to medications, particularly cancer treatments. Chemotherapy can damage the inner ear and auditory nerve, causing a permanent hearing loss. Radiation can cause inflammation of the ear and cause issues with fluid build-up. This can cause a conductive hearing loss. In addition to cancer treatments, certain antibiotics and diuretics also have the potential to cause or increase hearing loss.

Cognitive Function

The ongoing Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging has allowed researchers to draw important conclusions between hearing loss and cognitive decline. According to Frank Lin, M.D., Ph. D, hearing loss may play a much more important role in our brain health than previously thought. Lin and his colleagues determined that participants that began the study with a hearing impairment had accelerated rates of brain tissue loss, in comparison to those with normal levels of hearing. Those with a hearing impairment also showed significantly more shrinkage. Dr. Lin suggests that if you have a hearing loss, it makes sense to get it treated as soon as possible. He states that, “If hearing loss is potentially contributing to these differences we’re seeing on MRI, you want to treat it before these brain structural changes take place.”

Diabetes and Your Hearing

Diabetes is well known for the neuropathy in the hands and feet. There are also documented associations between hearing loss and diabetes. Research shows that patients with uncontrolled type 1 or type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to have a hearing loss. This association emerges as early as age 30, according to researchers from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Researchers note that one way diabetes affects hearing is due to a breakdown of nerves in the ears when blood sugar rises. Studies show that when diabetes is well-controlled, the risk of associated hearing loss decreases substantially.

What Can be Done?

Although it can be challenging to manage these chronic health conditions, it must be made a priority. By partnering closely with your physician and hearing healthcare provider, you can be sure you are managing your health concerns to best protect your valuable hearing.

Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids

333 W Thomas Rd. Suite 208a

Phoenix, AZ 85013

(602) 265-9000info@arizonabalance.com