- San Juan Hearing Center

6
Ways
to Prevent
Hearing Loss
A public service by:
2355 E. 30th St., Farmington, NM • 505-325-7474
833 E. 2nd Ave., Durango, CO 970-247-0808
Hearing adds dimension to our lives. It’s the source
of much of the information we receive from outside
sources, everything from hearing our spouse and
co-workers to warning signals such as a buzzer or the
singing of birds or the sound of rain on the window.
Along with the other senses – sight, taste, touch and
smell – our lives are richer, fuller and a lot more fun.
But the thing is, the ability to hear the sounds
around us is something that we take for granted until
there is a hearing loss that gradually or suddenly
appears. The hearing world around us begins to
diminish and, the birds quit singing, the TV gets
louder, you can’t hear on the phone and the people
around us start to mumble. When was the last time
you had your hearing tested? When was the last
time you wore hearing protection?
If you have picked up this booklet you more than
likely are one of the 28,000,000 people in the U.S.
with hearing loss and are looking for a magic answer
to your hearing problems. Sorry, as a general rule
90% of hearing loss is permanent, we’ll get to that
later, but although hearing loss to some degree is
inevitable with aging, there are some causes of
hearing loss you can avoid or reduce with some
basic information. As with other areas of our health
we know we need to watch our weight, get exercise
and so on, but what can we do to specifically help
maintain healthy ears and hearing. Let’s start with
the basics first.
6 Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss ©San Juan Hearing, 2011
Your Ear
We take hearing for granted, yet the process is complex and,
indeed, quite remarkable when it is broken down. There are
three basic parts or areas of the ear that if something goes
wrong in one or more of these parts your hearing is diminished.
As you see in the diagram there is an outer ear, middle ear and
inner ear. Let’s take each individually.
Outer Ear
Middle Ear
Inner Ear
Vestibular System
Vestibular Nerve
Facial Nerve
Auditory
Nerve
Pinna
Ear Drum
Cochlea
Ear Canal
Hammer
Anvil
Stirrup
Eustachian Tube
Outer Ear: The external ear or “pinna” acts as a dish antenna
and gathers sound waves and shoots them down the ear canal.
The canal is basically a tube that connects to the middle ear
and if blocked by ear wax, can impede the sound waves in their
journey to the middle ear.
Ear wax, also known as cerumen, is natural and beneficial,
capturing outside dirt and debris before they cause issues
within your outer ear. If you do have an ear wax problem consider
safe ear wax removal before digging in yourself. The first option
is to visit your physician or audiologist for ear wax removal.
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If you use an over the counter ear wax softener, don’t overdo it.
It can cause dryness and lead to itchy ear syndrome. Remember,
wax should be there so let your ears do their job and keep
cotton swabs in the medicine chest.
Middle Ear: Sound from the pinna continues to travel down
the ear canal where the ear drum, also known as the tympanic
membrane, is set in motion. The ear drum vibrates and transfers
this mechanical energy to the three smallest bones in the body,
the hammer, anvil and stirrup also known as the ossicular chain.
The middle ear with its tiny bones and the eardrum can be
damaged due to rupturing the drum while cleaning or an ear
infection that is accompanied by fluid. This fluid does not allow
the ear drum or the small bones to move properly, thus creating
a hearing loss that is generally temporary but none the less
frustrating and many times painful.
Inner Ear: The sound continues its journey through the three
bones and on to the cochlea. In the cochlea, which actually
looks a lot like a small snail shell, there are millions of hair-like
projections that pick up the sound vibrations. The projections
have the ability to convert the vibrations passing through the
cochlear fluid into electric impulses that are then sent to the
hearing centers of the brain.
Damage to the small nerve fibers results in the most common
type of hearing loss called sensorineural hearing loss. It is
estimated that there are approximately 40,000,000 hair cells
within the cochlea, they are delicate and once they are gone,
they are gone. Things that can cause hair-cell damage consist
of excessive noise exposure (preventable), age, toxic drugs,
various vascular diseases, smoking, just to name a few.
Damage or blockage in one or more of these three areas of the
ear will create hearing loss that can be temporary or permanent.
We will focus on preventing and minimizing the permanent type
of hearing loss, also known as sensorineural hearing loss. Just
remember that the hearing mechanism that nature provides is
sensitive, delicate and easily damaged by many different factors.
Prevention is your best policy.
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1
Reduce
the Noise.
This one’s a no-brainer. The factory
floors, the assembly line, the jack
hammer, the chainsaw – many of
us have jobs that expose our ears to
damaging levels of sound from 9-to-5
throughout the work week. Even if
you live out in the country, the lawn…
…mower, leaf blower, circular saw and other tools used by the
weekend fixer create sound levels that can and will damage
your hearing.
The solution is just so…so…obvious! Wear ear protection –
hear-through ear plugs, ear cups or noise cancellation devices
will keep your hearing in tip-top shape longer. Hearing protection
will also keep you on the job longer. Hey, that’s a good thing,
right?
Most manufacturers in the United States who produce excessive
levels of noise are monitored by the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) and will require your employer
to provide ear protection. However, for smaller outfits, such as
carpenters and construction workers – those employers are not
always monitored. Advocate for yourself and ask your employer
to provide you with hearing protection. It will save your hearing
and save them from a lawsuit.
Ear Buds and Hearing Loss
You see them everywhere. The ubiquitous ear buds hooked into
an MP3 player or iPod pumping huge amounts of sound directly
into the ear. Ummm, think that’s a good idea?
Hearing loss is caused by long-term exposure to loud noise, so
if you’re listening to your favorite tunes at ear splitting volume
to block out the sounds of the world around you. Guess what,
you may be causing damage to your hearing. Although it does
not develop immediately, the damage is cumulative through the
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years and will eventually add to age-related hearing changes
as well.
Some points to keep in mind while plugging in. Your
risk of hearing loss is dependent upon both how loud
the music is being played and for how long you are
exposing yourself to the loud music. Turn it down and
you can listen longer. Turn it up, listen for a shorter
amount of time and give your ears a break to recover.
If you listen to your MP3 player in excessive
background noise (like on a train or bus), consider
purchasing noise-canceling headphones. These headphones
block external noise from interfering with your music, thus you
will be less inclined to turn up the volume.
Oh, you may be having fun now, but 10 years from now you may
find yourself asking if it was all worth it. It’s not.
Cruisin’ for an Ear Bruisin’
Driving around in a ’57 Vette, with the top down, the wind
blowing through your hair and the CD blasting is fun. And cool.
But driving with the top down, over time, can lead to hearing
loss, according to recent findings from a hearing loss study by
British researchers. You Harley riders are in the same boat,
especially if you ride without a helmet. Sorry, that probably
takes some of the fun out of cruising on a Sunday afternoon.
The problem is the level of sound drivers of convertibles
experience. The sound of the wind, road noise and the noise
generated by traffic (and the world) often exceeds 89 decibels
(dB), the measurement of how loud sound is. Any sound over
85dBs can damage the hearing mechanism.
Driving in a convertible, especially at high speeds over long
periods of time, produces sound levels in excess of 89dBs –
enough of a difference to create hearing problems if you’re in
love with your open cockpit.
Researchers suggest rolling up the windows when you cruise can
reduce the sound levels to safer levels allowing you to drive with
the top down longer. Also lower speeds produce lower noise and,
for goodness sake, don’t make a bad situation worse by blasting
your CD player. It’s noisy enough as it is.
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Get More
Folates.
Hearing loss is a natural part of the
aging process. The hearing mechanism
starts to wear out as we age, but if we
live a healthier lifestyle today, we’ll hear
better tomorrow and could potentially
slow the effects from aging down.
Specifically, if we eat a better diet…
…and live a heart healthy lifestyle, we’ll hear better longer, and
it’s easier than you think.
You’ll need a little background first. When the ears are exposed
to loud noise – especially loud noise over a long time – the
inner ear begins to produce little molecules called free radicals.
These corrosive, little molecules
have been tied to everything
from the aging process itself
to hearing loss.
Now, free
radicals are
always
floating
around
the body
so don’t
expect
to go
radical
clear. These
molecules occur
naturally, usually when the body is damaged or stressed. A
cut or a nicked finger, for example, produces free radicals. So
does loud music. That’s one reason your ears ring when you
leave a rock concert. Too much noise. Too much volume. Too
many free radicals.
These free radicals damage the delicate hearing mechanism, and
you lose your ability to hear over time. In most cases, hearing
loss is so gradual that you don’t even notice it, but there’s less
and less hearing going on every day.
Anti-Oxidants, Folates and
Free Radicals
Free radicals are bad for your health. So, how do you fight
these naturally-occurring molecules that damage the body at
the cellular level? One thing doctors recommend is to eat
foods high in anti-oxidants – especially foods rich in folates.
Folate is a nutrient found in some of the foods we eat.
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Specifically, folate is a water-soluble member of the B vitamin
family. If you take a vitamin supplement, you might see the
ingredient, folic acid, on the ingredients label. Folic acid is the
synthetic version of folate
and, as far as the body is
concerned, it doesn’t
know the difference
between folic acid
and organic or
natural folate.
Both put up
a daily fight
against the free
radicals produced by
stress on the body.
In other words, free
radicals damage the
body bit by bit over a
lifetime. Anti-oxidants, like
folate, fight free radicals.
So, the better your diet, the
more folate you consume. In
turn, more folate is available
to fight those free radicals that
are responsible for the aging process and, yes, hearing loss.
A recent study presented at the 2009 American Academy of
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting found that men over the
age of 60 who have a high intake of
foods and supplements high in
folates have a 20 percent decrease
in risk of developing hearing loss.
20 percent! That is a significant
finding and the authors report
this is the largest study to
examine the beneficial
relationship between folates
and hearing loss.
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Good Foods and Nutritional
Supplements For the Ears
If you take a nutritional supplement – a vitamin pill – each
day, check the label. Look for the ingredient folic acid. If the
supplement provides 100% of the minimum daily requirement
(MDR) of folic acid, you’re covered. But that doesn’t mean that
you should count on your vitamin each day to keep you healthy.
A healthy diet also provides folates to fight off free radicals
damaging your hearing.
So what foods are high in folates? There are lots and at least
some of them are foods you like to eat:
Food
MDR of Folates
Cooked spinach 1/2 cup
25%
Cooked asparagus 4 spears
20%
Vegetarian baked beans
15%
Raw spinach
15%
Enriched egg noodles
15%
Avocado 1/2 cup sliced
10%
Dry roasted peanuts 1 oz
10%
Orange juice 3/4 cup
10%
Banana 1 medium
6%
Other foods that are rich in folates: broccoli, beans and
peas, beef liver, eggs – you know, the good stuff, the
stuff you know you should eat for overall good health.
A healthy diet not only improves overall good health at
the cellular level, it improves quality of life at the daily
level. Foods high in folates, or vitamin supplements
that provide 100% of your
MDR of folic acid, will
go a long way to
ensure that you go
a long way and hear
better doing it.
3
Give Up
Smoking.
Is there anyone who thinks that
smoking is a healthy choice? There
are numerous studies to show that
smoking: 1) is the number one cause
of oral cancers like tongue cancer and
cancer of the esophagus, 2) turns
human lungs into briquettes and…
…lastly that smoking leads to heart disease and an increased
likelihood of stroke.
And in various research studies published, including a report in
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a
relationship between smoking and loss of hearing has been
clearly demonstrated.
So, if you’ve been looking for another reason to kick the
smoking habit, now you have it: you’re damaging your hearing
with each puff you take.
Smoking Is A Reason for Hearing Loss
The study reported in JAMA involved a large group – 4,541
participants between the ages of 48 and 92. The results speak
for themselves. Even after adjusting for age, lifestyle factors,
geography, socio-economic factors and other calculations to
“level the playing field” and preclude other causes of hearing
loss, the study revealed that smokers were more likely to
experience hearing
loss.
One critical conclusion of
this study clearly states
“…modification of
smoking habits may
prevent or delay agerelated declines in
hearing sensitivity.” In
other words, stop
smoking, hear better
and longer.
Why Smoking Causes Hearing Loss
Researchers know there’s a correlation between smoking
and hearing loss but the cause and effect has yet to be
determined. According to a report by Dr. Bharti Katbamana
published on AudiologyOnline in 2008, there are three main
theories why smokers substantially increase the likelihood of
hearing loss:
●The first theory is that it may be related to hypoxia (lack of
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oxygen) - nicotine and carbon monoxide from cigarettes may
actually deplete oxygen levels to the cochlea which is bathed
in fluids and blood supply. Like any part of the body, if
oxygen is depleted tissue damage can occur.
●The second theory is related to the interaction between
nicotine and neurotransmitters in the auditory (hearing)
nerve. Neurotransmitters essentially function as chemical
messengers and if impaired they would no longer be able to
properly tell the brain what is occurring along the hearing
nerve.
●Lastly the third suspected theory is related to adolescent
smoking. Studies have shown mechanisms within the
hearing nerve are not fully developed until late adolescents;
thus the hearing nerve pathways are particularly susceptible
to damage, if environmental toxins like nicotine are introduced
during the early adolescent years.
●While scientists continue to find the definitive relationship
between hearing loss and tobacco use, studies that go
back to the last century show a clear relationship between
hearing loss and tobacco use. And the earlier tobacco use
begins, the more damage is done over the years.
Cigarette smoking and other tobacco use, when coupled with
the noisy environment in which people live (it’s a noisy world!)
will create a generation of people who lose the ability to hear
earlier in life according to long-tested, proven documentation.
So, if you’re not a smoker, don’t start. And, regardless of age,
if you are a smoker, by all means, consider quitting. The CDC
is hopeful that the enactment of the 2009 Family Smoking
Prevention and Tobacco Control Act will provide further
opportunities to reduce tobacco use.
Yes, you may have caused more damage to your hearing
because you have smoked for years but by quitting, you can
lessen the amount of damage that occurs in the future. Not
only will your ears thank you but your entire body will!
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4
Reduce
Diabetes Risk.
Diabetes is a disease that often
develops without any symptoms at
least initially. It has the potential to
cause harm to the body and, in some
cases, diabetes especially untreated
diabetes, can be fatal. It’s nothing to
fool around with, and certainly…
…nothing to ignore. It doesn’t go away by itself like a cold.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a closer look
at this cunning condition before looking at the dangers this
disease causes, including, yes, hearing loss.
What’s Diabetes?
Your body uses the foods you eat for energy fuel to keep things
running smoothly from head to toe. Food, during the digestive
process, is converted to a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose
then enters the blood stream, travels throughout the body and
fuels everything from brain cells to big toe cells. The entire body,
at the cellular level, is a glucose-gobblin machine.
In order for glucose to enter human cells, it requires something
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called insulin that is produced by a body organ called the
pancreas. If, for some reason, the pancreas stops producing
insulin, doesn’t produce enough insulin or, in some cases,
produces too much insulin, you have yourself a problem.
Glucose can’t feed cells without insulin and without food, cells
die. Also, blood sugar increases its levels within the blood
stream and this can lead to seizures, blackouts and, in extreme
cases, death.
Types Of Diabetes?
There are two basic types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.
In cases of Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas shuts down insulin
production completely. The shut-down is usually gradual, often
taking years for noticeable symptoms to develop. However, even
though there are no symptoms, diabetes is still doing damage
to the body and you may not even know it.
Type 2 diabetes is different. In these cases, the pancreas
produces insulin but it’s unusable. Cells don’t respond to the
insulin produced by the pancreas and you know that can’t be a
good thing.
Who’s At Risk For Diabetes?
The best way to avoid the ravages of diabetes over time is to
prevent the disease and for many of us, that’s pretty easy. For
others it can be more difficult or impossible.
Diabetes can be genetic, with individuals predisposed at birth
to develop the condition. However, one of the most common
causes of adult-onset diabetes is lifestyle. So changes in
lifestyle can significantly lessen the likelihood of ever developing
the condition.
People who have unhealthy eating habits and are overweight as
a result are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. Sedentary
lifestyles are also more likely to develop diabetes. Time to get
off the couch and hit the streets for a brisk walk. It only takes
20 minutes a day.
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So, for the most part, if you control your diet and move a little
bit more, you will have better success at keeping Type 2
diabetes at bay for your lifetime.
Early Warning Signs of Diabetes
The medical community recommends that we look for nine
signs of diabetes in the adult stage of life:
●Unexplained tingling or numbness in your hands, feet
and legs
●Frequent urination
●Constant thirst
●Unexplained weight loss
●Weakness and fatigue
●Blurred vision
●Dry itchy skin
●Frequent bruising or skin infections
●Injuries that don’t heal quickly
You don’t have to experience all of the symptoms but if you’re
carrying around a few extra pounds, and you don’t get a lot of
exercise and you have three or four of the symptoms above,
a visit to your physician is in order. A simple blood test will
determine if you have diabetes and the earlier the condition is
detected, the better the chances of living a long, happy, healthy
and hearing life.
Study Links Diabetes to Hearing Loss
So what does diabetes have to do with hearing health? The
National Institutes for Health (NIH), one of the most prestigious
study groups worldwide, recently released the results of a study
on the relationship between diabetes and hearing loss and the
results proved what the medical and hearing communities had
suspected for some time. The NIH report stated, unequivocally,
that Hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with
diabetes compared to those who do not have the disease.
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“Hearing loss may be an under-recognized complication of
diabetes. As diabetes becomes more common, the disease
may become a more significant contributor to hearing loss,”
said senior [study] author Catherine Cowie, Ph.D., of the
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK), who suggested that people with diabetes should consider
having their hearing tested. “Our study found a strong and
consistent link between hearing impairment and diabetes
using a number of different outcomes.”
The entire study, published online June 17, 2008 in the Annals
of Internal Medicine, took place between 1999 and 2004. “The
link between diabetes and hearing loss has been debated since
the 1960s or before, and our results show that a relationship
exists even when we account for the major factors known to
affect hearing, such as age, race, ethnicity, income level, noise
exposure, and the use of certain medications,” noted Kathleen
Bainbridge, Ph.D., of Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., one of
the research companies involved in data collection and collation.
36 million Americans report that they experience some degree
of hearing loss, with numbers increasing with age, as expected.
But here’s the thing: at least some of these individuals are in a
pre-diabetic state. They experience the destructive effects of
diabetes, chalking those aches, pains and dizzy spells to the
natural process of ageing. Not necessarily so.
Those symptoms may be caused by pre-diabetes or full-blown
Type 2 diabetes. And if the disease is caught early enough, it
can be managed by simple dietary changes and a little more
thought to exercise.
Bottom line? If you or a loved one has diabetes, it is important
to have annual hearing tests to monitor your hearing. Hearing
loss can sneak up on you, just as Diabetes can.
If you don’t have diabetes, practice preventative measures for a
healthy life and healthy hearing. If you notice you aren’t hearing
as well as you used to, it doesn’t mean you have diabetes;
however you should have your hearing evaluated.
5
Keep Your
Heart Healthy.
“Cardiovascular disease robs the life
of about one American every minute,
and heart disease is the #1 killer of
women,” says Sergei Kochkin, PhD,
Better Hearing Institute’s Executive
Director. “Yet, an alarming number of
Americans don’t understand how…
…serious the threat of heart disease is to them personally, or
how closely intertwined it is with other health conditions, such
as hearing health. We urge women and men alike to know their
risks and to take action today to protect their heart—and
hearing—health.”
The Connection Between
Heart and Hearing Health
The inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood
flow. Studies have shown that a healthy
cardiovascular system—a person’s heart,
arteries, and veins—has a positive effect
on hearing. Conversely, inadequate blood
flow and trauma to the blood vessels of
the inner ear can contribute to hearing loss.
Some researchers hypothesize that because
the inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow,
abnormalities in the condition of blood
vessels here could be noted earlier than
in other, less sensitive parts of the body.
In one study—presented by David R.
Friedland, MD, PhD, Associate
Professor of Otolaryngology and
Communication Sciences at the
Medical College of Wisconsin in
Madison at the 2009 Combined
Otolaryngology Spring Meeting—it
was hypothesized that low-frequency
hearing loss may be a potential marker
for predicting the presence or potential development of
cardiovascular disease.
Moreover, in a study published in the June 2010 issue of the
American Journal of Audiology, Raymond H. Hull and Stacy R.
Kerschen reviewed research that has been conducted over the
past 60 plus years and found that the negative influence of
impaired cardiovascular health on both the peripheral and central
auditory system and the potential positive influence of improved
cardiovascular health on these same systems has been found
through a sizable body of research.
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According to a study in older adults, the prevalence of suffering
from various degrees of hearing loss is 54 percent greater
among those who have a history of heart disease than in the
general population. The study also indicated that individuals
who exercised at least once a week saw a 32 percent reduction
in the risk of suffering from hearing loss, when compared
to sedentary people. (Source: “The Association Between
Cardiovascular Disease and Cochlear Function in Older Adults.”
Population Health Program Faculty, Wisconsin University, First
Annual Population Health Poster Session selected abstracts
2001-2002.)
“Our participation in American Heart Month and National Wear
Read Day® enables the hearing health community to make an
important contribution to saving millions of lives,” says Kochkin.
“This is an opportunity to highlight the connection that heart
health has on hearing health and to empower people with that
knowledge. People with heart disease should not have to
contend with the additional toll that unaddressed hearing loss
takes on their quality of life.”
More About Heart Disease
According to the NHLBI, family history of early heart disease
and age are two key risk factors for heart disease. Controllable
risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, high blood
cholesterol, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, and diabetes.
The NHLBI says that the main warning signs for women and
men are:
●Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in
the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few
minutes. It may feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or
pain. The discomfort may be mild or severe, and it may
come and go.
●Discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including one
or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
●Shortness of breath. This may occur with or without chest
discomfort.
●Other signs include nausea, light-headedness, or breaking
out in a cold sweat.
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More About Hearing Loss
Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a wide
range of physical and emotional conditions, including impaired
memory and ability to learn new tasks, reduced alertness,
increased risk to personal safety, irritability, negativism, anger,
fatigue, tension, stress, depression, and diminished psychological
and overall health. But nine out of ten hearing aid users report
improvements in their quality of life.
Source: Better Hearing Institute
6
Manage Your
Medications.
When a headache, fever or muscle
pain strikes, what do you do? Chances
are, you open the medicine cabinet
and reach for a painkiller or fever
reducer like acetaminophen (Tylenol),
ibuprofen (Advil) or alicylate (aspirin).
These over-the-counter (OTC)…
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…analgesics are widely available, relatively inexpensive and, in
many cases, they work wonders in relieving minor aches and
pains. In fact, aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are the
three most commonly used drugs in the United States.
A just-released study suggests these popular medications may
not be as harmless as we thought, and, if taken regularly over
a long period of time, might increase hearing loss in men.
Hearing Loss Causes:
What The Study Found
While hearing loss is usually associated with age, this study,
published in The American Journal of Medicine in March 2010,
found that men under the age of 60 who regularly take aspirin,
acetaminophen (known as paracetamol outside the United
States), ibuprofen, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) are twice as likely to suffer hearing problems as
those who don’t.
The ototoxic effects (damage to the hearing or balance functions
of the ear caused by drugs or chemicals) of aspirin are well
documented, and the ototoxicity of NSAIDs has been suggested,
but the relation between acetaminophen and hearing loss has
not been previously explored.
For this study, scientists from Harvard University, Brigham and
Women’s Hospital, Vanderbilt University and the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, examined factors other than age
and noise (two most common causes of hearing impairment)
that might lead to hearing loss.
The study, which surveyed 26,917 men every two years over
18 years, found that regular users of aspirin were 12 percent
more likely, NSAID users were 21 percent more likely, and
acetaminophen /paracetamol users 22 percent more likely to
develop hearing loss.
For NSAIDs and acetaminophen / paracetamol, the risk of
hearing loss rose with longer duration of use: Men under 50
had a 33 percent increase if taking aspirin, a 61 percent
increase with NSAIDs, and a mind-blowing 99 percent increase
on acetaminophen /paracetamol.
“Regular use of analgesics, specifically aspirin, NSAIDs, and
acetaminophen, might increase the risk of adult hearing loss,
particularly in younger individuals,” the study authors noted.
“Given the high prevalence of regular analgesic use and health
and social implications of hearing impairment, this represents
an important public health issue.”
It is unclear whether the findings also apply to women, but, for
now at least, if you are a man under 60 and taking regular doses
of the above-mentioned meds, awareness and caution should
be at the forefront of your mind.
More Bad News About Ototoxic Drugs
Information is power, so while we are on the subject of
medications that may be harmful to your hearing, make sure
not to skip or skimp over this section.
If you have hearing loss (or someone you know does), you
need to be especially aware of which prescription and OTC
drugs can either damage your hearing or make an existing
hearing loss worse.
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Unfortunately, the list is long. In addition to meds listed above,
some commonly prescribed antibiotics, diuretics, chemotherapy
drugs, anesthetics, medications for heart, ulcers, depression,
anxiety disorders and a host of other conditions, are among
those that could cause or worsen your hearing loss, tinnitus,
or balance problems.
Good news, however, is that in some – though not all – cases, the
hearing problems caused by these medications are reversible
once you stop taking the drug.
To be on the safe side, inform your doctor if you have hearing
loss, tinnitus and/or balance issues. Also always ask your health
care provider or a pharmacist whether the medications you are
taking could damage your hearing. If so, ask whether alternate
drugs could be taken instead. But never, ever, discontinue taking
a prescribed medication without seeking your doctor’s advice
first.
Be Aware Of The Warning Signs
You should also know what the symptoms of ototoxicity are, so
you can act immediately and prevent further damage. Here are
the signs to look for:
●Onset of tinnitus (disturbing noises) in one or both ears.
●Worsening of existing tinnitus or the appearance of another
sound that didn’t exist before. ●Fullness or pressure in your ears that cannot be attributed
to other causes, such as sinus infection or a respiratory
illness. ●Worsening of an existing hearing loss or onset of hearing
loss in the unaffected ear.
●The development of vertigo or spinning sensation usually
aggravated by motion, which may or may not be accompanied
by nausea.
In all of these cases (or if any other, unfamiliar symptoms
related to your hearing should arise), always inform your doctor.
Now What
Do I Do?
Hearing loss affects millions of
Americans and about 11% of the
U.S. population has some degree
of hearing loss. The previous six
ways to prevent hearing loss can be
extremely helpful in preventing
further hearing loss, but some of
you already have hearing loss and
as a general guideline 90 percent
of the hearing losses out there are
permanent. Preventing further…
…hearing loss by protecting your remaining hearing, watching
your diet and practicing some healthier habits is the first priority.
But the sad truth is that permanent hearing loss remains one of
the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America
today. In fact, only 40 percent of Americans with moderate to
severe hearing loss and 9 percent of those with mild hearing
loss wear hearing aids. What’s more, fewer than 15 percent of
those who received a physical exam in the last year said they
received a hearing screening by their physician or nurse during
that exam, despite the fact that the vast majority of those with
hearing loss could benefit from properly fitted hearing aids.
And you would be surprised by what is now available.
Take The Quiz
Hearing loss can sneak up on us over a long period of time
and go unnoticed, but there are certain clues you can look for.
Do You…
Have difficulty understanding what is being said, unless you are directly facing the speaker?
Find yourself complaining that people are mumbling or slurring their words?
ask people to repeat words or phrases, though they feel they’re speaking loud enough?
Avoid group meetings, social occasions, public facilities, or family gatherings where listening may be difficult?
Prefer the TV or radio louder than others do?
Have difficulty understanding conversation within a group of people?
Have trouble hearing at the movies, house of worship, concert halls, or at other public gatherings – especially where sound sources are at a distance?
Have ringing in the ears or other head noises or other head noises (hissing, buzzing, crickets, etc.)? This may be caused by Tinnitus which often accompanies hearing loss.
If you answered yes to at least two of these questions then it
is time to get a hearing evaluation.
27
Finding A Hearing Care Provider
Getting your hearing tested is painless and usually takes between
30 to 60 minutes. Most insurance companies pay for hearing
evaluations so there is no need to get so called “FREE” tests
that have strings attached. Following the rules below will go a
long way in finding an ethical and qualified professional in
helping you assess your hearing loss.
●Do you have at least a Master’s Degree in Audiology and,
if so, from what university?
Consumer Tip: Both audiologists and non-audiologists can
dispense hearing aids. The key is to make sure they have
a degree in audiology.
●Do you have a regular place of business with regular hours.
Consumer Tip: Door-to-door salesmen or those salespersons
that are only in town one or two days a month may not be
able to adequately provide the service for which you paid.
●Do you test hearing in a sound controlled environment?
Consumer Tip: Your home is not adequately sound controlled
to provide you with a very accurate hearing test. A sound
proofed room should be used for hearing testing. Selection
of an appropriate hearing aid circuitry is dependent on an
accurate hearing test.
●Do you have a 30 to 60 day trial period?
Consumer Tip: Beware if the answer is no! A thirty day trial
period or longer is very important to make sure that the
hearing aids you will purchase won’t end up in a drawer
not being used. This is for your protection
28
Hearing Aids 101
Once you get your hearing tested by a qualified audiologist, you
might find that your hearing can be improved with hearing aids.
But what should you purchase? Just like glasses there are many
styles of hearing aids, from the very small to the larger power
systems. It is dependent on the type of hearing loss you have,
the amount of dexterity in your hands, the lifestyle issues you
face in the hearing world and the amount you want to spend.
You will find it to be a very personal answer for each individual
which is why it is so important to find a professional you can
trust to help you make the correct choices.
Today, quality hearing aids use digital technology, the same
circuitry that’s used in computers and cell phones. The changes
in just the last few years has been astounding and research
and development continues.
Today’s digital hearing aids are sleek, discreet, fashionable,
high-tech and low-maintenance. They can be tuned by a hearing
professional, like an audiologist, to suit your specific hearing
needs. They can connect to multiple devices such as televisions
and telephones. They adjust automatically for changes in
volume levels and adapt to background noise.
So, if you’re looking for the latest and the greatest in
hearing loss solutions, get your hearing tested today,
it’s painless and covered by most insurance companies.
Forget everything grandpa told you about his hearing
aids. Those days and those hearing aids are long gone.
Thank goodness. Today, you can enjoy the sounds of
life without a lot of hassles. Modern digital hearing
aids deliver sound quality and ease-of-use in small,
attractive devices.
If you have any questions or concerns about hearing or
hearing aids we are here to help. Most insurance carriers
cover a hearing evaluation once a year and we are a
provider for most major insurance carriers including
Medicare. We have two locations for your convenience.
2355 E. 30th St.
Farmington, NM
833 E. 2nd Ave.
Durango, CO
505-325-7474
970-247-0808
Timothy Jones
www.SanJuanHearing.com
$12.95
M.A., CCC-A,
Certified Audiologist