December 2019

Love your ears

8 Tips for Better Hearing Health in 2020

As we head into a new year, I'm sure you're thinking about some new year's resolutions. Is your hearing health part of that? Good hearing health is more than just having your hearing tested... eventually. Here are 8 tips for better hearing health to keep your ears happy and healthy in 2020. #1 Wear hearing protection in noisy environments (concerts, working with machinery or power tools, etc.) Any noise over 80dB can damage your ears depending on how long you're exposed to it. The best rule of thumb is if it's loud, use protection. The foam earplugs you can get from the drug store work great. For more information about what sounds are loud and why noise affects our hearing check out our blog 'How Loud is too Loud.' #2 Have your ear wax removed professionally; no Q-tips! Q-tips can cause more harm than good; they dry out your ear canals and can push the wax further into your ear. It's best to have a professional take a look at them or try using natural oil drops at home to help push the wax out naturally. #3 When using headphones, keep the volume below 60% Similar to noisy environments, when we wear headphones we should use caution as well. As the sound is being directly streamed into our ear it can easily become too loud and tire out our ears. 60% or less of your volume will keep you hearing clear without causing any damage to your ears. #4 Get moving...

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Group at dinner; Christmas

Group Strategies & Family Support – Tinnitus Group Recap

Tinnitus Group Recap December 2019 Happy Holidays! Moving into December with all the festivities and family is an exciting time! For those living with Tinnitus, it can also be tricky with group environments. This month we discussed some group strategies and how partners can support in those situations. It is the hope that through this group, anyone with Tinnitus can join in to find support from others who have Tinnitus, learn about new therapies to try, possibly test out some of them out, and ultimately find hope in knowing they are not alone. Let’s dive into this month’s topic! This Month’s Group This month we were joined by 3 individuals with Tinnitus and their spouses. These individuals have all had Tinnitus for a number of years and tried out a variety of therapies to bring down the ringing. In groups, many of them already have strategies that work well for them. We also discussed some new tactics to try too. Holidays and Large Groups All of us could agree, we look forward to the holidays and seeing family. It's a wonderful time bringing everyone together... all the excitement, all the noise; talk about loud! With each person, their tolerance for loud environments varies - one can handle small groups of around 5-6 people max, another it's really only one-on-one. Knowing your limit can help you plan and prepare for those environments. Leaving the room for a few moments if it gets too loud (one individual goes and does the dishes as...

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Traveling with Hearing Aids

Traveling with Hearing Aids: Tips to keep your hearing aids safe and working great Whether you’re heading out on a road trip over the holidays, to the cottage, or jet setting to the other side of the world (away from this cold Canadian weather), traveling can be fun, adventurous, and enriching. When you have hearing aids, they can add a few more things to your travel checklist. Here is a handy guide for all your needs when traveling with hearing aids.  Packing List Extra batteries Charger  Charger cable [If traveling internationally, make sure you have a converter!] Cleaning tools - brush, cloth, and wax filters Dehumidifier kit Accessories - like your remote or mic Traveling By Plane Wear your hearing aids through security and on the plane. According to travel legislation in Canada and the USA, hearing aids and cochlear implants are a branch of medical devices that do not need to be removed. *Note, that x-rays and scanners could affect the hearing aids. If you're concerned, you can ask for a full-body scan or a physical search.  Put your hearing aids in 'airplane mode.' If your hearing aids have Bluetooth, you may have to put them in airplane mode (turns off the service, data, and wifi). You can ask your hearing aid professional the best way to do this or the flight attendants in a pinch. Reduce distractions. If you need to, turn down your hearing aids while going through security or on the plane to help with distracting background...

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