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Animal Therapy for Tinnitus – Support Group Recap

Tinnitus Support Group Recap - October 2019 Back again, where did September go! This month, our Tinnitus Support Group discussed and tried out animal therapy. A very special thanks to Lynda and Lana from East Central Therapy Dogs for coming in to see us.  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, as well as Lynda from East Central Therapy Dogs, who also happens to have Tinnitus herself.  These individuals have all had Tinnitus for a number of years and tried out a variety of therapies to bring down the ringing. Aside from Lynda, one member of our group has utilized animal therapy with a neighbour's dog. What is Animal Therapy? There is something about having a dog around.       With East Central Dog Therapy, a session looks a little like this. The individual gets about 15 minutes petting the dog and talking with the handler. In their program, handlers are trained in how to carry on a conversation and facilitate the time with the client and dog.         The simple act of stroking a dog, cat, or other animal can change a number of things in...

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Celebrities with Hearing Loss

Celebrities with Hearing Loss  Have you heard of many celebrities experiencing hearing loss – there are more than you might think. However, finding celebrities that are open about their hearing loss is not as common as those that have other health concerns (Stevie Wonder - Blindness, Michael J. Foxx - Parkinson’s). Maybe it’s because of the stigma and fear that surrounds hearing loss.  But, there are now a number of celebrities with hearing loss that have become vocal advocates for hearing health awareness.  Here are a few…   Actors Whoopi Goldberg, Actor/Comic  The well known actor and co-host of The View has very openly discussed her hearing loss and wearing hearing aids. She attributes her hearing loss to listening to very loud music too close to her ears for too long. Today, she is an advocate for using your portable listening devices at moderate volumes so you can keep enjoying your favourite music.    Gerard Butler, Actor The Scottish actor best known for his rolls in 300 and P.S. I Love You, has hearing loss and tinnitus in his right ear due to surgery he had as a child. He says it’s that surgery that was also responsible for his crooked smile.        Halle Barry, Actress  Although Barry is a Type 1 Diabetic, which gives her a higher risk of having hearing loss, that’s not what caused her hearing loss. Due to an abusive relationship, the actress lost 80% of the hearing in her right ear. She is now...

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Tinnitus Support Group Recap Sept 2019

Tinnitus Group - September 2019 We are thrilled to be back with our Tinnitus Support Group after a little hiatus. This group, as part of our Tinnitus solutions, was designed to be a safe place to discuss your tinnitus, the symptoms, your thoughts and feelings, as well as a place to find support, hope, and, hopefully, a few new strategies to try out. This Month’s Group In this month's group, we had 3 individuals with Tinnitus, 2 due to Meniere's disease, as well as 2 spouses that are big advocates for their partners.  These individuals have had Tinnitus for a number of years; so they have tried a variety of strategies and found what works for them. However, through discussion, we found that sometimes revisiting strategies you’ve tried previously can demonstrate different results based on the level of the Tinnitus at that point in time.  Tinnitus Triggers and Strategies Through our discussion, we talked about what triggers seem to increase the Tinnitus and what strategies have been working recently for the group. These included:  Trigger Strategies Motor noises (big trucks, lawnmowers, etc.) Noise-canceling headphones Sound therapy (ocean noise *use a sound that you love) Stress and General Flare-Ups Sound therapy Using a cane (stress of possible dizzy spell and falling, due to the Meniere's, the cane helps with security) Distraction therapy - playing solitaire on the computer Animal therapy (petting the neighbour’s dog) Visceral Manipulation  Gardening Clinking plates while washing dishes Moving to a different room Using plastic or paper plates...

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How Loud is Too Loud?

So... how loud is too loud? Did you know that the human ear can hear over 20,000 different frequencies! These range in pitch and volume from the faintest high pitch buzz of a mosquito to the loudest rock concert you’ve ever heard.  In terms of volume, this means the human ear can hear sounds from 0 decibels (dB) to over 140dB and everything in between. That’s like hearing a pin drop (10dB) or rustling leaves (10-20dB), all the way up to a motorcycle (100dB) or a jet engine (140dB). So how loud is too loud? Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. The World Health Organization reports nearly 24% of adults (1 out of 4) between the ages of 20 to 69 have this kind of hearing loss. And it all comes down to how loud and for how long a person is exposed to noise.  According to the Canadian Hearing Society and the new Ontario Works standards, any sound over 85dB for an extended period of time unprotected is NOT safe. If you've worked in noise around or over these levels causing damage to your ears, you may be eligible for WSIB covered hearing aids.  The louder the sound gets, the less time you have before damage to your hearing is inevitable.  Damage to your ears can occur at: 75dB of continual exposure for 24 hours or more 85dB for 8 hours or more 90dB for 2 hours 95dB for 1 hour or more...

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Hearing Loss Of Loved Ones

When talking to a family member with hearing loss this season, use these 3 communication techniques to help them hear you better.     As part of my counselling session with new clients, I always make sure to involve both the new hearing aid wearer AND the family members that come to their appointments. Getting hearing aids for the first time is a huge step. One that often takes a lot of courage to even admit there is a need for help. But the work doesn’t end there. Most people make a massive mistake in assuming hearing aids will solve all their problems in conversation. Of course hearing aids provide incredible improvement in speech clarity, but they are not a magic cure-all. How we talk is a HUGE element in how well others understand what we say. After all, conversation is not a one person activity. It’s takes two to tango. Here are 3 key strategies anyone can adopt immediately to improve their quality of conversation. Tip 1. Get the other person’s attention before talking. Whether you’re driving in a car, watching TV, or having dinner together, when a moment of silence falls between you assume that other person is deep in thought or listening to something else in the room. Before you speak, begin by getting their attention. Say their name or a give gentle touch on the hand. This gives them a moment to turn towards you and prepare to listen to what you are about to say. There...

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Separating hearing aid fact from fiction

    Hearing and sight are arguably our two most important senses. Yet, if and when either starts to fail us (and both usually do as we age), we react to each quite differently. Look around at all the people with glasses, contacts, Lasik surgery or just cheaters, and it's obvious that we have no problem or hesitation with treating vision issues. But when it comes to treating hearing loss, we don't seem to be in nearly such a hurry, if we even bother to treat it at all. If we did, nearly one in six adults you see would be wearing hearing aids — as that's the number of U.S. adults with hearing loss. What's stopping us from treating hearing loss? Why is there such discrepancy when it comes to "fixing" these two vital senses? Certainly a key factor is the immediate and tangible impact of each impairment. You can't easily drive, read, watch TV or work at a computer when your vision is compromised. But you can cope with or work around hearing issues — at least temporarily. It's important to know, though, that while the immediate impact of compromised hearing may seem negligible, the long-term and overall quality-of-life impact is real and potentially severe. Is our perception of hearing aids to blame? Another reason for inaction comes from people's perception of hearing loss and hearing aids. Unfortunately, some old myths linger. But advancements in science and technology mean many are no longer true. Let's debunk five common ones now. 1. Fiction: There's...

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Is it possible? Can hearing aids be…sexy?

Is it possible? Can hearing aids be...sexy? Do you think hearing aids can be sexy? For most people, that answer is a resounding "no." Good communication can be sexy! Maybe you're already conjuring up visions of hearing aids past like the one your beloved grandpa (rest his soul) wore when you were just a kid. It resembled a boxy transistor radio with a tangle of wires and a big ear plug in a shade of beige that wouldn't blend with anyone's skin color. Those body-worn hearing aids looked clunky and awkward and had technology to match with poor sound quality and lots of feedback whistling. Wearing one of them was instantly aging, and they contributed to the now outdated idea that hearing aid wearers were old and worn out. Not just for old folks While hearing loss can be part of the natural aging process for millions of Americans, our noisy world is challenging the connection between advanced age and hearing loss. For many Generation X-ers born in the 1960s and 70s, excessive noise while growing up was a way of life. Portable Walkman radios with headphones, loud hair band arena concerts and little awareness about the dangers of noise exposure mean hearing loss isn't just a problem for our retired Baby Boomer parents. Even young college students struggle with understanding in noisy environments thanks to hidden hearing loss which is undetectable in its earliest stages with most hearing tests. Even though many of us know hearing loss isn't just for the old, the most effective treatment, hearing aids, still carry a negative stigma. They can...

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What Makes High-End Hearing Instruments So High-End

Did you walk through the malls this holiday season? Ever notice how crowded and loud they are? For a lot of people, having a conversation in the middle of all that hustle and bustle is quite difficult. Think about it. You've got several hundred people all in an enclosed space, where sound bounces around like a cathedral. And of course there is always that extra loud music playing in the background attempting to keep people in the buying spirit. The holidays are also the time of year a lot companies throw their annual staff parties, and friends and family gather in large numbers to spend time with one another. Each year, around this time we receive many calls for help. And it's the same familiar problem year after year, but for some, it's finally time to fix it. It goes like this... Big get together with coworkers, or friends and family. Everyone seems to be having a laugh and enjoying the conversation. Yet you notice that more then half of the time, you find yourself scratching your head - unsure of what was just said. Of course, to avoid the classic "get your hearing checked" comments from those around, you find yourself just smiling and nodding, or even laughing but with really no clue why. Comical at first, but in reality this lack of clarity can be quite risky or embarrassing. They may have said something you actually would have disagreed with, but you nodded in agreement Or you just agreed to buy the next round of drinks....

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Why Hearing Instruments are no different then a car, or a couch…

In our line of work, nothing is more disheartening then when a person leaves our clinic, needing help with their hearing, but are unable to afford it. The cost of hearing instruments is no small figure, especially when a higher level of technology is needed to help in crowds or noise (more on that in next week's post). People come to us for answers, and we are determined to provide exactly that. "Our clients deserve to hear every moment of their life with clarity and peace; We exist to help make that a reality." When my wife became pregnant with our first child, our very first LARGE purchase was a brand new sectional sofa. Our sleek and stylish black leather couches would no longer cut it for these new-to-be parents. We needed: Comfort city. A couch fit for a full family. One to stretch out on and enjoy those mid-afternoon naps while the PGA tour plays on the TV in the background. But they aren't cheap! We certainly didn't have the extra thousand dollars kicking around in our savings jar. So we financed our new furniture at 0%, stretching out the payments to fit our monthly income, and were able to enjoy those family naps without paying an extra cent for it. It's that same sense of immediate help, we are able to offer our clients who need to hear better NOW.   More and more clients are finally getting the hearing instruments they need for those board meeting nightmares or the big family get together's - where it's all just a jumble of...

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