hearing instrument specialist Tag

Hearing Health Practitioners

Hearing Health Practitioners: Who they are and what they do Dr. Cliff on HIS vs Aud When people think of a hearing practitioner, most think of an Audiologist. Yet, for many clinics, like The Ear Depot, we have Hearing Instrument Specialists (HIS) on staff. So what's the difference between these hearing health practitioners? What can a HIS do? Does it matter which I see to get my hearing tested or get hearing aids? In this blog, we hope to answer those questions.  Hearing Instrument Specialists, Practitioners, or Dispensers Hearing Instrument Specialists (HIS), or Practitioners (HIP), are hearing healthcare professionals certified in testing hearing and fitting hearing aids for adults (anyone over the age of 18). Areas in which they work include: To provide consultation on hearing, communication, tinnitus, etc. Performing hearing testsCounsellingProviding a hearing aid selectionTo customize hearing aid fittingsMaking of hearing aid or noise protection ear moldsInstruct in the maintenance and use of hearing aidsAdjust and repair hearing aidsRemove wax from the ear (this is a specialized certificate) In Ontario, the main difference between an Audiologist and a HIS in practice is the ability to see children. All prescriptions (hearing aids and medication) are still done through your family doctor. Hearing Instrument Dispensers (HID) are individuals who have graduated from a hearing instrument specialist program yet are awaiting their licencing exam. HID can still dispense hearing aids under licenced HIS supervision. Education With a growing adult population who will need hearing aids, HIS provides another avenue to receive quality care....

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TED Audiogram

Understanding my Audiogram

How to Understand Your Audiogram   You’ve made an appointment to have your hearing tested. The Audiologist or Hearing Instrument Practitioner puts you in this booth, you hear a whole bunch of beeping sounds and then… they hand you this piece of paper with some X’s and O’s (when did this become a game of tic-tac-toe!). Welcome to your audiogram, which is a fancy term for the graph we use to record your hearing levels. So what do all these lines and symbols mean?   Lines and Symbols At the top of the graph is the frequency (Hz) of sound or the pitch. As the frequencies go from left to right they go from low to high pitch. Vertically on the left side are decibels (dB), the intensity or the volume of the sound. As the decibel number gets bigger so does the volume and potential hearing loss. During your hearing test, we go through each pitch at different volumes to determine the softest sound you can hear. This is where the X’s and O’s come in! We mark the quietest sound you can hear for each frequency: X’s for the left ear and O’s for the right. This gives us a visual representation of where your hearing is. Another way to think about it - Every sound, including speech [the speech banana as it’s called], is made at a particular pitch and volume. A lawnmower is rather loud at 100dB and has a low-frequency sound. The human voice can range...

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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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