Peterborough hearing clinic Tag

warning signs

Catch It Early: How to Recognize Signs of Hearing Loss

The impact of hearing loss on our lives is not always immediately apparent. The human body and behaviour are very adaptable, so we often fail to notice the overall effects of a health issue until it reaches a critical level. However, we can avoid such situations by identifying early patterns and taking proactive measures. As with most health concerns, we want to catch it as early as possible. Here are some indicators and tips to recognize the signs of hearing loss. Signs you may have hearing loss Hearing loss to any degree can cause changes and struggles to your quality of life. The more severe the hearing loss, the greater impact on your daily life. Recognizing the following common early signs of hearing loss is crucial: Struggling to understand conversations, particularly in crowded or noisy environments. Feeling exhausted or stressed after engaging in conversations. Perceiving people to be mumbling more frequently. Finding it challenging to follow conversations in group settings or with background noise. Frequently asking others to repeat themselves, speak slower, or louder. Increasing the volume of your TV or radio beyond what others prefer. Experiencing difficulty hearing on the phone. Feeling physically and/or mentally drained after listening to people talk. Feeling irritated, stressed, or overwhelmed by noise or voices. Experiencing frustration or embarrassment in certain social situations or conversations If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these frustrations in everyday conversation, you may have hearing loss.  Why early intervention? Hearing loss places additional strain on our...

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summer fun

Safeguard Your Ears This Summer

Summer is here, and it's time to soak up the sun and embrace the excitement of the season. From beach parties and music festivals to backyard barbecues and water sports, the options for fun seem endless. But amidst all the noise and revelry, it's crucial to protect your precious hearing. Don't worry, we've got your back! In this blog, we'll dive into some tips on how to safeguard your ears this summer while still rocking those awesome, noisy summer activities. How Loud Is It Really? Let's talk numbers for a moment to highlight just how loud some of these summer activities can get. Concerts and music festivals can reach ear-piercing levels of up to 120 decibels (dB), comparable to a jet engine taking off! Fireworks can explode with a bang of around 150 dB, equivalent to standing next to a roaring freight train. Motorized water sports, like jet skis or speedboats, can generate noise levels of up to 100 dB, akin to the sound of a chainsaw. It's important to realize that prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 dB can cause irreversible damage to your hearing. So, understanding the intensity of these noises emphasizes the importance of taking precautions to protect your ears during these exciting summer activities. 5 Tips to Protect Your Ears and Still Have Fun 1. Gear up with hearing protectors. Before diving headfirst into those ear-splitting activities, grab some reliable hearing protection. Earplugs (custom or universal foam ones) and earmuffs are your trusty sidekicks when it comes...

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telehealth online

Telehealth for Hearing Aids

In recent times, a new term has become quite popular: telehealth. With the COVID-19 pandemic, how we access healthcare has changed to ensure continued access while respecting distancing guidelines. But what exactly is telehealth, and how does it relate to hearing aids? In this blog post, we'll dive into the world of telehealth, specifically focusing on how it benefits individuals with hearing loss. So, if you're new to the concept, sit back and let's explore how telehealth is transforming hearing healthcare! Understanding Telehealth Telehealth, also known as telemedicine, is defined as receiving healthcare services remotely using technology to connect patients and healthcare professionals. In the field of audiology, tele-audiology has emerged as a powerful tool to overcome geographical barriers and enhance access to hearing healthcare. It involves the use of secure video conferencing platforms, smartphone apps, and other digital tools to connect with hearing care professionals without having to visit a clinic in person. While remote care is not new to audiology, its popular use of it has grown. Advantages of Telehealth Telehealth for hearing aids comes with several exciting benefits. Here are some key advantages that make it a convenient option: a) Convenience and Accessibility: Imagine getting hearing care services from the comfort of your own home. Telehealth makes it possible! No more travelling long distances or facing mobility challenges. You can access hearing healthcare regardless of your location. b) Saving Costs and Travel: Traditional clinic visits often involve expenses for transportation and other associated costs. Telehealth eliminates or reduces...

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mental health

Hearing Loss and Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so looking at the relationship between hearing loss and mental well-being is appropriate. Recent studies have revealed a correlation between untreated hearing loss and various mental health concerns, particularly in older adults. This blog post will explore why hearing loss affects our mental health and provide some preventative strategies. Hearing loss, depression, and cognitive decline While mental health is commonly associated with factors like stress and genetics, the research emphasizes the significance of our hearing in maintaining mental well-being. Untreated hearing loss can negatively impact our mental health, increasing the risk of depression and anxiety. Struggling to engage in conversations and participate in social activities due to hearing difficulties can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, contributing to symptoms of depression. Moreover, compensating for hearing loss can be mentally exhausting, affecting concentration, memory, and daily tasks. Untreated hearing loss is also linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline, including conditions like Dementia and Alzheimer's. Social isolation, lack of brain stimulation (use it or lose it theory), and auditory processing challenges (how hard the brain works to interpret sounds) are believed to connect to these health issues. When our brains are deprived of stimulation due to hearing loss and reduced social interaction, certain areas lose their ability to function optimally. Signs of hearing loss and mental health concerns Detecting hearing loss and understanding its potential impact on our health is crucial. By familiarizing ourselves with the signs of hearing loss and indicators of mental health...

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buying a hearing aid

3 Key Factors to Consider When Buying Hearing Aids

Purchasing hearing aids is an exciting experience! But we also know they are an investment and want you to be confident in your purchase. So when thinking about new hearing aids or discussing them with your practitioner, here are some things to consider when buying hearing aids. What matters most to you? Based on your lifestyle and preferences, there are several features offered with hearing aids to choose from. Based on these choices, the practitioners can give you a better recommendation on the technology that would work best for you. Consider: Rechargeable Batteries This is great for someone who doesn't want to change batteries, has poor dexterity, or uses other rechargeable items daily. When considering battery options, also think about the length of your day. Is your work schedule consistent, or can your hours change? If a battery died during the middle of the day, could you go without your hearing aids? Are you in places you could charge your hearing aid if needed, etc.? Connectivity Do you use Bluetooth in your everyday life? It can be used with your phone, the system in your car, your tv, etc. This is a great feature for someone on the go, who uses their phone throughout the day, or likes listening to music! Hearing in Noise A noisy conversation may be fine for someone who lives a quiet life or only goes to a restaurant occasionally. However, this may be a more considerable consideration for someone who regularly attends large meetings, has a...

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I hear you! The first two weeks with new hearing aids

You get your new hearing aids, everything is clearer, and things are louder, but man, does your own voice sound weird! This is a common experience with new hearing aid users. I promise it gets better. Those first few weeks after you get aids are a significant adjustment period. Not just because they are new to put on each morning but because your brain is adjusting too. This blog will discuss what to expect when hearing during those first two weeks with your new hearing aids. Here we go! Am I hearing too much? Hearing aids are excellent tools to provide tailored amplification and speech clarity for those with a loss. They help you hear what you've been missing. At first, certain sounds might feel overwhelming, but they are totally normal. There is an adjustment period that comes with hearing aids. Things like the furnace coming on, how your clothes move, road noise, etc., may seem extra loud or distracting. This is because your ears and brain are hearing them for the first time again. Hearing loss means the full array of sound is not transferred from your ears to the brain. After some time, the brain forgets how things sound. When sound input is reintroduced through hearing aids, it takes a little bit of time to make sense of all those sounds. After a few days to about a week, those things should fade into the background and sound more natural. Tips and Tricks Start small! Try to wear your hearing aids all day,...

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cellphone technology

Cell Phones and Hearing Aids

In 2023, cell phones, Bluetooth, and other technology are a big part of our daily lives. Updates to Bluetooth and the latest hearing aid chips have made these everyday used devices even more functional and convenient for hearing aid users. The future is bright with direct Bluetooth hearing aid compatibility now available for iPhone and some Android phones. In this blog, we'll break down some of the latest features for both Apple and Android devices. Features making cell phones and hearing aids more useful than ever before. Cell phones, in general All cell phones will come with a Hearing Aid Compatability (HAC) rating regardless of make and model. From 1 to 4, these ratings indicate how well a phone will work with two hearing aid factors: T and M. T stands for Telecoil or a particular coupling feature in the hearing aids. M is the measurement of immunity to radio frequency interference for hearing aid without a telecoil.  The higher the rating of these two factors, the better the two devices' compatibility. For example, the iPhone 14 rates at M3, T4, the Google Pixel 3a M3, T3, etc. You generally want something with a minimum rating of 2 to work well with your hearing aids. Additionally, any cell phone bought in the last ten years has Bluetooth capabilities. With updates in the last few years, direct connectivity between Bluetooth devices became much easier. Made for iPhone hearing aids have had this ability for years. But for Android users, a secondary device...

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treatment and management

Tinnitus Management

Tinnitus, also known as ringing in the ears, is a highly individualized phenomenon. While 1 in 6 people in North America experience tinnitus, the sounds, sensations, and experiences are highly variable. So, why should treatment be generic? Tinnitus management can and should be tailored to you, not one-size-fits-all. What is Tinnitus Tinnitus, derived from the Latin word tinnire, meaning to ring, is most often associated with the extra-sensory experience of ringing. But only some experience 'ringing.' Other common descriptors of tinnitus are humming, whistling, buzzing like cicadas, hissing, etc. It can also vary on the pitch (most often a high pitch), one or multi-toned, and the frequency (all the time or intermittent). Regardless of how you experience tinnitus, the sound is created by your brain.  Understanding Causes and Triggers Tinnitus is not a disease or disorder but a symptom of something else. Unfortunately, we don't always know what that is. Some causes include hearing loss, loud noise exposure, medications, inflammation, etc. Still, the exact reason why the tinnitus started is often a mystery. Regardless of why it started, it's still there, and the tools you can use to manage it are independent of the source. However, there are things we know can make it worse. Being aware of triggers can help you avoid them or understand you might have a flare-up after the fact. Triggers in our Diet include caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and salt. Elevated levels of any of these are known to increase the experience of tinnitus. It's theorized it's because the...

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High-End Hearing Aids; What makes them high-end?

Hearing aids, like many other technological devices, come in a variety of levels. You have your basic level with certain features, mid-level, and premium high-end. But what, outside the price tag, makes high-end hearing aids high-end and different from the other options? Think of the hearing aid levels like if you were to buy a new car. You start with the basic model, it has everything you need to drive, but that's about it. It will still get you to point A to point B. The mid-level adds some features like a sunroof and Bluetooth radio. The premium level is tricked out with all the bells and whistles. You have all the same things as the basic and mid-levels, but now you have heated seats, parking assist, and backup cameras. Hearing aids are just like that!  In this blog, we'll be discussing key features of what makes high-end, high-end. Microchip Features The major components of hearing aids are relatively standard across manufacturers and hearing aid types. The big difference in what makes the levels of technology different is the microchip. his tiny piece of technology allows the internal components to intake, process, and amplify sound in an instant. Widex Microchip As technology continues to innovate (and get smaller), microchips are also becoming smaller and can process more data in shorter periods of time. In the hearing aid industry, this means smaller hearing aids that can process thousands of environmental and speech sounds within milliseconds, giving you the best possible hearing environment....

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illusion

Auditory Illusions – Can your ears be tricked?

You've heard of optical illusions (and I'm sure experienced them), but have you heard of auditory illusions? Just like our eyes, our ears can be tricked into hearing things that aren't there... here are 3 of the coolest auditory illusions, can your ears be tricked? What are Auditory Illusions Hearing is subjective; that's right, what you perceive may differ from person to person. These illusions, which are auditory stimuli that seem real but are not, are a great example of how different our perceptions can be. These centuries old illusions are all around us but most of us don't realize and the results are pretty amazing! A simple example is hearing song lyrics. I'm sure we've all experienced singing along to the radio to find out we've heard the lyric wrong or been saying it wrong for a while. It's all about what your brain expects to hear and fills in the blanks for you. Here are some other Auditory Illusions to try out. The McGurk Effect One of the best-known auditory illusions is the McGurk Effect. This phenomenon demonstrates the power of visual cues on auditory perception. To put it simply, what you see and what you hear aren't necessarily the same. Check it out... https://youtu.be/2k8fHR9jKVM In conversation, the visual input of how words look on the mouth impacts how we hear them. This is why talking face-to-face is best for those with hearing loss or even just having important conversations. The Shepard Illusion The Shepard Illusion is one of...

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