Your Hearing Is More Delicate Than You Know

Some of our blog readers are people investigating digital hearing aids for older loved ones. It is that group of individuals we want to address in this post by stating the following: your hearing is more delicate than you know. So many things can affect hearing over a person’s lifetime that it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why certain individuals suffer hearing loss while others do not.

As one example, did you know that a recent study reported by the Daily Mail and echoed by the NHS indicates that long-term use of certain over-the-counter painkillers can contribute to hearing loss in women? Indeed, the study found a link between long-term use of paracetamol or ibuprofen and hearing loss.

Researchers discovered that women who used NSAIDs at least twice per week for 12 months or longer had a higher risk of hearing loss compared to those who didn’t use the painkillers quite as often. Furthermore, the risk of hearing loss increased with the length of time subjects used the drugs.

What is not clear is the cause-and-effect. One possible explanation is that certain NSAID drugs can damage multiple components of the ear including its protective layer and the tiny hairs that vibrate when sound waves are present. Researchers also say that NSAIDs can reduce blood flow to the ears.

The NHS recommends checking with your GP for other options if you find yourself taking over-the-counter painkillers, like ibuprofen, on a regular basis. If there are other ways to treat your pain, you may be able to reduce your risk of developing hearing loss in the future.

Darroch offers free hearing tests if you’re concerned about your hearing right now. If you are suffering hearing loss, you may benefit from a digital hearing aid.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Clinics Blog

Understanding the 3 Kinds of Hearing Loss

Darroch Hearing is thrilled to be able to offer the latest in digital hearing aids for improved hearing. Our recommendations for individual patients really depends on the type of hearing loss they are suffering from. No, not all hearing loss is the same.

There are three distinct types of hearing loss. These are as follows:

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is the most common of the three, so named due to an inability among the ear’s ‘mechanical components’ to properly conduct sound waves to the central nervous system. This kind of hearing loss can be caused by anything from a blockage in the ear canal to some sort of physical disorder that renders certain parts of the inner ear less effective than they otherwise would be. Conductive hearing loss can be addressed by increasing the power of sound waves to the point that they overcome the conductive impediment.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This kind of hearing loss is caused either by a problem with the nerves in the inner ear or the ability of the central nervous system to process the electrical impulses it receives. People suffering from this sort of hearing loss will have difficulty hearing in terms of volume, but their nervous systems may also distort the sounds they do here. Thankfully, this form of hearing loss is not as common as conductive hearing loss. It is a bit more difficult to treat.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Lastly, mixed hearing loss combines both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss at the same time. The conductive component can be addressed medically while the sensorineural may or may not be treatable.

If you are concerned about hearing loss, contact Darroch Hearing right away. We may be able to treat your condition with a state-of-the-art, digital hearing aid.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Clinics Blog

Researchers to Look at TV Volume Levels and Hearing Aids

Are you planning to watch the Queen’s Christmas Message on television this year? If so, will you be watching it with the knowledge that your hearing loss will require you to use hearing aids during the broadcast? Rest assured that you are not alone. Many people with hearing loss use hearing aids to help them when watching television. Unfortunately, this can lead to arguments about television volume levels when other family members are present.

The conflicts caused by TV volume levels is something the University of Nottingham’s Biomedical Research Unit has decided to tackle with new research. Professor and unit director Deb Hall says the research is necessary because of how common complaints are among households with hearing-impaired individuals who need to have the volume of the TV louder than other family members in order to hear it. In essence, what is loud enough for the hearing-impaired person is often too loud for others with no hearing issues.

The goal of the university’s research is to find a comfortable compromise that will make both impaired and non-impaired family members happy. Researchers will be working with as many as 50 volunteers who will take part in specialised tests in a controlled laboratory setting. They will measure comfortable listening levels, then follow up with hearing tests and a series of questions to gauge test subject impressions. People unable to travel to the testing site can still participate by taking an online survey.

Here’s hoping the researchers succeed in their goal. It would be nice if we could recommend a general volume level that would make watching TV enjoyable for both our patients and their families. It would certainly make the Queen’s annual Christmas Message more enjoyable for more people.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Clinics Blog

Hearing Aid Damage: The 4 Most Common Causes

Darroch Hearing Clinics offer hearing aid repairs whether you have purchased your devices from us or not. You can drop off your hearing aids at one of our clinics or send them to us via post. We are more than happy to arrange for repairs on nearly all brands of hearing aids.
Over the years, we have seen just about everything. From time to time we run across a hearing aid that is not repairable, but most of the time repairs are possible. For your general knowledge, the four most common causes of hearing aid damage are:

• Excessive Build-Up of Earwax – Earwax doesn’t generally cause irreparable damage to a hearing aid, but it can significantly reduce performance. A good cleaning is usually all it takes to rectify the issue.

• Temperature Exposure – Digital hearing aids are sensitive to temperature extremes due to the electronic components inside. If a hearing aid is exposed to extreme cold or heat for a prolonged period, internal electronics can be damaged.

• Exposure to Moisture – Hearing aids can be damaged by excessive exposure to moisture. More often than not, permanent damage of this type is the result of being out in a soaking rain or forgetting to take hearing aids out before bathing or swimming. Damage caused by perspiration and humidity can usually be fixed.

• Physical Damage – Physical damage includes things such as dropping a hearing aid from a standing position. If a hearing aid suffers impact damage, it’s usually a matter of one of the electronic components needing replacement.

If your hearing aids are not working properly, just let us know. We will do what we can to fix them.
Contact us today on using our contact form or calling 0141 345 2036.

Silence Is No Answer to Hearing Loss

Have you ever wondered why older people are more likely to be isolated than their younger counterparts? It could be any number of reasons, but often the culprit is hearing loss. Older individuals who find they cannot hear have a tendency to withdraw because they are unable to converse or otherwise interact with others. They embrace a life of silence because they cannot hear and they don’t want to talk.

As hearing loss specialists, we want to remind our readers that silence is no answer to hearing problems. Not only does living in silence not help anything, it only leads to isolation and loneliness. The good news is that silence is not your only option.

New Hearing Aid Technologies Are Great

It used to be that hearing aid technologies only worked for certain people suffering from a specific kind of hearing loss. All they did was increase volume. As much as that helped some, it didn’t help others whose hearing loss had more to do with distinguishing between sounds than a lack of volume. New technologies have changed that.

There are now different kinds of hearing aids for different kinds of hearing problems. Don’t just assume a hearing aid will not help you without trying one first. It could be that modern digital technology has a solution that could restore your hearing sufficiently enough to allow you to lead the kind of life you used to lead.

Silence is no answer to hearing loss. Don’t allow a loss of hearing to take you into a place of silent isolation where you cannot hear and you are unwilling to speak. Get in touch with Darroch Hearing so we can help you find a solution. We offer hearing tests and hearing aids Glasgow and surrounding areas.

 

Looking for some advice or help? Call me today if you have any questions about your hearing health. I can help! 

Call Us Today on 0141 345 2036.