Have The Latest Health Surveillance For Noise Test With Darroch Occupational Audiology

Do you work in constantly noisy conditions? Are you subjected to an equivalent continuous noise level which exceeds 85dB(A)? If that is the case then you are subject to screening audiometry, otherwise known as health surveillance for noise. It is also requited for people that are susceptible to noise levels of 80dB(A). People should be aware that screening audiometry is mandatory and is a requirement of the 2005 Control of Noise Regulations.

The purpose of the audiometry or the health surveillance for noise is to identify the early indication of hearing loss or damage. If that was not all, the process is used to determine if a person’s hearing loss stems from being exposed to loud ambient noise in the workplace.

If any hearing loss or damage has been detected, then you should have the proper remedial follow-up check in the workplace if requited, along with any personal medical referral, if need be.

Screening audiometry allows employers to take the necessary steps to combat hearing loss in the workplace. It can also be an important factor in reducing occupational health compensation claims involving noise-induced hearing loss.

Health surveillance for noise hearing tests will be performed in the workplace. They will be reported in accordance to the HSE categorisation scheme, as laid out in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.

Darroch Occupational Audiology carries out simple, non-obtrusive hearing tests for our client firms across Scotland. We utilise the most up to date automated, portable audiometric systems with sound excluding headphones. Darroch will help your staff through the hearing test, which may take between fifteen to twenty minutes. You can be assured we will oversee screening audiometry tests to HSE/ Noise at Work Regulation standards.

If you require the most efficient, professionally handled health surveillance for noise hearing tests in your place of employment, then put your trust in Darroch Occupational Audiology.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

The Inspiration Behind The Inspirational Sue Thomas FBI

There is a popular digital TV channel called Drama, so-called because it airs classic television dramas. These range from historical, period programming to well-loved cop shows. The channel is now screening a cult Canadian crime series from the early 2000s about an incredible real-life figure who broke down barriers for disabled people in the workplace. It just so happened that she worked for the biggest law enforcement agency in America. Her name was Sue Thomas and her amazing true story was the inspiration for the hit TV series `Sue Thomas FBI (Eye).

It is a police procedural series about an attractive young deaf woman who, through her exceptional lip-reading skills, is recruited for a crime fighting unit at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This was why the show had the working title `Lip Service`. In each episode, the team must solve a crime or avert a crisis, with the aid of the amiable Sue and her lovable hearing dog Levi. The stories featured in the show may be fictional but certain characters were based on real people.

The actual Sue Thomas was the first deaf person to work as an undercover FBI agent. She was born in 1950, and became profoundly deaf at eighteen months old, although the cause is not known. However, she was determined from a young age to never let her condition hold her back, and it was a belief she held onto through her life.

Sue Thomas leaned to talk through extensive speech therapy and developed the ability to read lips. After graduating with a degree in Political Science, she heard the FBI were hiring the hard of hearing. She began as a fingerprint examiner before a fellow agent discovered her extraordinary lip-reading abilities. Sue could utilise her skills to identify what suspects were saying. It was especially useful when it wasn’t possible for agents to wear concealed audio equipment like bugs, radiomics orrecording devices. Sue Thomas ended up working for the FBI for four years, from 1979 to 1983.

Her life story was later the inspiration for the hit tv show. It starred the actress Deanne Bray from `Heroes`, who is deaf in real life. She is fluent in American Sign Language and would often teach the cast and crew between takes. Miss Bray also works to improve the lives of the hard of hearing and endorse education for deaf children. She is an inspirational figure in her own right, and an advocate for the deaf and hard of hearing. She is a trail blazer, just like the person she plays in Sue Thomas FBI (Eye).

We at Darroch Hearing are committed to helping the hard of hearing improve their lives. It is achieved through our excellent evaluation and treatment procedures, as well as our exceptional range of hearing aid solutions. If you are suffering from hearing loss, you too could achieve your dreams in life, just like Sue Thomas.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

Find Out Some Facts About Hearing Loss

Do you strain to hear what your friends and family are saying? Do you constantly have to ask them to repeat themselves when they speak to you? Are you struggling to listen to music and must increase the volume when you watch TV? There is a chance you could be suffering from hearing loss and may wish to know a few facts.

Hearing loss is a condition which afflicts around one and six of the UK population. This amounts to approximately ten million people. It is said more than three and a half million of working age suffer from hearing loss. There are thought to be in the region of 800,000 people in Britain who are profoundly or severely deaf.

However, people experience greater hearing loss as they get older. Studies show that there are around six and a half million sufferers of 60 years and over. This is along with the fact one in three of the population over the age of 70 suffer from hearing loss. It has been reported that around two million people in Britain who use hearing aids and devices to help improve their hearing.

Are you having problems with your hearing? Do you feel you require a hearing aid? Look no further. We have an extensive selection of various styles to choose from, to help you find the perfect device. When looking for the finest range of hearing aids available, come to Darroch Hearing.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

Suffering From Ear Impaction? Choose Ear Wax Removal From Darroch Hearing Clinics

Many people in the UK suffer from a buildup of the substance called ear wax, otherwise known as cerumen. It occurs naturally to safeguard a person’s ears and protect hearing. Cerumen is useful for cleaning out the ear canal and generally makes its way out the body. Flaking away when it reaches outside the ear.

However, there are cases where cerumen can amass to excess inside the ear, causing a blockage. This can result in a condition known as ear wax impaction. It can manifest itself in a series of recognizable symptoms. For instance, sufferers may feel as if there ear is packed up and they may experience pain or itching in the ear. Their hearing will be affected and it may progressively deteriorate. People struggling with ear wax impaction may also suffer from tinnitus or a ringing in the ears and may feel dizzy, alongside other symptoms.

If you are concerned you may be suffering from an impacted ear, why not make an appointment with Darroch Hearing Clinics? Paul Darroch, our founder and experienced hearing health care expert, can carry out a free ear examination. We can check for signs of excessive cerumen, through the use of a piece of equipment known as an octoscope.

If it turns out that you are indeed suffering from an impacted ear then ear wax removal may be required. In that case Darroch Hearing Clinics can help you. There are many possible treatments for ear wax, but Paul Darroch generally endorses micro suction. It is a gentle process, carried out with a calibrated suction instrument and a magnifying loupe. We perform micro suction procedures for a very reasonable rate. We charge £45 for one ear or £65 if you need both ears worked on.

Say good bye to the discomfort of ear impaction by choosing ear wax removal from Darroch Hearing Clinics.

How is ear wax impaction diagnosed?

Your hearing health care provider, Paul Darroch can examine your ears with a special instrument called an otoscope, to see if excess ear wax is present.

How is ear wax impaction treated?

Ear wax can be removed in several ways:

·         Using olive oil to soften wax in the ear canal

·         Irrigating the ear — this involves using a machine to rinse out the ear canal with water or saline, generally after the wax has been softened by oil.

·         Removing the wax manually using special instruments — a cerumen spoon, forceps, or suction device.

Ear wax removal using micro-suction is performed with the aid of a magnifying loupe and finely calibrated suction device. Paul Darroch recommends micro-suction and offers the service at all of his clinics.

How can ear wax impaction be prevented?

Do not stick anything into your ears to clean them. Use cotton buds on the outside of the ear and never insert them into the ear canal. If you have a severe enough problem with ear wax that you need to have it removed by a health professional more than once a year, we can advise which method of prevention (if any) may work best for you.

We would advise that commercially available suction devices for home use are not effective for most people and are therefore not recommended.

Ear candles, which are advertised as a natural method to remove ear wax, are not only ineffective but can cause injury to the ear. Injuries can include burns to the external ear and ear canal, and perforation of the eardrum.

Free Ear Check

If you would like us to quickly examine your ears, there is no charge. If ear wax removal is required for blocked ears, micro suction is an affordable, gentle process. £45 one ear; £65 two ears.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

Are You Powered Up?? Choose The Right Hearing Aid Battery

The battery is the life blood of a hearing aid which keeps its engine running. There are many different types of hearing aid batteries on the market. How do you find the right one to meets your needs?

When picking out the ideal battery, be aware that they come in four sizes. They have their own number and are colour coded, so you could identify the specific battery you require without any trouble. You can choose the number 675 battery which is coded blue. The number 13 is orange, 312 batteries are brown and number 10 batteries are yellow.

But how long do they last? There are lots of different variables which determine how long a battery will keep working. They can generally power a hearing aid for between four to fourteen days. However, this may differ, considering the severity of a person’s hearing loss. People need to consider the noise level they may be subjected to and how much work the hearing aid will have to do. Does the customer work in a noisy environment? Does he or she have an active social life and often go out to noisy pubs, clubs or restaurants? There is a great deal to consider.

The ideal hearing aid battery will also depend on the specific make and model of the hearing aid, as well as the size of the battery itself. These may be amongst the numerous parameters used to help people choose a suitable battery.

We at Darroch Hearing will know the correct battery size for your hearing aid. We can take all the stress out of finding a replacement should you require it. You can give us a call, text us or send us an email with your order so you will never run out. We will post out your replacement battery straight to your front door, without any trouble. You need never be deprived of this essential component in improving the lives of sufferers of hearing loss. Darroch Hearing is committed to assisting you in any way we can.

You will have all the power, when you choose the right hearing aid battery.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

World Health Organisation Studies Hearing Loss

Very few people are aware of just by how much the issue of hearing loss is wide spread in our society. This is along with how many individuals around the globe live with this condition on a day to day basis.

Earlier this year, it was reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that there were around an estimated 360 million people suffering from disabling hearing loss in the world. This makes up greater than 5% of the global population. It was said that, of that number, 328 million sufferers were adults and 32 million were children. But how is the condition so prevalent? What is the cause?

In certain cases, hearing loss may be attributed to complications during birth or genetic issues. There have been instances of the complaint being brought on by a chronic ear infectionor infectious disease.

However, hearing loss may often be the result of ageing, an accident or, commonly, exposure to loud noise. The World Health Organisation maintain that more than half the cases of childhood hearing loss may be down to preventable, avoidable reasons. Moreover, it is felt around 1.1 billion young people, between the ages of 12 and 35, may be in danger of losing their hearing from the exposure to loud noise. This may be in recreational surroundings, such as music in clubs, discos or concerts, amongst other causes.

It is believed that early detection can be of great help in the management of hearing loss. Sufferers lives can be greatly enhanced through examination and the wearing of hearing aids and other devices.

Darroch Hearing Clinics, through management and evaluation, as well as providing the finest hearing aid solutions, are indeed committed to improving the quality of life for individuals suffering from hearing loss. It has been our goal from the very beginning, and we shall continue in the same tradition. For as long as there is the need, and this condition effects so many people around the world.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

The History Of The Hearing Aid

The hearing aid, in all its various forms, has been helping people suffering from hearing loss down through its history. Ever since its original inception, back in the late 1600`s. The first type of hearing aid was the classic ear trumpet. It was a funnel-shaped or tubular implement, used to gather sound waves which ended up in the ear. They were fashioned from wood, silver, sheet metal and, animal horns and snail shells. Ear trumpets were ideal for enhancing the impact of sound energy to the eardrum.

They were becoming commonly in use by the close of the 1700s. The ear trumpet was first produced by a company in London in 1800. However, by the end of the 1800s, more and more people were using hidden hearing aids.

It was after the development of the telephone, by Scottish inventor Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, that saw the call for a modern hearing aid. It culminated in the creation of the initial electric hearing aid twelve years later, in 1898. When, by utilising the principles of the telephone, they could enhance how acoustic signals were changed and received. Hearing aids could utilise the technology to manage the frequency, distortion and volume of sounds, so they can be picked up by the ear. This was the effect the telephone had on the development of the hearing aid.

The original electric hearing aid was called the Akouphone. It was designed to be a portable device and used a carbon transmitter. The 1920`s saw the launch of the Vactuphone, the inaugural vacuum-tube hearing aid, and in the next decade, hearing aids were becoming increasingly popular to the public.

The Second World War heralded great strides in the evolution of the hearing aid, especially miniaturization. Where devices were becoming more compact and portable. The close of the forties saw the development of transistor hearing aids, to replace vacuum tubes. Eventually, advances in computer science and the microprocessor, as well as high-speed digital-array processors used in minicomputers amongst other elements, helped herald the rise of the digital hearing aid.

We have seen the evolution of hearing devices through history, and Darroch Hearing Clinics has always been on the cutting edge of technology. For the choice of the most up to date hearing devices available, look no further.

Worried about your hearing? Book an appointment with Darroch Hearing Clinics today and we will help you to find the right innovation for you.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog