Hearing TV

Hearing devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implant speech processors, are important items you rely on for day-to-day ‘getting on with your life’.  They are ‘high value’ pieces of technology.
Imagine you one day you touch your ear, or reach over to the bedside table. and they’re gone.
You retrace your steps, dig under the couch cushions, clean under the stove and behind the bathroom sink, but you find nothing.
Realising a hearing device is missing can be heartbreaking and very, very stressful.
What do you do?
1. Retrace your steps and have a good look for them – 9 out of 10 lost aids show up within a couple of days.
2. If you have new technology and a smart phone Ap which tracks your hearing devices, then check the Ap to see if it identify where the lost aid is.
3.  Hopefully you have the devices covered my Household Home and Contents insurance. This will have required you to contact your in insurance company to specify, or list the devices separately on your policy, with an individual description and value.
4. As soon as possible contact one of our clinics to discuss the situation, so that all avenues of replacement can be explored.  Our clinics are here to advise and help you.  We can also provide loaner devices for you to wear until your own lost ones are replaced.
Losing a hearing device is very, very stressful, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from hearing. A solution is always on hand and we can advise you of your options to get you hearing back, and getting on with life.

Signs and symptoms may include these:

• The muffling of speech and other sounds.
• Difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd.
• Trouble hearing consonants.
• Frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly.
• Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio.

Hearing loss that occurs gradually as you age is common. About one-third of people between the ages of 65 and 75 have some degree of hearing loss. For those older than 75, that number is approximately 1 in 2.
Hearing loss is defined as one of three types:

1. Conductive (this involves outer or middle ear)
2. Sensory-neural (this involves inner ear)
3. and Mixed (which a combination of the two)

Along with age, chronic exposure to loud noises also contributes to hearing loss. Other factors, such as excessive earwax, can temporarily reduce how well your ears conduct sounds.

You can’t reverse most types of hearing loss. However, your hearing specialist can take steps to improve what you hear.
If you’re concerned then contact us at Edgecliff Hearing in East Sydney or Mac Hearing in Cambelltown.

This is a time for us to have a keen ear and listen to the experts for advice and guidance.

But what if you have a hearing problem? Spare a thought to those among us who have difficulty hearing conversation, and may find the television dialogue challenging to hear and the telephone a source of great frustration. Social isolation is a well-documented unwelcome feature of hearing loss, as it makes conversing with others difficult. People with hearing loss can socially withdraw and not initiate conversation, as they have been embarrassed or frustrated by previous efforts. What can you do?

If you know someone has a hearing loss, then be patient when talking to them. The best tactic is to slow your rate of speech down, which gives you time to better articulate and the listener time to follow the conversation even though some parts of your words are not 100% clear. Never say “oh, never mind” if they ask for you to repeat something, as this is very disheartening and dismissive. Instead try repeating or paraphrasing what you have said.
This is a time for greater patience and tolerance for our family, friends and neighbours. And this will always be appreciated when conversing with someone with a significant hearing loss.

If you, or someone you know, has a hearing loss and needs assistance, then contact Edgecliff Hearing in East Sydney, or Mac Hearing in Cambelltown.

We understand and will provide a solution!

Wax buildup is one of the main causes for hearing aids not working as well as they should, because wax clogs up the sound outlet or
the ventilation opening, resulting in weak, distorted sound, or no sound.

So, as a general rule, clean your hearing aids each day with a soft dry cloth. Make sure your hands are clean and dry before handling
your aids. Don’t use water, cleaning fluids, solvents or alcohol, as these could damage your hearing aids. Use the multi tool if you
have received one. MultiTool brushes can be purchased from your hearing care professional if you don’t have one or you have run out.

Schedule a visit with your audiologist at least once every 6 months to a year, for a thorough cleaning and check-up. If you have
problems with wax buildup, you may need to schedule professional cleanings more often.

Last week I talked about in-ear hearing aids, but if you you have a behind the ear hearing aid or a BTE, do these things to clean it

1. Gently brush the hearing aid clean.
2. Remove the ear-mould from the hook for cleaning.
3. Brush the ear-mould clean, then use the wax pick or wire loop to remove any stubborn debris.
4. Finally Wipe down the hearing aid and ear-mould gently with a soft cloth.

This will help you keep your investment working well for many years.

Hearing TV is bought to you by Edgecliff Hearing, and Mac Hearing.

More next week.

Wax buildup is one of the main causes for hearing aids not working as well as they should, because wax clogs up the sound outlet or
the ventilation opening, resulting in weak, distorted sound, or no sound.

So, as a general rule, clean your hearing aids each day with a soft dry cloth. Make sure your hands are clean and dry before handling your aids. Don’t use water, cleaning fluids, solvents or alcohol, as these could damage your hearing aids. Use the multi tool if you have received one. MultiTool brushes can be purchased from your hearing care professional if you don’t have one or you have run out.

Schedule a visit with your audiologist at least once every 6 months to a year, for a thorough cleaning and check-up. If you have problems with wax buildup, you may need to schedule professional cleanings more often.

Last week I talked about in-ear hearing aids, but if you you have a behind the ear hearing aid or a BTE, do these things to clean it:

1. Gently brush the hearing aid clean.
2. Remove the ear-mould from the hook for cleaning.
3. Brush the ear-mould clean, then use the wax pick or wire loop to remove any stubborn debris.
4. Finally Wipe down the hearing aid and ear-mould gently with a soft cloth.

This will help you keep your investment working well for many years.
Hearing TV is bought to you by Edgecliff Hearing, and Mac Hearing.
More next week.

Hearing aids are a significant investment, so we recommend you to learn how to clean and maintain them.

The tiny marvels of technology operate in conditions that are far from ideal: the inside of your ear canals where they collect earwax and moisture. Regular cleaning, that you can do yourself, along with routine maintenance provided by your hearing care professional, will give you years of reliable and better hearing.

Here are some tips for looking after your hearing aids:

• Always wash your hands well before cleaning your hearing aids
• Leave hearing aids out when you shower so water and soap can’t damage them.
• If applying hair products like sprays or gels, do this first, and then put in your hearing aids
• Clean your hearing aids just before bedtime. This gives them several hours to air out before you put them in again in the morning.
• Avoid wipes with chemicals or alcohol when cleaning hearing aids as they could damage the devices.
  keep them out of extreme hot or cold.

Next week I’ll talk about how you actually clean the hearing aids once they build up wax. Until then, stay safe

Your hearing aids are a big investment. It’s well worth taking a few minutes each day to clean them. Your ear canal produces earwax, which serves the purpose of protecting and lubricating your ear. But wax build-up is one of the main reasons why hearing aids need repairing. Wax clogs up the sound outlet and the ventilation opening, resulting in weak, distorted sound or absence of sound.

Most hearing aids come with a filter to stop wax from getting into the hearing aid. Check that wax filter and replace it if necessary. Your audiologist can tell you about the specific wax protection system in your hearing aids.

To clean your hearing aid, make sure to hold it over a ]soft surface to avoid damage if you happen to drop it. Do not use water, cleaning fluids, solvents or alcohol, as this could damage your hearing aids.

Locate your hearing aid brush then clean the ventilation outlet by pressing the brush through the hole while twisting it slightly.
To clean the sound outlet, carefully brush away visible signs of dirt from the openings while twisting the brush. I recommend you google “how to clean your hearing aids” to get further information on how to do this.

If you need a new brush, your audiologist will have these.

More next week on this subject… brought to you by Edgecliff Hearing and Mac Hearing.

The ideal thing for your hearing health is to never get sick in the first place by following a sensible daily routine of healthy food, exercise & rest. However, if you do get sick there are ways to protect your hearing and your ears.

First, take these steps to prevent getting a cold or flu in the first place:

• Get the flu shot. This will minimise or mitigate symptoms of a regular flu in the event of being exposed.
• Take extra vitamin C to boost your immune system as much as possible. Your immune system is truly amazing, and your best friend for fighting sickness.
• Wash your hands often & thoroughly for at least 20 seconds and before you touch any part of your face, or hearing aids.
• Practice social distancing, at least 2 metres distance to avoid exposure as much as possible to others who are sick.

If you do get a cold or the flu, then you should get tested by your doctor to see if an antiviral prescription can help you, or what types of antibiotics or decongestants are best for you.

Keeping the virus at bay and minimising congestion will help protect your ears and your hearing, during a cold or the flu.

Everyone is familiar with the symptoms of a cold or flu, but did you know that those symptoms can include hearing loss? The hearing loss usually comes as a result of the congestion build up in the sinuses and ears. Like the other symptoms, the hearing loss is usually temporary but can add to the misery of being sick.

When you have a cold or the flu, congestion builds up in the middle ear which makes it hard for the sound waves to travel through the ear. In addition, the eustachian tubes in the back of the throat can become blocked and their function is to help regulate air pressure in the middle ear. Either of these issues can muffle sound and make it difficult to discern speech. Other related ear related symptoms during a cold or flu can include balance problems and/or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

The resulting conductive hearing loss usually dissipates along with all the other cold and flu symptoms. However on rare occasions, the flu virus can affect the nerves in the ear and cause permanent hearing damage.

If you do experience hearing loss, keep your doctor or audiologist in the loop, especially if the hearing loss isn’t getting better when other symptoms begin to go away.

If you have hearing loss there are always situations where you have difficulty making out what someone is saying. If you want to avoid frustration for both of you, it pays to develop some good communication strategies. Not many people know instinctively how to communicate with someone with a hearing loss; they think they have to shout!

First, if it is an important or lengthy conversation, let the speaker know you have a hearing loss. Don’t think of this as embarrassing; think of it as being helpful…helping you both out as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to own the fact that you have difficulty hearing.

Be sure to look at the speakers face. Some people say they don’t like doing this, because the other person will think they’re staring. But its quite the opposite. If you are watching the person speaking, it shows that you are paying attention. When you look at the person speaking, your brain is using language cues to “fill in the gaps”… Not just lip-reading, but other information from the structure of language – such as word order, the sounds which can go together in English, the meaning or context, and the intonation of the voice. Your brain has an innate knowledge of the rules of language, like a computer, and uses these without you even realising it.

Another tip …when you have to ask someone to repeat something, let them know what you HAVE heard, so that they can repeat the part you missed. For example, if someone says to you “We thought we’d go on a world trip next year”, and all you heard was, “ We thought we’d go” and “next year”, then say instead, “Where are you going next year?”

These are powerful tools you can use to reduce the frustration of faulty communication, and once you practice them, they will become a habit, and an effective way to help with your communication.