Better Hearing Blog

If you take antidepressant medication in the class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears), you should know that your medication might be making your tinnitus worse. The irony of this link between SSRIs and worsening tinnitus is that previous research indicates that people with tinnitus are at increased risk of developing depression, in which case SSRIs may be prescribed. The link between the antidepressants and ringing in the ears may have to do with the fact that cells in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), which is the region of the brain involved in sensory processing and affected by tinnitus, become hypersensitive to sound with exposure to serotonin.

One of the most important services we provide at BETTER HEARING CENTER is helping our patients comprehend their hearing impairments and become aware of the products available to help improve their quality of living. We are committed to serving the needs of the hearing impaired. Can we help you? Let’s start with a hearing consultation and test. Then we’ll show you the amazing, revolutionary hearing instruments available today. As New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider, we are the only hearing center that has served the Concord, New Hampshire area for more than 55 years.

P.S. To avoid any possible vicious circle between SSRIs and tinnitus, it may be best to treat tinnitus with a hearing instrument or masking device.

The most popular hearing instrument is the “receiver-in-the-ear” (RITE) type, which is also referred to as a “receiver-in-canal” (RIC) instrument. While these types of instruments are similar to “behind-the-ear” (BTE) hearing instruments, they differ in important ways. While a BTE instrument houses all the components in a single case that rests behind the ear, RITE/RIC instruments hold the amplifier and microphone in a case behind the ear and a small bud that contains the receiver is used inside the ear canal. A small tube connects the receiver to the case. The primary advantages of separating the two components are that the case is relatively unobtrusive behind the ear and the speaker fits very comfortably in and on the ear.

Keeping pace with the fast-growing technology of today’s hearing industry is an integral part of our business at BETTER HEARING CENTER. Our experienced staff will use specialized equipment to pinpoint and evaluate your hearing impairment. We then choose among a selection of hearing instruments to match the most appropriate aid with your individual needs. Our services don’t stop there, however, because we know how crucial follow-up care and support are to the successful wearing of any hearing instrument. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. Feedback and occlusion tend to be much less of a problem with RITE/RIC devices than they can be with other hearing instruments.

If you stifle a sneeze, you run the real risk of damaging your eardrums or sinuses or even getting an ear infection. The exhaled air from a sneeze exits through the nose and mouth at speeds of about 100 miles per hour. When these exits are closed, a sneeze has nowhere else to go but into the “Eustachian” tube (which connects the nasal passages to the middle ear) and on to the eardrum. Consequently, it is possible that a very strong sneeze could propel air into the eardrum forcefully enough to rupture it. Fortunately, it is more difficult to pinch the nose closed and shut the mouth during a sneeze than one might imagine. Still, it pays to be careful.

We bring you this column on hearing healthcare in order to better educate our friends here in Concord on the importance and benefits of taking care of their hearing, thus enhancing their quality of life. If you are having trouble hearing, or if a family member seems to be experiencing hearing difficulties, why not call us at BETTER HEARING CENTER? We offer comprehensive services by a skilled and specially trained certified clinical audiologist including hearing tests and evaluations, individualized hearing instrument fittings, and follow-up care. Most insurance’s accepted for hearing evaluations. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. Stifling a sneeze carries the possibility of pushing infected mucus through the Eustachian tube and back into the middle ear, and possibly developing into an infection.

Who cares if barn owls retain their excellent hearing ability well into old age? We all should. Our ability to hear relies on small sensory cells in the inner ear, called “hair cells,” that convert sound vibration into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. Unfortunately, when these hair-like extensions become damaged due to loud noise, aging, or disease, they do not grow back. As a result, hearing is permanently lost. However, owls and other birds are able to regenerate hair cells, which helps them retain their hearing ability. If further research leads to the discovery of the mechanism by which barn owls replace dead hair cells, it may lead to new treatments for hearing loss in humans.

Research and technology continue to work toward enhancing the quality of life of the hearing impaired. We’d like to do our part by providing comprehensive hearing testing and evaluations, coupled with the most advanced, comfortable, dependable instruments on the market today. At BETTER HEARING CENTER, we can help with acoustic appraisal of your hearing ability by a Certified Clinical Audiologist, discussion of the listening devices available, and follow-up care and service of your hearing aid. As the only hearing center that has served the Concord, New Hampshire, area for more than 55 years, We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. Sounds louder than 90 decibels will cause temporary damage to hair cells.

People with active lifestyles that include running, swimming, and hitting a golf ball or tennis ball may want to know if there are hearing instruments that they can wear while in the water or on the court, field, or course. The answer is “yes.” Consumers need only inquire about the International Protection Rating (IPR) of any instrument in which they have interest. On the basis of documented testing, a hearing instrument gets an “IP” rating with two numbers. The first of these numbers, which ranges between 1 and 6, gives an indication of the instrument’s ability to withstand dust and debris. The second number, which ranges between 1 and 8, shows the instrument’s ability to withstand moisture.

At BETTER HEARING CENTER, one of our most important jobs is keeping up-to-date on the latest technological advances in hearing instruments. If it has been determined that a hearing aid will be of benefit to you, let us help in the selection of the one that is right for your hearing loss and your lifestyle. We carry a full range of hearing aids to ensure the most appropriate match between hearing aid and wearer. Our testing equipment is state-of-the-art, and we welcome you and everyone in your family to come see us for an evaluation. We accept most insurances for hearing evaluations. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. All hearing instruments with IP67 and IP68 ratings are considered “dustproof,” while an IP67 instrument is also “water resistant,” and an IP68 instrument is also “waterproof.”

We have all heard it said about some people that “noise doesn’t bother them, they can sleep through anything.” Well, yes and no. The fact is that, even though a person may not be awakened by loud noise, it still registers in the brain. Our evolutionary response to loud noise is one of fear and arousal. When a brain registers loud noise, the nervous system is alerted to possible peril. As a consequence of these constant nervous responses, our nervous systems become stressed out, and the incidence of heart attacks and high blood pressure rises. According to one study, people living in noisier neighborhoods have a 17 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease (including stroke and hypertension).

We can’t emphasize it enough—protect your hearing! When irreversible damage has been done, however, come see us at BETTER HEARING CENTER for a comprehensive hearing evaluation by a Certified Clinical Audiologist. You’ll be amazed at the variety of hearing instruments available today and how they can enhance your hearing, and we’ll advise you which one would be of the most benefit to your individual needs. We will also be glad to show you different kinds of hearing protection devices. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. More than 20 studies suggest that noise pollution can adversely affect children’s learning outcomes and cognitive performance.