Better Hearing Blog
Pinpointing Newborn Hearing Problems
When a hearing problem is detected in a newborn, it is important to know whether the problem is in the middle ear, inner ear, or hearing nerve. While subjecting their babies to a battery of follow-up tests that can take months to complete, parents can become understandably anxious. However, a testing process called “high-frequency tympanometry” can help identify middle-ear problems earlier, enabling doctors to concentrate their efforts on treatments much sooner. These middle-ear impairments can be treated in a number of ways, including the insertion of a tube through the eardrum to relieve pressure or removing blockages of air flow into the middle ear behind the nose. More complex inner-ear problems require treatment with a cochlear implant or hearing instrument.
At BETTER HEARING CENTER, we understand the need for personalized care and attention when it comes to addressing hearing concerns. Our goal is to provide you with everything you need to know to make the right decisions for your hearing health. We have earned a reputation for providing personalized and friendly hearing care in an honest and ethical manner. New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. The inner-ear problems mentioned above can be the result of damage to hair cells, which impairs the ability to convert sound vibrations into nerve activity.
Just by a Hair
According to the CDC, about 36 million Americans report some degree of hearing loss. More than 90 percent of these cases involve damage to “hair cells” in the inner ear, which convert sound waves into nerve signals that are transmitted to the brain. Unfortunately, we are born with a finite number of hair cells, which are vulnerable to damage from loud noise, trauma, infections, and aging. Once these irreplaceable cells are destroyed, hearing becomes impaired; however, researchers are making strides in finding ways to regenerate hair cells. One of the most promising of these is the discovery of two genes that seem to be responsible for regenerating hair cells. This could have profound consequences for those with sensorineural hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss involves some sort of deterioration of the inner ear or the hearing nerve. This type of hearing loss sometimes impairs understanding ability and causes those with the loss to be sensitive to loud sounds. Whether you are interested in reliable, easy-to-wear solutions at an affordable price, or in need of top-of-the-line hearing support, BETTER HEARING CENTER is a name you can trust for all your hearing needs. Let us help you get back to the world of hearing at New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain.
Hearing Loss Goes Viral
The first step to take when hearing loss occurs is to schedule a medical evaluation. On the basis of this exam, the physician can determine whether the hearing impairment is due to an obstruction (conductive loss) or a nerve-related cause (sensorineural loss). A conductive loss can involve something as simple as a large accumulation of earwax. Even a viral infection associated with the common cold can lead to conductive hearing loss due to a build-up of fluid in the Eustachian tube (which runs from the back of the nose to the middle ear). Making the distinction between a conductive loss and a sensorineural loss helps guide the decision as to whether a hearing instrument could prove useful.
Many people are concerned that they produce too much earwax, but there is usually no cause for concern. While it’s possible for earwax to build up and partially or completely obstruct the ear canal, it can be removed. Hearing professionals recommend that you have your hearing evaluated once a year. To schedule a hearing assessment, please call BETTER HEARING CENTER. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. A “mixed” hearing loss is caused by some combination of both a conductive hearing loss and a sensorineural one.
A New Tinnitus Treatment
“Tinnitus” (ringing or buzzing in the ears that occurs without an external source) is a symptom of age-related hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss that affects about one person in five. Twenty percent of chronic tinnitus sufferers report that the condition is “clinically significant” and disrupts their lives. Fortunately, many people respond to treatment involving fitting with a hearing instrument, which improves hearing ability and diminishes the distraction of annoying buzzing and ringing. The introduction of white-noise “masking” sounds may also help cover up tinnitus sounds. In addition, recent research suggests that augmenting these treatments with electromagnetic pulses (delivered with a coil to the scalp) may further improve tinnitus symptoms. The treatment is administered in sessions, over a tenday period.
Most people essentially take their hearing for granted. Others are either unaware that they have a hearing deficiency or dismiss the notion that they are placing their hearing at risk by exposing their ears to high-volume sound. People who work in noisy environments are particularly at risk for tinnitus. If you have ringing consistently on one side, please call BETTER HEARING CENTER. New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider, we are the only hearing center that has served the Concord area for over 50 years. New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. According to an initial study of the effect of “repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation” (rTMS) on tinnitus, study participants experienced a 31% reduction in their tinnitus at the 26-week mark after treatment.
The Most Popular Feature
Today’s digital hearing instruments sample the sounds in the user’s environment and use that data to continually adjust the sound that the user hears in accordance with his or her hearing loss. Because this all happens instantaneously and automatically, the user does not have to make manual adjustments. With this technology in hand, manufacturers are able to provide technology that addresses one of the biggest complaints voiced by users of hearing instruments: feedback. This annoying whistling sound occurs when the sound that travels through a microphone to speakers is continuously picked up by the microphone and re-amplified. By canceling out this unwanted noise, manufacturers are able to defeat feedback without compromising performance.
Selecting the type of hearing instrument that is right for your hearing loss and unique listening needs requires the guidance of a professional well versed in all of variations of hearing aid technology. To schedule a hearing exam, please call BETTER HEARING CENTER. Our goal is to provide you with everything you need to know to make the right decisions for your hearing health. New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. A traditional analogue hearing instrument simply amplifies all sounds, while digital instruments have “multimemory settings” that allow a hearing instrument to perform differently in many specific hearing environments.
Instrumental Change
Being a musician has its challenges. From a hearing specialist’s standpoint, musicians must guard against noise-induced hearing loss. The best way for musicians to preserve their hearing is to wear headphones or earplugs so they can modulate the sounds entering their ears. On the other hand, playing music can not only be a joyful experience, but there is new research showing that it can actually improve hearing ability. According to an examination of musicians between ages 45 and 65, their auditory memory and ability to hear speech in noisy environments were better than those of non-musicians of similar ages. It appears that music training fine-tunes sound processing centers of the brain, thereby priming them for the perception of speech.
In addition to earplugs, another option for musicians is an in-ear monitor. This innovation in the music industry allows each band member to hear the part of the music he or she requires to perform well. It can provide some noise reduction and eliminate the need for much larger stage monitors, which are a source of increased noise onstage. To learn more, please call BETTER HEARING CENTER . New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. Listening to and performing music are both necessary for experiencing the hearing improvement described above.
