Better Hearing Blog

Recent research underlines the important role that good hearing plays in the lives of developing children. It seems that babies are more likely to listen to one another than they are to listen to adults, and listening to other babies helps small children develop speech. Researchers found that, even before they begin to speak for themselves, five-month-old babies spent 40 percent more time listening to the vocalizations of other babies than they did to adults making the same sounds. Infants find the speech of other infants to be quite captivating; it can hold their attention and even prompt positive emotions. Their fascination with “baby talk” is thought to support the earliest stages of speech development.

As a primary source of information for learning, the auditory system is key for a child’s healthy development. Because there are many different reasons for any hearing loss, early detection is crucial to successfully addressing the impairment. In fact, infants can be tested for hearing abilities as young as a few hours old. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s hearing, or if you’d like to make an appointment to have your own hearing tested, please give us a call at BETTER HEARING CENTER. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. One to three of every 1,000 babies born have some degree of hearing loss. Newborn hearing screening is essential.

Because heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States, it is important to adopt measures that help prevent heart attacks. Aside from quitting smoking, lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising, avoiding noise may also help maintain a healthy heart. According to a recent study of 499 individuals who were free from cardiovascular disease and cancer at the study’s start, exposure to a high level of noise on a regular basis can inflict significant damage on the cardiovascular system. Researchers found that noise exposure caused elevated stress in the brain that can lead to inflammation in the blood vessels, which results in heart attack and stroke.

BETTER HEARING CENTER brings you this column on hearing healthcare and its impact on the entire body in order to better educate our readers on the importance and benefits of taking care of their hearing, thus enhancing their quality of life. If you or a family member seems to be experiencing hearing difficulties, we welcome your call. We offer comprehensive services by a skilled and specially trained clinical audiologist including hearing tests and evaluations, individualized hearing instrument fittings, and follow-up care. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. It makes sense to carry around a pair of ear plugs that can be inserted whenever
ambient noise rises to a dangerous level.

While the brains of people with normal hearing are able to filter out background noise and focus on speech and other important sounds, those of individuals with impaired hearing have problems separating speech from noise. Fortunately, there is an effective way to address this problem with a feature in hearing instruments called “directionality,” which provides the best performance in noisy situations. Directional systems vary from one manufacturer to another, but all have two or more microphones separated by a specific distance on a hearing instrument. By differentiating between the arrival time of sound to each of these microphones, the hearing instrument can filter out unwanted noise and focus on amplifying the sound in front of the listener.

The first line of defense in addressing any hearing impairment includes complete hearing testing by a clinical audiologist to determine the type and degree of your particular loss. This is the only way BETTER HEARING CENTER can help you choose the most appropriate hearing instrument for your impairment. And while your impairment is unique to you, the impact of hearing loss is similar among most people—diminished communication and loss of quality of life. Don’t put up with it. Call us instead to arrange a hearing test. Most insurances accepted for hearing evaluations. We are New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. While a “simple adaptive directional array” has directional microphones that switch
between fixed points, a “fully adaptive directional microphone array” creates a map of the type
and location of sound in the patient’s surrounding environment.

While some people work to conceal their hearing instruments from public view, many of those wearing behind-the-ear Bluetooth headsets often prefer to show off their devices; yet, these devices are more alike than they are different. Each is a high-tech, hands-free device that is designed to be worn around, behind, or in the ear, and both can work with a telephone. If anything, the hearing instrument is the more sophisticated of the two because it can be programmed for various listening environments, cancel out background noise, manage feedback, reduce impulse noise, and separate sound signals into discrete frequencies. Considering all this, you’d think that hearing-instrument users would be proud to display their high-tech devices. It’s all about attitude.

Is vanity affecting your hearing? You are not alone. Millions of people mistakenly let vanity needlessly interfere with their decision to wear a hearing instrument. Come visit BETTER HEARING CENTER and discover how today’s hearing instruments are virtually disappearing. See the tiny, barely noticeable hearing instruments that are now available, and have a painless hearing test to determine the state of your hearing. 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. In the not-too-distant future, when consumers show a preference for digital watches paired
with wireless earphones instead of clunky cell phones, the question will be: Why aren’t you
wearing a hearing instrument?

If you’ve ever thought about purchasing a hearing instrument through the mail or online, consider this: Today’s selection procedures utilize computers, which factor in hearing test results, loud sound tolerance, and multiple listening environments. The computer then indicates which models and settings would be most appropriate, after which the hearing instrument specialist fine-tunes adjustments based on the wearer’s personal preferences. The appropriateness of the fitting may be verified by the wearer listening to, and repeating, words presented in quiet or background noise. Then, a microphone placed in the ear canal may be used to measure the sound produced by the hearing instrument in the ear. All this requires a personal touch that cannot be duplicated by a one-size-fits-all device.

Once you have made the significant investment in better hearing, it’s important that your hearing instrument is operating at maximum performance and that you are comfortable wearing it.  That’s hardly something you’ll find via the internet or mail order, and that’s why BETTER HEARING CENTER has made the commitment to provide you with personal attention from a clinical audiologist and other highly trained, skilled professionals, as well as carefully chosen, custom-fitted quality products. Start the process to better hearing—have your hearing tested soon at New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. Dealing with an Audiologist in person effectively addresses any concerns that may arise during the all-important follow-up period after the initial fitting.

For people over age 70  who have “clinically meaningful hearing loss,”  proper fitting with a hearing instrument can not only improve their ability to hear the television and radio, but it can also significantly improve their social interaction with family and friends, thereby helping them avert depression and withdrawal that may otherwise accompany old age. In addition, hearing loss can place older individuals at such a disadvantage when it comes to hearing doctors’ instructions that it can put their lives at risk. According to a 2015 study, people age 70 and older with moderate-to-severe hearing loss had a 54% higher risk of mortality. Even mild hearing loss was associated with a 21% increased risk of dying from all causes.

Proper hearing promotes better communication. When an uncorrected hearing impairment causes the loss of special and important moments in your life, it’s time to rediscover the benefits of healthy hearing and learn about the marvelous wonders now available in hearing instruments. Come see us at BETTER HEARING CENTER and discover how today’s hearing instruments are virtually disappearing from sight. We offer a complete range of hearing healthcare services at New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.

P.S. Similar to high blood pressure being regarded as an important contributing factor to a number of serious health conditions, hearing loss is increasingly being recognized as an important health and longevity factor.