I am an Audiologist focusing on the connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. This means that I am constantly looking for ways to help my patients keep their mind sharp.
Over the next few weeks and months we are being forced to completely change our lifestyle. Some of us are out of work. Others are forced inside, into complete isolation. But what can we be doing over this period to help prevent cognitive decline?
The number one message that I want to convey to all my patients and those out there who have a hearing aids – WEAR YOUR HEARING AIDS FULL TIME DURING THIS PERIOD.
That is from the moment you wake up in the morning until to you do to bed at night. (12 hours or more.)
It is easy to think that because you are not going out to see anyone, you don’t need to have them in. However, the main reason why we need to wear our devices full time is to enable adequate stimulation to the auditory areas of the brain. This process doesn’t change simply because we are in lock down.
So first things first – keep those devices in, keep that brain stimulation occurring, to help keep the mind sharp.
Sticking to my theme of making sure we come out the other side of the global health crisis with our health and wellbeing intact, here are some other ideas about how you can keep your mind sharp over this period.
A healthy amount of sleep is essential for Brain Plasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt, change and grow. A lot of the processes of storing memory of what we have learnt during the day occurs at night. If we don’t get enough sleep, our brain has a difficult time remembering that information into the future. Overnight sleep also reenergises the body’s cells and clears waste from the brain. The recommended minimum amount of sleep is 7 hours per night, with significant impacts to the brain and our ability to function occurring after only a few nights without that many hours.
If there was ever a time to pick up a new skill it would be during this Global Health Crisis. Research shows us that learning something new and/or stepping outside your comfort zone forces the brain to make new neural connections. It helps to strengthen the brain. Myelin is a substance that acts as an insulator around neural tissue. It allows for electrical messages to travel much faster from one place to the other through out the body, including the brain. Additional research is starting to show us that when we learn new skills and have new experiences we increase the amount of white matter, which get its name from the amount of myelin covered axons (nerve fibres) in our brain. This may help with brain plasticity and essentially helps strengthen the neural pathways of our brain.
If you’re having a sugar craving over the lock down period try switching to dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains zinc, iron and magnesium. The high levels of cocoa within dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals and prevent oxidative stress – which contribute to the natural processes of ageing.
Dig out the recipe books or head online to find some recipes to cook fish.Cold water, oily fish like sardines, salmon and trout are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for brain health. The Gourmet Traveller’s have a full list of Salmon Recipes to try. (Learn more) Not only are you helping strengthen your brain by trying something new, you are cooking delicious food that is great for brain health.
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For some of us, time is less of a limit over this period. Make a point to switch hands. Yes it may take you a little more time than normal to tasks like brushing your teeth, using the computer mouse with your other hand or opening the door. However, getting the brain to complete complex tasks like these with your other hand helps the brain learn new skills. ⠀
Not only is physical a great way to manage stress over this period but it can help improve your memory. Physical activity when performed regularly for 20mins have shown to increase the size of your hippocampus, the area of your brain associated with forming new memories. ⠀
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I have spoken alot about BrainHQ both in my seminars and in other blogs. Practicing recalling facts, using programs like brain HQ have been proven to sharpen the mind. Brain HQ has 100 research articles written about it. It help exercise your memory, improves you ability to pay attention, improve’s your brain’s processing speed and can even help you hear better in background noise. Over this period we have time. So just like you’d use a personal trainer to train your body, it’s time we start thinking about training our minds. Schedule in 3 x 20mins sessions into your week to start training your brain.
Over this period it is my intention to help my patients with hearing loss as much as I can to improve their ability to hear, share tips on how to improve your listening setting at home to make it easier to hear things like the TV. I am creating a webinar series with 10 modules that aim to give my people actionable tips as well as some more information on the connection between hearing and brain health. To register your interest please send an to katherine@neuaudio.com.au and Kat will put you on our growing list.
Finally – To all those out there with hearing loss, if there was one thing I wanted you to take away with you from this blog it is to wear your devices FULL TIME over this period. To ensure we maintain that brain stimulation and help prevent cognitive decline.
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Tinnitus or ringing in the ears affects approximately 18% of all Australian’s and studies show that 98% of people will experience tinnitus in a room that is quiet enough.
The 2020 World Health Crisis is placing extreme levels of stress and uncertainty on us. Over this period of time we have noticed many of our patients tinnitus symptoms have been exacerbated.
The research tells us that tinnitus is exacerbated by stress and worsen’s with sleep deprivation. We are most certainly living through a time that is both stressful and a potential cause for a lack of sleep.
Using products like white noise machines, a low fan or music can help to avoid quiet rooms, such as your bed room at night. We know that tinnitus is most prevalent when we are in quiet. Using low level sound to help cancel out the sound of tinnitus at night can help you get to sleep.
Scientists across the world have documented that a lack of sleep worsen’s tinnitus. Limit your screen time after a certain time at night. Restrict your caffeine intake after a certain time of day. Do some relaxation or deep breathing techniques, right before you go to bed to help to switch off the mind.
The exact link between tinnitus and stress isn’t know but they are undoubtably related. Try the Simply Being app, a guided meditation app, that’s isn’t too ‘left of centre’. Head Space is another great app and website that focuses on meditation, stress and anxiety management and sleep. The Waking Up app and website developed by Neuroscientist Sam Harris focused on mindfulness. I used this daily. Yoga is also a brilliant way focus on deep breathing and stress management, if you aren’t the type of person who wants to mediate. Check out the Down Dog app or Stretch Yoga’s online studio.
When the brain is not getting enough sensory input it steps in and generates it’s own. This is why treating hearing loss and giving the brain back that input can help with tinnitus. It is both astounding and satisfying to see how quickly tinnitus symptoms can be relieved for some people, when they treat their hearing loss. Feel free give us a call or book in online if you would like a complementary consultation over this period.
Amongst other impacts to your health, smoking is a known cause of tinnitus. High blood pressure or atherosclerosis also increase tinnitus risk. We are living through an unpredictable and tumultuous time. However, it is also a time where we have an opportunity to reset. Is it time to make some lifestyle changes towards living a healthier life, which can inadvertently help our tinnitus?
Tinnitus is one of those conditions that the more we focus on it the worse it usually is. Trying to draw your attention away from it onto something else, can help to decrease it’s impact on your quality of life. Set up strategies for those times when you know it is usually quite bad for example at night. The most understanding you get around how the condition works the easier it is to manage it symptoms.
Is a fun online program that has shown to improve tinnitus perception, memory, attention, and concentration of patients with tinnitus. Check out the link www.brainhq.com to learn more.
In terms of tinnitus the key is to understand the mechanism behind the condition. Unfortunately there is no cure. However that isn’t to say that we cannot manage its symptoms and live a full life, with the condition.
We want tinnitus to eventually be something that is there is the background but we only notice it, if we focus on it.
The key is to manage stress. Get enough sleep. Have strategies in place, like a white noise machine or music close by for those times when your tinnitus symptoms are exacerbated. Understand that it is very common and not something to spend a lot of time worrying about or focussing on – as this will only exacerbate it for you.
If you haven’t your hearing tested, tinnitus is a very common sign of hearing loss, for the reasons we spoke of above.
Right now is an opportunity to shift all aspects of our lifestyle towards leading a healthier life. As much as this is a stressful and uncertain time, there is opportunity to put strategies in place now that will help us in the long-term. This is particular true in the case of managing a condition like Tinnitus.
I offer a Tinnitus Evaluation. I test your hearing and provide additional strategies to help you manage your symptoms. Audiology is considered an essential service. This means I am still able to see you in clinic over this period.
Alternatively I am able to do phone consults, if you are unable to come into the clinic.
For more information give the clinic a call on 1300 418 852
Right now almost every country around the world is calling for mandatory social distancing We know it is the number one way we can slow the spread of the Coronavirus… Yet as humans we are fundamentally social creatures.
Why, as Audiologists are we concerned about social isolation? Preserving human connection essentially underpins everything we do.
Reduced social interaction poses a huge concern to psychologists who are thinking in terms of the long term psychological impact this period will have on our lives. There are also concerns amongst psychologists of social isolation being a risk factor for developing anxiety and depression.
The Australian Government is asking for us to think of this crisis in terms of months, not weeks. So how do we combat the emotional impact that social isolation and its best friend loneliness will have on ourselves, our family and friends over this period?
We know a great deal about the impact of social isolation, loneliness on mental and physical health.
In my Brain and Hearing Health Seminars I talk about how one of the main reasons why we want to treat hearing loss is to maintain social connection. This is because there is a growing body of evidence showing a correlation between social isolation and its impact on long term health and quality of life.
According to the ongoing, 75 year-long, Harvard University Grant and Glueck Study , the clearest conclusion researchers made was that quality relationships keep us happier and healthier, long term over and above any other factor that was measured. Without a doubt, great communication is central to quality relationships.
Studies have also shown strong links between social isolation, depression, anxiety and less physical activity. In fact one study showed that isolation has the equivalent adverse impact to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is a greater threat to our health than obesity.
(Pettite et al 2015)
How do we stay physically distant from others yet still connected?
There is a growing call for us to move past thinking in terms of social distancing and move towards the term physical distancing. This term recognises that although there is a great need for us to maintain actual physical distance between each other and less physical contact, that DOES NOT mean we should reduce our social connection.
We need to readjust the way we interact with one another over this period.
Let’s be honest, no amount of rebranding of the term social distancing will change the fact that we are living in a very different world to what we were at the start of 2020.
It is going to be crucial over the next few months that we adapt and help our loved ones to adapt. So we all come out the other side of this global health crisis as healthy and emotionally intact as possible.
Can you imagine if we’d had to go through this ordeal even 15 years ago? We are lucky we live a digital age, where staying socially connected, whilst maintaining physical distance is relatively easy.
Melbourne Based, registered Psychologist Ms Jill Searle recommends that ‘Preparation is key right now, as this could be our new norm for quite some time. Having a plan of how we manage our time. Literally getting a calendar or diary and scheduling activities every day is highly encouraged. There are so many free resources available right now. Even undertake an online course to upskill in some area, or learn something new.’
I was talking to an 84 year old recently, who purchased a keyboard so they can start learning to play for the first time. He is now taking online lessons because he recognised the need to keep himself occupied and connected over this time.
If he can do it, anyone of us can!
Psychologist Ms Jill Searle says that you can be physically distant from others yet still be connected, just like you can be alone but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are lonely.
There is no doubt that the world has changed and we need to adapt to thrive.
Focusing on the positive is going to be essential. Research shows that adopting a perspective of gratitude, despite the limitations currently being placed on us can help to maintain that level of positivity and prevent stress and anxiety from creeping in. (Remember that managing stress is a key to keeping tinnitus at bay)
It’s crucial to take a look at all of the normal weekly activities and social events you would be involved in and see if there is a way to continue to carry these out online or interject something similar, for the time being.
If you are feeling lonely or isolated reach out. Just like we need to look after those is our family and community who have a hearing loss, so therefore struggle to remain socially connected now we have to look after each other for exactly the same reasons.
We need to make sure that one of the things that makes us fundamentally human, our need for social connection is maintained over this period of time.
Read through My 2 Hour Hearing & Brain Health Seminar in 4 Minutes
Many people engage in regular crosswords, for instance, to keep their brain young and even reduce dementia risk. However, unfortunately, there is no evidence that crosswords, or other common brain games, like sudoku are significantly effective for this. In this two part blog learn about two strategies that are peer reviewed and scientifically proven to reduce dementia risk.
You Know It’s Important to Exercise Your Body. What about your Mind?
I’m often asked by my patients, attendees of my seminars and readers of my book – ‘What else apart from wearing hearing aids can I do to improve my brain health?
Two specific strategies come to mind, both with increasing levels of peer reviewed, scientific literature to back up their effectiveness. They are BrainHQ and Mindfulness Meditation.
In this blog series I’ll focus on the revolutionary, online brain training platform BrainHQ.
Of the numerous brain training programs available online, BrainHQ is the most clinically verified program I can find. I should mention at this point that there is quite a big difference between brain games and brain training.
Brain games are something that you might do for fun like sudoku, crossword puzzles, quizzes, and word problems. However, unfortunately, there is no evidence that crosswords, or other common brain games, are significantly effective for this.
Brain training via BrainHQ, on the other hand, is more like going to the gym with a professional plan, tailored to your progression. It’s a system of exercising the brain to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, focus and processing speed.
• Reduce dementia risk,
• Increase speech understanding in background noise,
• Improve short term memory
• Reduce Tinnitus.
Specifically, the Brain Speed module has been proven to reduce dementia risk by 29% over 10 years following just 10 hours of training on your computer or phone over 5 weeks.
The Auditory Intensive module has been proven to improve short term/working memory to the equivalent of a person 10 years younger, improve hearing in noise by 41% and reduce tinnitus disturbance for 50% of participants. This is following an hour a day training, 5 days a week for 8 weeks.
Coined with full time use of hearing devices, BrainHQ is a great way to improve memory, concentration and hearing in noise, which all amount to a better quality of life for people with hearing loss.
Other than ‘Brain Speed’ and ‘Auditory Intensive’ modules, there are also other modules that have been shown to increase reaction time and reduce the risk of car crashes amongst other things.
I use the program, as does my family and many of my patients. It’s well designed and is actually good fun!
There is a free trial and access can be as low as $10 per month, visit www.brainhq.com for more details.
If you are wondering what else you can do to help your brain’s health, as any of my patients or those who have been to a seminar or read my book will know, there a strong connected between untreated hearing loss and dementia.
To learn more head to my blog on the connection between hearing and brain health
Best Regards,
Andrew
One of the ways in which hearing aids help us hear better is by making sounds louder. In effect, all hearing aids have this ability. Most have some degree of noise reduction meaning they are able to recognise speech sounds, recognise noise (non-speech sounds) and give more prominence to speech sounds. Typically, the more advanced the device is, the better the noise reduction processing capabilities are. As a general rule, the more channels the device has, the more precise decisions the devices can make about what is speech, what is noise and to reduce the noise without compromising speech clarity. Basic devices almost always have fewer channels than premium devices generally meaning less precision in noise reduction.
In group situations, simply ‘cleaning’ the signal via noise reduction processing is usually insufficient when the ‘noise’ is other people’s voices. This is where directional microphones come into play, these microphones enable the devices to be more sensitive toward the front (in most cases) whilst reducing the sounds from the sides and the rear, assuming the people you want to hear are in front if you. In many studies, directional microphones have been shown to improve speech understanding in background noise by around 30%. Unfortunately, devices that are hidden, or partially hidden in the ear canal don’t have the physical structure nor orientation to enable such directional microphones, meaning the devices amplify sound equally, including unwanted sounds, from the sides and the rear. They also generally have an unwelcome impact on ear canal acoustics, but that’s another story.
Not all directional microphones are made equal. In basic devices, the directional microphones are often ‘fixed’ and usually need to be manually activated by a push button in the devices, a confusing and fiddly process for most. More advanced devices have automatic, adaptive directional microphones which have the capacity to reduce unwanted voices and noise from the sides and the rear, even in those sounds move e.g. a moving truck. Some devices are able to track and reduce multiple noise sources with the view of comfortably enhancing speech toward the front of the wearer.
Taking directional microphones one step further are devices with ‘bilateral beamforming’ capabilities. In my opinion, based on my research and experience, they are the ‘holy grail’ of noise reducing hearing devices. Beam forming devices work together as a team to augment directional microphones in a similar manner to what occurs in a normally functioning, unimpaired hearing system. There’s a complex interaction between both ears and both sides of the brain to help us hear well in noise. With hearing loss, the receptor cells, specifically outer hair cells, are less able to perform their noise suppressing functions. Beamforming devices augment the brain’s ability to selectively filter and suppress unwanted sounds enabling unprecedented hearing in noise. Fortunately, there is now a range of beamforming options available from different manufacturers at a range of technology levels.
Bottom line, when hearing devices under perform at the times when they are most needed, of course they’ll end up in the top drawer. Today’s multi-channel, bilateral beamforming solutions correctly fitted by an Independent Audiologist (who is not limited by device choice), in my experience, is your highest probability of success.
I’m an Adult Hearing Device specialist; it’s a subspecialty within Audiology on which I’ve focused my whole career. Why? I’ve found it’s the most rewarding and successful way to have a profound impact on my patients’ wellbeing and the relationships they have with the people they most care about.
Positive results occur quite quickly in many cases but for most patients, it’s an adaptive process with a significant period of adjustment. Considering the substantial neurological processes at play, first time hearing aid wearers should not expect to gain maximum benefit from their devices until they’ve worn them full-time for around three months.
If only ears were like car parts!
I really do wish our ears were like car parts. It would be so great if the worn and torn parts could be replaced with new ones and, just like that, we would hear better again. Problem is, it’s not that simple because the auditory pathways in our brains are far more complex than any car part, engine or supercomputer for that matter. Hearing loss is a progressive, degenerative disorder with neurological involvement. An adaptive process is needed to progressively acclimatise to renewed and more appropriate levels of stimulation.
Also, your brain needs time to relearn which sounds to filter out and which sounds to focus on. At home, you’re not likely to notice a ticking clock, air conditioner or refrigerator noise as they are there all the time and because they only add limited value, your brain learns to filter them out. The same thing will happen over time with full time hearing device use, leading to progressively improved filtration of unwanted background noise.
When you go to the gym, you can’t realistically expect to experience visible muscle growth within the first three months of working out for the first time. You will become stronger within the first three months with consistent training, largely as a result of stimulating your nervous system, but the definition may not be so visible in such a short space of time. Likewise, a broken arm that has been in plaster won’t get back to full strength overnight.
Our hearing system is quite similar in that regard. It simply takes time and consistent stimulation to experience increases in signal strength and processing speed sufficient to hear better in challenging situations. And in a patient with tinnitus (ringing in the ears), a similar timeframe is often required to achieve sustained relief.
I recall early in my career the company I was running offered overnight hearing device ‘trials’. In fact, if I recall correctly, we called them ‘test drives’, as you may do when car shopping. It was actually my idea and in retrospect, one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my 18 years as an Audiologist. The failure rate was unprecedented, with around 20% of patients simply overwhelmed by the fact that an acclimatisation period was required. Nowadays, with the benefit of decades of experience behind me, and a better grasp of the neurological literature, I make it a priority to ensure all my patients are clear about the fact that treating hearing loss is an adaptive process. Complete overnight success is just not physically realistic. I’ve found that the probability for success climbs exponentially once my patients understand that full time use over 1-3 months is necessary for acclimatisation because everything progressively feels more natural as your physiology adapts.
Though I’ve never had to act on it, I offer a 100% money back satisfaction guarantee at three months. Whist you can expect improvements straight away, it’s just not realistic to expect completely natural results and total comfort within this timeframe. However, the combination of full time use and today’s incredible technology means your chances of overcoming the challenges that brought you into the practice in the first place couldn’t be better.
A meteorite is about to hit planet Earth over the course of the next 10–20 years. This will come in the form of health issues associated with our rapidly ageing population. As we live longer lives, our risk for chronic disease also increases. Whist there’s currently no cure for the most common chronic conditions, treatments are becoming far more effective, especially when they are delivered in time.
This brief article aims to give readers a preview of material covered in detail at my Hearing & Brain Health seminars focussing on the clear links between untreated hearing loss and dementia and what can be done about it. I’ve spent hundreds of hours pulling together the most relevant and interesting research I can find. If you’ve not already been, I sincerely hope you can find the time to join us at our next session to learn more about this important subject.
Hearing Loss is the third most common chronic condition in Australia, more prevalent than diabetes or cancer. The most widespread form of hearing loss is acquired later in life and is essentially a progressive, degenerative disorder with neurologic involvement. As we age, we, and every other mammal on the planet, are genetically predetermined to progressively endure the effects of hearing loss.
Over eighty percent of hearing loss occurs in older adults, and a noise-induced component occurs in around half of cases. Age- and noise-related hearing loss are the most common, are permanent, and cause similar hearing loss configurations and similar symptoms. When both ageing and noise exposure are present, they combine to cause a relatively rapid decline in hearing sensitivity. Noise exposure is very much like premature ageing of the hearing system; as similar degenerative processes are at play.
Age and noise related hearing loss will commonly result in one or more of the following:
· Difficulty hearing in background noise & social situations
· Difficulty hearing the TV at normal volume
· Difficulty hearing when faces can be seen e.g. from another room
· A higher degree of listening effort generally, frequently leading to fatigue
What is not overtly obvious to most people is that we hear with our brains and not with our ears. What happens beyond the ear, with particular reference to the neural pathways the lead to the brain are of most interest. Recent advances in the neurosciences and imaging technology has given us greater insight into the impact of untreated hearing loss and what can be done about it.
Untreated hearing loss has been shown to double dementia risk even at its mildest stages.In 2011, Professor Frank Lin at the Johns Hopkins Medical Centre in the US published research that demonstrated an increased risk of dementia by:
– 200 percent at mild levels of hearing loss
– 300 percent at moderate levels of hearing loss
– 500 percent at severe levels of hearing loss
He concluded that hearing impairment is independently associated with a 30-40% acceleration in cognitive decline.
These shocking findings have since been replicated and have sparked additional research interest into this important field. Professor Lin has published numerous peer reviewed studies, many with with clear imagery highlighting cerebral atrophy in untreated hearing loss.
Figure 1. Untreated hearing loss results in up to 40% reduction in parts of the brain associated with hearing, speech, language and memory (Lin et al. 2011).
The Lancet Medical journal (considered to be the world’s leading medical journal with reference to the Neurosciences) recently published a major article demonstrating that Hearing Loss is the #1 modifiable risk factor for the prevention of dementia, modifiable meaning you can do something about it.
The three main mechanisms behind the clear links between untreated hearing loss and dementia identified in the Lancet article and elsewhere are cerebral atrophy, cognitive overload and social isolation:
· Cerebral Atrophy: This is another term for ‘brain shrinkage’ as shown in the image above. In untreated hearing loss, we see up to 40% reduction in the parts of the brain associated with speech, language, hearing and memory. Recent studies have also shown clear functional and structural improvements in the brain when hearing loss is effectively treated.
· Cognitive Overload: Put simply, untreated hearing loss strains the brain and puts an additional load on our limited cognitive resources. This additional load is 24/7 and requires input from our vision and memory to compensate for a lack of hearing clarity. Such additional load can also lead to balance disturbance and unsteadiness, leading to a heightened risk of falls.
· Social Isolation: One of the first signs of hearing loss is difficulty hearing in social situations, this often leads to embarrassment and frequently a sense of feeling left out. A strong trend is that people with untreated hearing loss start to then avoid social situations, frequently leading to social isolation and loneliness. Studies have shown clear links between social isolation, depression, anxiety and less physical activity. By treating your hearing loss, you’re better able to engage and stay sharp in social, family and work situations.
Treatment is most effective when it commences early, today’s treatment options are smaller and smarter than ever before. On average, Australians have historically waited 7 years before treating their hearing loss. In light of the neurological consequences, we now know that’s 7 years too late. Today’s solutions are highly effective, virtually invisible and can be fitted at the initial appointment, quickly and easily in most cases.
In addition to hearing devices, innovative brain training programs can assist in improving speech in noise understanding by up to 40%. One program has shown to reduce dementia risk by 36% sustained over a 10-year period. These results are achievable via simple and engaging programs that can be done at home, all backed up by peer reviewed research.
You’ll learn about all of the above and much more at our Hearing & Brain Health seminar. It’s absolutely free, purely educational and not focused on sales. I highly recommend you bring someone you care about as there’s much to take in.
For Brisbane seminars click on landing.neuaudio.com.au/brisbane
For Melbourne Seminars click on landing.neuaudio.com/melbourne
#hearingaid#hearingaid #tinnitus#tinnitus #hearingloss#hearingloss #WixBlog#WixBlog
It has been a pleasure working with Gina, she came to me around a year ago as she was losing clarity in her hearing. She attended one of my Hearing & Brain Health seminars and was shocked by the statistics and discrepancies around treatment rates of vision vs hearing loss. As a professional copywriter, she kindly offered to share her perspective in the form of a guest post and case study. I hope you find this helpful – Best Regards Andrew
Why is it that when someone is told they need glasses, they accept it as a fact of life but when told they need hearing aids, they go into panic mode? Both situations warrant medical intervention, and both are caused by the degeneration of an organ (well, a pair of organs), yet one seems to evoke so much more concern than the other. People are often shocked by the news that they need hearing aids but fully accept it when told they need to wear glasses. Glasses are seen not just as an important tool to correct vision but as a fashion accessory, while hearing aids seem to be viewed more as a medical prosthetic.
At age 51, I was told I needed to wear hearing aids and it did indeed come as a great shock to me. No one in my family had ever worn them. That doesn’t mean they didn’t need to, just that they’d never been diagnosed with hearing loss!
I’d been aware that my hearing was a bit ‘iffy’. When watching TV with others, they’d complain the volume was too loud, so I’d turn it down but not be able to pay attention. In conversation, I was constantly asking people to repeat what they were saying, and I noticed I’d started watching mouths instead of making eye contact.
A sinus infection led to me having my ears cleaned but I didn’t notice the kind of improvement in my hearing that I’d experienced other times. Ultimately, I had my hearing tested and Andrew diagnosed me with mild hearing loss. He explained that I’d need hearing aids and the thought was initially quite a shock. I felt a bit broken-down and sad that I would now have to depend on devices for the rest of my life. For me, it took a little while to come to terms with it, whilst others have experienced euphoria at finally understanding the reason for their hearing-related problems. I guess, when we reach a certain age, our mortality starts to come into full focus and the invincibility we once felt begins to evaporate, bit by bit. BUT!
When Andrew showed me the devices and explained their functionality, I began to get excited. I remembered back to the day when, at age 21, I was told I’d need to wear glasses and was presented with a kaleidoscope of different styles, shapes and colours. Hearing aids aren’t what you’d call a fashion accessory, but boy do they improve your world!
And let me tell you about the functionality. Mine are Bluetooth-enabled so they connect with my smartphone. That means I can listen to music via Spotify, talk on the phone and receive notifications, all hands-free, even if my phone is on the other side of the room! They’re rechargeable so I simply pop them in the charger every night before I get into bed, and there’s no need to keep buying and fiddling with batteries.
As for the appearance of my hearing aids, well to be honest, no one has ever mentioned them unprompted, not once! I often wear my hair up in a bun so they should realistically be visible. Even when I mention them, people are amazed and say they had no idea I had them on.
Gone are the days of the big, ugly hearing aids that seemed almost like a sign flashing: “I’m hard of hearing! I’m hard of hearing! I’m hard of hearing!” Besides, hearing aids are designed to make you not hard of hearing so they’re a bit of false advertising. When I show people my beautiful devices and tell them about the smart functionality, they’re often amazed and dare I say, maybe even a bit envious? I like to echo the words of YouTuber Mat Hench, who says: “My hearing aids are cooler than your AirPods!”
Of course, no one wants to find themselves with hearing loss but if it does happen, be comforted in the fact that help is available and it’s not the big, dramatic disaster it might first appear to be. Just as you’ll pop your glasses on your face to enjoy clearer vision, you simply slip your hearing aids into your ears and enjoy clarity, less listening effort and the wonder of sound!
As YouTuber Mat also says: “You have bad eyes; you get glasses. You have bad ears; you get hearing aids.” It really is that simple. Have your hearing tested, see an independent expert, take the recommended steps and get on with life.
#hearingaid#hearingaid #tinnitus#tinnitus #hearingloss#hearingloss #WixBlog#WixBlog #glasses #audiologist #brisbane #melbourne #dementia
Since I first stepped foot into a hearing practice 20 years ago I’ve had the privilege of working in, starting up, researching and observing a wide variety of hearing practices and hundreds of Audiologists. Additionally, I’ve helped hundreds of patients successfully return to a fuller participation in life. This experience has given me a unique perspective that I’m looking forward to sharing with you.
I’m commonly asked where to recommend interstate and international patients, friends and family for hearing health care. In giving such advice, 5 general themes have emerged that may be helpful to anyone contemplating who to entrust with their hearing health care.
I hope that this short guide plays a small part in raising awareness of quality hearing health care and helping you achieve better hearing and associated enhancement in your quality of life and that of those around you.
Here’s the five signs to look out for:
1. The practice works with wide range of hearing solutions
Most attendees at my live seminars are shocked to learn that most hearing aid practices in Australia are owned by foreign hearing aid manufacturers. What this means is that they are only able to recommend to you the devices that their company makes. This is not necessarily a ‘bad’ thing in most cases as all major manufacturers tend to have solutions that are adequate. In my experience, however, no one manufacturer has the best solution for every hearing loss and every patient. Even when they do have the best solution for a particular person’s situation, another manufacturer may come out with a more advanced solution 6 months later.
Independent Audiologists are able to choose from whichever manufacturer they see fit. There are 6 major manufacturers that tend to wax and wane in quality and effectiveness, often due to their Research & Development cycles. I would recommend that whoever you see for your hearing needs, ensure they work with at least 3 brands, that way chances are you’ll be recommended the right solution now and in the future are heightened. If your chosen hearing health care provider has a limited range, I recommend that you are 100% satisfied in the solution before making a commitment.
Bottom Line: A wider range of options lends itself to a higher degree of success
2. The practice focuses on their clinical specialists more than their brand
It has been my experience that the most important factor in the success of any hearing health care program is the experience, skill and attitude of the Audiologist delivering the treatment. Having managed and observed countless Audiologists over the years I can tell you that the variation in talent varies widely within hearing care organisations. Many large chains experience high staff turnover and/or move their Audiologists around between practices. There’s also a tendency to promote competent Audiologists into ‘senior’ positions away from seeing patients (which blows my mind). With such high potential for change, there’s a good reason why the company will focus more in their brand than their clinicians in online and written materials.
I’ve found that Independent Audiologists that are partners of, or own their own practices tend to be the most experienced, hold the longest tenure and deliver the most consistent service. You can generally find out quite a bit about who you’ll be entrusting your hearing health care to via their website. As practice owners are very much dependent on word of mouth referrals, they can’t afford to give you anything but premium service and the right advice.
Bottom Line: Try find out a little about the Audiologist that will be seeing you in particular their years of experience, only make a commitment if you’re satisfied they will be there to help you over the long term.
3. The practice is focused on quality care, not just government funding
In Australia we are fortunate to have a relatively generous funding program offering substantial subsidies to pensioners. With such funding comes paperwork, set regulations and procedures. Most of which are necessary to ensure correct use of tax payers money, but it can, from what I’ve observed, result in a ‘one size fits all’ mindset that is not always conducive to an outstanding patient experience.
I recall in my masters training we were required to have work experience in a range of clinic settings, including government focussed practices. The emphasis of these practices, as I perceived it, was on what can be claimed rather that what the patient actually wanted. Administration first, patients second and in a cookie cutter-like fashion, hearing device recommendations were almost always the ‘beige banana’ variety.
A flexible and individualised approach to hearing health care tends to work best in my experience for ALL patients, including pensioners. One of my patients summed up the common experience at funding-oriented practices “It felt like I was at Centerlink; when I told them I didn’t have a pension card; they didn’t know what to do with me!”
Bottom Line: If you’re made to feel more like a number than a person; your needs may better met elsewhere
4. The practice is focussed on full time hearing aid use
Ask any of my patients and they’ll tell you that I’m fanatical (in the nicest possible way) about full time hearing device use. In order to receive maximum benefit and value from hearing devices, they need to be worn at 12-16 hours per day. I spend around 50% of my clinical time encouraging, checking and counselling about the importance of full-time use. In my view, full time use of hearing devices should be the #1 priority of any Audiologist. In order to achieve that, the devices need to be sufficiently comfortable, appropriately tuned and their basic operation well understood.
At times this can be hard work because what is required is habit change. Whilst there is a bit to get used to up front, after 7-10 days full time use it tends to be plain sailing. Full time use will enable you to better filter out unwanted sounds and provide adequate stimulation to the hearing centres of the brain.
Bottom Line: Repeated and consistent reminders and advice about full time use is a sure sign you’re in good hands
5. The practice is committed to ongoing education
Over the past 7 years there has been a relative explosion in research into the impact of untreated hearing loss on cognitive decline. I’ve found that thorough knowledge of the detail and implications of this important research has assisted my practice, my choice of solutions and the manner in which I guide and educate my patients. I’ve found it necessary and beneficial to take up further studies and gain additional qualifications in Neuroscience to better understand and apply the subject matter. Much of what I’ve learned in recent years are new findings that were not known when I studied a Master of Audiology over 18 years ago.
I find that a strong focus on patient education also assists in achieving quality outcomes. Knowing the rationale behind the importance of treatment, why specific recommendations were made and how to get the most value out of the devices tends to lead to better results. The practice website should give you a sense as to whether there is a strong focus on ongoing clinical and patient education.
Bottom Line: Hearing health care and how it is best delivered is constantly evolving, a commitment to ongoing education helps ensure you’re getting the right advice now and in future.
In summary, there’s many talented hearing health care providers out there and it can be a challenge to know who to turn to. At NeuAudio we strive to ‘practice what we preach’; please let us know if we can help in any way.
Best Regards
Andrew
#BrainHealth#BrainHealth #HearingLoss#HearingLoss #CognitiveDecline#CognitiveDecline #Audiologist#Audiologist #HearingAids
Wearing hearing devices for age-related hearing loss may be better for maintaining brain function than not using devices, a new study suggests.
It builds on important research in recent years published in the Lancet Journal by the European Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care, through which hearing loss emerged as the #1 Modifiable risk factor for dementia.
Researchers at the University of Exeter and King’s College London have recently found further evidence that hearing aids may help to protect the brains and reduce the risk of dementia.
In the study, two groups of people – those who wore hearing devices and those who did not – undertook annual cognitive tests over a two years period. The research was taken from the PROTECT study of 25,000 people aged 50 or over.
The group who wore hearing aids performed better in measures assessing working memory and aspects of attention than those who did not. One measure of attention demonstrated that people who used the devices showed faster reaction times than non-wearers. Scientists say this reflects concentration abilities, for example, straining to hear a sound and listening intently to someone speaking.
Dr Anne Corbett, from the University of Exeter, said: “Previous research has shown that hearing loss is linked to a loss of brain function, memory and an increased risk of dementia. Our work is one of the largest studies to look at the impact of wearing a hearing aid and suggests that wearing a hearing aid could actually protect the brain.”
Professor Clive Ballard, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “The message here is that if you’re advised you need a hearing aid, find one that works for you. At the very least it will improve your hearing and it could help keep your brain sharp, too.”
If you or someone you care about is interested in learning a whole lot more, it would be great to see you at one of our Hearing & Brain Health Seminars.
Click here for more information!
#Audiologist #HearingLoss #HearingAid #NeuAudio
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