Book about deafness and hearing loss

Juliet England is publishing a book called Deafness and Hearing Loss: The Essential Guide in the UK. She has had a hearing loss since birth and in a recent BBC article, she says, "It is something that has affected me at various stages of my life, work and studying." Juliet refers to hearing loss as the "invisible disability," which she felt so passionately about helping others better understand. 

The BBC article provides wonderful insight into Juliet's ups and downs of living with her hearing impairment. Her book "gives information on how hearing loss is caused, the things you can do to make life better for you or a close family member, and how to overcome the daily challenges of living with a hearing loss" among other topics including hearing aid technology and strategies for coping with deafness. 

It will be insightful to learn about coping strategies and perspectives from an individual who has organized her experiences in the form of book. Although these topics are taught in my educational program, it is very different to learn from one's first person viewpoint. 

Get your paperback copy at Amazon, available on May 1st.   

via BBC

Universal Newborn Hearing Screenings

Image via Grossman Family West 

The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) in 2000 issued a statement that recommended universal screening for hearing loss before a newborn is discharged from the hospital. The statement also included guidelines for state and hospital programs. Research supports that the earlier a child is identified with hearing loss and intervention is provided, the better the child will be able to develop normal speech and language skills. The ultimate goal is that all infants are identified with hearing loss before 3 months old and receive intervention services initiated by 6 months old. 

The Newborn Hearing Screening typically involves a Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), which objectively measures the brain's response to sound and Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE), which measure emissions from the sensory cells in the cochlea. Here is a good summary comparing the two measures at About.com ABR vs. OAE. 

The California Newborn Hearing Screening Program "helps identify hearing loss in infants and guide families to the appropriate services needed to develop communication skills." Read more about the program on their website. 

It's important to remember that if an infant does not pass their Newborn Hearing Screening, it does not mean that he or she is deaf or has a hearing loss. More testing is necessary to determine if there is a hearing impairment and therefore, further testing will be recommended before hearing status is determined. 

New website coming soon!

A new website for Live. Love. Hear. is in the works and will be launching in the near future! Stay tuned...

Hearing Aid Auction: Hear Indiana's "Talk Walk Run 2010" event

The non-profit Indiana chapter of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Hear Indiana's "Talk Walk Run 2010" event is being held on Saturday, May 1, 2010.
The purpose of the 5K walk or run is to raise awareness and funds for children with hearing loss. One of the ways they are raising funds is through an auction of books, hearing loss related products, and sports memorabilia on their website.

What's interesting is that they are auctioning a pair of Phonak Naida IX hearing aids at a starting bid price of $2,000 for both. There are current no bids on the item and the auction ends on April 29 at 10:00 p.m. The retail price of this hearing aid varies depending on the practice, but the Naida IX can retail for approximately $3,000 each.

Please remember that this hearing aid is not appropriate for every individual. Consult with your audiologist about whether or not this hearing aid is appropriate for you. Learn more about the Naida IX on Phonak's website.

Here are the restrictions listed on their website:
Restrictions:
Naída is water resistant and available in 19 colors and four different styles. With the help of your audiologist, you may choose your color and style. Please contact your audiologist or Paul Kreimer (800-777-7333 or paul.kreimer@phonak.com) if you are unsure if this hearing aid is right for you.

New website - Deafteens.org

A nicely designed website, deaf teens is a new blog where you can share and read stories about hearing impairment, hearing aids, cochlear implants, etc. It provides an opportunity for people to connect with one another through blogging and even chat. There's also a doctor's and parent's corner for commenting.

How the website came to be is an inspirational story of its own. According to the blog Hearing Sparks, David, a teenager with bilateral cochlear implants set out to build a website for an Eagle Scout project. He chronicled the  process on his website: David's Eagle Scout Project. Share your story by emailing him at davidcluff2012@gmail.com 

Here is one particular touching story from the website: “My Story” By JoEllen R., age 18

via Hearing Sparks

Phonak Audéo PFE, Perfect Fit Earphones

Audéo PFE with microphone (left) and Audéo PFE (right)

I have fairly small ear canals and it can be difficult to find standard sized earphones that are comfortable. I currently have a pair of custom earmolds that I fit over standard iPod earbuds and although they are comfortable, they don't provide any noise-isolation features. 

After hearing a lot of buzz about the Phonak Audéo PFE from forums and briefly trying out my professor's pair and finding them very comfortable. I ordered a pair of white ones with a microphone from their website for $159 plus tax. The Audéo PFEs without a microphone retail at $139 plus tax. Available in black or white and with free shipping.

For this price, users have found the frequency quality excellent using the various different audio filters available. CNET reviews gave it the editor's choice in March 2009. 

What's included:

• 1 pair of Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones with microphone
• Audio filter box with 6 audio filters (2 grey, 4 black)*,  and changing tool
• Silicone ear tips – 3 pairs (1 pair S, 1 pair M, 1 pair L)
• ComplyTM foam tips - 1 pair M
• Cleaning tool for ear tips
• 2 silicone ear guides
• Carrying case

Coming up... a full review. 

Science Daily: Structure of inner-ear protein is key to both hearing and inherited deafness

Thousands of microscopic hair cells located in the cochlea of the inner ear are extremely sensitive structures. Stereocilia are hair-like structures located on the hair cells and tip-links are filaments that connect the stereocilia in bundles. These structures are involved in the depolarization process, which ultimately leads to the excitation of the auditory nerve resulting in physiologic percept of sound.

ScienceDaily.com released an article on April 17, 2010 about new studies from the labs of David Corey, professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, and Rachelle Gaudet, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The group performed studies on one of two proteins, cadherin-23, that join to form each tip-link. Their studies show how mutations of the protein can make this otherwise extremely strong protein to weaken in its calcium bonding, resulting in inherited deafness. When weak, stress can cause this bond to "break in billionths of a second."

"Still image from a simulation that "stretches" the two end-most segments of the cadherin-23 protein, much as loud noise might do to its real-life counterpart in the inner ear. Such extreme stress can cause cadherin-23 to break in billionths of a second. (Credit: Marcos Sotomayor)"

Read the awesome article: Structure of inner-ear protein is key to both hearing and inherited deafness

via Science Daily

Apple explains the science of sound and listening responsibly

On December 30, 2009, Apple Inc won their appeal for iPod hearing loss lawsuit. The appeals court in San Francisco ruled that the plaintiffs failed to show that use of the iPod poses an unreasonable risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Senior Judge David Thompson wrote, "At most, the plaintiffs plead a potential risk of hearing loss not to themselves, but to other unidentified iPod users" (via Reuters). I believe that the lawsuit was originally filed in 2007.

At that time, Apple was under fire and decided to address issues concerning responsible use of their iPod. So, they launched a page on their website called Sound and Hearing and the option to set the maximum volume limit on an iPod. This can be especially useful for parents who want to protect their kids ears from exposure to loud sounds. 

Just remember that exposure to any sound at extremely loud levels can cause damage to the hearing system.

Tips from Audiologists for dealing with noisy restaurants

From that same Wall Street Journal article comes some useful tips from Audiologists. Keep them in mind the next time you dine at a city hot spot. Or share them with someone you know that has difficulty hearing in noisy situations.

Dinner Without Yelling

Audiologists offer advice for finding a quieter dining experience:

• Sit in tables in alcoves, which provide a barricade against sound waves.  
• Avoid sitting by the bar or kitchen.  
• Avoid sitting near large parties, who tend to talk louder.  
• Ask for additional light and look at your dining companion. Without realizing it, we read lips.  
• Ask management to turn the music down, even if you get dirty looks. Not only does this reduce noise, but people will then talk more softly.   
• Look at photos of the restaurant ahead of time. No carpet or tablecloths and boxy dimensions should raise red flags.

via WSJ

Why such noisy restaurants?

Photo by Eric Laignel - La Mar Cebicheria Peruana in SF (source: WSJ)

A nationwide trend for restaurants in larger cities has been to do away with heavy tablecloths, drapery, carpeting, and other elements that tend to absorb reverberant sounds in open spaces. The result: potential for a high noise environment that can make understanding speech difficult. The design components that contribute to excessive noise may include lots of windows, hardwood floors, lack of tablecloths and high-ceilings. The Wall Street Journal article titled, "Pass the Salt...and the Megaphone" provides a perspective on noisy restaurants.

I think the article provides good insight into restaurant designers' ideology and the lack of involving acoustical engineers during the design process to help deal with the sound issues. Based on the interviews by the author with some restaurant goers, it appears as though both younger and older crowds have complaints about noisy restaurants. Good news is that some restaurant owners have recognized the problem at hand and have implemented acoustical treatments to help absorb reverberant surfaces. 

One of the cool features of the article is called "How Loud is it?" where you can listen to noise measured by WSJ at a few restaurants in the U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and NYC. The samples include noise at the hostess stands and table where the reporter sat. 

There is also an interactive guide that allows you to mouse over different areas of a restaurant in San Francisco to read about critiques by Tom Thunder, an audiologist and acoustical engineer from Northern Illinois University. 

An excerpt from the article about the SF restaurant pictured above read: "The staff of La Mar in San Francisco realized noise was a problem immediately after opening, says general manager Andrew Generalao. It was a "low priority," Mr. Generalao says, until a local reviewer printed that the decibel level was 80—just under the level audiologists consider damaging to hearing after long-term exposure."

Check out the full article for more details, it's worth a read. 


via WSJ

What is an Audiologist?

More often than not, when someone asks me what I am studying and I reply with "audiology," I see a curious look on the face that is accompanied with "what is that?" Other times, people are able to make some connection to the ear. I enjoy educating others about the field of audiology and the scope of practice for an audiologist. I feel strongly about the positive difference we can make in patients' lives in helping them hear better, which can ultimately lead to an improved quality of life. Having said that, audiologists are not only involved in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, but also evaluate those individuals with balance problems. 

According the American Academy of Audiology, "audiologists are the primary health-care professional who evaluate, diagnose, treat and manage hearing loss and balance disorders in adults and children." U.S. News and World Report has ranked the profession of audiology as one of the best careers in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Check out the Best Careers 2009 report: U.S. News and World Report. 

The scope of practice can vary and similar to other medical professions. An audiologist can be in general practice where he or she does diagnostics and treatment. Or can become specialized in a specific area of the field, such as cochlear implants, vestibular (or balance) testing and treatment, pediatrics, diagnostics, evoked potential testing, treatment involving amplification, etc. 

The current educational requirements for becoming an audiologist is a Doctor of Audiology degree (Au.D.), which involves attending a 4-year program following a bachelor's degree and licensing. 

Click on the image twice to enlarge (image source: American Academy of Audiology). 

Etymotic custom earpieces - are they worth it?

The Wall Street Journal recently posted an article written by Courtney Banks, who shares her experience with using a pair of custom-fit, noise-isolating earphones by Etymotic, Inc. Listening to any music device can be frustrated in the presence of background noise. There have been published studies that show the effects of listening to mp3 players at very loud volumes for extended periods of time. This type of exposure can lead to noise-induced hearing loss. Since standard earpieces do not block excessive noise in the environment, people tend to crank up the volume on their mp3 players to hear over the noise. According to Etymotic, the custom-fit earphones can reduce ambient noise by 26 decibels.

Good news is that noise-isolating earphones are becoming increasingly more popular. For a more comfortable fit in the ear canal and for a better seal, custom earpieces can be added to Etymotic's Hf2 noise-isolating earphones ($179). The article describes how an audiologist can take impressions of the ear canal to create the custom piece, which fits on the earphones. These cost an additional $100, but according to Ms. Banks, they are well worth it! 

Check out a video of the custom earpieces - Wall Street Journal

To reach a wider audience, Etimoytic is selling the earpieces through Perfectearphones.com and plans to sell them in Apple stores by summertime. The standard earphones are purchased with a voucher. Simply take the voucher to an audiologist's office to have impressions taken of your ear canal. These impressions are used to create the custom earpiece. Check out the full WSJ article here. 

Hearing Sparks: Netflix Adds Subtitle Support for Around 100 Instant-Stream Titles

Meet Megan. She happened to come across my blog and we exchanged blog information. Her blog, Hearing Sparks, shares her story on being diagnosed with a progressive hearing loss in both ears at 4 years old. She now has a severe hearing loss in her left ear and a severe to profound hearing loss in her right ear. She has been wearing hearing aids since her diagnosis. 

Megan blogs about her life experiences, audiology and other technology related topics. Having a chance to take a glimpse into her life with hearing loss is very insightful! A perspective on the every day life experiences that my patients don't always have the time to share. 

On a recent post, she shares some good news about Netflix adding subtitles to about 100 of the movies that can be streamed instantly on the computer (Mac and PC compatible). This is wonderful for individuals who have not used the instant streaming movies due to the lack of caption accessibility. 


Read the post: Hearing Sparks: Netflix Adds Subtitle Support for Around 100 Instant-Stream Titles

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Why Hearing Aids DON'T Suck by Healthy Hearing

A recent article published on the Healthy Hearing website provides a rebuttal to a Wired magazine article titled "Why Things Suck: Hearing Aids," that according to Healthy Hearing, gave misinformation about current hearing aid technology. Here is one example from the Wired magazine article: "High-end hearing aids add a directional microphone trained in front of the listener, but that increases cost and, critically, bulk." This is a false statement!


Almost every digital hearing aid on the market today is equipped with directional microphones that can assist the listener understand speech better in noisy situations compared to an omnidirectional microphone that picks up sound from all around. The hearing aids with dual microphones are not more expensive nor do they require larger hearing aid casings. Check out one of Phonak's new products, the Audéo SMART (pictured), which is a small hearing device with directional microphones offered at all three performance levels along with other features. Not only does this hearing aid have a directional microphone but it has adaptive directionality, like most hearing aids on the market today. This means that the hearing device can be set to automatically evaluate the sound environment and select the best microphone configuration for the situation.


The Wired article also goes on to say, "Hearing aids can cost more than $3,000 apiece," which is also incorrect! Hearing aid technology comes in a range of prices and do not start at $3,000! The article goes on and on feeding the reader inaccurate information without any resources.


Ok, I digress. Read the article by Healthy Hearing called, "Why Hearing Aids DON'T Suck," to learn about how hearing aids can improve one's ability to hear and positively impact the quality of life of hearing impaired individuals. It also provides a good overview of advancements in digital hearing aid technology including design, microphones, digital sound processing and batteries.

Link between Painkillers and Hearing Loss

Can taking common over-the-counter painkillers lead to hearing loss? The results of a study published last month in the American Journal of Medicine investigated this question. Participants included about 27,000 men who were tracked every 2 years for 18 years enrolled in the Health Professionals’ Follow-Up study. The data collected included medical information, use of analgesics, and hearing loss among other data.  

Acetaminophen

Researchers found that men below 50 years of age who regularly took acetaminophen (found in Tylenol) more than two times per week had about double the risk of hearing loss compared to men who did not take the medicine regularly.

Ibuprofen (main ingredient in Advil) and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID)

Men younger than 60 years who regularly took ibuprofen and NSAID at least twice a week had almost two-thirds higher risk of hearing loss compared to men to took it less often.

For men younger than 50 years, the risk of hearing loss was higher by 33 percent using aspirin, 61 percent with use of NSAIDs and 99 percent with use of acetaminophen, compared to men of the same age who used these drugs less often (all based on taking painkillers twice a week). 

Why does this happen? According to one of the researchers, Dr. Sharon G. Curhan, of Channing Laboratory and Brigham and Women's Hospital mentions that high doses of painkillers are known to have a toxic effects on the ear leading to hearing loss and tinnitus or ringing in the ears.

A positive finding for men 60 years and older was that they did not show a greater risk for hearing loss when compared to the findings for younger men.

The take home message is that you should consult with your physician about the risks of taking over-the-counter or prescription medication. If you think you have a hearing problem, you can have your hearing tested by an audiologist. 

Via Yahoo! Health