The High Price of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is not just an ailment of old age. It can strike at any time and any age. Many people are aware that their hearing has deteriorated but are reluctant to seek help. Perhaps they don't want to acknowledge the problem, are embarrassed by what they see as a weakness, or believe that they can "get by" without using a hearing aid. And, unfortunately, too many wait years (sometimes even decades) before getting treatment.

But time and again, research demonstrates the considerable negative social, psychological, cognitive and health effects of untreated hearing loss . . . with far-reaching implications that go well beyond hearing alone. In fact, those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal.

Studies have linked untreated hearing loss to:

• irritability, negativity and anger
• fatigue, tension, stress and depression
• avoidance or withdrawal from social situations
• social rejection and loneliness
• reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety
• impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks
• diminished psychological and overall health
• and as a recent study indicates, reduced job performance and earning power

People with untreated hearing loss lose as much as $30,000 in income annually, depending on their degree of hearing loss, according to the latest national study by the Better Hearing Institute (BHI).  When hearing loss is left unaddressed it can pose significant barriers to productivity, job performance, career success and lifelong earnings.  This loss in income for people with untreated hearing loss can be due to under-employment as well as unemployment.     

The good news: the use of hearing aids has been shown to reduce the risk of income loss for individuals with all degrees of hearing loss!  Unemployment rates also drastically drop from 15.6% for those with severe hearing loss that don’t wear hearing aids to 8.3% for those who do, much closer to the current unemployment rate of 7.8% for the normal-hearing population.      

Unfortunately, hearing loss remains one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today, despite the fact that about 11 percent of the U.S. population has some degree of hearing loss - the vast majority of whom could benefit from today’s advanced hearing aids.  

“The real tragedy in delaying hearing loss treatment is that when left unaddressed, hearing loss negatively affects individuals and their families for the rest of their lives in the form of lost wages, lost promotions, lost opportunities, lost retirement income and unrealized dreams,” says Sergei Kochkin, PhD (executive director of the Better Hearing Institute). “But when people with even mild hearing loss use hearing aids, they improve their job performance, increase their earning potential, enhance their communication skills, improve their professional and interpersonal relationships, stave off depression and better their quality of life.”

If you think you or a loved one suffers from hearing loss, don't delay another day. Take BHI’s online hearing test to assess the need for a visit to a hearing healthcare professional.  Take the first step toward a world of better hearing!

Excerpts from:

http://ehstoday.com/health/news/high-price-leaving-hearing-loss-unaddressed-8551/

http://www.betterhearing.org/press/news/Hearing_loss_income_and_unemployment_pr021811.cfm

http://www.betterhearing.org/hearing_loss/consequences_of_hearing_loss/index.cfm

Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)

Tinnitus is the perception of a sound that has no external source.  Some of the more common sounds that sufferers report are ringing, humming, buzzing, and chirping (crickets). The sound can be constant or intermittent and is heard in one ear, both ears or in the head. Tinnitus can originate in the middle ear (behind the eardrum) or in the sensorineural auditory system. 

Tinnitus is often accompanied by or a result of hearing loss, and can sometimes be associated with sensitivity to moderate and loud sounds. Some 50 million adults suffer from tinnitus, though it can also affect children. For 12 million, the problem is severe enough that it impacts their everyday life (sleep, communication, etc.). Because tinnitus can be a symptom of a more serious disorder, it is important to have an appropriate health evaluation, from an audiologist or physician.

Most Common Causes:

·         Noise exposure (i.e. shooting, heavy machinery at work)

·         A natural part of the aging process

·         Head injury (i.e. from a car accident or fall)

·         As a side effect of medications (i.e. aspirin, chemotherapy — see ototoxic drugs)

·         Hearing loss

Note: In many cases the cause(s) may be unknown.

Potential Impacts:

Tinnitus affects people differently. The most common areas tinnitus has an impact are:

·         Thoughts / emotions - Some are annoyed, bothered, depressed, anxious or angry about their tinnitus. Stress can often lead to an increased perception of the bothersome sound.

·         Hearing - In some, the sound of the tinnitus competes with or masks speech or environmental sound perception.

·         Sleep - Many tinnitus sufferers report that their tinnitus interferes with them getting to sleep. It can also make it more difficult to get back to sleep when they wake up in the middle of the night.

·         Concentration - Some tinnitus sufferers report that they have difficulty focusing on a task because of their tinnitus, particularly in quiet situations (i.e. reading).

Treatment Options:

For most tinnitus sufferers, there is no “cure”. There is no pill or surgery that has been shown to eliminate tinnitus in scientific studies that have been replicated and accepted by the healthcare community.

However, there are some important exceptions to this. Some forms of tinnitus, particularly middle-ear tinnitus, can be treated. Sometimes a medication can cause tinnitus, and changing or discontinuing medications can eliminate the tinnitus (always check with the physician who prescribed the medication before considering this option).

There are also several treatments that can help people adjust to their tinnitus:

·         Hearing Loss Treatment – If hearing loss is identified by your audiologist, amplification may be recommended.  The use of hearing aids may not only improve communication and reduce the stress associated with intensive listening, but can also partially mask the tinnitus.

·         Counseling - Counseling can be beneficial with thoughts and emotions, sleep and concentration. One example of this approach is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), which uses counseling in conjunction with sound therapy to help individuals learn how to manage their bodies reaction to tinnitus and suppress their perception of the sound.  In the Syracuse area, TRT services are offered at the Gebbie Hearing Clinic at Syracuse University.

·         Sound Therapy - Many tinnitus sufferers report that the presence of background sound reduces the prominence or the loudness of their tinnitus. The background sound can be present in the environment (i.e. fan noise). There are non-wearable devices that produce pleasant background sound (i.e. Sharper Image sound machine). Additionally, wearable maskers or sound generators are available that produce a 'shhh' noise (these can also be combined with hearing aids). Music can also be very effective in non-wearable and wearable devices.

If you or someone you know suffers from tinnitus, contact the primary care provider, an ear, nose and throat specialist or an audiologist as soon as possible to discuss possible causes and treatment options.

Excerpts from:

http://www.betterhearing.org/tinnitus/index.cfm Richard Tyler, PhD - The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA