The Importance of Annual Ear Exams

Did you know that roughly 30 million Americans experience hearing loss.  Roughly 10% of people experience tinnitus.  That is about 28 million people.  Since hearing loss usually occurs gradually, it is important to receive annual hearing tests to monitor your hearing levels.  People think to get their annual eye exams and physical checkups, but the forget about getting their ears checked.  It is recommended to get your hearing checked at least once per year, especially if you experience any of the following:

1. You ask people to repeat themselves
2. You can hear people talking, but speech sounds muffled and not clear
3. You have trouble understanding in background noise
4. You need more volume to hear on the telephone or television
5. You work or have worked around loud noises
6. You have a family history of hearing loss
7. You experience tinnitus which is ringing, buzzing, crickets, or roaring noises in your ears

So what happens when you come in for your hearing evaluation?  The process is painless and easier than you might think.  When you come into our office, a licensed audiologist will look in your ears to make sure you don’t have a wax build up or anything that is obstructing your hearing pathway.  You will get to see your ear canal on a big tv screen.  Then we will present some beeps and words to see what sounds you are hearing and what you might be missing.  We review the results with you and discuss options to fit your needs.  If you don’t have a hearing loss, we will use the results to help you monitor your hearing levels. Most insurance companies will pay for an annual hearing test and some will even pay for part of the cost of a hearing aid.  

Hearing aids have come a long way in the last few years.  Hearing aids used to be big and bulky and made background noise louder, so people did not like wearing them.  Advances in technology has made them smaller and less noticeable.  They also process sounds faster and reduce background noise such as road noise or restaurant noise so you can enjoy conversations in almost every situation again.  Hearing aids also have the ability to connect to your cellphones so you can hear over the telephone handsfree and understand what is being said on phone calls again.  Some hearing aids are rechargeable, so no more batteries to change.  Just put the hearing aids in the charger at night, and it holds a charge for 24 hours.  In short, hearing aids have lots of options to help you connect to family and the world around you.

If you or a loved one has difficulty hearing or understanding and wants to start feeling more confident and enjoying conversations again, call Better Hearing Systems of Northwest Louisiana at 318-747-9191.  We accept most insurances and we offer 12 months 0% financing plans with approved credit.  With any hearing aid purchase, you will receive a 60 day trial period to make sure you are as happy and satisfied with your purchase.  Better Hearing Systems of Northwest Louisiana provides personalized hearing healthcare you can trust.  

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month!

Did you know that 1 in 6 U.S. adults have reported trouble hearing? Or that over 28 million adults nationwide could benefit from hearing aids?

Let’s look at several ways you can protect your ears and overall hearing health:

1. Use earplugs around loud noises – Once your hearing is damaged, it’s gone for good. That’s why raising awareness beforehand is so critical. If you’re in an environment where you must shout for the person next to you to hear, you should have earplugs in. 
2. Stop using cotton swabs – No, those swabs are not made for cleaning wax from your ear canal. Ears are self-cleaning organs, and some wax is a good thing to prevent dust and other particles from entering the canal. A wax removal solution is advised for use over the course of a few nights. The best option is always to seek a professional opinion.
3. Keep your ears dry – Excess moisture in the ear can allow bacteria to enter and attack the canal causing an ear infection. Towel dry your ears after bathing or swimming. Again, ear plugs are also a top option.
4. Take medications only as directed – Certain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can sometimes contribute to hearing loss. Discuss medications with your doctor if you’re concerned they’ll impact your hearing ability and take them only as directed. 
5. GET REGULAR CHECKUPS – This is the most important step you can take. Hearing loss develops gradually so an annual hearing screening with a hearing care professional is strongly recommended. You’ll be more likely to recognize signs of hearing loss and take action early on. 

If you haven’t had your hearing checkup in 2017 yet, there’s no better time than Better Hearing and Speech Month! Preserve your hearing, take good care of ears and be hearing healthy this May! You can find more information about what Untreated Hearing Loss Can Impact on our website under Blog.

The Starkey Hearing Foundation

Better Hearing Systems of Northwest Louisiana is a proud supporter of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, a charitable organization that brings the gift of hearing to people in need. According to the World Health Organization, more than 360 million people have disabling hearing loss, but less than 3% of those affected can afford hearing aids or have access to the care they need (source). The Starkey Hearing Foundation has given more than 1.8 million hearing aids around the world and have provided over 200,000 free hearing aids and care to people in need annually for over thirty years!

Starkey works to accomplish their hearing missions by building strong partnerships, empowering local teams, and expanding their Community-Based Hearing HealthCare Model, which consists of three phases:

1.    Patient Identification - Includes identifying and training partners and community-based health workers, providing primary ear-care services to potential hearing aid candidates, taking ear impressions, and creating custom earmolds.

2.    Hearing Mission - Fit hearing aids and custom earmolds on qualified hearing candidates, counsel and train hearing aid recipients, teachers, student ambassadors, and patients on how to care for and operate the hearing aids, and select and train local program teams to execute ongoing program activities.

3.    AfterCare Program - Conduct outreach to patients within the first month of receiving their hearing aids to provide AfterCare, provide ongoing AfterCare services to offer patients counseling, batteries, and free services to repair or replace hearing aids when needed.

As proud members of the Starkey Hearing Alliance, Better Hearing Systems of Northwest Louisiana is part of a national network of hearing care professionals that are leading the way in helping people experience healthier lives. Starkey Hearing Alliance Members specialize in fitting Starkey Technologies hearing instruments.  These state-of-the-art hearing aids ensure you are receiving superior comfort, unmatched technology and best-in-class features. When you get a hearing aid from Better Hearing Systems of NWLA, you're not only changing your life for the better, but in some small way you’re also helping improve the lives of millions of people in need. To learn more about the Starkey Hearing Foundation or to donate to this wonderful cause, click here.

Protect Your Hearing During The Summer Months

Summer brings lots of celebrations--and with celebrations, come noise! Whether it’s Fourth of July fireworks, live music concerts, street parades with fire engines showing off their horns and sirens, motorcycling, or even simply using a power mower and leaf-blower in the yard, the sounds of summer can be loud. There is a connection between noise exposure and hearing loss, so please take a few simple steps to protect your hearing this summer.


The link between noise and hearing loss: 

Sound travels down the ear canal in waves. Loud noises can cause waves so forceful that they dislodge the tiny bones in the middle ear. If the waves pass through the middle ear and reach the inner ear, they can damage the tiny hair cells that carry sound all the way to the brain, where the sounds are interpreted. Unfortunately, once destroyed, these hair cells can’t repair themselves, and can no longer pass sounds along to the brain--resulting in permanent damage.

Noise levels are measured in decibels. Any sound over 85 decibels can result in hearing loss. For example, a passing motorcycle is roughly 90 decibels, and a firework exploding at close range is around 150 decibels. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can result from how loud the noise is, as well as the length of a person’s exposure to noise.

Noise-induced hearing loss can affect anyone, at any age. Children have a lower threshold for noise than adults, so it is even more important to protect their hearing during summer activities like watching fireworks or attending a festival with loud music.  

Types of hearing loss due to noise exposure:

There are three types of hearing loss that may result from noise exposure.

• Tinnitus: a temporary ringing or buzzing in the ears after exposure. Tinnitus sometimes, but not always, goes away by itself.
• Temporary changes in threshold: A small decrease in hearing that disappears, usually approximately 24-48 hours after the exposure occurs. Although the hearing distortion goes away, evidence suggests there may be long-term hearing damage.
• Permanent hearing damage: Unfortunately, the most severe noise damage can result in irreversible hearing loss, often from a ruptured eardrum or trauma to the delicate bones of the middle ear.

Tips to protect hearing:

• Stand as far away as possible from the source of the noise. For example, the further away you stand from exploding fireworks, the less trauma to the ears.
• If standing far away isn’t practical, or if the noise is loud even from afar, use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to muffle the sound. 
• Shorten the length of time exposed to loud noise. 
• Keep children away from loud noise caused by lawn mowers, fireworks, firearms, lawn and farm machinery, stereo speakers, and concerts. 

If you or a loved one has experienced hearing loss after noise exposure, it is a good idea to schedule a hearing test with a qualified audiologist. The audiologist will help determine if the change in hearing is temporary or permanent.

At Better Hearing Systems of Northwest Louisiana, we offer comprehensive hearing tests for adults and school-aged children, as well as video otoscopy for detailed viewing of the ear canal. Visit our website to learn more, or call (318) 309-4727 to schedule your free hearing consultation.