There’s No One Quite Like Dad

Each June, one Sunday is set aside to show him how much he means to you and has influenced you and your family over the years. Some like to have large family gatherings, shower him with gifts, sit and reminisce on days gone by, and others prefer a quiet visit just one on one. He may not show it, but he is overwhelmed with feelings of love and appreciation today and it means more to him than you know.

He taught you how to change a tire, how to manage money, how to cook the perfect steak, and he shaped you probably in more ways than you even realize. You may have planned to attend a ball game today, or a day fishing at the lake, but have you helped him plan for hearing loss?

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD), one third of Americans between ages 65-74 and almost half over age 75 have hearing loss. And men are twice as likely to have hearing loss than a woman. You know dads…getting them to the doctor can be a challenge!

Biological father. Adopted father. Stepfather. Father-in-law. Grandfather. There are many monikers, but DAD is just simply DAD. We all love him and want the best for him. He gave all he had to make your life as special as he could. Give back to him. Do this one small thing to show him how much he means to you, and how appreciative you are for all he’s given. Help give him the gift of hearing well again.

If you know, or suspect, the father figure in your life has hearing loss, please call for a consultation and hearing screening. The staff at Better Hearing Systems are here for you and him this Father’s Day.

Oops! I’ve Had My Hearing Aids in All Day!

Hearing aids in 2017 have gotten so small and so advanced that it’s easy to forget you even have them in after you’ve had them for a while. This is a GOOD THING!

First, there are two very good reasons not take them out.

• With loss of hearing comes the loss of processing sound. Our ears are designed to send sound signals to our brain. When that’s diminished or stopped all together, the sound processing center of our brain isn’t stimulated properly anymore. Wearing your hearing aids regularly will allow adequate stimulation and maintain our brain’s ability to process sound.
• The more you wear them, the more natural sound becomes. Hearing loss is a long and gradual process typically over many years. Sometimes it’s so faint, there are certain sounds we didn’t even realize we miss anymore. Once you are fitted for and begin using your new hearing aids, your brain basically has to be “re-trained” on how to hear sounds. This, too, takes time, but the more you keep them in the more natural running water will sound. The more normal hands clapping will be. At first, it may sound excessively loud, but you’re simply adjusting to your new world.

As far as reasons to take them out? Well…besides using loud machinery (i.e. power tools, mower) or being submerged in water (swimming or bathing), you really shouldn’t.

It’s kind of like turning on the lights after you’ve been in a dark room for a while. The light hurts yours eyes at first, but then they slowly adjust until you see clearly. The same can be said for hearing aids. The more you wear them, the more accustomed you will become to hearing all the wonderful sounds this world has to offer. 

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.