Hearing loss is more common than many people realize. The World Health Organization recently reported that there will be an estimated 900+ million people with hearing loss by 2050. The challenge is that many patients are living with undiagnosed hearing loss… they don’t realize that they are missing out on important sounds and conversations.
It’s essential for the population as a whole to learn more about hearing loss. This education not only helps families identify signs of hearing loss in the earliest stages. But it also empowers patients to make the best decisions to protect and amplify their hearing.
If something affects a person’s ears and reduces their ability to hear sounds, then it means that this patient is experiencing hearing loss. These issues can be caused by different factors affecting the function of the ear or auditory system.
Sometimes, the patient notices a problem. For example, they might find it hard to follow a conversation or hear sounds coming from the TV. Other times, hearing loss goes undiagnosed because a person unknowingly compensates for their reduced hearing.
Often, hearing loss is a gradual loss of hearing. As a person grows older, it’s common for their hearing to reduce over time. But there are also medical situations that might result in a sudden and unexpected loss of hearing.
Don’t make the mistake of using the phrases “hearing loss” and “deafness” as synonyms. Even though these conditions have similarities, there are distinct differences.
The difference between deafness and hearing loss is the amount of hearing loss that has been experienced. If it is a mild, moderate, or severe case of hearing loss, then the person can still hear but has reduced function. On the other hand, deafness is a situation of profound hearing loss – resulting in the person having little or no hearing at all.
Hearing loss can have a domino effect on many aspects of a person’s life. When communication is negatively affected, it can hinder a person’s ability to maintain relationships, participate in social activities, or grow in their career.
Most of the time, hearing loss occurs gradually. Watch for these signs of hearing loss in yourself and your loved ones.
If you notice these signs of hearing loss, then the best thing you can do is schedule a consultation and hearing test with an audiologist.
When you visit an audiologist for a hearing test, your level of hearing loss will be ranked based on the results of the test. Most specialists will use a category system for measuring hearing loss:
Often, an audiologist will recommend the use of hearing aids starting with mild hearing loss. But sometimes hearing aids aren’t necessary at this point. By the time a patient reaches moderate to severe hearing loss, they will greatly benefit from the use of hearing aids.
The most effective solution for improving and amplifying a person’s hearing is a thorough diagnosis identifying the underlying cause of hearing loss. These causes fall into two categories: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss.
With conductive hearing loss, the sound is blocked from reaching the inner ear. So, the patient perceives the sounds as muffled or quiet. Examples of conductive hearing loss causes might include:
On the other hand, sensorineural hearing loss happens when the inner ear has been damaged. This damage impacts the hair cells and delicate tissues within the ear. As a result, the auditory nerve isn’t working correctly. Or, sensorineural hearing loss could also occur because the nerve pathways are blocked between the brain and the inner ear. Examples of causes that result in sensorineural hearing loss include:
In some cases, a patient might be experiencing both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Each situation is unique, which is why it’s critical for every patient to work with an audiologist for diagnosis and personalized treatment recommendations.
Rest assured: if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with hearing loss, there are ways to improve your hearing and optimize your lifestyle. Our team is here to help, offering different types of hearing aids and other solutions.
Learn more about improving your hearing by contacting our team at Fairfax Hearing Center. We are always here to answer your questions and provide guidance for your customized treatment plan.
Do you often hear a ringing in your ears, but there is no explanation for why this sound and sensation is occurring? It’s possible that you have tinnitus – an ear condition that can affect people of all ages, but is more common in adults. While tinnitus can be annoying, it usually is not an indication of a more serious ear condition.
You might find that the tinnitus symptoms go away on their own. Or, if you are tired of listening to the sounds all the time, it might be time to talk to a hearing specialist about your options. The good news is that the FDA has approved several devices that have been shown to help with reducing the symptoms of tinnitus.
Tinnitus is the medical term for “ringing in the ears.” While it often sounds like a ringing noise, some people experience it as buzzing, clicking, hissing, roaring, or humming. The actual sound tends to vary from person to person.
Sometimes, tinnitus sounds drone on throughout the day and never seem to stop. These patients feel like they are constantly living with this noise. Other people don’t notice the noise until they have a quiet moment in the day or lie down at night to sleep. Mild cases of tinnitus don’t cause much of a disruption and people often learn to live with it.
It’s estimated that 10 – 15% of the population experiences tinnitus. Even though it seems to be affecting the ears, researchers have determined that it is likely a neurological issue. The brain is making you experience a noise or sound, but there is no external source of the sound.
For most people, tinnitus is a slight annoyance. But the symptoms can become so severe that they disrupt many aspects of life, causing distress because the sounds never seem to go away. In these severe cases, it results in ongoing stress that has a negative impact on overall quality of life.
Because tinnitus has been categorized as a “phantom” condition for so long, it has been hard to find relief for patients who experience it. For many years, patients simply had to live with the condition and try to find ways to cope with the discomfort in their daily lives.
It can be frustrating to search for a clinical treatment. In most situations, the first step is to visit a general practitioner because that is the initial way to seek medical care. These generalists don’t have experience with this type of condition, so they often refer the patient to visit a specialist, such as an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. The patient is unable to find answers from the ENT, and is then referred to an audiologist. Or, it might go the other way around by visiting the audiologist first, with a follow-up referral to talk to an ENT.
Since there has been no standard of care for diagnosing and treating tinnitus, it can keep patients going in circles – feeling frustrated because they are unable to find answers. Many people know that the possible solutions are limited, so they don’t attempt clinical care at all.
The good news is that a treatment has been discovered! With the development of technology, researchers have discovered ways to disrupt phantom sound signals and provide relief to people who are experiencing tinnitus.
Even though doctors are still looking for a tinnitus cure, there are technology solutions that can help to alleviate the symptoms of tinnitus. If you are looking for solutions, then you might consider talking to your doctor about one of these options:
When you are using a Lenire device, it sends small electrical currents to your tongue. At the same time, you are listening to sounds through headphones. The combination can treat tinnitus because of the way the brain is affected.
The goal is to stimulate the nerves in the tongue and ears while retraining the brain at the same time. The brain becomes more aware of different types of sounds, which reduces sensitivity to the tinnitus sounds. The symptoms of tinnitus become milder and have a reduced impact on the person’s life.
Recent research looks promising: a large group of tinnitus patients used self-administered treatments using Lenire for 30 – 60 minutes each day. Even though the trial only lasted for 12 weeks of treatment, the patients were monitored for a full year after the treatment finished.
The results speak for themselves: 95% of trial participants reported that their tinnitus symptoms improved! A year after treatments ended, 91% of participants reported that they sustained the improvement in their tinnitus symptoms.
Another tinnitus treatment option is known as Neosensory. This device also uses small sensations, but the delivery method is different. You wear a wristband instead. The wristband syncs with your phone and is run through an app. The wristband has different responses to the frequencies of the app, resulting in bimodal stimulation.
The recommended treatment is to use this wristband for 10 minutes per day for 8 weeks. After 3 weeks, 91% of customers report noticing an improvement from this treatment device. While the recommendation is 10 – 15 minutes of treatment daily, some people choose to use the device for longer during their treatment sessions.
Not only is the Neosensory device backed by science, but many trusted audiologists and reputable institutions also endorse it.
Everyone has 10 minutes a day they can dedicate to treatment. This device is easy to use because of the integrated app, which has guided exercises and daily reminders so that you don’t forget to use the device.
If you are living with tinnitus symptoms, then we invite you to reach out to our team for a consultation. We offer full-service solutions to identify any underlying hearing conditions that might need to be treated. Additionally, we can help you choose the ideal treatment device to alleviate your tinnitus symptoms and help you find relief.
For more information about available services, contact our expert team at Fairfax Hearing Center. We are always here to help.
If you have hearing loss, does it mean that you also have a higher risk of dementia? The latest research in aging shows a connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. While additional research is needed, some researchers are starting to suggest that hearing loss might be a cause of dementia.
It’s easy to see how hearing loss is both frustrating and inconvenient. Not only is the patient affected, but loved ones also experience the awkwardness of communication issues and more.
In addition to the way that hearing loss affects everyday life, there are also indications of more serious consequences – such as dementia and cognitive loss. Additionally, patients with hearing loss often have a higher risk of falls and walking problems. So, treating hearing loss can help with communication and might also reduce the risk of related issues.
Johns Hopkins started this conversation with a research study that lasted nearly 12 years. During the course of this research, they tracked 639 adults to see how their hearing impacted dementia risk.
There is a lot of evidence showing that hearing is a very important part of brain health. The results showed that if someone has mild hearing loss, then their risk of dementia doubled. Patients with moderate hearing loss had a triple risk of dementia. Patients with severe hearing loss were 5x more likely to develop dementia.
While hearing loss is not the only cause of cognitive decline, the research is showing that it could play a significant role. A study published in 2020 lists 12 key factors in the development of dementia that could be modified, and hearing loss is one of these risk factors. The good news is that all of these factors can be treated to hopefully reduce the risk of dementia for patients. One of the highest modifiable risk factors for dementia is addressing hearing loss in middle age.
It’s estimated that hearing loss is the cause of at least 8% of dementia cases. Since 10 million new dementia cases are diagnosed annually, this means that hearing loss could be contributing to 800,000 patients who are diagnosed with dementia!
Why does hearing loss increase the risk of dementia and cognitive decline? The theory is that hearing loss causes a faster atrophy rate in the brain. Brain scans have been done to measure how the brain is being affected over time, and there are concerns about the findings.
Additionally, patients with hearing loss tend to feel more isolated from a social perspective. They have a harder time following conversations, which means they often spend less time with people. If someone isn’t as engaged in the communication or is spending more and more time by themselves, then it could be a factor that impacts the development of dementia.
It’s also clear that hearing loss can increase the risk of walking problems and falling. Even though you aren’t aware of it, when you are walking, your ears are always dialing in to seemingly small cues, which affect balance and movement. Patients with hearing loss are missing these small but important signals. As a result, the brain has to work harder. When the mental effort is constantly multitasking, it could have an impact on the way the brain is functioning while the person is walking – and increase the risk of walking safety.
Another interesting connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline is that there are times when hearing loss is misdiagnosed as dementia. Some of the signs of dementia include difficulty with communication – not only challenges with speaking, but also having a hard time understanding what other people are saying. Patients with dementia have difficulty processing what they are hearing, especially if there are other distractions during the conversation.
The difficulty with information processing is one of the first signs of dementia. But it is also a sign of hearing loss. If a patient has hearing loss and they are having difficulty with conversation, then it could make it seem like they have dementia. Doctors who fail to complete a hearing test might mistakenly determine an inaccurate diagnosis of dementia.
So, if you or a loved one is starting to display symptoms of dementia, then make sure to get a hearing test as you are navigating the diagnostic process. It’s possible that hearing issues can be addressed with hearing aids or other treatments, which might help to improve communication and information processing.
A diagnosis of hearing loss can be a good sign because hearing loss can be treated using hearing aids. There is much more hope of improvement for hearing loss than there is for cognitive decline. Additionally, if a patient is at a high risk of dementia, then hearing aids might be an effective solution to slow this cognitive decline.
If you have hearing loss and have been avoiding hearing aids because they seem inconvenient, then it might be time to talk to an audiologist about your treatment options. While there haven’t been any research studies about how hearing aids might slow the development of dementia, there are many benefits that come from the use of hearing aids. It’s possible that improving your hearing now could slow brain atrophy, which might decrease or delay the risk of cognitive decline.
Most people who wear hearing aids find numerous benefits in their daily lives. Yes, it takes a bit of time to get used to wearing hearing aids. But once you have adjusted, there are many aspects of life that improve – including social connections, conversations, and being more involved in your community again.
When you suspect that you or a loved one might have hearing loss, then the best thing you can do is visit an audiologist for a comprehensive hearing test. We offer full-service solutions to ensure an accurate diagnosis, as well as effective treatment options. We invite you to contact our team when you are ready for more information. Reach out to us at Fairfax Hearing Center to schedule a consultation.
It’s incredible to see the ways technology has continued to transform the options for people who need assistive devices for hearing loss. Auracast is being discussed throughout the industry as experts and hearing aid users see the possibilities with this new broadcast technology. People are saying that this could be a game-changer.
If you or a loved one uses hearing aids, then you know how convenient it is to use Bluetooth for streaming audio or connecting to phone calls directly through the hearing aids. Auracast builds on these benefits – it is different from traditional Bluetooth options, opening the door for many advancements in the future.
While most premium hearing aids offer Bluetooth capabilities, one notable drawback is in the battery life. Typically, a person wearing hearing aids needs their battery to last the entire day – 15 hours. At the same time, comfort is priority, which means the desire is to have these hearing devices as small as possible. The challenge is creating a hearing aid that can handle battery-draining features (such as Bluetooth) while still maintaining the small design.
A new Bluetooth global standard was unveiled in 2020 known as Bluetooth LE Audio (LE is an acronym for “low energy”). This technology offers better quality of sound with only half of the energy required. It paved the way for Auracast since the updated Bluetooth capabilities reduces the battery usage without sacrificing streaming quality.
These Bluetooth developments led to a new protocol known as Auracast, which enables shared audio experiences.
For example, you could be in a public place and see a muted television on the wall. The audio from the show can be broadcast into the headphones or hearing aids of the people who want to listen. It creates a simultaneous experience where everyone can participate using their own hearing device of choice.
Not only is this development exciting for people with hearing loss, but it also enables shared experiences for people using regular Bluetooth headphones. Everyone in the room can experience the same audio stream simultaneously. It’s a universal access leveraging some of the existing features of Bluetooth, with extra benefits to improve the overall experience for everyone involved.
Here are a few ways that Auracast technology outperforms basic Bluetooth technology:
These benefits listed above are regarding Auracast technology in general. Additionally, there are more benefits available for hearing aids specifically:
Auracast is making it easier than ever for people with hearing loss to participate in larger group activities. The technology works as a PA system, with the main device transmitting to as many receivers as possible. The speaker or presenter can communicate with many people simultaneously, even if the audience is using different devices.
As this technology continues to roll out, it is expected that the big brands in the electronics industry will jump on board. This capability can easily be added to headphones, earbuds, and other electronic devices from all of the major tech companies.
Even if a person is using hearing aids that don’t have Auracast built in, then there may be options to tune in through their smartphone.
Instead of having the limitation of only one device being paired for Bluetooth, this technology will make it possible for the entire room to tune in together. For larger events, such as sports games or the Olympics, it’s even possible to have unique channels to accommodate different languages that need to be transmitted.
Do you need help choosing the right hearing aid technology for your unique needs? Then we invite you to contact us at Fairfax Hearing Center. Our expert team is staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the industry. Schedule a consultation and we will help you find the ideal technology to optimize your hearing.
Do you feel like you can hear ringing or buzzing in your ears, but there is no explanation for where the noise is coming from? When there is a perception of sound and other people can’t hear it, then it could be an indication that you are suffering from tinnitus.
Tinnitus is quite common, with an estimated 15 – 20% of the population experiencing it at some point in their lives. The likelihood of having tinnitus increases with age and is more prevalent among older adults.
Doctors are still researching tinnitus to understand the underlying cause. Usually, it is a symptom of another underlying condition. For example, if a person has an ear injury or age-related hearing loss, then tinnitus can develop.
Hearing loss can be associated with tinnitus due to the damage that occurs to the tiny hairs within the inner ear. If these hairs are broken or bent (which happens due to age or exposure to loud sounds), then random electrical impulses can be “leaked” and result in tinnitus sounds.
Other potential causes of tinnitus might include:
Sometimes, the use of certain medications can cause these symptoms. For example, antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, antidepressants, and cancer drugs can sometimes cause ringing in the ears.
Sometimes, the cause of tinnitus can be difficult to identify. You might experience ringing in the ears and doctors can’t find an underlying condition to treat.
Most people describe tinnitus as a ringing sound in the ears, ranging from a quiet background noise to louder sounds. This sensation happens without explanation because there are no external factors that are causing the noise.
Other phantom noises can also occur, such as:
The frequency of the sound can vary in pitch. Some patients describe tinnitus as a high squeal while other people experience it as a low roar – and everything in between. It’s possible to have tinnitus in only one ear, or it can be present in both.
Sometimes tinnitus sounds like your heartbeat, or you might hear a whooshing or rhythmic sounds. These symptoms are known as pulsatile tinnitus, but they are uncommon.
These symptoms can be present at all times. Or, it’s common for tinnitus to come and go. While the perceived sounds are typically faint and in the background, the noises can become so loud that it interferes with a person’s ability to concentrate.
Tinnitus can affect anyone, but there are certain factors that increase the likelihood someone will experience tinnitus. Common risk factors include:
How do you know If you should talk to a doctor about tinnitus? Many people live with tinnitus on an ongoing basis and they aren’t bothered by the symptoms. But it might make sense to visit with an ear and hearing specialist if any of the following apply to you:
Talking to a doctor can be helpful in identifying if there are any underlying causes that are affecting your tinnitus symptoms. For example, your doctor might determine that you have hearing loss and recommend hearing aids or other treatments to improve your hearing – which could also have a positive impact on your tinnitus symptoms as well.
Most people live with tinnitus without experiencing any serious effects. But, since tinnitus affects each person in a unique way, there are other people who are negatively affected by these symptoms. In serious cases, tinnitus can take a significant toll on a person’s quality of life.
Chronic and severe tinnitus can lead to a variety of complications, including:
Sometimes, tinnitus occurs due to something that is not preventable. But there are some precautions you can take to reduce the risk of tinnitus symptoms. These precautions can be helpful for people who have never experienced tinnitus, as well as patients who had tinnitus in the past and want to prevent it from coming back:
Whether you have tinnitus, hearing loss, or any other concerns about your ears, our professional team is here to assist. You can get more information by contacting us at Fairfax Hearing Center. Schedule an appointment to talk to a specialist for personal recommendations.
How long has it been since you had your hearing tested? Regardless of your age, regular hearing tests are an important evaluation that should happen regularly. The frequency and importance of these hearing tests become even more essential as a person ages because the risk of hearing loss increases with age.
Hearing tests are an important step in detecting any hearing issues in the earliest stages. Here are some of the reasons why you should have hearing tests regularly:
When a hearing test is done, the doctor not only evaluates your ability to hear but also looks at other functions of your ears simultaneously. The main goal is to determine whether you are experiencing any hearing loss. Even if your hearing seems to be fine, mild amounts of hearing loss might impact your daily activities.
During the hearing test, several methods are used to see how your ears function. Additionally, the testing process can measure your range of hearing to determine if you are losing the ability to hear high or low pitches. If your doctor identifies any gaps in your range of hearing, then they can provide a diagnosis and offer solutions that can help to optimize your hearing as much as possible.
In addition to measuring and testing your hearing abilities, this appointment is also a great opportunity for the doctor to assess your overall ear health. A visual inspection can identify other issues that might need treatment, such as injuries, wax buildup, infections, blemishes, excess fluid, and more.
During the appointment, a physical examination will occur inside the ear canal and around the outer ear. The doctor can also test different parts of the ear to see how your acoustic reflexes and eardrums are responding.
Did you know that a hearing test can also help uncover other health problems that might be impacting your ears? For example, if hearing loss is detected, the doctor will diagnose and look for underlying causes. It’s possible that you might have another underlying condition contributing to the hearing loss, which means that you can see other medical treatments to fix this root issue.
Patients with high blood pressure and diabetes are examples of people who might experience hearing issues as a side-effect of other health problems. When a hearing test indicates an issue, it provides a clue for doctors to pay attention to other health issues that might need to be addressed.
The truth is that regular hearing tests can be an important step in protecting overall health. If hearing issues go undetected and untreated, then it can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and even dementia.
So, identifying hearing loss in the earliest stages and providing treatment can be an essential step to protecting your mental health. Good hearing is necessary for preventing social isolation, which has a domino effect on many other aspects of life.
Just because you have hearing loss doesn’t mean it will cause these mental health concerns. But the sooner you treat the hearing loss, the better likelihood of preventing these other issues from happening.
Depending on the cause of your hearing loss, it might also be possible to prevent the problem from progressing by treating it as soon as possible. For example, if an infection causes hearing loss, then treating the infection might be able to stop the underlying cause to prevent your hearing from getting worse.
Did you know that when hearing loss occurs, degeneration can happen in the auditory system and disrupt the signals sent to the brain? When a person starts wearing hearing aids, it provides stimulation to this degenerating auditory system, which in turn provides new sensory information for the brain.
Maintaining ongoing sensory signals through the hearing aids helps to keep these pathways open and minimize the ongoing risk of degeneration.
If you know that you have any level of hearing loss, then it’s essential to stay consistent with these hearing tests. You need to keep track of any changes that are occurring. This tracking will help you determine how quickly the hearing loss is progressing, and the doctor can also offer treatment recommendations as your hearing changes over the years.
It’s necessary to identify when your hearing is deteriorating any further. Often, hearing loss happens gradually, and patients don’t recognize that they are losing their hearing. Testing can detect hearing loss that is present, even if a patient hasn’t distinguished noticeable changes in their hearing.
Pay attention to your daily habits and activities because you might notice clues that hearing loss is occurring – indicating that you should schedule a hearing test. Instead of waiting for a yearly appointment, it’s best to book a hearing test as soon as possible if you notice any of these issues:
Even if you think your hearing is fine, scheduling routine hearing tests always a good idea.
At Fairfax Hearing Center, we offer a full range of services, including hearing tests, treatments, hearing aids, and more. Our goal is to help you maintain the healthiest ears possible and maximize your hearing capabilities at the same time.
If you need to schedule a hearing test or would like to book a checkup, contact us at your convenience. Fairfax Hearing Center is here to help with all of your hearing needs.