• Hearing impaired individuals may experience reduced anxiety and increased success with their devices and their ability to communicate.
• Quality of life is affected when AR includes psychosocial and informational content.
• Greater feeling of satisfaction with their hearing devices and with the clinic providing the AR.
• Greater amount of time spent focused on retraining than a patient would get in a traditional setting where hearing aids are dispensed and the audiologist addresses communication strategies only as part of a limited-time appointment.
• Generally hearing aid wearers require fewer follow-up appointments when attending AR sessions.

According to the article “Group Audiologic Rehabilitation for Adults:  Ten Reasons to Add This Service to Private Practice” by Linda M. Thibodeau, PhD, CCC-A/SLP & Jennifer A. Alford, BA, a perfect analogy to better understand the overall effects of AR is this:  “A [hearing professional] that includes hearing aid dispensing without an option for group AR sessions to address communication strategies, speech-reading, and coping skills is like giving a novice photographer an expensive camera without the instruction manual:  the fledgling photographer will not get the full benefits of the camera’s features.”

A licensed audiologist ordinarily conducts these classes.  He may facilitate the group so that participants become mentors for each other.  In fact, studies show that when this methodology is used, participants generally get the greatest rewards from the sessions.

These classes are now being conducted in the Treasure Valley.  As part of Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance’s mission to ensure every patient gets the most out of their investment in their hearing aids, they have recently started offering regular Hear Well ~ Live Well Communication Skills classes.  Led by Dr. Mel Miller, Ph.D., CCC-A, they are designed to

Dr. Mel Miller, Ph.D., CCC-A

guide people with hearing difficulties to a better understanding of the intricacies of the hearing process and to help them develop strategies for handling difficult listening situations.  Participants are encouraged to assume responsibility for managing their communication settings and will be shown how to get the most out of their assistive devices.  These classes are also designed to help family members and friends understand the challenges of hearing loss and to demonstrate techniques to make communication more effective.  They are open to the public at no charge, and should be especially helpful for:  a) new users of hearing instruments; b) veteran users of hearing instruments who want to increase their communication skills; c) people who have tried hearing instruments, but were unsuccessful with them; d) people who currently do not wear hearing instruments, but are experiencing communication difficulties.

The classes are offered at two levels and are well suited for both the hearing impaired and their significant others, including family members and friends.  Class A is for patients who have either just been fitted with hearing aids or who are contemplating devices but don’t yet wear them. The class will provide a backdrop as to how the ear works, why you may be experiencing hearing loss, what it is like to live with hearing loss, goals and expectations of hearing instruments, “care and feeding” of hearing instruments and basic communication strategies.

Class B is a follow-on class for those having just attended Class A, or for those who are a bit more sophisticated already in the wearing of hearing devices. Non-hearing aid wearers can also benefit from this class.  It will go over more advanced strategies for effective communications for those with hearing loss as well as for those communicating with someone with hearing loss.  Analyzing communication problems and learning appropriate actions toward them will be covered.

The class schedule is generally:

Class A:  3^rd Thursdays of each month, 1 PM

Class B:  2nd & 4^th Thursday of each month, 10AM & 1PM respectively

In February 2012, Class B will be held on Tuesday February 14 as an exception to the rule.

The schedule can be checked at anytime at www.treasurevalleyhearing.com/news.php.

Classes are held at Unity Health Center at 745 S. Progress Ave. in Meridian.

Register with Debbie by calling 208-377-0019.

Dr. Mel Miller, Ph.D., CCC-A will be discussing these topics:

Week 1 (December 7, 2011):  Tinnitus Overview

Week 2 (December 14, 2011):  Tinnitus Causes

Week 3 (December 21, 2011):  Tinnitus Cures

Week 4 (December 28, 2011):  Tinnitus Proven Treatment Plans and Cures

Tune in for each post or subscribe to the RSS feed in our blog so they appear either in your RSS reader or email.

And now with Week 1, Tinnitus Overview:

The Starkey Hearing Foundation’s mission is “Change the social consciousness of hearing and hearing matters through education and research while providing the gift of hearing to those in need around the world.”  The foundation was started in 1984 and is called “So the World May Hear”.  They conduct hearing fitting missions with providers who donate their time to the events.  The missions are held throughout the world:  Africa, Asia, Europe & Middle East, Central & Caribbean, Mexico, South America and the United States. Click here for a complete list of the missions around the globe.

During the month of October, 2011, Jacquie Elcox, CEO of Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance and her husband Joe Cooper, went on one of these missions to Honduras.  While there, they and the other volunteer providers fit 1700 patients over the span of 4 days.  Each day they had between 8 and 11 providers doing the fittings.  While many of the patients were children, plenty were adults as well.

The founder of the foundation, William F. Austin has a special message with regards to the children the foundation helps. “It’s important for us to help the children because they’re the future of the world – and if we neglect the children, we diminish our future. This is a very special thing we do for the children. It is something from which they’ll always remember us. Our reward is in the faces and smiles of each person as we help them hear again. This is the best work we could ever do because it’s helping people… and that’s what life is all about. We truly live through what we give – we live on into the future through our gifts back into our community and to humanity.”

Below are a couple of videos about the trip:

About the Mission:  (This link may take a little time to stream, but is worth the wait.)

2011HondurasAudigyVideoEd6.mp4

About the Provider Experience:

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Research has suggested for some time that there is a link between hearing loss and dementia.  Previous studies have suggested in hearing loss, brain stimulation gets minimized since the sounds are not able to reach the brain.  Now in February of 2011, a  new study was released on this subject, which brings to light some new possibilities as to what may be going on in a person’s brain that could cause the dementia.  This study suggest perhaps strain on the brain trying to decode words.  They also speculate, (which previous studies have already speculated), that the dementia could leave a person isolated, which is already a known cause of dementia and other cognitive disorders.

The scientists in this study point out that anything that can help a person to hear better, hearing aids included, could delay or even prevent the dementia.

To conduct the research, 639 people were studied.  Some had previous hearing loss, while others did not.  Then over a period of time, these people were watched to see if dementia developed.  None of the 639 people had dementia at the beginning of the study.  They found that when they took out other correlations with hearing loss, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and age, the link between hearing loss and dementia was still very strong.

This study points out that while people tend to ignore the warning signs of hearing loss as it encroaches on one’s life so slowly, people should be much more diligent with treatment at an earlier stage.  Allowing hearing loss to go untreated could cause a person to have even bigger problems down the road.

For more information on this study, you can go to:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_and_dementia_linked_in_study

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/our_team/faculty/lin_frank.html

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/

http://www.grc.nia.nih.gov/branches/blsa/blsanew.htm

How do you REALLY know if you have a hearing problem?

208-377-0019

Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance is one of only two AudigyCertified™ practices in Idaho.  AudigyCertified professionals possess the highest credentials and are among the country’s most experienced hearing care professionals.  Their expertise is measured by their commitment to patient satisfaction, continuing education, and the application of current technologies.

Photo courtesy of Paul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Did you know that eating a healthy diet can have big ramifications to your hearing health?  Studies are showing that those that consume adequate amounts of folate or folic acid, have a decreased risk of hearing loss.  Folate and Folic Acid are of the anti-oxidant family we hear about so much in the press today.  Folate is naturally occurring in foods and folic acid is its synthetic version found in vitamins.  They each perform equally in the body.

Foods rich in folate include spinach, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, baked beams, peas,  avocado, mushrooms, dry roasted peanuts,  orange & tomato juices, banana,  enriched egg noodles, cereals, eggs, liver.  In the United States, flour is enriched with folic acid, so we have better protection than in countries that don’t have fortification.

Here’s how the process works:  When you hear loud sounds, your inner ears produce free radicals.  (Free radicals can happen due to other things as well.  See links at bottom.)  If you have adequate anti-oxidants in your body, they will work to fight off the free radicals.  Not enough anti-oxidants and damage becomes permanent.

It is not just your hearing that is affected with too little folic acid.  Other health issues include anemia, pregnancy complications, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, chronic fatigue, depression, high blood sugar/glucose intolerance, gingivitis in pregnant mothers, stroke and vascular disease (plus others).

Conclusion:  Eat a healthy diet every day.  Your ears will love that you do!

For further reading:

http://www.webmd.com/news/20070102/folic-acid-may-slow-hearing-loss

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/folate/NS_patient-folate/DSECTION=evidence

http://www.healthyhearing.com/articles/44966-folates-prevent-hearing-loss

Paul’s photo portfolio can be found here.

Now you ask, “What is an ARI?”  It stands for Acoustic Resonance Imaging.  It is a computerized evaluation which measures how your hearing system (hearing aids) responds to a live voice while in your ears.  You actually see pictures of the sounds of speech that are reaching your eardrum through your hearing system as they occur.  An ARI is performed using a voice that is familiar to you.  Your spouse or a close loved one’s voice is preferred for the exam.

Why should I have an ARI?

This important evaluation will help us to accurately determine the correct settings for your hearing system and to make necessary adjustments so that you are hearing optimally.

How often should I have an ARI?

You should have an ARI as part of your annual check up.

Why haven’t I heard about the ARI before now?

An ARI is performed using Digital Speech Mapping (DSM).  In many cases, the DSM makes it possible to fine-tune your hearing instruments so that speech is once again clearly reproduced.  We have multiple DSM systems dedicated to the performance of Acoustic Resonance Imaging evaluations.  The ARI is available exclusively from Treasure Valley Hearing and Balance Clinics.

What happens if I don’t take advantage of an ARI?

You may not be hearing with your hearing system as well as you could be.  Without an ARI you won’t know for sure.  Don’t run this risk.  Not hearing clearly now could have serious long-term effects on your ability to understand speech clearly down the road, even with a hearing system.   Further difficulty resulting from auditory deprivation is something that you must strive to avoid.  Through proper testing and evaluation, we will help you stay abreast of any changes to your hearing or hearing system function.

How much can I expect to pay for an ARI?

The recommended fee for an ARI is $125.  This information is invaluable in helping to determine the correct settings for your hearing aids.  However, please speak with your provider regarding special offers.

How do I receive an ARI?

You can and should book an appointment today at one of our many clinics in Boise, Nampa, Eagle and elsewhere.  Remember to bring someone with a familiar voice, preferably your spouse.  This is critical and we are unable to perform this test accurately without your “familiar voice”.

If you have questions regarding the ARI test, feel free to call us at 208-377-0019 or 800-726-1019 or email us at info@treasurevalleyhearing.com.

There are two overriding causes for hearing loss going on today, particularly in young adults:

• improper MP3 player usage
• the wars in the Middle East

MP3 player usage: While anyone can get hearing loss from MP3 players, teenagers and very young adults are of greater cause for concern because they think they will live healthily forever, and conservation is not generally in their makeup.  We need to encourage everyone to keep the volume 85db and lower.  The use of a custom molded plug should aid in this without having to worry about measuring decibels in any way.  By their pure makeup of keeping the sound in the ear and not competing with background noise as much, a person has little need to turn the volume louder than approximately 85db.  It is also necessary to give the ears a break from the constant sound of an MP3 player.  Using it an hour at a time is a good rule of thumb, then letting the ears rest before using it again. 

Middle East military activity: IEDs, explosives, guns, planes, can all cause hearing loss.  As you can imagine our vets are exposed to a lot of heightened noise on a daily basis, and sometimes for hours at a time.  Any fitting of protective plugs, as best I have been able to ascertain, is spotty, at best.  NPR just released a story on their program All Things Considered that speaks to the loss of hearing in our veterans and particularly tinnitus that often accompanies hearing loss.  Here is a link to the well-done piece:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/21/132238016/hearing-condition-plagues-u-s-veterans#commentBlock.

On a happier note, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have worked together to publish findings on years of studying adults in America with regards to hearing loss.  Their findings indicate that American adults hear better than they have in previous generations.  Their most recent test results concluded in 2004, a few years after the start of the war in the Middle East.  Perhaps if they were still gathering data  the effect of war veterans might have been heavier.  Regardless, their tests showed that adults today hear better in upper frequencies (2000-6000 Hz) than they did from 1959-1962, while the middle frequency of 1000 Hz has stayed roughly the same.  The upper frequencies are mostly associated with a person’s ability to understand speech, particularly in noisy environments.  So while we still have 1 in 6 Americans today experiencing hearing loss, at least that loss is not as severe as it once was.  To read this report, click here:  http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/news/releases/10/121710.htm.