Do Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Cause Hearing Loss?

Every year, Paula Falk receives an influx of calls from adult children concerned about the decline of their elderly parents. “They visited at the holidays and saw the reality of their parents’ situation, which is much different than what Mom or Dad had been describing on the phone,” says Falk, director of caregiving services at the Friendship Centers in Sarasota, Florida.

Source: Health / usnews.com / Senior Care / Caregiving 

One major concern for seniors is hearing loss.

Last year the Senate approved a bill that would allow over-the-counter (OTC) sale of hearing aids.  This is great news if you or your senior parents, already know what type of hearing aid is best.  For the those of you outside of this group, there are a few things you should know before you buy an over the counter hearing aid – hearing devices for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss can purchase directly at a local retailer or online.

• An estimated 30 million people in the U.S. have a hearing loss, and selecting the most suitable hearing solution can be a critical factor in achieving a balanced life. 

• The new hearing aid law will obviously make hearing aids more accessible, but this could mean some people with hearing loss could inadvertently buy the wrong hearing aid.  

Hearing Aid Fitting

If a hearing aid is not properly fitted, it’s common (and likely) that the ability to hear will gradually worsen throughout that period of time.  The solution for hearing loss starts with being evaluated by a licensed Audiologist who can properly program hearing aids for your specific hearing loss is a critically important step any senior or caregiver should take before considering an over-the-counter hearing aid.

Consumers and Hearing Loss 

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an industry group, maintains that while this new category of aids will help some people with mild hearing losses, "the best approach for consumers to address hearing loss is to seek the services of a licensed and certified audiologist,” says Jaynee A. Handelsman, Ph.D., ASHA’s past president and director of pediatric audiology at Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan.

Do Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Cause Hearing Loss?  

Only your Audiologist can answer this question.  Achieve Hearing can test your hearing and help you determine the cause of your hearing loss.  If you feel that your hearing has gotten worse since using your Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids, Achieve Hearing can help you get to the root of your hearing loss. Visit our website to schedule an appointment or call 972.608.0416.

Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation is a speech and hearing clinic with locations in Plano and Dallas, Texas. We offer speech-language pathology and audiological services to children and adults of all ages, and resources to help you target your specific speech therapy needs.  If you or someone you know demonstrates any signs stuttering, please call us at 972-608-0416 to discuss how Achieve can help. 

Achieve a balanced life.

Loud Super Bowl and Crowd Noise

NFL Conference Championships | New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos (18 - 20 Broncos)

For diehard football fans, nothing beats screaming your lungs out in the stadium alongside tens of thousands of other fans.

There is, however, a downside: hearing loss.

With the battle among fans to be the loudest crowd getting almost as competitive as the NFL itself, hearing experts say it's time for a serious conversation about the damage caused by crowd noise.

Source: Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close: Fans Risk Hearing Loss

Family and friends will gather at tailgate parties during the Super Bowl while others search high and low for one more chair to somehow squeeze into an already crowded living room.  There will be man caves bulging with testosterone around the world.  Some lucky football fans will have the opportunity to experience this mega event in epic proportions – cheering for their favorite Super Bowl team at Levi's Stadium.  This all sounds great until you lean how the loud Super Bowl screaming and continuous exposure to crowd noise can be really bad for your ears.


Did you know?
Decibel levels exceeded 118 dB during this seasons NFL playoff game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense “impulse” sound, such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time.

So when we look specifically at the degree of hearing loss we are talking about the severity of the loss. Example: Mild hearing loss range is 26 to 40 dB HL (decibel hearing loss).

Hearing loss can affect relationships, education, productivity, and most importantly, emotional well being. For the estimated 30 million people in the U.S. who have a hearing loss, selecting the most suitable hearing solution can be a critical factor in achieving a balanced life.  Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation helps patients overcome different types of hearing loss. If you or someone you know demonstrates any signs and symptoms of hearing loss please call us at 972-608-0416 to discuss how Achieve Hearing can help.

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Ringing In The Holidays with Tinnitus

It’s almost impossible to hide hearing loss when you’re surrounded by loved ones during the holidays. Common signs of hearing loss include not being able to hear well in a crowded room, having trouble hearing children and women, and asking family and friends to repeat what they’re saying. These symptoms became more pronounced in my grandpa during the holidays: smiling and nodding during the holiday dinner was a telltale sign that he was not able to follow the conversations.

Source: Hearing Loss and the Holidays

Do you hear a ringing, roaring, clicking or hissing sound in your ears? Do you hear this sound often or all the time? Does the sound bother you? If you answer is yes, you might have tinnitus and should contact our licensed Audiologist, Michael Gehan, M.S., CCC-A.  Michael is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services.  Tinnitus is the number one disability among Veterans returning from war and it affects a minimum of 1 in every 10 American adults.

The NIH (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders):

• Roughly 10 percent of the U.S. adult population, or about 25 million Americans, has experienced tinnitus lasting at least five minutes in the past year.

• Nearly 25 percent of those aged 65 to 74 and 50 percent of those who are 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.

• Tinnitus treatment depends on the cause. Treatments may include hearing aids, sound-masking devices, medicines and ways to learn how to cope with the noise.

Google Trends Tinnitus Interest for Dallas - Ft. Worth, Texas

Studies show up to 50% of all veterans returning from war suffer from tinnitus.  It’s an invisible injury often linked to repetitive loud noises.  “Sometimes it’s so overwhelming you can’t focus or you can’t communicate, you can’t sleep,” Vaught said after enduring the explosive sounds of war in Iraq, Allen Vaught may have been looking forward to silence.

Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation helps patients who suffer from tinnitus. If you or someone you know demonstrates any signs and symptoms of tinnitus please call us at 972-608-0416 to discuss how Achieve can help.

Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation is a speech and hearing clinic in Plano, Texas. We offer speech-language pathology and audiological services for children and adults of all ages. Achieve is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, BlueCross BlueShield, Medicare, and United Healthcare. We can help obtain information about your policy to determine if services are covered under. Please call us at 972-608-0416.

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Early Childhood Hearing Screening

Audiologists, by virtue of academic degree, clinical training, and license to practice, are qualified to provide guidance, development, implementation, and oversight of newborn hearing screening programs. Professional roles and activities include training screeners, monitoring program outcomes, performing screenings, advocacy, education, administration, and research. 

Source:  The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Hearing loss can affect relationships, education, productivity, and most importantly, emotional well-being. For the estimated 30 million people in the U.S. who have a hearing loss, selecting the most suitable hearing solution can be a critical factor in achieving a balanced life.

One of the first steps you can take to determine if you have hearing loss is to be proactive – early hearing screening and follow-up.  This is especially important for newborns children. 

In Texas, newborns are screened for 55 disorders, hearing is 1 of them.  In 2013 more newborns arrived in August than in any other month. The second, third, and fourth most popular birthday months by number of births were July, October, and September.  Texas is ranked number 2 out of the top 3 state with the most births. California, Texas, and New York (in descending order) had the greatest number of births. 

Early Childhood Hearing by the numbers:

• Approximately 1 to 3 in every 1,000 children are identified with congenital hearing loss shortly after birth.  

• Hearing loss can occur at any time in a young child's life. By 6 years of age, about six in every 1,000 children have a hearing loss. 

• Approximately 1 out of every 300 children in the U.S. is born with a significant hearing loss.  Children need to hear clearly in order to develop spoken language skills.  Therefore, periodic screening during the early childhood years will help to ensure that children are able to communicate and learn.  The goal of early childhood hearing screening is to identify concerns regarding a child's developmental, sensory, behavioral, motor, language, social, cognitive, perceptual, and emotional skills. Without appropriate screening, the condition can remain undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed, for years as the child falls further behind in cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation hearing loss solutions:

• Up-to-date information about recommended hearing screening practices

• Tools to effectively implement hearing screening so that children with hearing-health needs are identified as early as possible and provided with appropriate follow-up services and support

• Strategies for using hearing screening as an opportunity to promote language development in all children as an integral part of school readiness

Audiologists, by virtue of academic degree, clinical training, and license to practice, are qualified to provide guidance, development, implementation, and oversight of newborn hearing screening programs.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Hearing Screening is recommended for all children 0 – 3 years of age. It is also appropriate for many children over 3 who are unable to follow instructions and complete tasks required for Pure Tone Audiometric Screening. Pure Tone Screening has traditionally been recommended for children over 3 years of age who can follow instructions and complete screening tasks.

The OAE screening provides:

• Quick, painless and does not require a behavioral response.

• Helps detect permanent sensorineural hearing loss and call attention to a wide range of hearing health concerns.

Most children will pass this third OAE screening. Less than 1% will still not pass. These children must be referred immediately for a complete diagnostic evaluation from a pediatric audiologist. 

Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation is a speech and hearing clinic in Plano, Texas. We offer speech-language pathology and audiological services for children and adults of all ages. Achieve is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, BlueCross BlueShield, Medicare, and United Healthcare. We can help obtain information about your policy to determine if services are covered under. To schedule, an appointment call us today 972-608-0416 or send email questions to receptionist@achievehearing.com

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Healthy Students Going Back-to-School

Parents citywide know take advantage of Sales Tax Holiday Tax-free Weekend.  It's a great time to stickup on back-to-school items that lead to some pretty good savings. 

Although the exact dates for the Sales Tax Holiday change year-after-year, the fine the “Fine Print” - important information you should know about this tax-saving event are more consistent. Unfortunately one of the more common necessities kids need: backpacks priced under $100 sold for use by elementary and secondary students are exempt during the sales tax holiday.  You can view the Sales Tax Holiday criteria and exemption information online.

As you shuffle about town checking off items on your back-to-school to-do list, don't forget about the ears. What about the more important hearing exam? And special instructions for the school nurse?

The Texas Department of State Health Services states that children four years of age or older, who are enrolled in any facility for the first time, must be screened for possible vision and hearing problems within 120 calendar days of enrollment.  If a child is enrolled within 60 days of the date a facility closes for the Summer, the child’s vision and hearing must be tested within 120 days of the beginning of the following school year.  Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 36, which was passed in the 1983 Legislative Session, mandates hearing screening for preschool- and school-age children, as well as the standards for such screening.

There are four objectives in a hearing screening program:

• Identify children who may need diagnostic examination,
• Refer these children for professional examination and needed health services,
• Follow-up on referrals in order to encourage that professional and medical recommendations are carried out,
• Convey information to the educational staff concerning the child's hearing difficulty diagnosed by professional personnel, so that recommended adjustments can be made in the educational program.

Achieve Hearing offers speech-language pathology and audiological services, as well as hearing aids for children and adults of all ages. The Achieve Hearing staff includes an Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathologists that are licensed in the state of Texas and certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).  Parents in Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Prosper, and Dallas call upon Achieve Hearing to work patiently with you to adjust your hearing aid to your specific needs until you are satisfied.  We have prepared a list facts about hearing aids on our website as well as our online hearing exam.

Let's make this year one of the most enjoyable yet for students of all ages by keeping them on the right track.  If you are in doubt you child's hearing, call Achieve Hearing & Rehabilitation for guidance.  

We have two locations to better serve you:

• Plano, 1 block East of the Dallas Tollway in the Parkwood Crossings Medical Complex
• Dallas, 1 block North of Walnut Hill Lane in the Preston Hollow - Milliman Building  

Call 972.608.0416 or email your questions about speech therapy or hearing aids to info@achievehearing.com

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