Supporting Hearing Wellness Week. Free Hearing Tests

It is World Hearing Day and Hearing Awareness Week in Australia. Where we raise awareness about hearing protection, hearing loss and hearing health. This year, the focus is on ear and hearing care for all. It is estimated that over 1.5 billion people globally are living with hearing loss. Alarmingly, this number is expected to exceed 2.5 billion people by 2050 due to our aging population. In Australia, there are almost 4 million people currently living with hearing loss.

To hear well, our ears need to detect the sound around us and send this signal along the auditory nerve to be processed by the brain. This signal is then understood in the brain so that we can make sense of what we have heard. Our ears and brain work together to continuously scan sounds around us so that we can hear well. When we have a hearing loss, this means that our ability to detect and perceive sounds is challenged. If the brain does not receive the information it needs to make sense of what we are hearing, it will be difficult to have conversations with the people around us. This can lead to withdrawing from social settings and being less connected to our family and friends. This can go on to affect many areas of our overall wellbeing such as our quality of life, health, social engagement, mental health, and cognitive function.

Our hearing is essential for communicating and hearing loss can make it much harder to hear and converse in environments such as noisy cafes, restaurants and busy shopping centres. People with hearing loss use a lot more energy, focus and attention when listening in complex listening environments. Meaning those with a hearing loss use more mental load and cognitive effort to hear and have conversations, causing them to feel tired and fatigued.

When hearing loss is left untreated, it can cause many people to stop participating in the activities and hobbies they enjoy. For example, a person may no longer wish to attend church as they cannot hear and understand sermons, or a person may no longer like going to restaurants and bars because these are noisy environments that make it difficult to hear conversations. This withdrawal from social situations can lead to loneliness, depression and other negative effects on our health and wellbeing.

So, what can we do to help? We can help to reduce the rate of hearing loss by preventing hearing loss. We can achieve this by wear hearing protection whilst around noisy situations either at work or home such as mowing the lawn or using commercial machinery. We can also protect our hearing by reducing the level of noise we are exposed to by turning down the volume, for example gamers and listening to music – and taking regular breaks.

Another way to help is to have an annual hearing test so that we can monitor our hearing level and be sure to do something about our hearing if the need arises. Independent and privately owned hearing clinics like Hearing Aid Specialists SA offer hearing tests by a qualified hearing care professional. A hearing test allows the hearing specialist to detect the presence of a hearing issue or hearing loss as well as the intensity of the hearing loss. It is recommended that if you are over 50 years of age to have your hearing checked every year, as you would with your eyes.

By protecting your ears and having your hearing checked, you can help to reduce the rate of hearing loss in Australia. Spread awareness of hearing health and ensure your friends and family are aware of how to care for their ears and their hearing.

Hearing care for all! Let’s make it a reality. Book a hearing test for you and your loved one this March at Hearing Aid Specialists SA by calling 08 8267 2555 or visit us online.

Hearing Loss in Australia

Hearing plays a crucial role in our speech and language development, communication, and learning. According to the Ear Science Institute Australia, 1 in 6 Australians have hearing loss. Hearing loss defined as a reduced ability to hear. However, this can range from a mild hearing loss to complete loss of hearing. There are many causes of hearing loss, although the main factors that contribute towards hearing loss are age, exposure to loud noise, genetics, and untreated ear diseases such as an ear infection.

Poor hearing health or untreated hearing loss is a serious health problem and can cause lifelong consequences. For example, an untreated hearing loss can affect a person’s ability to access education and find work. A hearing loss can affect emotional and social wellbeing as it can put individuals at risk of low self-confidence, low self-esteem, memory loss, cognitive decline, and depression. Therefore, an untreated hearing loss can lead to people withdrawing from social situations, causing social isolation.

In March 2021, the World Health Organisation released the first ever World Report on Hearing. This report noted that 1 in 4 people will be living with some degree of hearing loss in 2050 globally. This means that almost 2.5 billion people across the world will have some degree of hearing difficulty in only 29 years. However, in this report, the World Health Organisation showed that there are measures we can take to prevent many causes of hearing loss.

In Australia, about 3.6 million people have some level of hearing loss and more than 1 in 3 Australians have a hearing loss due to noise exposure. This means that for 1 in 3 Australians, their hearing loss could have been prevented. Hearing loss caused by exposure to loud noise causes damage to structures and nerve fibres in your inner ear that are responsible for responding to sound. This damage cannot be surgically or medically corrected, and it is permanent. This hearing loss can occur after a one-time exposure to a very loud sound or from listening to loud sounds for extended periods of time. This hearing loss can affect people of any age, including children and teenagers. This can be prevented by avoiding or limiting exposure to excessively loud sounds, moving away from loud sounds, turning down the volume of your radio or music and by wearing hearing protection when you cannot avoid exposure to loud sounds.

However, one of the most interesting statistics in Australia is that only 1 in 5 people who have a hearing loss and would benefit from hearing devices, use a hearing aid. One of the main reasons this number is so high is due to the lack of accurate information about hearing loss in our community as well as the stigmatised attitudes towards ear health. These factors limit people from accessing the hearing care that they need.

The first step in caring for your ears is identifying if there is a problem. It is important to visit your local hearing care clinic, like Hearing Aid Specialists SA, with locations across South Australia, to get your hearing assessed to identify if a hearing loss is present. This also gives you an opportunity to meet with an audiologist to learn more about your hearing and how to prevent future hearing loss. The Australian Government also recommends that any person aged over 50 years of age, should be having their hearing checked every year.

If you would like to start caring for your ears, call our team on 08 8267 2555 to book your assessment today.

Everything to Know About Hearing Loss

The importance of our five senses cannot be denied: sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste. They enable us to communicate with the world that surrounds us.

An inability to communicate

More than anything else, hearing is the most critical to our ability to communicate with one another. Certainly, sight and touch allow us to convey and interpret emotions – to feel & see the world around us. Hearing, however, helps us place things in a particular context that other senses can’t.

Think about the world you live in if you could not hear:

• Children laughing.
• Birds chirping.
• A song’s lyrics. 
• The dialogue of a movie.
• Someone saying I love you.

It’s not only the positive aspects of sound that we would be missing out on, either. Our hearing ability functions as a security system as well. It can alert us against any danger or assist in recognising when people are in trouble, allowing us to intervene.

Imagine you could not hear the baby’s cry or tornado sirens or emergency fire alarm.

Hearing loss can cause a person to feel lonely or isolated. Communication is the foundation of how we interact with each other. The inability to understand other people’s words can result in inadequate performance at work, infrequent interactions with others or an individual withdrawing from the people they share a close relationship.

Studies have revealed that hearing loss can cause dementia in elderly patients. This is due to years of hearing loss and social isolation that take their toll.

Like the other senses, it’s easy to take our hearing for granted. When it’s working, we pay little to no attention to our ability to hear and don’t even think about it. However, this is changing. Based on the latest statistics, hearing loss is a rising health problem for many.

Around 3.6 million Australians suffer from some kind of hearing loss. It’s the third most prevalent health problem for older adults.

What triggers people to hear loss? What can you do to stop loss of hearing? Let’s look at how hearing loss affects people, its signs, and causes, and how to prevent it.

How the ear works

Hearing loss can affect anyone, regardless of whether it is temporary or permanent. In many people, hearing loss trigger as they grow older. To understand hearing loss and why it happens, you must first understand how the ear works.

Comprising three main parts – the middle, inner and outer ear – your hearing ability begins when sound waves pass across your outer ear. This movement causes vibrations inside your eardrum, a passageway that connects your outer and middle ears. The eardrum and three smaller bones – malleus stapes and incus amplify the vibrations.

The amplified signals enter the inner ear and pass across the cochlea. The nerve cells in the cochlea transform the sound waves into signals that are transmitted and converted into sounds inside the brain.

Hearing loss symptoms

Hearing loss isn’t always noticeable. Our ability to hear is usually dependent on the environment we live in. Just because you cannot comprehend a conversation in a noisy place doesn’t necessarily mean you have hearing loss and need a wireless hearing aid.

However, a few early signs that, if persisting, might indicate possible health issues that warrant an appointment with your doctor. The most common include:

• Problems with comprehending basic speech or familiar words. This can include hearing muffled speech when someone is speaking or everyday sounds that seem dull or muted.
• Having to ask people to repeat, speak more slowly, or have difficulty understanding certain consonants or higher pitch.
• Requires constant adjustment of the TV or radio’s volume (up and up).
• You can’t understand what’s said in environments with a lot of background sound.
• Do not understand the meaning of words during a conversation in which more than one person is talking.

As mentioned, isolated instances involving any of the above could occur to people with excellent hearing (for instance, a person may stumble when speaking). However, hearing loss is often gradual; you might not even realise that these daily signs.

Types of hearing loss

Medical professionals categorise hearing loss into four different types and stages. The four most common kinds of hearing loss are:

• Conductive hearing loss: Soundwaves cannot reach the middle ear through the outside ear. The treatment is usually surgery or medication.
• Sensorineural hearing loss: A problem that affects the ear’s inner nerves inside the ear.
• Mixed hearing loss: The combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.
• Audiologic Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder The sound waves reach the ear but aren’t processed and correctly sent to the brain because of the inner ear’s damage or the nerve.

Various stages of hearing loss are:

• A mild hearing loss: A person can hear all sounds and can easily maintain a conversation but struggles to distinguish the subtle sounds or hear the background sound.
• Moderate hearing loss: One with this condition must ask others to repeat their names and struggle with conversations at what could consider normal level.
• Severe hearing loss: An individual may be unable to distinguish loud sounds or noises. Conversations are difficult and, in most cases those with hearing loss, require a hearing aid to comprehend the conversation.
• Profound hearing loss: Can’t hear other people speak, unless screaming or speaking extremely loudly. Can’t maintain a conversation even with the use of implant or hearing aid.

How hearing loss occurs

Our ears are subject to an overload of sound. We are often unaware of the stress our ears go through each day. When we are conditioned to constant high levels of noise it is difficult to know if and how our hearing could be deteriorating.

With a better understanding of the strain and the risk factors, we can be more attentive while taking care of our hearing. Most of the time, hearing loss is caused by some of the following factors:

Inner ear damage

Like other parts of our body, our ear deteriorates as we get older. The ear damage is most present in the nerves present inside the ear, where cellular degeneration affects the ability of the inner ear’s ability to send signals to the brain. Long-term exposure to loud or loud noise can accelerate the corruption inside the ear.

Earwax

Earwax in small quantities can help maintain the ear health. It cleans the ear canal and removes the accumulation of hair, dirt, and dead skin cells that build up over time. It also functions as an antibacterial and antifungal lubricant which helps to keep infections at bay. But too much earwax will hinder the ear’s ability to hear and stop sound from reaching out beyond the outer ear.

Rupture of the eardrum

The loud, abrupt noises, extreme pressure fluctuations, and foreign objects in the ear may result in a ruptured or perforated eardrum.

Infection

In children, ear infections – inflammation of the middle ear are quite common. 5 out of 6 children will experience one by the age of three. Adults are also prone to infections and other abnormalities which could affect hearing, such as bone growth or tumours, particularly in the outer ear.

Hearing loss risk factors

A lot of the dangers related to hearing loss are well-known. We’ve previously discussed the causes, aging and long-term exposure to extreme noise are the biggest risk of hearing loss. Even a sudden bust of sound, such as of a gunshot, could result in permanent damage to your hearing.

In terms of exposure, workers in certain sectors may be at greater danger of developing hearing problems, for example, factory workers, construction workers, and those employed in the military.

Genetics could be another cause of hearing loss. Numbers show that between 50% to 60% of hearing loss in infants is due to genetics. Genetics can also cause hearing loss to worsen as you get older.

Other Factors that can lead to hearing loss are illnesses, medications, illness, and trauma. In the case of medication, certain medication, chemotherapy drugs, treatments for ED, or an excessive intake of aspirin can contribute to the damage of the inner ear. Some medications may even cause tinnitus, which is continuous ringing within the ear.

In the case of illness, anything that cause high fever or disrupts the blood flow (high cholesterol or heart problems) can cause damage to the cochlea. Injuries to the brain or skull can also increase the risk of hearing loss.

Hearing loss prevention

Thankfully in terms of prevention, maintaining healthy ears is all about taking common sense measures.

Reducing exposure to harsh or loud sound is the best method to avoid hearing loss. If the loud sound or noise is unavoidable, make sure you protect your ears using earplugs or hearing aids, or keep at a safe distance from the source. This is crucial if your job involves high-frequency or potentially harmful sounds.

While they’re fun, the leisure activities such as concerts, hunting or blasting music in your car can cause an ear-splitting mess. Make sure to protect your ears whenever possible and take regular breaks from the loudness. Even a volume one or two notches lower could make a significant difference.

Also, keep regular hearing assessment your top priority. Like your eyes, regular hearing tests can identify problems earlier and provide time to address and prevent any future hearing loss. Never take one of your most important senses for granted. Maintain a high-level of communication with those surrounding you, by keeping your awareness regarding hearing loss up and volume down.

Key takeaway

Now that you know the cause, the risk involved, and preventive measures, you can protect yourself against hearing loss. Still, if the hearing loss stigma catches you, Hearing Aid Specialists SA is where you should visit for free online hearing tests. Being one of the best Adelaide Hearing Clinics in Australia, they offer various services related to hearing health.

Phonak Hearing Aids: Simplifying Life with Brilliant Solutions

To be able to live a fulfilling life, it is essential to be able to travel wherever you want and not be restricted by hearing loss. This is what Phonak’s new hearing aids and accessories platforms are designed to achieve.

The goal of Phonak hearing aids is to make different hearing aids that simplify your life automatically and intuitively while still providing an extraordinary hearing experience.

How hearing aids work

The best hearing aids do more than just amplify lost sounds to make them audible again. They can be used to emphasise sounds from certain directions, distinguish types of sound, reduce noise, and compress frequencies. This is all done automatically by the hearing aid, which recognises and adjusts to the wearer’s surrounding environment.

Phonak’s latest hearing aids are able to connect with TVs, smartphones, and various other devices – allowing audio streaming from countless devices. You can also make hands-free phone calls and recharge your hearing aids to make it even easier.

Types of hearing loss

The type of hearing loss is determined by the location where the problem arises anatomically in the ear (inner, middle or outer ear). Generally, three categories are used to distinguish hearing loss by its origin:

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is when sound cannot pass through the middle or outer ear. Fluid, earwax or infection can all cause this type of hearing loss. This hearing loss is usually temporary and can sometimes be treated with medicine or surgery.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is an issue with the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can be permanent. Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by age, noise, or genetics.

Mixed Hearing Loss

This combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss is called “Mixed Hearing Loss”.

Single Sided Hearing Loss

It is not uncommon if the hearing loss affects only one ear only or both ears by varying degrees. Single-sided hearing loss, or unilateral hearing loss (UHL), is a hearing condition that affects one ear only. This condition is also called single-sided deafness (SSD) if the hearing loss is severe. The treatment for this condition differs from other types of hearing loss, where both ears are affected. Special hearing solutions are available to help wirelessly transmit sound to the ear with better hearing.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus, which is a common condition, refers to ringing in your ears. Tinnitus can have many symptoms and take many forms, including whistling, buzzing and chirping. Sound therapy is a common treatment for this problem that uses an array of special sounds to reduce tinnitus severity.

Types of hearing aids

When choosing a hearing aid, it is important to know that many types of hearing aids are available on the market, suiting different lifestyles and hearing loss.

Behind-the-ear (BTE)

In BTE hearing aids, everything is contained in a durable case behind the outer ear. A small tube connected to an earmold, or dome transmits different sounds directly to the user’s ears. BTE hearing aids are traditionally the largest and are best for those looking for the most powerful hearing aids.

Receiver-in-the-canal (RIC)

Another type of hearing aid is RIC. They are placed behind the outer ear, just like BTE hearing aids. The difference is that the speaker is placed inside the ear, in an ear mould or dome. The speaker is isolated from the rest of your device, and a wire connects the case to the speaker. This hearing aid is smaller and lighter than a BTE, but it’s not powerful enough for people with severe hearing loss.

In-the-ear (ITE)

ITE hearing aids sit completely in the ear. This category has various sub-styles, from the large and more powerful Full Shell to the smaller CIC (Completely-In-Canal) and the virtually invisible IIC (Invisible-In-Canal).

Hearing aid accessories

The Phonak line of accessories is designed to help your hearing aids understand speech better in difficult situations. Wireless accessories are useful for watching TV, making phone calls, and conversing in noisy environments.

Buying a hearing aid

Phonak offers a range of innovative hearing aids that can be used by people with moderate to severe hearing loss, which is far better than those discounted hearing aids you can get from the local stores. Bluetooth-enabled and rechargeable hearing aids are also available among other hearing devices.

When deciding which hearing aid to purchase, a hearing aid specialists can help you choose the best hearing aids to suit your needs.

Hearing aid for first-time users

Many people who wear hearing aids for the first time seek to improve their hearing and communicate better, particularly in difficult situations, which can often shift throughout the day. For first-time users, various types of hearing aids are available for ease of use and can help them rediscover the joy of sound.

Experienced hearing aid users 

Even though hearing aid users may be familiar with the benefits of hearing aids, but they might still need assistance choosing the right device. Long-term wearers of hearing aids can benefit from technological advancements that offer new opportunities, including improving their hearing aid performance or enjoying more freedom through smart apps.

Children and Teens

Children of various ages may have different hearing needs, so it is important to help them choose the right hearing aids. There are generally three groups: infants and toddlers, school-aged children, and teenagers. Though hearing challenges and the potential impact on life varies, Phonak approaches all levels with a holistic approach.

Power hearing aid users

The current power hearing aid technology allows for better speech understanding and audibility when the user is close to a speaker. Things get more difficult when they are farther away, or the noise level increases. Phonak Nadia hearing aids combined with Roger wireless microphone technology can help power hearing device users understand better, no matter their listening environment.

Wrapping up

Now that you know what Phonak can offer with their line of hearing aids, it is time to comprehend the type and level of technology required for you to listen better in a noisy environment. The Hearing Aid Specialists SA is one of the best hearing clinics in Adelaide and offers a range of services to make your life easier.

Hearing Aid Fitting Process

So, your hearing test result has arrived, and it suggests that you now need a hearing aid. The hearing specialist (Audiologist) will help you find the ideal hearing aids that are right for you. The process of selecting the right hearing aids, also known as hearing aid fitting, begins with an evaluation of your needs & lifestyle. It will end with follow-up appointments to permit further customised programming to the hearing aids you have.

Evaluation of hearing aid requirements

Your hearing aid specialist will begin the selection process by having a detailed discussion with you to understand more about your daily routine and expectations, as well as your personal preferences and ideas on your past experiences using hearing aids. These details, along with your hearing test result, will allow the professional to pull together a list of options to consider.

Hearing test results

The hearing test you take will result in an audiogram which will aid both you and the hearing expert to choose the most suitable hearing aid model for you.

An average adult person is considered to be having a regular hearing ability if their responses demonstrate they heard noise between 0 to 25 dB across the frequency range. While for a child, the range is usually between 0 to 15 dB.

The severity of your hearing impairment will decide which hearing aids online will be most suitable for your needs, with smaller hearing aids generally better suited to those with mild hearing loss.

What are your lifestyle needs?

If you are considering a hearing aid, the hearing specialist needs to understand the life you want to lead. You might have resisted certain social and/or environmental situations because your hearing loss grew. This is the perfect moment to consider what you’d like in a position to accomplish with the new hearing aids you’ve purchased! If, for instance, you are a night-time caller to your family and friends over the phone, you’ll need hearing aids that work seamlessly with your mobile. Hearing aids and assistive listening devices could be suggested to facilitate group conversations if working in a crowded office.

In general, more sophisticated electronic hearing aids have been created for those who have to deal with different listening environments with various noise levels. Simple models can be recommended for those who mostly stay home with little background noise.

Do you have any preference?

Different types of preferences can influence your selection of hearing aids. Are you looking for almost invisible hearing aids, or would you prefer something big enough to allow you to choose a vibrant colour that reflects your personality? Do you prefer having control over the volume of your aids or having automated technology that adjusts the volume automatically for you? Do you wish to have devices like remote controls or wireless hearing aids?

Your preferences could be influenced by your manual dexterity level, particularly when choosing your preferred type of hearing aid battery. Are you a fan of rechargeable batteries that you can dock every evening? If not, would you be willing and able to replace a small battery every couple of days or weeks? These are only some options that the hearing care professional will review with you.

Have you worn hearing aids before?

In the end, it’s crucial to consider any previous hearing aids you’ve used when choosing an upcoming hearing aid. Do you remember how much you loved your last pair of hearing aids? Why? Did you like the design, sound quality, or something other than that? What things have you had difficulty hearing when using your old hearing aids? What are the latest features you would want to test? This kind of analysis can help your hearing specialist decide what features you’ll require in your new hearing instrument to keep or increase your level of satisfaction.

Hearing aid selection

After discussing your requirements with your hearing specialist, in most cases, you’ll be offered a range of hearing aids adelaide at different price points. In certain instances, you could be able to try a demo hearing aid for a short period of time or for a couple of days to test. Once you’ve settled on your choice, the hearing professional will order your choice and schedule you to return later to complete your initial hearing aid programme. If you’ve chosen a customised ITE model or BTE with an earmold design, your hearing care professional will take an impression of your ear canal to send in with the order.

Initial hearing aid programming

When your hearing aid arrives at the hearing centre, the hearing specialist connects it to the laptop computer to calibrate it to your preferences and hearing loss. Some professionals opt to perform the calibration before your arrival, while others prefer to do it while you’re at the location. Many companies will take real hearing tests to confirm the correct amplifying levels.

Making adjustments to hearing aids

When the hearing aids are removed from the packaging and are placed into your ears, it’s likely that you’ll be hearing sounds that you’ve never heard before. It’s possible that you find yourself feeling like everything is too loud initially. It can take the brain some time to re-learn the sounds you should ignore, such as the noise of your footsteps and the creak of your clothes. But don’t worry; your hearing specialist will conduct some tests to verify that your hearing aid is appropriately fitted and is working properly. Additionally, you’ll be advised how to replace the battery, using any features, cleaning, and caring for the hearing aid.

The process of adjusting to hearing aids takes some time. Some people require only one or two days; however, most need between a couple of weeks and a couple of months to get used to hearing aids. It is important to remember wearing them, even for a short period the first day, and an additional hour the next day and until you start wearing hearing aids throughout the day.

Do you need two or one hearing aid?

In most cases, two hearing aids will be more effective than one to aid you and your hearing. The advantages of having a clear hearing in both ears are just too significant to overlook. In most cases, the same way that the benefit of having both ears is more beneficial than one hearing aid, having two is far superior to just one.

Adding custom hearing aid settings

The “default” setting for most hearing aids is focusing on hearing speech in quiet surroundings. However, in real-life hearing, the sound can be more complicated, especially when you’re a musician or are working in a noisy setting. The good news is that your hearing care provider can customise hearing aid settings to suit your needs and music preferences.

Summing up

Successful hearing aid fittings are as unique as you are. The hearing care provider will give you proper time to better understand your specific requirements and will customise the hearing aids to get the best results.

The experts at Hearing Aid Specialist SA are the best when it comes to Adelaide hearing clinics. They ensure that their clients receive the utmost care and the most suitable solution for their hearing condition.

Remember to communicate openly and frankly with your audiologist. Properly fitted hearing aids will enhance your listening experience and quality of life.