Corvallis Hearing Center

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Hearing Aids for People with Normal Hearing?

August 11, 2020 by Ron Leavitt

Much research has focused on patients who self-report listening difficulties, but show normal results on the typical pure tone hearing test where you raise your hand, push a button or say “yes” when you hear the tone.

In fact, it is estimated some 26 million people in the U.S. self-report listening difficulties with normal pure tone results (see https://corvallishearing.com/hearing-difficulties for references ).

This 26 million figure would account for nearly 70% of the 37.5 million people in the U.S. who have suspected listening difficulties per the National Institutes of Health estimate.

The literature notes there are a number of auditory disorders that may not produce hearing loss as measured by pure tone testing.  These disorders include Central Auditory Processing Deficit, Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, Cochlear Synaptosis, Hyperacusis and tinnitus to name a few.

It is not surprising then that pure tone testing popularized in the early 1940s does not address these more recently-identified auditory maladies.

In a previous article we noted several other tests are often more diagnostically revealing for the disorders listed above.  However, the question for most patients so afflicted with any of these disorders is “What can be done to treat it.”

Unfortunately, the treatment of these disorders is less clear cut than the diagnostic tests used to identify them.

In a recent article Humes (2020) made the case for use of hearing aids with many such patients who show normal pure tone test results (see https://corvallishearing.com/normal-hearing).

In the case of tinnitus (the perception of ringing, buzzing, whooshing sound or music when no sound is actually present) the hearing aid recommendation is often supported. Research has shown oftentimes the brain is essentially turning up the volume looking for sounds that are no longer as loud as they once were before the individual experienced tinnitus.  Thus, hearing aids can amplify these slightly less loud sounds back to their original volume and the perception of tinnitus in as many as 60% of patients is improved.

 

In the case of Hyperacusis (heightened sensitivity to sound, with aversive or pained reactions to normally-loud environmental sounds) this disorder is thought to result from the brain’s loudness mediating function being set at too low a volume.  As such one recommended treatment is gradual introduction of more sound oftentimes from a very low-volume hearing aid combined with counseling to calm an apprehensive patient who is already concerned about too much sound. (see https://corvallishearing.com/tinnitus for discussion).

By contrast in 260 patients with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, 61% of  patients reported little or no hearing aid benefit (see https://corvallishearing.com/auditory-neuropathy).

In short, successful use of hearing aids among patients self-reporting listening difficulties with normal pure tone results depends heavily on the correct diagnosis.  To quote Ghandi “A correct diagnosis is three-fourths the remedy.” It is then imperative that in-depth testing beyond the conventional pure tone examination be completed before any hearing aid recommendation is made for such patients.

Filed Under: Hearing Aids, Hearing Health Changes, Hearing Loss, Research, Tinnitus Tagged With: articles, Audiology, Better Hearing, Brain, Community, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Ears, Health, Hearing, Hearing aid, Hearing Aids, hearing health, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Research

Hearing Loss and Falls

November 12, 2019 by Ron Leavitt

Falls are pervasive among people over age 65 in this country. Making this problem worse, the incidence of falls among people with hearing loss are three times greater than those with normal hearing when other risk factors are equated.

The Center for Disease Control reports that every second an older person in this country falls, making falls the number one cause of accidental injury and death in people over age 65.

In 2014 alone, older Americans experienced 29 million falls causing seven million injuries and costing an estimated $31 billion in annual Medicare costs, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control.

In addition, falls are the number one cause of traumatic brain injury in this country affecting 5.3 million who routinely suffer cognitive and physical impairments for months or years after the injury. Further, traumatic brain injury has been positively associated with epilepsy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease which often signal an end of an individual’s independence.

In an attempt to stem the tide of frequent falls in the elderly the Mayo Clinic group has offered the following advice:

  1. Discuss any fall you have with your doctor and have your medications checked for those which may be contributing to poor balance.
  2. Engage in physical activity such as walking to strengthen your legs and improve your balance.
  3. Wear sensible shoes to maintain better balance. High heels and socking feet are not recommended.
  4. Remove tripping hazards from the house such as loose rugs, loose wiring, phone cords, extension cords, immediately cleanup all water and oil spills when they occur and use rubber mats in the bathtub/shower with grab bars.
  5. Light up your living space with night lights in all walkways and a lamp near your bed. Use high illumination bulbs all over the house.
  6. Use handrails on both sides of all stairways and use nonslip surface on all wooden stairs. Occupational therapist can assist you in making your house fall proof.

In addition to these recommendations noted above, we are highlighting important strategies for fall prevention that go beyond those provided by the Mayo Clinic group. Join us at 2:30 to 4 PM on November 14th at Corvallis Good Samaritan Hospital Conference Room B where we will be offering a fall prevention workshop. The public is invited. No personal information will be taken, and free refreshments will be served.

At this November 14th meeting active people in their 70s, 80s and 90s will be discussing the strategies they have used to remain physically active, free of frailty and free of falls for years. In addition, our new book on Lifetime Physical Fitness will be made available to workshop participants for a nominal fee as frailty is highly associated with falls in contemporary research.

If you or a loved one are at risk for falls this conference is for you. For further information, contact Corvallis Hearing Center at 541- 754-1377.

Filed Under: Balance, Hearing Aids, Hearing Health Changes, Hearing Loss, Research Tagged With: Audiology, Better Hearing, Brain, Corvallis Oregon, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Research, Seniors

How to Maintain Any Hearing Aid

August 8, 2019 by Nikki Clark

This is our presentation we did on August 8th, 2019.

Regardless of hearing aid brand or model there are a number of facts that you should know to maintain the hearing aids’ optimum performance.

Watch the video below to hear us discuss 12 must know items for maintaining optimum hearing aid function.

Filed Under: Community, Hearing Aids, Hearing Health Changes, Hearing Loss, Video Tagged With: Audiology, Better Hearing, Brain, Community, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Ears, Health, Hearing, Hearing aid, Hearing Aids, hearing health, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Patients

A Source to Resources!

July 30, 2019 by Naomi

Through research, networking and years of experience we have collected a huge amount of resources and put them together for your convenience. We want you to have the help you need at your fingertips. We know life is hectic and full of confusion so we hope that this is one way we can help! We have compiled resources for hearing health and information onto one useful page. Just click our link and you will have them at your fingertips. [Read more…]

Filed Under: resources Tagged With: articles, Hearing, Hearing aid, hearing health, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, link, network, publications, Research, resources

Which Hearing Aid is Right for You?

July 24, 2019 by Nikki Clark

Corvallis Hearing Center recommends hearing aids based on your Degree of Hearing Loss, Lifestyle, Communication Needs and Budget.

Hearing aid technology has vastly improved. Gone are the days when hearing aids were big, squeak-prone and useful only in dead quiet environments. Today’s hearing aids are equipped with digital microcomputers that automatically adjust sounds to make speech audible and comfortable for you. Today’s hearing aids are more discreet, more comfortable, and can improve your understanding of speech better than ever before. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss Tagged With: Audiology, Better Hearing, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss

Best of Hearing Aid Research

July 22, 2019 by Naomi

At this year’s recent American Academy of Audiology conference in Columbus, Ohio, our publication entitled “Evaluating Select Personal Sound Amplifiers And A Consumer Decision Model” was awarded best of hearing aid research. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Aids Tagged With: Better Hearing, Consumer, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Review

Passionate for people and community!

July 10, 2019 by Naomi

The heart of Corvallis Hearing Center and the passion and purpose of Dr. Ron Leavitt is to serve the people of our community.

One of the ways we strive for this is being a part of Oregon Association for Better Hearing and offering once a month educational seminars at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center here in Corvallis. Our hope and desire for these meetings is to arm the community with knowledge and power on hearing health and hearing options. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Aids, Hearing Health Changes, Hearing Loss Tagged With: Health, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss

How the Aging Brain Affects Speech Understanding in Noisy Places

June 28, 2019 by Ron Leavitt

In recent years the focus on hearing health care has shifted from the ears to the brain. One needs to only Google hearing loss and cognition to find dozens of articles in medical and hearing health care journals in the past few years. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss Tagged With: Audiology, Better Hearing, Brain, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Ears, Health, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss

Can Hearing Aids Unscramble the Brain?

October 15, 2018 by Ron Leavitt

A recent publication from Dr. Anu Sharma and colleagues at University Colorado, Boulder showed people who achieve a normal score with their hearing aids on a difficult speech in noise test were spared the brain resource reallocation reported for her subjects who have untreated or poorly treated hearing loss, perhaps explaining the strong relationship between hearing loss and dementia as noted by Dr. Frank Lin and colleagues at Johns Hopkins. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Aids, Hearing Health Changes, Hearing Loss Tagged With: Audiology, Better Hearing, Brain, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Ears, Health, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Research

The Impact of Untreated Hearing Loss

March 5, 2018 by Ron Leavitt

“Hearing loss is not a harmless condition to be ignored or left untreated. It has tremendous impact on your life, and if left untreated, it can have serious emotional, (cognitive) and social consequences.” (Dr. Serge Kochkin, 2005).

Many people are aware Corvallis has a consumer education group for people who are hard of hearing.  This group has met monthly since September 1988 and brings the latest scientific information to the community regarding hearing loss and hearing aids. Meetings are free to the public and take place on the second Thursday of each month from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Corvallis Good Samaritan Hospital. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Loss Tagged With: Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Research

Wireless Connectivity in Hearing Aids

April 20, 2016 by Ron Leavitt

Our presentation from Audiology Now 2016 talking about wireless connectivity in hearing aids.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Audiology, Better Hearing, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss & Health

July 3, 2013 by Ron Leavitt

Many view hearing loss as an inconsequential condition that can be ignored without serious implication. Why else would Medicare deny benefits for hearing loss evaluation and rehabilitation to those over 65? Why would people delay seeking hearing help for years? Scientific evidence no long supports this laissez-faire attitude. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss Tagged With: Audiology, Brain, Consumer, Corvallis Oregon, Health, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss

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Corvallis, OR 97330  
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