Dr. Wright's Blog | Broadmead Hearing Clinic

Tips For Hearing Well Over The Holidays

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/01/2022 - 14:30

Four pairs of sock feet warming in front of a fireplace

Are you worried hearing loss will undermine your holiday plans?

As we approach the time of jingle bells and festive carols, we want to make sure you’re ready to enjoy - and hear - everything this season has to offer.

Your next event isn’t destined to be a Silent Night.

Here are some tips to ensure you can be fully present and enjoy your festive holiday events.

Make a hearing plan

We already spend so much time planning this time of year down to the detail - the food, the itinerary, the outfit, the gifts, the décor. We all want to look our best. Why not consider how you can hear your best too?

That’s where making a hearing plan can help.

Considerations for your hearing plan:

Talk to your host before the event, especially if you’re not familiar with the venue.
Find out what the room is like – windows, walls, floor coverings and ceiling height all affect how sound travels.
Reserve your seat in advance if possible.
Give yourself a break - short, quiet “time outs” throughout the event can help you regroup and reset your energy level.

If you already have concerns you won’t be able to hear well at your next event, then it’s time to speak with an Audiologist to find out why.

We can help you look forward to social situations again.

How to hear better at the venue

Arriving at your event

The halls are decked, and you’re ready to get jolly. It’s now time to execute your plan. This is where your advance preparations can really pay off.

If you didn’t have time to plan in advance, or if you find yourself at a spontaneous event, don’t worry, you still have options.

If you haven’t done so already, let the host know about your hearing needs. This will give them the opportunity to accommodate, which any good host will want to do.

If you'll be sitting down to eat

Claim a quiet place at the table with your back to a wall - this will help buffer ambient noise.

Sit closest to the people you want to speak with.

Make sure your spot is away from the music, and preferably lit well, to help you see faces and interpret non-verbal cues.

If possible, stay away from noisy kitchens or other competing background noise.

If you're standing

Choose your position in the room.
Find lighted areas so you can see people’s faces and expressions.
Position yourself away from overhead speakers or other sources of background music.
If people are wearing masks, watch this video for tips on how to communicate with masks (including using mask mode on your hearing aids).

It's okay to manage your environment

There can be a lot of mixing and mingling at a holiday gathering. If your hearing is getting lost in the shuffle, don’t be shy about proactively managing your environment in a respectful way.

Consider:

Turning down background music or sound (such as a TV).
Breaking off from the larger crowd to sit with a smaller group.
Choosing your seat strategically in a quiet, well-lit spot.
Standing away from the kitchen or noisy rooms.
Using an accessory such as a remote microphone. Most microphones work at a distance of up to 10 metres.

Communicate your hearing needs

Why leave your friends and family to guess how they can help you? Unless they also experience hearing loss, chances are good they’re uncertain how they can accommodate.

If you feel comfortable, let your party know there are steps they can take to improve communication with you, and feel free to recruit the host to help set the tone.

Ask your loved ones to support clear conversation by trying the following:

Get your attention by using your name or gesturing.
Make eye contact.
Rephrase rather than repeat.
Speak slowly, clearly, and naturally.
Resist the urge to speak louder or exaggerate mouth movements - doing so can actually distort speech sounds.
Keep their mouths uncovered, as this will help with visual cues.
Avoid speaking while eating or drinking.

Click here for more about the A-B-Cs of good communication.

Wear your hearing aids

Hearing aids are such important conversation helpers, as they fill in sounds you are currently missing.

Additionally, hearing aids will help you:

Understand speech more clearly.
Follow conversations, especially if more than one person is talking.
Enjoy listening more - to conversations and music.
Sustain your energy, as conversations will take less concentration to hear.
Hear women’s and children’s voices better.

Remember to charge your hearing aids fully before you leave the house (if they’re rechargeable), and/or carry extra batteries to your event.

Try new hearing aids before your event

As wonderful as hearing aids are for improving your sound reception and quality of life, it’s actually not a great idea to inaugurate your new hearing aids at a special event.

This is because your brain will need to reintegrate all of the sounds you’ve been missing. If you go into a dinner party - or any other busy event - with new hearing aids, you risk getting overwhelmed as your hearing pathways re-orient to too much at once.

We always recommend you introduce hearing aids gradually, and take your time.

Start out at home, where you have more control over your environment, and eventually work your way up to incorporating more and louder sounds back into your world before you wear your hearing aids to your next holiday shindig.

Get your hearing ready today

The best time to prepare for the holiday social season is right now.

If you’re ready to make sure you can hear the Silver Bells and the crackle of Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire, schedule a Hearing Evaluation. Our Audiologists will make a holiday hearing plan that meets your needs.

To schedule an appointment call: Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921. Or request an appointment online.

What Is High-Frequency Hearing Loss (And What Can You Do About It)?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/22/2022 - 14:54

Female child whispering into a woman's ear

Are you or someone you know having difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds?

While your hearing may otherwise be functional, you may notice difficulty hearing sounds like the doorbell, beeping alarms or women’s and children’s voices.

High frequency hearing loss is related to sound vibrations

We call this ‘high-frequency’ hearing loss because it is specific to certain sound vibrations.

Frequency is the pitch of a sound, while intensity is the volume of a sound.

High-frequency hearing loss means high-pitched sounds are harder to hear.

While high-frequency hearing loss can affect individuals at any age, it occurs more often in adults with age-related hearing loss and people exposed to loud noises.

Symptoms of high-frequency hearing loss

Photo credit: Lissete Laverde, Unsplash

If you stare blankly at your spouse when they ask, ‘What’s that beeping?’ because you don’t hear anything at all, you may be experiencing high-frequency hearing loss.

Other symptoms include:

Missing an alarm, timer, or other alert that uses a high-pitched beeping sound.
Speech may sound muffled, especially on the phone, watching television, or in noisy situations.
Difficulty hearing women’s and children’s voices because they are in a higher register.
Struggling to hear certain consonants (such as s, h or f) because they are spoken at a higher pitch.
Hearing but not understanding words spoken to you.
Absence of birds singing, cats trilling or other higher-pitched animal sounds.
Anxiety and/or depression.

What causes high-frequency hearing loss?

We’re more prone to losing our high-frequency hearing as we age because our tiny hair cell receptors in the ear degrade over time.

Aside from aging, there are a number of other factors that contribute to high-frequency hearing loss, including:

Genetics
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL)
Ototoxic medications (those that are toxic to the ear)
Age-related hearing loss (also called presbycusis)
Meniere’s disease

Protecting yourself against high-frequency hearing loss

While some instances of high-frequency hearing loss can’t be avoided - for example, it’s difficult to escape your genetics - there are steps you can take to prevent high-frequency hearing loss caused by exposure to loud noise.

Protect your hearing against noise exposure by:

Monitoring, and if possible, controlling the noise volume in your environment
Wearing protective muffs or ear plugs when exposed to loud noise
Consider custom earplugs - this is especially useful if you’re a musician, if you ride a motorcycle or participate in other loud activities
Use custom earbuds if you listen to music with in-the-ear headphones
Be proactive if you have loud hobbies like woodworking, landscaping or shooting firearms.

How we diagnose high-frequency hearing loss

If you suspect you may be experiencing high-frequency hearing loss, it’s important to book an appointment with an Audiologist. Your Audiologist will take your case history, and conduct a Hearing Evaluation to measure your current hearing levels.

This will help rule out any other possible issues that may be contributing to your symptoms, and also help determine a suitable treatment plan.

Can high-frequency hearing loss be treated?

The good news is, in most cases, high-frequency hearing loss can be treated; usually with hearing aids.

At the Broadmead and Oak Bay Hearing Clinics, we often prescribe a receiver-in-the-ear (RIC) model of hearing aid for high-frequency hearing loss.

How RIC hearing aids can benefit you:

They use an “open fit” which allows the ear canals to stay open
Good for mild-to-moderate high-frequency hearing loss
Allows you to hear low frequencies naturally without amplification
High frequencies are enhanced, which improves clarity of speech
They are light, easy to wear, and come in a variety of colours

If you aren't hearing high-pitched sounds, speak to us

If you are struggling to hear sounds at those higher register frequencies and want to schedule a Hearing Evaluation with an Audiologist, please call: Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921. Or request an appointment online.

10 Ways Hearing Aids Improve Your Mental Health

Submitted by Erin Wright on Mon, 10/24/2022 - 15:00

Did you know that using hearing aids can generate a world of improvement for your mental health and outlook on life?

October is the United Nations’ World Mental Health Month, and in observance of this important topic, we wanted to highlight the important connection between hearing loss and mental health.

If you’ve been ‘making do’ with hearing loss? We see you.

As Audiologists, we see patients rediscover a new lease on life once their hearing loss is treated.

Oftentimes, people don’t even realize how poorly they were feeling until they see how significantly their lives have improved with hearing aids.

Here are 10 ways hearing aids can help improve your mental health.

1. Hearing aids help improve memory and mental acuity

Studies show just 18 months after being fitted with hearing aids, participants reported:

Improved cognitive function.
Improved memory, communication and even skills like visual attention and visual learning.
Significant improvement in executive function - the skills we use every day to learn and manage life.

2. Hearing aids help improve your relationships

Good communication is the cornerstone to strong relationships. And communication is a two-way street.

If the message isn’t getting through - due to untreated hearing loss - communication can become strained. Sound familiar?

The good news is that treating hearing loss can help you reconnect with those closest to you by helping you:

Participate fully in conversations.
Reduce the effort it takes to communicate with each other.
Stay present and show others you are committed to hearing them through.

Taking steps to improve communication truly is an act of kindness to the people in your life.

3. Hearing aids help alleviate symptoms of depression

Studies show hearing loss and tinnitus can increase our risk of mental illness, including anxiety and depression.

While this correlation isn’t entirely surprising, there is a silver lining, and that is: depressive symptoms were significantly reduced among study participants after six months of wearing hearing aids.

Symptoms of depression include:

Low mood
Loss of interest in activities
Sleep disturbance
Fatigue
Difficulty concentrating

If you are experiencing any of the above, it’s important to seek treatment. This is not your new normal.

Your family doctor will likely have some suggestions; and if you’ve been experiencing even mild hearing loss at the same time, an Audiologist may also be part of the solution to get you back on your feet.

4. Hearing aids help improve confidence in your general health

Our hearing has been called ‘the window of the body.’ That’s because hearing is connected to many other systems, including our brain, nerves, blood flow, and balance.

While hearing loss sometimes occurs on its own, other times, hearing loss occurs alongside other health conditions.

In addition to treating your hearing loss, an Audiologist will identify if you have any other health concerns that should be addressed by a doctor or ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat specialist), and assist with a referral.

5. Hearing aids help reduce your risk of dementia

In addition to helping your cognitive function and memory, treating hearing loss can actually also reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Because hearing and sound processing are so interconnected with brain function, hearing loss may contribute to a faster rate of brain atrophy, according to brain scans.

In fact, one study shows treating even mild hearing loss can reduce your risk of developing dementia by half.

If it has been more than two years since your last hearing test, see an Audiologist. If you can benefit from hearing aids, they may help protect you from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

6. Hearing aids help manage tinnitus

Tinnitus - often described as a phantom ringing in your ears - can also be characterized by 60 other sounds, such as buzzing, humming or hissing.

While most of the 37% of Canadians who experienced tinnitus last year described it as ‘non-bothersome,’ 7% of those affected said it affects their day-to-day activities.

Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that’s still close to a million Canadians!

Because tinnitus is most bothersome during times of quiet, wearing hearing aids can help cut the ringing in your ears by allowing you to hear a wider range of sounds.

Hearing aids also help by enabling you to focus in on the sounds you want to hear - like your TV or phone - and tune out the ghostly humming or hissing.

In addition to providing hearing aids, our Audiologists have also successfully helped hundreds of people through a combination of protocols that include Tinnitus Retraining Therapy - the gold standard in this type of treatment - as well as a mindfulness-based tinnitus reduction program. Just ask a tinnitus expert like Audiologist Martine Schlagintweit who explains tinnitus in detail here.

7. Hearing aids help you get your energy back!

Coping with untreated hearing loss is tiring.

Our brains spend a lot of energy trying to concentrate harder in an effort to hear the sounds we know we should be able to hear.

Even our bodies strain - whether we’re hunching forward to listen intently, tilting our heads to get a better angle, or tensing in frustration at not being able to participate in conversation the way we would like.

At the end of the day, all this stress and effort adds up, and can result in feeling drained, or even depressed.

A simple fix - like using hearing aids - can help redirect your energy to more productive pursuits. And when you’re able to participate in those activities that make you feel invigorated, your energy levels surge in response.

8. Hearing aids help you enjoy music

Did you know modern hearing aids have special programs and settings specifically for listening to music?

In fact, with a Bluetooth connection and a hearing aid app, you can stream music directly into your hearing aids.

This is a game-changer for musicians and musicophiles, who may start to lose enjoyment when hearing loss becomes an issue.

Often, people report music starts to sound ‘flat’ when we can’t hear the high or low frequencies that provide that richness of sound we’ve grown to love.

If you’ve noticed a change in your favourite melody, check in with your Audiologist to see how we can get you back in your groove.

Photo by Alphacolor, Unsplash

9. Hearing aids improve TV watching

Similar to music streaming, it is also possible to use Bluetooth to stream the sound from your television directly to your hearing aids..

This allows you to specifically control the TV volume on your hearing aids, while everyone else enjoys the volume from the TV speakers.

Most TV fans marvel at the clarity of speech they hear when they connect their hearing aids directly to the TV, and as a result, dialogue and plots are much easier to follow.

Plus: no more disagreements about the volume… although you’ll still have to agree on a program!

10. Hearing aids help reduce stress at work

Being able to hear clearly at work is an ability we often take for granted… until we start to lose it.

Hearing well at work helps us:

Maintain positive relationships with colleagues and supervisors.
Hear details and instructions correctly.
Feel confident in meetings, whether in person, on phone calls or by video.
Understand our work assignments and carry them out to the best of our abilities.

If you’ve noticed hearing loss is interfering with your ability to thrive at work, hearing aids can often restore that sense of capability.

If you’re ready to find out how hearing aids can help improve your own mental health and wellbeing, schedule a Hearing Evaluation with an Audiologist.

Please call: Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921. Or request an appointment online.

Can Better Hearing Keep Your Brain Healthy As You Age?

Submitted by Erin Wright on Mon, 09/26/2022 - 11:17

Mature man exercising to maintain his health

Did you know that your Audiologist has a role to play in helping you keep your brain sharp, even as you age?

It’s true.

Healthy aging isn’t just about diet, skincare and workout regimens, although each of these also plays an important role in helping us look and feel our best.

Even though hearing loss is often associated with the aging process, there are options for treating hearing loss. This, in turn, helps improve quality of life and cognitive function as you get older.

How does healthy hearing benefit your brain?

Like any other muscle, our brains benefit from regular training.

Luckily, training the brain can be as simple as learning a new activity - like quilting or photo editing. Creativity - whether through music, dance, writing, art or even problem solving - is also an excellent way to maintain your brain.

Fortunately, this type of brain training also applies to hearing loss.

That's because we hear with our brains. Sound waves that enter the ear are translated into electrical impulses that travel on the auditory nerve to the brain, which interprets the signals.

By catching hearing loss early and treating it, you will notice the following benefits:

Improved communication helps you stay connected to others
Continued participation in hobbies and activities you enjoy
Less brain power spent focusing on hearing means more energy for memory, thinking and other brain-training activities

These benefits together add up to positive results - not just for your hearing, but also for your brain.

Hearing loss is common in mature adults

If you feel your hearing’s not as good as it used to be, you’re probably right.

According to a Statistics Canada study, measured hearing loss increases as the population gets older.

Past the age of 50, you’re statistically more likely to have some level of measured hearing loss than not. That’s why we recommend seeing an Audiologist for a hearing evaluation to make sure.

What causes hearing loss?

While hearing loss is more common as people age, aging is not the only cause of hearing loss. Hearing loss can also be caused by:

Genetics
Exposure to loud noise
Certain kinds of medication
Serious infection
Head injury or accidents
Other health conditions such as Meniere's disease

We like to remind clients that hearing is a “use it or lose it” sense.

When you stop hearing certain sounds — for any reason — the auditory nerve and parts of the brain that process sound become out of practice.

That’s why early detection and treatment of hearing loss is so vital: it allows an Audiologist to bring more of that lost sound back into hearing range quickly and keep those brain synapses firing properly.

Other benefits of better hearing

In addition to maintaining your cognitive health, there are many other benefits of better hearing.

These include:

Maintaining social engagement
Improving communication
Lowering the risk of depression
Continuing with activities and hobbies you enjoy
Staying involved with work and/ or volunteer activities
Experiencing positive health outcomes

There are adults over the age of 50 who have never had a hearing test because it's not required during a physical exam. If you've have never had your hearing tested, or if it’s been two years since your last hearing test, it's time to see an Audiologist. We recommend setting "a baseline" - an initial measurement of the levels at which you hear specific tones and frequencies. This allows an Audiologist to quantify changes over time by comparing your most recent hearing test to the baseline measurement.

Can wearing hearing aids help protect your brain?

A recent study shows that people with hearing loss who wear hearing aids have better brain function over time than those with untreated hearing loss.

Wearing hearing aids may also reduce the risk of dementia by helping people keep their brains sharp and nimble as they age.

The key takeaway here is that treating hearing loss as early as possible improves memory, communication, and other skills that help us in daily life.

Studies show just how important hearing can be for your mental acuity.

Can hearing aids improve cognitive function in mature adults?

We know that early detection of hearing loss and treatment with hearing aids can help maintain your cognitive function - but could you hope to improve your cognitive function with hearing aids?

Yes!

Cognitive function refers to our mental abilities such as learning, thinking, problem-solving, memory, and decision-making.

Audiologist Martine Schlagintweit summarized a key study, which demonstrated that 2/3 of the participants reported a significant improvement in their ability to hear and communicate after being fitted with hearing aids.

In addition to improving their cognitive function, participants also improved their executive function - these are the skills we use every day to manage life and carry out plans.

And it didn’t take long - participants in this study reported improvements after 18 months.

Anecdotally, we hear from clients here in the clinic who notice positive benefits from their hearing aids almost immediately.

In many cases it's the small sounds that come back into range - birds chirping, the buzz of insects, a clicking turn signal in the car - that surprise new hearing aid wearers the most. It's also these seemingly insignificant sounds that help keep your brain trained and your hearing healthy as you age.

Let’s help keep your brain sharp and active

The evidence is clear: treating hearing loss - especially through the use of hearing aids - is a key factor in maintaining optimal brain function.

Are you ready to protect your brain against hearing loss?

To speak with an Audiologist, call us or request an appointment online to schedule an appointment: Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921.

Yoga mat & weights photo credit: Elena Kloppenburg, Unsplash

Can't Hear The TV? 5 Tips For Hearing Your Favourite Programs

Submitted by Erin Wright on Mon, 08/15/2022 - 14:27

Man with hearing loss watching the television

Is hearing loss causing you to miss the punchline on your favourite sitcom or the crux of your daily news broadcast?

Are family or friends telling you to turn down the volume?

These 5 tips will help make TV watching enjoyable again

Difficulty hearing the television is a complaint our Audiologists hear over and over again. The good news is that new technologies exist to make TV time more enjoyable - and easier to hear - whether you’re watching alone or with others.

From the basics of closed captioning to exciting new options for direct streaming to your hearing aids, here are our top 5 recommendations to help make sure you catch every word of your favourite programs.

Tip 1: Turn on closed captions

Closed captioning example: Arrow - courtesy the CW

Closed captions display the audio from your television program as text on your TV screen.

By displaying text for all audio - including dialogue, sound effects and even musical tones - closed captions go much further than regular subtitles, which only translate dialogue from the language of origin into a language the viewer understands.

Here in Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires broadcasters to closed caption 100 percent of programs between 6 a.m. and midnight. This applies to all advertisements, sponsorship messages and promotional content as well.

While different televisions, cable service and streaming services have different ways to turn on closed captioning, most of them are very straightforward. Sometimes it’s as easy as locating the cc button on your remote control.

If you don’t find it on your remote, check your settings menu or use your favourite search engine online to find the instructions for your particular model(s).

Tip 2: Connect a sound bar or speaker system to your TV

As flatscreens have gotten flatter, the internal speakers have gotten smaller to fit. Unfortunately, that means reduced sound quality. This can be especially noticeable for people dealing with hearing loss.

You may wish to consider investing in a sound bar or external speakers to help you find that loud, clear TV sound you’re looking for.

Sound bar

Example image: Bose TV Speaker

While both speakers and sound bars function by amplifying the sound of your TV, a sound bar is usually a more affordable option.

A single, stand-alone sound bar can help provide that boost of sound without the fuss of an entire system, but it may not be enough if you’re watching TV in a large room.

While the sound bar is often placed front and centre underneath your television, a wireless version can be placed anywhere in the room.

Strategically positioning your wireless sound bar behind a preferred seat may be just what you need to better hear the play-by-play on your favourite sportscast or the clues to your nightly quiz show.

Speaker system

Example: Cyber Acoustics 2.1 Subwoofer speaker system

If you’re looking for that theatre experience, with integrated surround sound, a speaker system is the way to go.

Perfect for larger rooms, a speaker system provides not only a clearer sound, but a richer, fuller audio experience that you just can’t get from a single sound bar.

A speaker system can be a higher-ticket investment, but the good news is components can be added and adjusted over time.

Having surround sound can enhance a TV watching experience.

Tip 3: Tune in with digital headphones

Example: TV Ears

For those who prefer a more personalized listening experience, digital headphones may be a good option.

Digital headphones allow you to sit or move around unencumbered while listening, and provide clear sound and dialogue.

Digital headphones are a great option for those who watch TV with others, as it allows you to control the volume for your own specific needs.

They are also simple to use - you simply plug the transmitter into the headphone jack on your TV. A receiver in the headphones picks up the signal wirelessly.

Tip 4: Stream wirelessly direct to your hearing aids

Example: Phonak TV Connector

Yes, this is possible!

Using a dedicated adaptor, you can now stream audio straight from your television directly to certain models of hearing aids, like Phonak, Oticon or Starkey.

This has been a game changer for clients in terms of convenience and ease-of-use, with no external speakers to arrange or headsets to store.

Simply turn on your favourite show and tune in. Your hearing aids deliver a clear listening experience - directly for your enjoyment.

Learn more here about pairing your specific hearing aids to your TV adaptor. Many hearing aids come with a TV adaptor as an accessory. If you're interested in a TV adaptor we can order one for you.

Tip #5: Connect to a loop system - at home or in public venues

Image from the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association

An induction loop system (also known as a 'hearing loop') is a type of audio system designed specifically for people who use hearing aids. The system relies on a wire (called an induction loop or Telecoil) placed around the perimeter of a room, or around your neck, that sends a signal directly to your hearing aids.

The beauty of this system is that anyone with a Telecoil (T-Coil) setting on their hearing aids can benefit from the same loop system at the same time.

While a hearing loop system could be installed in the home for personal use, it’s often used in public spaces to help filter out crowd noise and amplify the important audio.

Many sports arenas, concert halls, theatres, government buildings and other public places are equipped with this technology.

When you’re out and about, watch for this symbol, and switch to the Telecoil (T-Coil) setting on your hearing aids to connect.

Get ready to enjoy watching TV again

TV helps us connect to the world around us, entertaining us, and also keeping us informed. To get the most out of our TV experience, we must be able to hear it.

If you’re ready to welcome back the joy of television into your life, speak with an Audiologist.

Call us or request an appointment online: Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921.