Parents! Your Children Are At A Higher Risk For Noise Induced Hearing Loss Then Ever Before!

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control released a staggering new study that estimates that 1 in 5 U. S. teens currently suffers from mild to moderate noise induced hearing loss https://storify.com/Elien_R/introduction. These are children that were not born with genetic hearing defects, but instead, have been exposed to levels of sound over 85 decibels for long periods of time. This finding is surprising as noise induced hearing loss is nearly 100% preventable. There are many reasons for the increase of hearing loss among our children. Ear buds and MP3 players, loud movies, video games, loud toys, off-road vehicles, and concert venues, to name a few.  The consequences of noise induced hearing loss can have a major impact on our children that will follow them into adulthood. In small children, it can lead to delays in speech and motor skills. In adolescents, studies have found that children with mild to moderate loss are more likely to have difficulty in the classroom and among their peers. This can lead to a decrease in productivity as well as social withdrawal and isolation http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532893/. As adults, mild to moderate hearing loss can lead to severe or profound loss.  This will effect a persons ability to qualify for certain jobs, communicate with loved ones, and can cause isolation and a diminished quality of life. So what do we do? The real issue, it seems, is a lack of education among health care professionals, educators, parents, and students.  When a child has a disability, such as a genetic profound hearing loss, there is a clear path for treatment and assistance.  When it comes to the more moderate noise induced hearing loss, there are few studies, screens, and interventions in place for our youth. However, prognosis is hopeful.  Now that this issue is gaining ground and making headlines, more emphasis is being placed on taking preventative measures through education and we are slowly beginning to see a shift. A study conducted among 11th graders found that those kids whose word discrimination indicated high frequency hearing loss were willing to change the type of head phones they used to prevent further damage. They were also willing to commit to listening to music at a lower volume. file:///C:/Users/Sage%20Hearing%20Inc/Downloads/pap110001_1141_1141%20(1).pdf.  This is a positive indication that, through education, children are willing to advocate for their hearing health. So what can parents do to help?

Talk with your adolescents about using lower volume when listening to music on headphones or earbuds. The highest volume setting on headphones is too loud and can lead to hearing loss.

                    Talk with your child about wearing foam ear plugs when he or she goes
                    to loud concerts.

Talk with your child about using earmuffs if he or she does any loud recreational activities, such as riding on a snowmobile or hunting.

Talk with your school or pediatrician about screening for both high- and low-frequency hearing loss; many schools do not use a hearing screen that can test for high-frequency hearing loss related to noise.

For more information you can visit http://www.asha.org/buds/.

Cure For Noise-Induced Deafness? Studies In Mice Say Yes!

"Scientists have restored the hearing of mice partly deafened by noise, using advanced tools to boost the production of a key protein in their ears."

This microscope image of tissue from deep inside a normal mouse ear shows how ribbon synapses (red) form the connections between the hair cells of the inner ear (blue) and the tips of nerve cells (green) that connect to the brain.

As a blogger, I am always keeping an eye out for interesting information that I can use to inspire visually edible content concerning hearing loss and hearing rehabilitation. Today, I came across this article in ScienceDaily based on a study that the University of Michigan conducted on curing deafness in mice (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141020212308.htm) and found myself quite excited to share this information.  A word of caution... I am NOT a scientist, which means that the following information is in "lay-men" terms.  Please bear with me.

Scientists have discovered a protein, called NT3, that is responsible for maintaining communication between what we hear and how that information is shared with our brain.  Those messages happen through a function called ribbon synapses. Essentially, ribbon synapses are responsible for that key moment when the message goes from a chemical signal to an electrical impulse.  When we sustain hearing loss, either through noise exposure or aging, those synapses can no longer rapidly communicate sound definition to the brain.  Scientists theorized that the inner ear cell is supported by NT3 and experimented with genetically modifying the cells in the inner ear by "turning on" the genes responsible for that protein production.  They ran a series of tests on mice, turning on and off those genes in the presence of noise exposure, and found that the mice with the extra NT3 regained their hearing, and long-term, were hearing much better than the mice that didn't receive the extra protein. So what does this all mean?

"It has become apparent that hearing loss due to damaged ribbon synapses is a very common and challenging problem, whether it's due to noise or normal aging," says Gabriel Corfas, Ph.D., who led the team and directs the U-M institute. "We began this work 15 years ago to answer very basic questions about the inner ear, and now we have been able to restore hearing after partial deafening with noise, a common problem for people. It's very exciting."

The next step is to begin human trials.  There will be two aspects to the testing.  One is to discover/create/use drugs capable of simulating NT3.  The other step is to use gene therapy, as they did with the mice, to see if the human ear can support, and respond to, the protein.
In a nut-shell, scientists may have found a cure for deafness!  Though, in the future this may put my family out of business, I can honestly say, we wouldn't be in business for the right reason if we weren't excited to think of a world in which deafness doesn't exist!

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The Sage Hearing Solution: Poor Hearing Leads to Isolation

The Sage Hearing Solution: Poor Hearing Leads to Isolation: Recently , David and I were at dinner when he began sharing with me some of the recent struggles of one of our patients.  He described this...

Poor Hearing Leads to Isolation

Recently, David and I were at dinner when he began sharing with me some of the recent struggles of one of our patients.  He described this patient as a female, younger than most of our other patients (50-55 years old), family oriented, and has a successful job which requires her to make several public appearances in a year. She has suffered from hearing loss all of her life and over the years it has progressively gotten worse. Recently, she up-graded her technology and she and David have spent the last two months trying to fine-tune her prescription. The results have been very frustrating for her, not because of David or his efforts, but because she just isn't hearing the way she wants too, the way being in the public eye requires her to.  At her last appointment, she communicated with David that she is finding that it has become increasingly easier for her to isolate herself in order to avoid public settings where she cannot hear conversation nor answer questions.  This has left her feeling depressed and lonely. The sad thing is that her story is a reflection of an ever growing problem among the 4.5 million 50- to 59-year-olds in the United States that are experiencing hearing loss with only 4 percent of those individuals actively using hearing aids (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/02/13/millions-50-and-older-suffering-hearing-loss-but-not-using-aids/).  Luckily, our patient is in the 4 percent and we are confidant that, with long-term rehabilitation, she will be able to return to the more social events her job requires of her.  But, what about the other 4 million 300 thousand people that are not addressing their hearing health? An article written by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association declares that in several studies the results have proven that "hearing loss was associated with decreased social/emotional, communication, and cognitive function in addition to increased depression for subjects who were unaided as compared to those who received hearing aids.". Now that the collective medical community is aware of this, and has long-term supporting evidence, more emphasis is being placed on preventative and holistic care.  Currently, there is major movement within the medical community to change the stigma associated with wearing a hearing aid as well as educating the consumer and their families on the importance of addressing the hearing health for themselves and their loved ones. Once a hearing loss has been identified it is important to implement solutions as any individual would regarding an important health care issue. Mostly, firstly, it is imperative to acknowledge that hearing loss doesn't just affect the aging or even "the elderly" It can happen to the young as well. 30 per 1000 school-aged children have a hearing loss (http://www.hearingloss.org/content/basic-facts-about-hearing-loss).  The sooner we can set the example of a proactive approach, the better example we will set for our children.

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Cheaper Hearing Aids Aren't Always Better!

We recently had the opportunity to hold a seminar at one of our local retirement homes.  It was the first meeting of its kind since opening Sage Hearing Solutions.  Our intention was to take the opportunity, in a very personal way, to touch individuals with hearing loss and educate them on, not only their hearing loss, but where it comes from and how hearing instruments can help.  During our time with our attendees, we noticed a couple of common themes. First, all but one of the current hearing aid wearers bought their instruments based on a lower price-tag.  This is understandable. Hearing instruments can be expensive and most people are misinformed regarding the marriage that should happen between the technology the hearing aid has to offer, the lifestyle of the person with hearing loss, and the technician who is fitting the instrument.  Make no mistake about it, you really do get what you pay for. Our attendees were quit surprised to hear this, even though most were very DISsatisfied with the way their instruments were performing. A key point during our presentation was that hearing aids must be programmed specifically for each environment that the wearer encounters.  If a hearing aid is programmed to amplify sound because he/she needs to understand the pastor in church, that same program may be incredibly uncomfortable when going into a loud dining hall for a meal. With an inexpensive hearing aid, this will almost always be the case.  In the case of someone who is sedentary, that cheaper technology may suffice, but for our more active users, cheapest isn't always best!  Currently, our Senior population is the MOST active it has ever been (http://transgenerational.org/aging/demographics.htm). This requires that our seniors are able to stay connected to their work environment, exercise programs, family functions, movies, dance classes, church functions, etc. If a person can't hear properly because the instruments are NOT fit properly, or don't possess the proper technology, it will have a negative long-term effect on the individuals willingness to stay active. Which leads us into the second common theme we noticed during the seminar.  That is, unfortunately, that most people view their hearing health and hearing aids as a luxury item, as opposed to a very necessary part of living a better life. Currently, one in five Americans have a hearing loss and only 20% of those individuals seek help (http://www.asha.org/Aud/Articles/Untreated-Hearing-Loss-in-Adults/). Even though an individual knows they have a need, they will often times make the decision to purchase hearing aids based on price or forgo hearing aids completely. For us, as care providers, these two major issues have become a point of frustration for two reasons.  The first is clear... individuals with hearing loss are not properly educated in almost all of the aspects of their hearing health. For instance, when to be tested, what technology best suits their specific needs and what to look for in the trial period and beyond. The second issue we have is this... It is the responsibility of the practitioner to convey all the necessary information about hearing health to a prospective patient. Clearly, this isn't being done effectively enough. Individuals should be informed of the differences technology has to offer and how that technology applies to their specific loss.  Realistic expectations must be set for the practitioner/patient relationship as well as the hearing aid/patient relationship. If a practitioner cannot emphasis this importance, how can we expect our patients to take their hearing health seriously?  It inspires David and I to continue to reach out to the people in our community through informative seminars and in-home visits. We are looking forward to changing the way people view their hearing loss.

How to Help Prevent Alzheimer's and Dementia... There is Hope!

About 20 years ago, we noticed that my grandfather was beginning to forget things.  Simple things at first... where he put his car keys or walking into a room and wondering why he was there.  I am sure, no matter the age, we have all done this.  But, progressively, his absentmindedness became more noticeable.  In 2000 he was finally diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It was a very slow physical decline for him, as he had suffered very little illness and had always taken care of himself. Mentally, however, the decline happened rapidly. For my family, it was incredibly painful to watch this amazing, vibrant, wise, smart, kind, and intelligent man become a shadow of himself.  At the same time, his care put a tremendous amount of pressure on my elderly grandmother and Aunt, who became his full-time caregivers.  It is something he would never have wished on them... To feed him, help him to the toilet, dress him... To do for him all of his normal daily functions that he could no longer do for himself. It would have been nothing of how he wanted his family to remember him. Finally, in 2013, he lost his long fought battle with the disease and as much as my family misses his presence, we are heartened knowing that he is finally at peace.

Why am I telling this sad story? What does that have to do with Sage Hearing Solutions, you ask? My reasoning is this... because I feel convicted to share reputable research, released by Johns Hopkins, linking hearing loss with Alzheimer's and dementia. (http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_and_dementia_linked_in_study). Lets face it... these cognitive diseases will affect each of us, either personally or they will touch someone in our family.  If I were to tell you that you could do something as simple as having your hearing, or the hearing of a loved one, tested for loss and that THAT preventative care may delay the onset and could even prevent, all together, Alzheimer's and dementia, wouldn't you jump at the opportunity?!  Let me be clear... Alzheimer's is a horrid disease and it WILL affect people who have NO hearing loss.  Like in the case of my Grandfather... he had no hearing loss... even in his late 80's... even after the disease had taken over his mind.  But, if by my sharing this information with you helps at least one person and their family stave off the progression of this disease, than everything that David and I stand for, why we started Sage, has paid off. This isn't about "drumming up business". We have friends all over the US.  We just want for our friends, family, and our community, to treat their collective hearing as they would getting a physical exam.  Like a significant part of their well-being. Now, there is more reason than ever, to do so.
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Our First Month

"When you lose your vision, you lose contact with things.  When you lose your hearing, you lose contact with people." -Helen Keller

We have officially been open for one month.  That is 31 days of applying our Sage philosophy in the avid pursuit of reconnecting families through hearing.  We are beginning to have an impact in our community. Though the ripple effect is small, we are excited to get our name out there based on our patient and their families satisfaction with their experiences at Sage. As this is our first blog, I would like to take a moment to candidly explain our background, our philosophy, and what drives us.

My husband, David King, has been a Hearing Instrument Specialist for nearly 13 years.  He has worked and managed nationally known audiology clinics in both Oregon and Arizona and has received top of the line training in the ability to test and diagnose hearing loss.  Most importantly, he knows how to properly FIT hearing aids. This may seem like a small thing, but in our field, it is the most important. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars on the best running shoes on the market, but they are two sizes too big.  At some point, when the blisters form, you are going to be dissatisfied with the shoes no matter how much you spent.  Likewise, David has treated many patients who have invested a lot of money in their instruments, only to be dissatisfied with the way they are hearing. Most often, the reason is because the instruments are improperly fitted(http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/july-2009/health/hearing-aids/overview/hearing-aids-ov.htm).  For David, based on the amount of money a patient invests, he found this lack of expertise unacceptable.  That is why we have decided, as a family, to start our own practice. We wanted to exercise our own philosophy based on our collective experience with working with the aging population (I have worked in the geriatric community for over 15 years).  That is, offering high-end technology for a reasonable price, properly fitting the hearing instruments, and educating our patients and their families.  Part of this education includes setting reasonable expectations. Most patients and their families do not understand that this is a long term relationship.  Helping someone to hear better is a work in progress, it doesn't happen over night. It takes time. Time to retrain the patients brain, time to educate the family on how best to support the patient, and time to program the hearing instruments to work properly in all settings of the patients life. From a church social, to watching TV, to speaking on the phone, and hearing in noisy environments, we actively strive to meet our patients expectations .  As a small, local, family-owned business, we are here for the long haul.  We want to have a positive impact on the people of our community. Further, as a family with young kids we want to lead our children, by example, in the philosophy of hard work and dedication.  What better way to do that then by helping the hearing impaired.

So here we are... I am excited to start this journey and I will continue to blog our progress as we have a positive impact on those in the hearing impaired community.
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