Summer is right around the corner, and we’re excited at the prospect of vacations and travel. It may seem daunting to travel with hearing aids, amidst the activity in airports and the unknown of a new city, but we are here to provide some tips to alleviate the stress.Here at AZ Balance and Hearing Aids, we believe that hearing aids keep us active and connected to the world around us. Whether you are new to hearing aids, or a seasoned wearer, we’ve put together a handy guide for traveling with hearing aids.

Visit Us at AZ Balance and Hearing Aids

We know you take good care of your hearing aids – but before you head off on your trip, come to visit us at our conveniently located practice for a check.We’ll make sure that your hearing aids are in proper working order and make any necessary repairs. We also provide hearing aid cleanings. If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing aids, we will also check to make sure that your hearing aids are meeting your hearing needs and fit properly.

Remember Your Recharging Station

Rechargeable batteries are one of the best features available with some modern hearing aids. With rechargeable hearing aids, you don’t have to worry with packing a supply of batteries to last your trip.However, remember to pack your recharging station! If you are traveling abroad, be sure to check the electrical outlets used. You will be able to find cheap electrical adaptors for your plugs to ensure that your recharging station gets the right amount of power it needs.

Pack Your Hearing Aid Supplies

When packing, don’t forget to include your hearing aid cleaning supplies. You may want to bring a secure carrying case for your hearing aids, especially if you plan on taking them out to go swimming.Remember that moisture is an enemy of your hearing aids! If you are traveling to a warm, humid climate, you may want to invest in a dehumidifying unit for your hearing aids. These units remove moisture and ensure that your hearing aids will function properly.

Use Technology to Your Advantage

As you travel, you’ve noticed how loud certain spaces can be. Airports, train stations, bus stations – these spaces are always noisy with travelers and announcements over the speakers. If you feel like you’ll need an extra boost, consider investing in portable assistive listening devices.Most new hearing aids are equipped with telecoils, which comes in handy if you are traveling through or visiting spaces that have hearing loops installed. Simply switch your hearing aids to the telecoil option and loop into clear, amplified sounds. You may find telecoil options at ticket windows or counters.We also recommend that you sign up for text or email notifications in case of change in a flight schedule. In the hubbub of the airport, it may be easy to miss an announcement. These notifications will make sure you make it to your gate in time!

Preparations to Make Beforehand

If you are staying at a resort or hotel, contact the customer service department and inquire about accessibility options for the hard of hearing. Most places will offer wake up calls, lit-up security systems for fire, or vibrating alarm clocks. There are also options to amplify sound with the TV and telephone.If you are staying with your family or friends, be sure to communicate with your loved ones about your hearing needs. For example, if you are attending a family reunion that may be busy, tell your family to come look for you – rather than calling out your name.

Hearing Loss Rates Rising in Younger Generations

One may not be surprised to learn that hearing loss is the third most common medical condition in the US, or that it effects one in three Americans over 65. However, what may come as a surprise to many is the alarming number of young adults who have hearing loss. According to new data collected by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a staggering 20% of people in their 20’s suffer some degree of hearing loss, and most of them don’t even know it. Of the 20-somethings with some degree of hearing loss, about one-fourth of them incorrectly rated themselves as having good to excellent hearing.Think about it. This means that one out of every five people you meet in their 20s are suffering from hearing loss – and many believe their hearing is excellent. That’s a pretty hefty statistic.Are you one of the 20%?Meet Zach HubbardZach Hubbard is a 17-year old senior at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick, Washington. Like many teenagers in Kennewick, Zach enjoys target shooting with his friends in his free time. Zach also suffers from lifelong hearing damage caused by inadequate hearing protection during a shooting session. Zach explains that he didn’t have time to put his hearing protection on, before those around him began shooting. He states, “it really dulled my hearing, I couldn’t hear out of it for two weeks.”Although Zach was sure he had suffered some type of hearing damage, it still came as a shock for him to learn that he had lost some of his hearing for life, and there was nothing that could bring it back.Based on the CDC’s findings, Zach is far from alone in this journey. Dr. Aiello at Columbia Basin Hearing Center explains that although hearing loss is the number one most commonly reported workplace injury – more often than not people are losing their hearing because of the everyday noises in their lives – not while on the job. Leisure activities such as going to concerts and listening to music through ear buds are some of the most common causes of hearing loss among younger Americans.Zach warns others of the dangers of noise induced hearing loss by saying, "make sure that you definitely have adequate hearing protection. Always over compensate because once it's gone, it's gone,". (http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/34535083/hearing-loss-on-the-rise-for-younger-generations).Meet Anna Pulley33-year-old Anna Pulley recently wrote a hilarious article outlining the struggles of being young and hearing impaired for the New York Times titled, “My Ridiculous, Romantic, Painful Adventures in Deafness”. Contrary to Zach Hubbard’s noise induced hearing loss, Anna’s is genetic, however, she had no idea she was hearing impaired until she was about 19 – much like many of 20-somethings interviewed by the CDC.In her essay, Anna pokes fun at the very real tussles of being hearing impaired while dating – and struggling to follow along in group conversations – while managing to keep readers laughing along the way. She shares with readers how she got her first hearing aid at 19, was disappointed, and tried again at 22. Anna warns other young people with hearing loss that unlike eye-glasses for a visual impairment – hearing aids actually take time to adjust to, and take time to work. Hang in there –she urges – because things do get better for those who experience “adventures in deafness” like Anna. To read Anna’s entire engaging essay, visit http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/07/my-adventures-in-deafness.htmlProtect Yourself, and Get a Hearing TestNo matter your age, it is important to know how and when to protect your hearing, and that there are very simple ways to do so. For example, limiting headphone or ear bud usage to 60 minutes per day at 60% volume will help to prevent noise induced hearing loss. Also, using custom hearing protection faithfully when you engage in noisy activities such as hunting, going to a concert or sporting event, attending a flight show or even mowing the lawn will help to protect your precious hearing.If you think you may be experiencing some changes in your hearing, or frequently engage in noisy leisure activities, reach out to us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids to scheduled your complimentary hearing screen (or learn more tips on healthy hearing protection). We look forward to hearing from you.

In a fairly short period of time, YouTube has gone from a relatively unknown website for watching funny cat videos to a regular household name. In fact, a day rarely goes by that we don’t tune in. Whether we’re enjoying a friend’s vacation video, learning how to tie sailor’s knots or recapping a presidential speech, YouTube is most likely the place we would turn.

Not convinced of YouTube’s relevance? YouTube currently reports over 300 hours of video uploaded each minute, 4,950,000,000 videos watched on the site each day, and 900 million unique visits to the website each month. It is clear that YouTube has become an integral part of the lives of people throughout the world. (For more fun facts on YouTube, visit statisticbrain.com).

Closed Captions Haven’t Always Been the Norm

Viewing YouTube videos is not always easy for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, unless of course, the video has closed captions. Closed captions have not always been as readily available as they are today. Liat Kaver – product manager at YouTube remembers his childhood in a world without closed captions. “I felt I was missing out because I often had to guess at what was happening on the screen or make up my own version of the story in my head” (googleblog.com). Liat grew up in Costa Rica and finding captions in Spanish were an even bigger obstacle for him to overcome. Since childhood, Liat has dreamt of making closed captions more readily available to the 300 million people living with hearing loss across the globe.

Today, Liat describes himself as lucky to be following his dream, as part of the YouTube development team.

Advanced Technology to the Rescue!

Back in 2006, Google introduced captions for it’s video sharing site: YouTube. Three short years later, they introduced automated speech recognition (ASR) technology. At first, the technology did not always go as planned, sometimes making hilarious mistakes, as can be seen in this silly “Caption Fails” video. While the technology was no where near perfect, it still helped millions of deaf or hearing impaired people around the globe to enjoy videos they would otherwise not be able to.

Since it’s inception, YouTube has had a goal of improving the accuracy of it’s automatic closed captioning capabilities. Luckily for viewers, the automated speech recognition technology has come leaps and bounds from 2009. By improving machine learning algorithms and expanding training data the technology has improved its accuracy by 50%. The technology is now one step closer to the typical rate of human error.

That’s not all. Currently, Google provides automatic closed captioning in the following languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Google is working to improve accuracy in each of these languages, to help ensure children and adults with hearing loss, like Liat, across the globe can enjoy their content – regardless of their spoken language.

1,000,000,000 Videos and Counting

Last month, YouTube announced that they have now officially captioned over 1 billion videos – including those automatically captioned and those captioned by their creators. That is a whopping number for a project only about 11 years old! It is estimated that about 15 million videos with closed captions are streamed on the website daily. The service is clearly bringing vast benefits to millions of people throughout the world.

A History of Diversity at Google

At Google (the parent company of YouTube), diversity has always been one of their core values. Google has invested in high quality unconscious bias trainings for it’s employees. These trainings aim to help Google employees or “Googlers”, to recognize their own unconscious biases and make conscious decisions to combat them. Google has also been on the forefront of efforts to creating an inclusive workplace for Googlers with disabilities by creating the Disability Alliance.

AZ Balance and Hearing Aids

At AZ Balance and Hearing Aids, we care about you and your hearing health – and this extends further than your ability to enjoy videos on websites like YouTube. Reach out to us today to schedule your hearing test. We look forward to helping you through your journey to better and healthier hearing. How could healthy hearing benefit your life?

No matter which way one looks at it, hearing loss is simply a fact of aging for most people, and has continued to be on the rise. It has been estimated that one in three people have hearing loss by age 60 (33%), two in three by age 70 (66%) and a whopping 4 out of five people over the age of 80 experience hearing loss (80%). According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, hearing loss is also the third most common physical ailment facing Americans today, behind arthritis and heart disease (hearingloss.org). As if these statistics weren’t shocking enough, hearing loss is also the #1 most commonly reported workplace injury in the United States.With this wealth of information on the prevalence of hearing loss, one would suspect treatment to be equally common. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It is estimated that only about 28% of hearing impaired Americans who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them.

Why Don’t People Treat Their Hearing Loss?

There is a vast array of scientific studies and surveys, conducted on an international scale that continue to outline the many positive benefits of hearing aid use. These types of studies and articles continue to be published over, and over, and over again – however people continue to let their hearing loss go untreated.Why?There are many theories to explain why people don’t seek treatment for their hearing loss. Perhaps a loved one – or even you yourself – have used one or more of these excuses to avoid getting a hearing test.

1. “I hear just fine!”

If someone you love has untreated hearing loss, you’ve probably heard them spout this a time or two. Most often, hearing loss (especially age related hearing loss) is a gradual condition happening over the course of many years. Many people don’t notice changes in their hearing until others point it out to them, and even then try to deny or ignore their hearing loss for years.

2. “I can’t afford a hearing aid”

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the initial costs of hearing aids. Although there are many payment plan options, and some insurance companies do cover costs, hearing aids are still a financial investment for many. When thinking about whether or not to spend the money on hearing aids – try thinking about it this way. How much is your untreated hearing loss actually costing you? It may be more than you think. According to a National Family Opinion Panel conduced by the Better Hearing Institute, it was found that untreated hearing loss cost individual households an average of $12,000 per year.

3. “Hearing aids will make me look old”

Manufacturers have revolutionized the hearing aid industry – making hearing aids more discreet than ever before. There are even many entirely invisible aids available on the market that fit directly into your ear canal and are completely undetectable. On the contrary, older adults in the workplace who use hearing aids are seen as more competent and better at their jobs by their co-workers than their peers with untreated hearing loss. Therefore, using hearing aids can actually many you appear younger and more able.

4. “It’s just part of getting older”

Hearing loss is definitely correlated with getting older, and most people will experience some degree of hearing loss as they age. However, you don’t have to “just deal with it”. Just as age related near-sightedness can be easily treated with reading glasses, so can age related hearing loss be treated with hearing aids.

Why Get a Hearing Test?

Don’t let any of the above excuses keep you from experiencing the many benefits associated with treating your hearing loss. It is important for adults over the age of 50 to get an annual hearing assessment. Staying attuned to your hearing abilities will help you better recognize any changes in your hearing – and will also give you peace of mind if your hearing has not changed.If changes are detected, get ready for some amazing benefits. Treating hearing loss has been proven to help improve relationships with family and friends, improve productivity at work and slow or negate cognitive decline and depression. What could treating your hearing loss do for you?Reach out to our friendly team at AZ Balance and Hearing Aids today to schedule your free hearing exam. We look forward to working with you.

Could Hearing Tests Help to Identify Concussions? Over the past few years, concussions have made an appearance in popular and sports culture in a major way. There has been quite a bit of new research regarding true and lasting damage undiagnosed concussions can leave, which has caused quite a stir in the world of sports. Even Hollywood has weighed in on the conversation. “Concussion”, a blockbuster film released in 2015, starring Will Smith, chronicles a pathologist’s discovery of brain damage caused by football related concussions. So, what do concussions have to do with hearing tests? According to research conducted by Dr. Nina Kraus at Northwestern University – quite a bit.

What actually happens during a concussion?

While we’ve all heard of them, many people may not know what a concussion actually is. According to WebMD, “a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull” (webmd.com). No matter the type of injury that caused the concussion, the damage is the same. Our brains are soft organs that are surrounded by spinal fluid and protected by our hard skull. Most of the time, the spinal fluid protects our brain from bumping up against the skull by acting as a cushion. During a dramatic impact, however, your brain can jar so quickly that it crashes into your skull – thus causing a concussion.Concussions often leave no visible signs, and don’t always cause a person to become unconscious. Ironically, some concussed people don’t feel any physical or intellectual symptoms whatsoever. On the other hand, some people feel symptoms such as not thinking clearly, nausea, or blurry vision. Because of these factors, diagnosing concussions is extremely difficult, and not always an exact science.

Current diagnostic practices

Currently, diagnostic practices are quite subjective. A doctor may ask you questions or show you pictures and then conceal them to assess your thinking abilities and memory. They may also test your reflexes, coordination, balance, and strength. Some neuropsychological assessments are also used to test changes in mood or emotion. However, without a baseline of one’s normal level of functioning in these areas, these types of diagnosis can be difficult (webmd.com).

How do hearing tests help?

Based on Dr. Kraus’ research, hearing assessments that measure speech intelligibility can help to identify concussions in children. While the sample size of only 40 children was quite small, the results of the research are astounding. The researchers were able to correctly identify children who had suffered concussion with 90% accuracy and those who hadn’t with 95% accuracy. It was found that children who had suffered concussions showed shorter and slower responses to speech sounds and pitch than the control group. It’s no wonder auditory processing is a good biomarker for brain injury. As Dr. Kraus explains, “it is the most precise, most complicated computational work the brain has to do… Sometimes the power of sound is understated. But we know the brain has to do extremely fast, precise processing of sound that’s just not required of us when we process other information.”This exciting research has gained praise from other notable doctors as well, such as from Dr. Daniel Corwin, a pediatric emergency surgeon in Philadelphia. Dr. Corwin points out the need for more objective diagnostic criteria in determining concussions in children, and he praises the research as “very exciting… and a potentially very useful, objective marker of injury” (washingtonpost.com).If you’re interested in reading the full publication of this study, it is available for free here.

What’s next?

Klaus hopes to eventually commercialize her research, after more extensive studies with larger and more varied study groups have been carried out. She is working with colleagues to eventually make the equipment more affordable and portable. Klaus hopes to have the equipment easily available on the sports field, court, or rink as handy concussion diagnostic kits in the near future. (itechpost.com).

What about you?

While you may not need a hearing assessment to determine a concussion, there are many other benefits of taking a hearing test. Reach out to us today at AZ Balance and Hearing Aids to schedule yours, and start your journey towards better relationships, higher work productivity, and more enjoyment out of the beautiful sounds of life!

Did you know that your hearing and balance are connected? The vestibular system, which contributes to your balance and spatial orientation, helps you coordinate movement. The vestibular system and auditory system are an interconnected network of labyrinths in your inner ear.In a new study, Professor Kathleen Cullen of Johns Hopkins University’s Biomedical Engineering department, finds that our vestibular system owes something to our evolutionary past – which means that our auditory and vestibular systems can be traced back hundreds of millions of years!

From the Primordial Soup to Land: How Our Vestibular System Evolved

In an interview for Quirks and Quarks (LINK: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/canadian-broadcasting-corporation/quirks-and-quarks-segmented-show-from-cbc-radio/e/part-of-your-ear-is-millions-of-years-old-20161119-48294647?autoplay=true), a science-based show on CBC Radio of Canada, Dr. Cullen traced our vestibular systems back to 300 million years ago, when terrestrial habitats (including plants and trees) began to emerge from the primordial oceans flooding continents. During this time, life began to emerge on land; this includes insects, spiders, and lizards. From that period until now, many changes happened evolutionarily for us to become the intricate life-forms we are today!Dr. Cullen conducted balance research at the Department of Physiology at McGill University in Montreal. Our vestibular system, which gives us our balance, can be found in the inner ear. As Dr. Cullen explains, “If you look in the inner ear, there are two components: one that we’re all very familiar with – the auditory component that we use to hear and the cochlea, which is a sensory organ and auditory component. Within the inner ear, there are five other sensors which people are generally less familiar with. We have three looping canal structures called the semi-circular canals, and they tell us how your head is moving, rotating through space, organized at right angles to each other and represent all different rotational motions you could generate.”In addition to these sensory organs, Dr. Cullen tells us that “there are two otolithic organs on each side of the head, and they sense linear motion. So, if you’re driving away from a stoplight or stop sign, you’d be activating the otoliths. This is a system that is very important for us to keep sense of how we move through space in terms of our rotation and translation, and we use it to keep our gaze stable as we walk through our environment.”The vestibular system plays a huge role in our ability to maintain balance, and it is very closely tied to our ocular system – in other words, how we see. “If you didn’t have a vestibular system, your eyes would sort of bounce around like a GoPro on your head,” says Dr. Cullen. “But because we have this vestibular system as we walk through the world, for every head movement we generate, there’s a very short reflex of three neurons that move our eyes in an equal and opposite direction. If we are walking down the street and slip on ice, or any other unexpected head motion, our vestibular spinal pathways make compensatory head and body motions to keep us upright.”

How the Vestibular System Evolved the Way It Did

Consider the way that life was lived in the “primordial soup” and how it had to adapt to life on land. Dr. Cullen tells us that in the vestibular system, “there are two types of receptor cells, one which is conserved in animals such as fish who lived in the primordial soup and ones in animals that came out, like reptiles, and ultimately primates and humans. So, there’s more recently evolved receptor cell is preferentially hooked up to a type of wire – in the nerve – and what we found is that the nerves hooked up to the recent-type of receptor cells encode head motion in an unexpected way.”Dr. Cullen’s specific interest lies in how the vestibular system “takes a sensory input that it generates and performs these reflexes and gives us our sense of balance, and how does the brain take that information and determine the appropriate way to activate your muscles.”In her study at McGill University, Dr. Cullen looked at “the very precise timing of the action potentials – the way neurons encode information, an all or nothing event. We found that if you look at the normal movements that people or animals generate, most of the frequency of our movements is below 20 hertz. But if you look at the way neurons in the new pathway are encoding information, they are encoding at up to 100 hertz.”This means that “the slower channel is the old channel – great for representing the actual stimulus you’ve been experiencing (shaking your head back and forth),” while the new channel was “good at the precision of when you start to move – a very precise channel that extracts the transient feature.” These two channels work together as a by-product of evolution 300 million years ago, when animals left the sea and moved onto land. Dr. Cullen points to the vast differences between life in the sea and life on land, and the different requirements to adapt.“In water, there is a viscous environment. As animals moved onto land, the air is much less viscous, and the development of long necks,” says Dr. Cullen. “Between these two more recent developments among animals - humans and monkeys – there are much different mechanical abilities to generate much more transient high acceleration head movement. Evolution of the nervous system needed to come up with a new way to come with the most optimal way for our vestibular system to tell the brain that we have some sort of movement we’ve experienced.”In other words, a fish does not have to worry about tripping or falling over – but it still does require a clean communication channel between its suspension in the water and its ocular system! As a result, Dr. Cullen says, “The bigger surprise? “It’s fascinating that these two channels evolved so cleanly to represent the information in such different and distinct ways.”

Here at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, we treat vestibular disorders. If you have any questions about the vestibular system, or if you believe you’ve been experiencing difficulties in balance, contact us today!

A Prince Edward Island-based research team, led by P.E.I. native Justin Pater, has uncovered an important clue in the rapidly expanding field of genetic hearing loss. Pater and his team have, through exhaustive research, confirmed a link between a unique gene mutation and hearing loss in children, a discovery which has the potential to increase early intervention and prevent problems with speech development for children with hearing loss.Early childhood hearing loss can have severe effects on a child’s mental, social and educational development, so this announcement has caused excitement among audiologists and other hearing care specialists. According to Pater, the genetic mutation is rare but exists in various countries across the globe, with the condition being more prevalent in Newfoundland.Justin Pater was a student of biology at the University of Prince Edward Island and is currently a year away from completing his PhD at Memorial University in St. John’s. In a news release from the university, Pater said that despite the fact that this gene has been identified in The Netherlands, Iceland and Denmark, this is the first time a proven link has been found between the gene, known as CLDN14, and early onset hearing loss.

CLDN14 Gene Mutation Leads To Profound Hearing Loss in Children

The gene mutation appears to be more common among children in Newfoundland than elsewhere, occurring in just over one percent of the population, though it has been detected in other countries as well.Children born with CLDN14 mutation can hear normally at birth and pass their newborn hearing screenings, but lose their ability to hear higher frequencies, such as the chirping of a bird, around the age of three or four. The gene plays an essential role in hearing: it helps to maintain the structures of the inner ear by creating “tight junctions” which allow cells to stick together and effectively transmit sound signals to the brain. When this gene mutates, the ability to hear in the middle and high frequencies is often profoundly disrupted, although low frequencies are not affected.Ages three and four are critical for a child’s acquisition of language, and the loss of certain frequencies at this stage can lead to serious speech-language problems and developmental delays. The research team hopes that their findings will be useful in a clinical setting for detecting early hearing loss, and identifying and helping at-risk children.

A Year of Painstaking Research Pays Off

Pater and his partners, based at the Craig L. Dobbin Genetics Research Centre at Memorial, sequenced the genome to determine how it was unique in people with the mutation.Pater thanked Newfoundland’s large family trees for helping him observe how a mutation can separate or travel within family lines. After a year of tireless research the team was able to present powerful evidence that the mutation causes early onset hearing loss. Their findings were recently published in the academic journal Human Genetics, a major accomplishment for Pater and his colleagues. Pater believes that their discovery will help speech language pathologists and health-care professionals to intervene in cases of hearing loss earlier and more effectively.“I am proud to be a part of a larger team that came together to discover this mutation,” Pater said. “Approximately 10 per cent of Canadian adults are affected by hearing loss and 50 per cent of these cases are caused by genetic mutations. It is these overwhelming statistics that drew me into hearing loss research. Not only can these discoveries have a big impact right here in Newfoundland and Labrador, but so, too, can they be extended to the national and international level.”

A Lifelong Interest in Genetics

So what’s next for Justin Pater? The researcher said that after finishing his PhD, he would like to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship in Boston. He hopes to focus on cancer genetics, and believes that gene sequencing could help doctors to deliver tailored treatment for many different types of cancers and personalized medicine, while continuing to research one of the world’s most common conditions: hearing loss.

Ensuring Your Child’s Healthy Hearing

Do you suspect your child may be experiencing hearing loss? Contact Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids. We provide pediatric hearing services: comprehensive hearing tests and fittings. A hearing test will reveal if a hearing loss is present – and early detection is of utmost importance to childhood verbal and socio-emotional development. Give us a call today!

The new year is upon us, which means it’s time to break out the champagne--and also a pen and paper for making our annual list of resolutions. Exercise more, eat a healthier diet, make new friends, start saving for that trip...some of our goals will be kept, and some will be broken, as always seems to be the case.But one resolution that you should keep--particularly if you are age 50 or older--is to schedule an annual hearing exam. If you suffer from undiagnosed hearing loss, this single step has the potential to make a significant positive impact on your life, and even prevent future illness and injury.

How common is hearing loss?

]Many people postpone having their hearing checked, often for years after first noticing a decline in their hearing. Perhaps they are afraid to receive confirmation that their hearing is not what it used to be, or they think that they are alone with this condition. But they needn’t feel this way--hearing loss is not only treatable, but also incredibly common. Let’s take a look at some surprising facts about hearing loss in America:-The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that 15 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 suffer from noise-induced hearing loss.-Age-related hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults: 1 in 3 people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.-Work-related hearing loss is also incredibly common: according to the CDC, four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise, ten million people in the U.S. have a noise-related hearing loss, and twenty-two million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise each year.So, whether your hearing loss is related to noise exposure, age or another cause, the facts speak for themselves: you are not alone.

What if hearing loss goes untreated?

]While there are numerous benefits that come from treating hearing loss, the opposite is also true. Research shows that letting hearing loss go untreated can have serious consequences, on both the body and the mind.One of the most compelling reasons to seek help with hearing loss is the fact that this condition, when untreated, has been linked to diminished cognitive function. A study at Johns Hopkins recently found that cognitive diminishment was 41 percent greater in seniors with hearing loss. There are two primary reasons for this: the first is that hearing loss can cause increased isolation and loneliness, which in turn increases the risk factors for Alzheimer’s and dementia. The second is that the brain, as it works to understand degraded speech signals, has less energy to put towards other tasks, so things like memory and comprehension begin to suffer.Untreated hearing loss can also have damaging effects on personal relationships. As communication between the hard of hearing person and their friends and family becomes increasingly frustrating, many people with hearing loss react by withdrawing from social activities, which can put even more space between themselves and those around them.Finally, hearing damage that goes untreated has been shown to have a negative effect on general health and well-being, and contributes to the risk of falls and injuries.

Schedule your hearing exam today!

]Fortunately, hearing loss is treatable, and research shows that individuals who treat their hearing loss early with hearing aids have shown significant benefits. Hearing aids, by making it easier for your brain to process and understand sounds, can: reduce mental fatigue, decrease one’s feelings of social isolation and depression, improve memory, attention and focus, and also improve social relationships by greatly aiding in communication.The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine recommends you have your hearing checked at least once a year, so even if you don’t currently notice any signs of hearing loss, an annual exam should be on your to-do list. If you feel tentative about going on your own, ask a friend or family member to go with you for support. With all of the substantial benefits that go along with treating your hearing loss, there’s no reason to delay.Ready to schedule your annual hearing test? Contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids today!

At home tips for common hearing aid issues

As a hearing aid wearer, you don’t want to rush to your hearing instrument specialist every time something isn’t quite right. Surely you can fix some simple problems on your own? Absolutely! Here’s how to easily fix the most common hearing aid problems from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

My Hearing Aids Seem to be Dead

If your hearing aids aren’t producing any sound, there’s clearly something very wrong. Check to see if your hearing aid is turned on and adjust the settings. Still not working? It’s time to check the battery. It’s a common mistake to insert the battery upside down, or fail to close the door properly, so it could just be a matter of flipping the battery or double checking the battery door to get your hearing aid back to turn on.

My Hearing Aids Are Too Quiet

If your hearing aids are working but the sound seems to be muffled or too soft, there is likely a buildup of wax on the microphone or earmold. Try thoroughly cleaning your hearing aid. It’s surprising how many problems a good cleaning will fix. Your ears are constantly exposed to dirt, dust, debris, and moisture, which cause damage to your hearing aids. To keep your hearing aids in good working order, consider adding a quick cleaning to your daily morning routine.Use a soft, dry cloth, wipe your hearing aids carefully to remove any dirt. Check for earwax so it never has a chance to build up or cause problems. This can greatly prolong the life of your hearing aid. If your ears produce a lot of wax and you’re wearing a behind-the-ear model, you can remove the earmolds and wash them in warm water with a mild soap. Rinse very thoroughly, and make sure they’re completely dry before you reattaching them! Never get your hearing aids wet.Another possible explanation for the low volume is damage or moisture in the tubing. Check them carefully for cracks or fraying that could be diverting your volume away from your ears. If you find damage, come visit us for repairs.If you’ve tried all these tricks for making your hearing aid louder and nothing’s working, it’s possible your hearing has changed. It’s time for a hearing test. We’ll advise you on the next steps, and see if it’s time to upgrade your hearing aids.

The Sound is Distorted

If the sound coming from your hearing aid is distorted, check the battery. Distortions are often caused by corroded or damaged battery contacts. This is the part of the hearing aid that connects to the battery, allowing power to flow to the hearing aid. When the contacts are damaged, the power flow is uneven and the sound will often be distorted.Located inside the battery door, the contacts are easily damaged by dust, debris, moisture or earwax. Remove the battery from the case and clean the contacts thoroughly with a soft, dry cloth. Replace the battery and try again. The sound should have improved. You can also try a new battery, as the battery you’re using may be faulty.

My Hearing Aid Whistles or Has Feedback

If you’re experiencing a lot of whistling or feedback from your hearing aids, the first thing to try is to reduce the volume. Feedback happens when the sound your hearing aid has amplified is picked up again by the microphone. This is often enough to stop the whistling, and leave you hearing clearly in any environment.If that’s not working, take your hearing aids out and put them back in. It’s possible they weren’t inserted properly, and that was causing the feedback. If the feedback persists, your hearing aid or earmolds might not fit you properly. When the hearing aids aren’t sealing your ear, sounds sneak in past the hearing aids and create feedback. Visit us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids to check the fit of your hearing aid, and stop that annoying whistling.

Hearing Aid Maintenance and Care

You rely on your hearing aids to make your everyday life a breeze. If they aren’t functioning properly, we know it’s not just an irritation, but a problem that affects your whole day.If you’re having trouble with your hearing aids and these simple fixes aren’t working, we’re always here to help. Drop in anytime with us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, and we’ll take a look at your hearing aids, repair any damage, perform a thorough cleaning, and make sure your devices are in great working order.

Thanks to improvements in technology over the past ten years, listening to music has become easier and more comfortable than ever before. However, there is a downside: some of these technological advances, such as ear bud headphones and personal audio devices, are contributing to a sharp rise in noise-induced hearing loss among young people, according to the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).The World Health Organization estimated last year that approximately 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk, as a result of harmful sound levels from personal audio devices, noisy entertainment venues, and sporting events. Learn more about how this can be prevented.Educating Through Music--The “Listen to Your Buds” Campaign Ten years ago, ASHA launched their creative plan to halt the rise of noise-related hearing loss: The Listen to Your Buds Concert Series. Now it’s back, and touring Philadelphia schools (the concert series was introduced to six elementary schools for the first time this week). This campaign helps to educate grade-school children about using technology safely, by bringing award-winning musicians to each school to perform, and speak with students about how they can protect their hearing now and in the future. This time around, jazz musicians Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards and Oran Etkin will alternate headlining the concerts.Joy Peterson, Au.D., CCC-A, manager of audiology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, shed some light on this campaign in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer this week. Read on to find out more about this exciting initiative.A Generation at Risk, and The Necessity of Early Education According to Dr. Peterson, public polling has revealed that the vast majority of children now use technology devices such as MP3 players, tablets and smartphones--along with ear buds or headphones. While this is not a necessarily a problem in itself, many young people are not familiar with “safe listening practices” and may be inadvertently damaging their hearing every day.Experts believe that the growing popularity of tech devices, combined with the lack of hearing-safety knowledge could be putting a whole generation of young adults at risk.The good news? Noise-related hearing loss is completely preventable, and according to Dr. Peterson, the key is instilling good listening habits early on: “With the Buds campaign, the idea is to get the safe listening message to younger children before they start to develop the bad habits with technology—like cranking the volume for hours on end. So, educating teenagers is important, but let’s start talking to them earlier—when our messages may make even more of an impact.”Safe Listening Tips from the “Buds” Campaign The Listen to Your Buds campaign aims to keep their message very simple by emphasizing two key rules for listening to music with personal devices:1) Turn the volume down.2) Give your ears a rest by taking listening breaks.The campaign leaders have found elementary school-age children to be highly receptive to this simple message, along with the format of the concerts. Dr. Peterson says, of their mission: “We help them to appreciate the fact that their hearing is a gift—and something they wouldn’t want to lose.”How Can Parents Help? Children often look to their parents’ actions as guidance. So, the first thing we must do as parents is make sure we are setting a good example by following safe listening practices ourselves.Many smartphones come with a music volume limit which you can toggle in the settings, making sure that your child isn’t able to increase the volume to a damaging level. You can also provide earplugs and earmuffs designed to protect hearing in loud sound environments.How Does Hearing Loss Affect Children In Particular? Hearing is critical to speech and language development, communication, and learning. Even so-called “minimal or mild” hearing loss can have a significant impact. Those with hearing loss may have difficulty with achieving in reading and math. Children with mild to moderate hearing loss achieve one to four grade levels lower, on average, than their peers with normal hearing. Some children also report feeling socially isolated as a result of hearing loss which can develop into feelings of low self-esteem. All of this points to the importance of preventing noise-induced hearing loss as well as early identification of any type of hearing problem.Schedule an annual hearing test for your child at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids today!

Social media can be much more than a way to stay in touch with your friends. It allows you to connect with your community, keep up on news and events, and get practical advice. Randi Zuckerberg’s story is for all the naysayers in your life who think Facebook is a waste of time! It helped her figure out a key element to her son’s health.

Hearing Loss at the Zuckerberg Home

Randi Zuckerberg, whom you might know as the New York Times bestselling author of Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, is also a media executive and mother of two young boys. In a recent article published in Today, Zuckerberg shared her story.

The Zuckerbergs’ first son, Asher, was a healthy baby, and Randi and Brent were model parents, watching his development carefully. When Simcha, nicknamed Simi, was born, they relaxed a little bit. Both boys were happy, lovable children, and no one saw any problems. Doubts began creeping in when Zuckerberg realized that Simi’s development seemed a bit slow.

At 20-months-old, he was still not walking or talking, so she reached out to friends on Facebook for advice. The overwhelming response was not to worry about Simi. Everyone thought he was doing great, and just needed a bit more time to catch up.

Facebook Memories: Reliving the Past

Zuckerberg believed her friends, until she saw an old Facebook post. As you know, Facebook will show you memories, or posts you’ve made several months or years ago. These old posts will pop up at the top of your newsfeed so you can share old memories with friends. This memory post was about Asher as a toddler. At 18-months-old, Asher was walking and talking just fine, and was even using full sentences! Zuckerberg realized that Simi must have fallen far behind, and it was time to take action.

They visited an audiologist, who diagnosed Simi with hearing loss caused by an ear infection as a baby. He went through surgery, and was immediately placed in speech therapy. Simi is now two years old, and is loving life! He’s learning to speak in full sentences, and is starting to walk. This is great news, since it means he’ll be able to grow and develop along with his peers.

Support and Social Media

After her son was diagnosed with hearing loss, Zuckerberg turned to social media for support. Zuckerberg dealt with feelings of guilt that she had not recognized his hearing loss earlier, and had allowed her friends to lull her fears. Worried about Simi and his development, she reached out to other moms who had experienced similar struggles, and they helped her through this difficult time.

Zuckerberg credits social media for helping her realize Simi wasn’t hearing normally. The Facebook post jolted her memory, and made all her fears come rushing back. Luckily, she caught it in time. Living with untreated hearing loss, especially as a young child, has life-long consequences. If a child doesn’t have normal hearing while they are developing and growing, their cognitive and social development will be slowed, and their brains may never function normally.

Don’t Discredit Your Parental Instincts

While Zuckerberg is thankful that social media helped her recognize Simi’s problem and provided social support, she gives a word of warning. Not everything you are told on social media is accurate, and sometimes you have to trust your gut.

When she first thought Simi might have a problem, she allowed her support network lull her into thinking everything was ok. She says it’s never a good idea to take chances, especially when it comes to your kids. Make sure you do your own research and trust your instincts. They’re probably right. Today, both Simi and Asher are doing great, and Simi is back on track to growing and learning normally.

At Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids, we provide pediatric hearing loss services. Contact us today if you believe your child is experiencing hearing loss.

Holidays can be joyful family occasions, complete with love, laughter, and good conversations. It’s hard to picture the holiday season without seeing a large group of extended family spending lots of quality time together. If you have hearing loss though, thinking about Thanksgiving or Christmas can be daunting. Since large gatherings mean lots of extra background noise, too many conversations happening at once, it is easy to get caught up in it all. Here are some tips we hope you will find help as we approach the holiday season.

If You’re Hosting – Pay Attention to Noise Level and Spaces!

Okay, so maybe you can’t ask everyone to whisper, but there are a few ways to bring down the volume. This will ensure that you don’t have trouble following conversations with all that background noise. The most obvious piece of advice is to turn down the holiday music. Yes, you only get to listen to that holiday CD once a year, but maybe listening to it on full volume at the party isn’t necessary. If it’s too loud, everyone will have a harder time enjoying conversations. Keep the volume soft, and turn the speakers away from where the conversations are happening.Another great tip is to use more than one room for the day. You don’t have to all squeeze into the living room, but can spread out into the dining room, or send the kids upstairs. Smaller groups will be less noisy, with fewer conversations happening at one time. It will make one on one conversations easier, and make hearing loss more manageable. It also allows people to catch up in small groups, with deeper conversations!To reduce noise at the dinner table, consider switching to paper or plastic plates and utensils. Not only will you eliminate all that clinking, you also won’t have to be in the kitchen all evening washing dishes! If you have a round table, use it for dinner. Those with hearing loss will have an easier time reading lips and following the conversation when they can see everyone at the table.

When You’re the Guest

If you’ve been invited to someone else’s home, you have less control over the listening environment. However, there are still a few things you can do to enjoy your time with the relatives, and not feel like you’re missing out on the conversations happening around you. We know you don’t want to make a scene or draw attention to your hearing loss, so here are some subtle tricks to make the evening go smoothly.

Location is Key

The best tip we can give you when you’re a guest is to find a quiet place. If you’re having a one on one conversation with your niece, try to find a quiet corner or somewhere where the music isn’t very loud. You’ll be able to hear what she’s saying, and have a pleasant interaction without straining to hear. Consider the lighting as well. Don’t pick a dark corner, since you won’t be able to lip read or catch the visual cues in the dark.

At the Dinner Table

When it’s time for dinner, find a dinner buddy. This could be someone you don’t have trouble understanding, or someone who gladly fills you in if you do get lost from time to time. Try to pick a seat that points your good ear towards most of the people around the table. Sit at the end of the table, where you can see and make eye contact most of the other guests. This will help you engage in the conversation and follow what’s being said.Finally, don’t be shy! It’s perfectly fine to talk to the host ahead of time, and see if there are ways to accommodate your hearing loss, like turning down the music, or finding a quieter room. Your family and friends will be more than happy to help you get the most out of every holiday gathering.From all of us at Arizona Balance and Hearing, we wish you a happy holiday season!

Does your diet affect your hearing?

We all know that nutrition is incredibly important. Eating well gives us energy and keeps our heart pumping happily by reducing the risk of heart diseases like heart attack and stroke. It also lowers cholesterol and decreases the chances of developing other chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer. What you eat helps you control weight, improve your mood and promotes overall health. Not only that, but did you know that what you eat can affect your hearing as well?

What Does Eating Have to do With Hearing?

According to the Daily Sentinel, the food we eat might actually play a big role in hearing health. Dr. Joe McDermott, Director of Audiology for Colorado West Otolaryngologists, says hearing health is closely linked with your body’s overall health. It’s easy to see how eating healthy foods promotes overall health, which in turn benefits you hearing. Eating certain foods can actually reduce your chances of developing hearing loss, and protect your hearing.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Eating Fish

What are the best foods for your hearing? One of the nutrients closely linked with hearing health is omega-3 fatty acids. They have anti-inflammatory properties that give extra strength to blood vessels throughout the body. This includes the blood vessels in the delicate inner ear. Having healthy blood vessels means all your cells are getting enough oxygen and other nutrients, and your hearing is protected. Foods to eat if you’re hoping to increase your intake of omega-3s include fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines. If you’ve been looking for a perfect excuse to book that fishing trip with the guys, this is it! Those who eat at least two servings of fish each week are 42% less likely to develop age-related hearing loss, as compared to people who aren’t getting enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Antioxidants: Getting Your Leafy Greens

Another important food group for hearing health is antioxidants. Folic acid is the antioxidant you want to get, and it can be found in leafy greens such as romaine lettuce and spinach. Also, look for it in peas, beans, and nuts. Antioxidants like folic acid reduce free radicals, or molecules that cause damage to your body’s cells. Fewer free radicals means less damage in your ear, and clearer hearing. For adults over 50, having a folate deficiency means a 35% higher risk of developing hearing loss.

Vitamins and Minerals: Don’t Forget the Fruits and Vegetables

For hearing health, vitamins are essential. Vitamin B12 has many functions in the body as well as in the ear. It promotes the production of red blood cells and improved blood flow to the ears. Foods high in B12 are meat, dairy, and eggs. Vitamin C boosts the immune system, and can be found in many fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruit, and bell peppers. Vitamin D keeps bones and tissues in the ear strong, and is found in fish and milk. Vitamin E, which can be found in nuts like almonds and peanuts, improves overall circulation.Zinc protects against age-related hearing loss, and can be found in dark chocolate. Yes, chocolate! Indulge in your guilty pleasure, it’s for your health. Just make sure it’s dark chocolate, and doesn’t have a lot of added sugar. Finally, magnesium can prevent noise-induced hearing loss. It’s in bananas, potatoes, artichokes and broccoli.So, the next time you open the fridge, stop to think about what you’re eating and how it might be impacting your health and your hearing. You should have no difficulties finding foods rich in omega-3s, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Making healthy choices isn’t a guarantee that you won’t one day struggle with hearing loss, but including these foods in your daily diet will certainly improve your overall health and hearing.For more information on hearing loss or to schedule a consultation, contact us at Arizona Balance and Hearing Aids!

Hearing Impaired and Police Interactions

You may or may not have heard about the 29-year-old man with hearing impairment who was shot and killed during a police interaction last month in Charlotte, North Carolina. On August 18th of this year, Daniel Kevin Harris was driving down the I-480 highway when an officer attempted to pull him over for speeding. It is assumed that Harris did not hear the police sirens, as he continued down the freeway for about 7 miles. Mr. Harris exited the freeway at Seven Oaks Drive.While an active investigation is still underway, exact details of the incident are unclear after this point. What we do know is that upon exiting his vehicle, only a few hundred meters from his home, an interaction with a police officer led to the shooting and death of Daniel Harris. He was deaf and also had a speech impairment.Mr. Harris was unarmed and left behind a 4-year-old child.To read more on this devastating story, click here.

How can people who are deaf or living with hearing impairment interact with police officers safely?

Although we urge police organizations to provide proper training for their officers to prevent another case like Kevin Harris’ from occurring, there are some things members of the deaf community or those with hearing impairment can do to safely interact with police.Getting pulled over for any reason can be an extremely nerve-wracking experience, and even more so for those who are deaf or live with a hearing impairment. What can you do to stay calm, protect your rights, communicate your needs, and stay safe when interacting with police officers?ACLU has partnered with HEARD and award-winning actress Marlee Matlin (who is also the wife of a police officer) in creating an informative video that answers these questions for individuals with hearing impairment. watch it here.Here is a basic outline of more pertinent topics covered in this video.

If you get pulled over:

1. Be prepared. Permanently keep a card in the visor of the driver’s side sun shade that clearly reads, “I am deaf” or “I have a hearing impairment”. This way, it will be one of the first things the officer sees as he or she approach your vehicle.2. Be aware. Many times, it is not possible to hear a police siren behind you. Check your rear-view mirror periodically for police lights that indicate you have been pulled over.3. Remain calm. Once pulled over, pull the sun visor down so your sign is clearly visible. Then, roll down the window, turn off your car, keep your hands on the steering wheel and wait for the officer to approach.4. Make eye contact and communicate your needs. After eye contact has been established, communicate in a way that works for you that you are hearing impaired. Communicate your needs in writing. Make sure that the officer understands what you need in order to understand the conversation – this can mean paper and pencil or an interpreter.5. Do not touch an officer. Many times, (especially members of the deaf community) use their hands to communicate – and this often involves touching. When interacting with police, it is important to remember to never touch an officer, as it can be viewed as a threat. If you need to get an officer’s attention, wave or vocalize, if possible.6. Do not continue to communicate if you do not understand. If you are not sure what is happening, please stop the conversation and wait for the accommodations you have requested. It is your right to be provided with what you need in order to clearly understand a police interaction.7. Know your rights. You have a right to your requested accommodations due to your hearing loss. You also have a right to refuse a search of your car, person or home. (If police officers believe a gun or other weapon may be present, they have the right to pat down the outside of your clothing).

How can I help?

There are many steps that can be taken to make interactions between police officers and those with hearing impairment safer and less stressful.1. Sign this petition. Urge the Attorney General to provide appropriate training to police officers when interacting with people with hearing impairment. click here to sign.2. Donate to Daniel Kevin Harris’ Memorial Fund. After funeral costs are covered, the rest of the money will be used to set up a foundation in his name – aimed at educating police officers on how to interact with those with hearing and speech impairments.3. Treat your hearing loss. If you or someone you love has hearing loss that can be treated with hearing aids, getting treatment can greatly improve life, relationships, cognitive abilities and even safety when interacting with police.