The Starkey Hearing Foundation

Here at Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers we are PROUD to be a supporter of the amazing works of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. We have a strong belief in the gift of hearing beyond just our office walls.A first-of-its-kind hearing mission changed more than 75 lives yesterday in Lexington, Kentucky as University of Kentucky Men's Basketball Head Coach John Calipari and many other star athletes joined Starkey Hearing Foundation to share in the joy of patients receiving the gift of hearing."What a delight to be here and see people's eyes light up as they receive their hearing devices," Calipari said from the hearing mission. "It's great to think about how life-changing this will be for these Kentucky residents."William F. Austin and Tani Austin, co-founders of Starkey Hearing Foundation, and the Foundation's team of audiologists and staff provided patients from Kentucky with hearing devices as well as counseling and training to patients and family members on how to care and operate their hearing device."Giving a person the ability to hear has an immediate, inspiring impact on that person's quality of life and a compounding positive effect on the world," Mr. Austin said. "Thank you to our many incredible partners who helped make this happen."There is an estimated 7.2 million people in the U.S. with hearing loss who are living below the poverty level. For more than three decades, Starkey Hearing Foundation has been changing lives through hearing care, providing more than 1.9 million hearing aids to people in need, including more than 125,000 domestically."More than 700,000 Kentucky residents have hearing loss, with many unable to afford the care they need," Lowell Scott, president and owner of the hearing mission sponsor, Hearing Solutions said. "To make this difference for these people's lives, there's just nothing like it."For others seeking hearing device assistance in the Chicagoland area, please contact us to make an appointment today.What is the Starkey Hearing Foundation?Starkey Hearing Foundation, a public charity founded by William F. Austin, gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. Disabling hearing loss affects more than 360 million people, including 32 million children, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that improve lives and promote understanding. The Foundation focuses on hearing health care missions, education, and recycling, as well as grants to mission-aligned organizations. The Foundation has cared for more than 1.1 million patients and provided 1.9 million hearing devices in more than 100 countries. Visit www.chicagolandhearing.com or www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org to learn more!

Did you Know That People Who Use Hearing Aids are More Optimistic?

People that use hearing aids are more likely to be optimistic and feel engaged with life.Every several years, the non-profit Better Hearing Institute surveys and collects detailed information on thousands of people with hearing loss, both with and without hearing aids. The published results are always fascinating, and provide valuable insight into the who, what, how and why of treating hearing loss and wearing hearing aids.Combined, the data also acts as de facto hearing aid reviews by measuring answers to questions about hearing aid features, attributes, effectiveness and satisfaction.

The survey highlights many benefits of buying hearing aids

Results from the survey prove that treating hearing loss results in numerous positive benefits for those with hearing difficulty. Many of these benefits were compiled in an article on the Institute’s website, titled“How can treating hearing loss help me stay youthful and active?” In it, they share that, “people with hearing loss who use hearing aids are more likely to be optimistic and feel engaged in life.”That doesn’t surprise Starkey, as the hearing professionals who fit our hearing aids report the same thing.Find out for yourself by scheduling an appointment with Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today!Read the Better Hearing Institute’s article here.

3 Back to School Hearing Loss Tips

Hearing loss can make learning hard. Teachers constantly move around classrooms,may use microphones during lectures or outside noises may distract or interfere with theprofessor’s voice. Big classrooms and auditoriums can distort sound, and the presenceof other students can make focusing hard as their own voices take over that of theprofessor’s.Here are some tips to help make school easier with hearing loss: Tell Your Teacher: Be up front with all of your teachers that you have a hearing loss.Explain to them privately what sounds are hard to hear, what words are hard tounderstand and what environments or situations are difficult for you. Sit down anddiscuss some ways in which your teacher can help make things easier such as ensuringhe or she always faces you when he or she talks, providing visual or printed lessons inaddition to verbal and weekly check-ins to make sure you’re not missing anything important. Nominate a Note-taker: If you have trouble understanding teachers because theirvoices are lost in an auditorium, they are always moving around the classroom, or someteachers may have softer, higher-frequency voices. You may also have troubleunderstanding your fellow students’ questions or answers either because they werebehind you or on the far end of a 300-seat lecture hall.  In order to combat this, you canget a note-taker through the school’s disability services. If you’re not comfortable doingthis or have missed the deadline for a note-taker through school, consider asking afriend in class to help you take notes when you are having trouble. Front Row: Sitting in the front row may mean you get asked more questions than most,but it also means you have put yourself in the best place possible to hear andunderstand your teacher. It also allows you to pivot left, right or backwards whenanother student is speaking and have a better chance at getting what they are saying.Schedule an appointment today for a free hearing test if you find it difficult to hear at school.

Technology Can Be Wonderful!

We all know how hearing aids can help you hear things you otherwise might miss: a grandchild’s first words, the wind chime in your garden, a joke at the dinner table, or fill in your own favorite sound here. Today’s Made for iPhone® hearing aids can help you hear the sounds you've been missing— and so much more. We’ll just leave it at that.Watch this inspiring transformation video to see what this new technology is all about!Contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today to learn more about what the Made for iPhone® can do for you!  

More and more teens are suffering from hearing loss

In 2016, we live in a world full of headphones and plug ins! We are constantly plugged in; listening to music at all times, falling asleep to audiobooks and turning the TV loud to get the full effect of the amazing surround sound we just bought.Knowing the common habit of the teenagers today, Starkey Hearing Technologies has started "Listen Carefully" which is a new campaign that is geared toward teenagers and young people in this growing epidemic! Starkey research finds teen hearing loss has increased 30 percent in the past decade, an irreversible but preventable affliction.You can learn more about safe listening from Dr. Fabry and how to be more aware of the damage we are causing to our ears in this article about how more and more teens are suffering from hearing loss. There are ways around hearing loss if we just pay a attention to the safety of it all.Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers is powered by Starkey Hearing Technologies, which is based in Eden Prairie has provided 175,000 hearing aids to people in 40 different countries around the world, focusing on helping people who cannot afford hearing aids or cannot access the technology. Here at Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers we are committed to helping you prevent future hearing loss and educate you on the effects the outside world has on your ears! Contact us today for an appointment with one of our hearing specialists.

Alanna's Story

Renowned New York yoga instructor (one of Yoga Journal's top 21 teachers under 40), founder of The Kaivalya Yoga Method, published author and Ph.D. student Alanna Kaivalya has lived with hearing loss since childhood, but that clearly hasn’t held her back! She learned to excel in school and even explored music, despite moderate-to-severe mixed hearing loss in both ears and not being fit with hearing aids until age 21. Recently, Alanna was fitted with Starkey Made for iPhone hearing aids, and she not only noticed improvement in her hearing, but she was able to use the functions of the Made for iPhone and the TruLink app to adapt her hearing needs to her lifestyle.Here is her remarkable story in her own words:

You’ve struggled with hearing loss since childhood; how did you learn to cope with this?

I was born with a cleft palate, which left me in pretty bad shape growing up with moderate-to-severe mixed hearing loss in both ears. Interestingly, I wasn’t really aware that I had hearing loss or that I was different from the other kids when I was young because my parents were very careful about reinforcing my ability to do everything that other children could do. Though doctors told my mom I would never be “musical,” as soon as I could sit up straight, she strapped an accordion to my chest and taught me how to play. She also put me in choir, taught me how to sing and made sure that teachers always seated me in the front of my classroom so that I would hear everything. And, if I didn’t, she always encouraged me to raise my hand, ask questions and be heard. I was a student who excelled, and I believe it was because of this firm encouragement from my mom to integrate with the rest of the world.

That said, I did develop some great coping techniques and music really helped me, like feeling the vibrations of the music and listening for sound with my body instead of just my ears. I became an expert at reading lips, but also at reading the “tone” of a conversation in order to stay in it. But it wasn’t until I was a teenager when I recognized the way that I heard was different from other people, and I was a little surprised that others didn’t have the ability to “feel” sound the way that I did. In fact, as a musician and yoga practitioner, I’ve always strived to encourage people to connect with sound in the way that I do, to give them even better access to all the great ways they can hear and experience the world.

You weren’t fitted with hearing aids until adulthood. What made you decide to get hearing aids?

I think I would have gotten hearing aids a lot younger had they been covered by insurance. It’s astonishing to me that insurance often doesn’t cover hearing aids! But when I was 21, I finally found an insurance company that covered a portion of my hearing aids and then my grandmother was generous enough to cover the rest. She went with me to get fitted and the first time I heard her say my name while standing behind me, I cried. We then went on a walk (something we often did together), and it was the first time I heard the sound of wind through leaves and the sound of my pants swishing as I walked. It was amazing, and once I had hearing aids, I couldn’t believe how much of the world’s sounds I’d missed up to that point.

Describe your Made for iPhone journey: How did you feel before and after the fitting?

This is like asking someone who has never eaten cake before how they felt before they tasted it! How do they know? Honestly, I wasn’t prepared for how powerful or awesome the Made for iPhone devices would be. There’s no way someone could have told me about the quality of sound or the ease with which they pair — not just with the iPhone, but with my life. Now I feel like the bionic woman! Everything is crisper and sharper. I had dinner with my friends last night and coolly slid the setting over to “Restaurant” and I could even hear the person who was sitting on my “bad side” with ease. The other day, I was on a plane and I listened to several hours of an audiobook for my graduate studies and could hear it over the engine noise. Today, I spent two hours on the phone for interviews about my new book, and was able to move around my house while talking, whereas before I had to be paralyzingly still in order to hear on the phone. I feeling like I’m living a bionic, blessed life with my new hearing aids!

You are a published author, renowned yogi and musician. What has empowered you to accomplish so much?

When I was a young girl, my mother often told me that I could do anything. Every time I met or exceeded a challenge, it felt good to me and I couldn’t wait for the next one. When I realized how much I’d overcome in terms of my hearing loss, it really bolstered my confidence and showed me that even people with differences can do everything they set their hearts to. My heart is set on showing people the power of connection — to others, to self and to spirit. This has led me in some exciting pursuits and so far, I’ve published two books: Myths of the Asanas: Stories at the Heart of the Yoga Tradition (Mandala Press, 2010) and my most recent, Sacred Sound: Discovering the Myth and Meaning of Mantra and Kirtan (New World Library, 2014). The Sacred Sound book was a fantastic opportunity to share with people the valuable lessons I’ve learned from my deep connection with sound and vibration because of my hearing loss. As for the future, I’m currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and I am working with them to develop a program that helps to bridge the practices of yoga with Depth Psychology and counseling. It is my passion to help others connect, and I think I’m never going to stop until I’ve done all I can in this regard.

What advice would you give people who struggle with hearing loss?

I would encourage them to see the loss as a gift, and start looking for all the ways in which they can hear differently, particularly through feeling. The world reveals itself not just in conversation, but also in tone, vibration and subtle sound. My belief is that those with hearing loss have access to sound on a deeper level than those with perfect hearing. We may have to work harder to sense it at first, but then it becomes second nature, and we are able to connect to our world and each other in a different way.

Other than that, obviously I would advise them to experience the amazing Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers, powered by Starkey sound quality and go bionic with a pair of Made for iPhones. Even my hearing friends are jealous of me now!

Here at Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers we are committed to creating an amazing hearing experience for you and your loved ones! If you feel like you could be experiencing hearing loss, please contact us today for a hearing test!

Deaf musician James Holt from Smithills hits right notes with help of pioneering new hearing aids

What a great moment for James Holt! According to the Bolton News, James Holt is a DEAF musician who has become one of the first people in the UK to receive pioneering new hearing aids! He has suffered from hearing loss since birth, but is now benefiting from hearing aids produced by Starkey Hearing Technologies, which is what powers Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers. Starkey's new range of hearing aids, named A4, aims to make them easier to fit in with people's lives and gives an improved sound quality. It has improved James' ability to hear music. How truly amazing!He said: "People thought I wouldn't be able to play or write music but technology such as this has helped me a lot."Neil Pottinger, from Starkey Hearing Technologies, said: “A4 brings a completely new technology to the marketplace. We’re very much looking forward to providing hearing aid solutions to those who have previously rejected them on how they look, sound and feel — sadly with an often detrimental impact on social interaction, relationships and general health and well being."Learn more about James Holt's story in the article on the Bolton News website. Also, you can learn more about products and hearing evaluations by calling us today!

The Importance of Teaching Kids About Hearing Loss

Hearing loss isn’t something kids learn about in school, so when they come face-to-face with a child wearing hearing aids, the first thought may be “different” or “weird.” A lack of understanding can contribute to bullying and teasing; could taking the time to teach a child about hearing loss help?When I was in third grade, I remember a boy in my class who was treated differently. He would walk up to the teacher each morning and hand her a microphone to wear around her neck. She would flip a little switch, then say something and his face would light up. Almost every day, he would give her two thumbs up before returning to his seat in the front row. But one day, as we headed out to the playground for our morning snack break, a group of my classmates stood huddled in a circle, pointing and laughing at the boy. I remember feeling confused because I didn’t understand why they were laughing at him. When I got home, I asked my mom why they were laughing at him, and she explained that the boy had hearing aids.She told me…

• How hearing works:

Even though the Internet wasn’t as resourceful as it is today, the first thing my mom did was a simple search on hearing diagrams. She pointed out the ear canal, the eardrum, the auditory nerve and the parts of the brain that hearing impacted. Looking at the diagram, she explained to me how sound travels through the canal to the auditory nerve. “The nerve leads to the brain, where it ‘thinks’ about what was heard by the ears,” she said. “Then your brain decides what the sound is and you know if you heard a bird singing or a rock falling.”

• How hearing aids helped the boy hear:

My mom explained that hearing aids work like a funnel, focusing on sounds and directing them straight to the boy’s ears. When he was listening to the teacher speak, the microphone she wore streamed the sound directly to his hearing aids. Then, the hearing aids shaped the sounds so his auditory nerve would be able to understand them. When a classmate spoke to him, the microphones on his hearing aids picked up the speech so he could understand too.

• How the hearing aids helped the boy in school

Each morning when we came in from our morning break, the first thing we did was create a circle with our chairs. Then, with our books in hand, we took turns reading out loud from a story we were assigned. My mom explained how hard this would be for the boy in our class if he didn’t have his hearing aids. Some of us were too far away for him to read our lips; others didn’t have loud enough speaking voices. But with the hearing aids, she said, our voices were amplified so that he could listen along and participate.

• That the hearing aids didn’t make him any different

One of the most important things my mom taught me was that hearing aids didn’t change his personality or make him different.  Just because the boy was born with hearing loss didn’t mean that he didn’t love chocolate chip cookies or playing games as much as the rest of us. Instead of pointing and laughing, she said we should include him in our game of Go Fish! or when we played on the playground. “He isn’t any different from any of the rest of you, his ears just need a little help,” she said.When I went back to school the next day, I felt like I understood what was really happening. I realized that the other students who were laughing and teasing the boy simply didn’t understand. They only saw how he was “different” and didn’t know that in truth he really wasn’t. I felt like I could be a better friend to the boy in my class after my mom explained his hearing aids to me. I felt like I knew what questions to ask without being rude, and I was excited by the opportunity to learn something new. I also felt I should help the other students to understand. Instead of pointing, I was an educated third grader helping someone else learn.Now that I’m older, I realize how beneficial it was for me to learn about hearing loss at an early age. Even though no one in my family has hearing loss, my mom was equipped to explain it to me. By taking the time to explain hearing loss and hearing aids to me, she enabled me to make another friend and help others in my class to understand that hearing loss and hearing aids aren’t bad or weird but actually kind of cool.Have you taught your child about hearing loss or hearing aids? Maybe you should.Here at Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers, powered by Starkey Hearing Technologies we love all questions and would love to help you learn more!

Starkey Research Team Examines Cognitive Effort and Listening

Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers, which is powered by Starkey Hearing Technologies is a leader in research and product development. Our research, which focuses on real world patient outcomes, is conducted at our Eden Prairie campus and also at the Starkey Hearing Research Center (SHRC) one block away from the campus the University of California Berkeley campus.Members of the research team are trained in an array of educational backgrounds including engineering, psychology, audiology, neurophysiology and psychoacoustics. This interdisciplinary collaboration has resulted in exciting advancements in hearing aid technology.The Starkey Hearing Technologies research team took a closer look at how hearing loss and hearing aids affect cognition. The findings were published in the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. For this project, our researchers collaborated with a team from the University of California at Berkley to develop an effective way to measure listening effort. That method was used to better understand how technology in hearing aids can impact listening effort and cognitive function.It is well understood that individuals with untreated hearing loss (who do not wear hearing aids) experience difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise. If the auditory input is distorted due to hearing loss, the brain must work harder to understand it, leaving the listener more fatigued after extended exposure to challenging listening environments.Recent research suggests that the presence of hearing loss can adversely affect the processing resources available for comprehension and memory. A relationship between uncorrected binaural hearing loss and cognition was identified. The results also demonstrate how human cognition relies heavily on the complexities of the auditory system to effectively integrate incoming auditory information from the world around us.To follow up on these findings, the Starkey Hearing Technologies and UC Berkeley research teams began to explore effective ways for individuals with hearing loss to combat increased listening effort and reduced cognitive function in challenging listening environments. Researchers found that restoring binaural perception through the use of prescriptively fit hearing aids measurably improved cognitive function and reduced listening effort. Optimizing binaural hearing seems to play an important part in increasing comprehension and reducing listening effort.This is important news for those wearing or considering hearing aids! The findings indicate that wearing hearing aids can have an immediate and positive impact on cognitive function and reduce listening effort.These breakthroughs led to the development of Voice iQ™, a feature that is available in Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Center's invisabel model. Voice iQ is a two-part adaptive algorithm that helps listeners hear more comfortably in noisy environments by applying variable noise reduction to effectively preserve speech while increasing ease of listening.We will continue to highlight advancements in research and technology as part of our Technology Corner. Stay up to date on our research projects by following our blog.

It's time for a lot of us to get hearing aids!

“Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people.” --Helen KellerDid you know that The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that one in eight people in the United States (13% - 30 million people) aged 12 years and older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations? Or that 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing? And that men are more likely than women to report hearing loss? Or that 2% of adults aged 45 to 54 have disabling hearing loss and that the rate increases to 8.5% for adults aged 55 to 64? And did you now that nearly 25% of those aged 65 to 74 and 50% of those 75 and older have disabling hearing loss? Hearing loss is way more common than one may think!Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers can help you with all of the common symptoms that are associated with hearing loss, including frequently asking people to repeat what they’d just said, turning up the TV and car radio volume, not understanding what’s being said in movies, theaters and public gatherings, straining to understand conversations in a group, not hearing easily what’s being said from a different room, not understanding others when I couldn’t see their faces, straining to hear some conversations altogether, not hearing ‘low-talkers’ (i.e. people who speak softly), thinking that many people mumble, and avoiding noisy environments whenever possible.Hear Rabbi John Rosove's story about his personal experience with hearing loss on his blog!Contact Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers to set up a hearing evaluation today.

Listen. Carefully.

Did you know that currently one in six American teens has noise-induced hearing loss from loud sounds? This is a public health threat, but very few people know about it...As part of the Starkey Hearing Foundation - Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Centers supports the giving the gift of hearing to people in need around the world. But we also care about people at home who were born with perfectly healthy ears. That’s why we started Listen Carefully.Listen Carefully is a campaign to raise awareness about noise-induced hearing loss and prevent a hearing loss epidemic.It’s irreversible, but preventable. And we’re shouting it from the rooftops (with earplugs in, of course).Check out the listen carefully website to learn more about the foundation today! 

How to Clean and Take Care of your Ears

When it comes to taking care of our bodies we know how important it is to exercise regularly, see the dentist twice a year, get eight hours of sleep a night and eat a well-balanced diet. But what about taking care of our ears? In order to better understand the ear and how to properly care for it, here are some helpful tips and information to help guide you to better ear care!Earwax: the truthFirst, I want to debunk a myth. Many people think earwax, the yellow waxy substance that is produced in the ear canal, is a bad thing or gross. This is FALSE! Earwax actually plays a number of very important roles: it protects the ear canal skin, assists in cleaning and lubrication and provides protection from bacteria, fungi, insects and water. How to clean your earsThe ear is actually self-cleaning and for most people ear canals do not need to be cleaned. The best thing you can do for your ears is to not put anything in them that is smaller than your elbow. Wax is not formed in the deep part of the ear canal, but rather the outer part of the canal near the external opening. If left alone, old earwax naturally migrates out of the ear as a result of jaw movement. Inserting Q-tips, sharp or pointed objects into the ear will only push wax further into the canal and may even cause trauma to the canal wall or the eardrum. So let nature run its course and simply use a washcloth or tissue to wipe the outer ear after you bathe or shower.Wax impactionEarwax becomes a concern when an impaction or a complete blockage of the ear canal occurs. The symptoms of an impaction may include any of the following:

• A plugged-up sensation or feeling of fullness in the ear
• Earache
• Changings in hearing sensitivity or hearing impairment
• Ringing in the ear
• Itching, odor or discharge
• Coughing

If you experience any of these symptoms, first see your doctor; do not assume earwax is the culprit. If earwax is the cause, your doctor or a trained hearing healthcare provider can remove it.Preventing wax impactionIf you know your ears produce a lot of earwax, and you have some wax build-up, the following ways may safely prevent a complete impaction from occurring:

• Use wax softening agents: once a week place a few drops of mineral oil, baby oil or commercial ear drops (ex. Debrox, Murine) into the ear canal. This will help soften the earwax and allow it to come out more easily
• Irrigate the ear: the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery cites irrigation or syringing of the ear as a means to safely clean the ears and help with earwax blockages and build-ups. At-home irrigation kits can be purchased at the drug store but it is very important to follow the directions when using these. For more of a preventative maintenance, a simple and convenient way to irrigate the ear is when you are in the shower. Tilt your head toward warm water, allowing the ear to fill up. Once filled, tip your head over and let the water and earwax drain out. Please note, using a wax-softening agent prior to irrigation may yield the best results. Caution: avoid irrigation if you have a perforated eardrum or a tube in the eardrum.

Another excellent preventative measure is to schedule an appointment for wax removal every 6-12 months with Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers, today!Things you should NEVER doThere are a number of things you should never do to your ears.

1. Don’t stick anything in your ear smaller than your elbow.
2. No ear candling. Ear candling, also called ear coning or thermal-auricular therapy, is an alternative medicine practice claimed to improve general health and well being by lighting one end of a hollow candle and placing the other end in the ear canal. Research shows that this procedure has no proven benefit in the removal of earwax and that it can actually cause serious injury. Just steer clear of it! To learn more check out this article from the American Academy of Audiology.

Earwax and hearing aidsHearing aids and earwax do not play well together. If you wear hearing aids, you know exactly what I am talking about. Earwax can clog the microphones or receivers of the hearing aid, which can impact performance and sound quality. It can reduce the effectiveness of the hearing aid by blocking sound and can even cause enough damage to warrant repair. Some users notice an increase in wax production when they begin wearing hearing aids. This is not uncommon.Hearing aids not only block the normal migration of earwax out of the ear but can also stimulate glands in the ear canal to produce more wax. It is extremely important to properly clean and care for your hearing aids as instructed by your hearing healthcare professional. For some at-home tips,click here. If you actively engage in preventative earwax practices, like using wax-softening agents or performing irrigation, do them at night before bed after you have taken out your hearing aids. In the morning, make sure to wipe the outer ear with a towel or tissue to remove any wax that may have migrated out before putting in your hearing aidsSwimmer’s EarHave you ever had water trapped in your ears after swimming? Most of us have! The natural reaction to dislodge the water is to tilt the head to the side and shake it rigorously or to tug downward on the earlobe while opening and closing the jaw. Though the head shaking and opening/closing of the jaw may go on for some time, it is often successful as evidenced by hearing a pop and feeling the water drain from the ear. However, sometimes the water cannot be freed, and due to the bacterial and fungal organisms in the water, an outer ear infection known as Swimmer’s Ear can occur. The most common signs and symptoms of an infection include itching inside the ear, pain that gets worse when you tug on the earlobe and a plugged-up sensation or feeling of fullness. If you experience any of these symptoms you should see your doctor immediately to obtain proper treatment.A great way to prevent water from getting trapped in the ear is to make your own eardrops at home using a mixture of half rubbing alcohol and half vinegar. The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery supports the use of this preventative approach and states that this mixture will help evaporate excess water and keep the ears dry. When using the eardrops please follow these instructions:

1. Tilt your head and place five to six drops of the mixture into the ear.
2. Pull downward on your earlobe and open and close your jaw; this will help the drops to move further the ear canal.
3. Hold your head in the tilted position for at least 30 seconds.
4. Turn your head over and allow the drops to pour out of the ear. Make sure to have a towel or tissue on hand.
5. Check to see if the ear is still plugged. If so, repeat these steps.

CAUTION: Do not use ear drops if you have a perforated eardrum or a tube in the eardrum.If you try these steps several times and the water will not come out, see your doctor or hearing professional. Do not allow days to go by without removing water from your ears or you could get an infection.If water gets trapped in your ear often or you are prone to getting ear infections, consider investing in some custom floatable swim plugs. These protective plugs are specifically fit to your ear to create a watertight seal in the ear canal to keep out water and moisture. Plus, they are available in many fun colors allowing you to not only protect your ears but look good doing it! Swim plugs can be obtained from any hearing healthcare professional.Unlike the rest of our bodies, the ear is actually pretty easy to maintain and keep in a healthy state. Just keep these tips in mind and you will be in good (ear) shape!

Reversing the "Hearing Aid Effect"

Trends have to start somewhere. In fashion, it’s on the runways of New York City or Paris. For music, content that spreads on social media makes songs and artists popular. And for sports, it’s TV and branding that makes certain athletes more popular than others, more “relatable” in a way. But what about hearing aids?Unlike the commodities and persons above, the trends involving hearing aids aren’t specific to a brand or product. They are based on emotion, stigma and perception. The original hearing aid trend is referred to as the “hearing aid effect.”The “hearing aid effect”Years ago, wearing hearing aids made a statement, usually one the wearer didn’t want to make. Hearing aids of the 70s, 80s and early 90s were large, bulky, uncomfortable, hard to control, exhibited a whistling feedback and lent more embarrassment than assistance to the user. The negative term “the hearing aid effect” was born, associating hearing loss with the old or incapable.Individuals viewed people with hearing aids as being less intelligent, less capable and essentially not “normal.” Early studies showed that children found other children with hearing aids less intelligent and less attractive (Dengerink & Porter, 1984; Silverman & Klees, 1989). A study with college students by Blood and Danaher in 1977 found that a series of photographs featuring boys with hearing aids were rated lower for intelligence, achievement, personality and appearance than the photographs featuring boys without hearing aids.What’s changed?Today’s culture is all about modern technology, sleek smartphones and following social trends started by celebrities and political figures. It is now commonplace to see ears adorned with technology. No one bats an eye or stops to decipher if someone is wearing an earbud for an MP3 player or a hearing aid. Both are accepted, even commonplace. Teenagers connect to music and movies using headphones. Business professionals connect to meetings using personalized audio equipment. Unlike the years before, we are now capable of providing necessary technology and satisfying the cosmetic desires of the public.Hearing aids are now small, discreet and comfortable. Some are completely undetectable. More effective feedback management, wireless technology and the ability to function with smartphone devices to stream calls and media has led to overall improved lifestyle performance, which in turn calls less attention to someone’s hearing loss. Modern day hearing aids don’t denote lesser intelligence or capability. According to a 2014 study by Erik Rauterkus and Catherine Palmer, published as “The hearing aid effect in 2013” in the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, hearing aids now actually demand increased levels of respect.It isn’t only the sleeker designs and highly advanced technology that has contributed to this positive view. Researchers speculate that a combination of factors has positively contributed to the reduction in the “hearing aid effect.” Improvements in hearing aid design and performance as well as decreased size could all be factors. But there are three other factors that have similarly led to a positive outlook on hearing aids.Unintentional camouflaging from the music, communications and fitness industriesThe music and communications industries indirectly made hearing aids “OK” with the creation of ear-level devices such as headphones and earbuds for listening to music and Bluetooth headsets that allow people to take calls with no hands. The fitness world has made hearing aids more acceptable with headphones for running or biking. Bluetooth and listening devices are so commonplace today that no one thinks about them. They denote popularity, social commonalities, activity and cultural involvement. Many of these devices look similar to some hearing aids, making them more accepted by society.Celebrities have hearing loss, too?The awareness of prominent public figures and known celebrities with hearing loss has done a lot to reduce the stigma. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both were open about their hearing loss and use of Starkey Hearing Technologies’ hearing aids. Musicians such as Pete Townsend and Neil Young have likewise become open about discussing their hearing loss and use of hearing aids. NFL star Derrick Coleman put hearing aids on the map for athletes when he was fitted with the Made for iPhone hearing aids and became an advocate for the Starkey Hearing Foundation.The increasing involvement of big name figures and companies has led to unquestioning social acceptance. Public figures are opening the floor for the discussion on hearing loss, and many have become social advocates for raising awareness and helping to battle hearing loss by working with the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Musical superstars such as Matt Nathanson, along with renowned professional athletes from the NFL and NHL, Derrick Coleman and David Backes, are helping to raise awareness by participating in international mission trips year-round.Apple and the iPhone RevolutionWith iPhone popularity has come the need for Made For iPhone^® (MFi) technology. Audibel released its Starkey Hearing Technology powered A3i product late in 2014. Because the A3i Made for iPhone is useable with iPhone and select Android™ products, but now they've released the A4i product and it’s quickly making hearing aids cool.Hearing aids aren’t age-based, intelligence-based or for a certain segment of the population. They are sleek, smart, cool and for anyone and everyone with hearing loss, at any age and any time.Check out our incredible products at www.chicagolandhearing.com to learn more about hearing aids today.

Warning Signs of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is commonly referred to as an invisible health condition and early signs of hearing loss are often overlooked. Unlike other medical conditions, you can’t physically see the signs of hearing loss. Because the changes often occur gradually, it is quite common for individuals with hearing loss to find ways to cope and grow accustomed to reduced hearing acuity.Family and friends are often the first to notice. In an article on CNN.com, audiologist Virginia Ramachandran explained, “People don’t always perceive that they need hearing aids, because hearing loss comes on gradually. Usually they are the last person to know. “Recognizing Hearing LossThe following questions can help identify common warning signs of hearing loss:

• Do you have difficulty following conversations?
• Do you ask others to repeat themselves?
• Do you complain that people mumble or speak too fast?
• It is difficult for you to hear and understand women and children?
• Do you have ringing in your ears?
• Do you have a favorite ear?
• Do you have trouble hearing on the telephone?
• Do you find yourself turning up the volume of your television?
• Do others complain that you keep the volume of your television too loud?
• Do you avoid noisy places?
• Do you ever feel embarrassed about misunderstanding what others say to you?
• Do you feel tired after listening in challenging environments?

 Understanding Hearing LossIndividuals with hearing loss have difficulty following conversations and understanding the voices of women and children. Most complain that people mumble or talk too fast. Hearing loss is often accompanied by tinnitus. A buildup of earwax, medication, exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss can all cause ringing in the ears, or tinnitus. The ringing might be constant or occasional, but it is often the first sign of hearing loss. Individuals with hearing loss may prefer one ear, reporting that they have a “good ear.” They may ask others to stand close to the better ear or speak directly into that ear. Those with hearing loss may even avoid challenging listening situations including conversations over the phone and noisy environments.Treatment OptionsIf you answered “yes” to any of the questions listed here, schedule a complete hearing evaluation with Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today! Effective treatments are available for hearing loss! The most common way to address hearing loss is with hearing aids, but occasionally medication or surgery is needed. A hearing consultation with a professional is the best way to find out if you have hearing loss and what options are available if you do.Take the next step to restore your hearing. Early detection has been proven to create better treatment outcomes.

Audibel is Now in Chicago!

We're growing! Please come visit us in our TWO new Chicago locations! As a gift, we will give you a free pack of batteries if you mention this webpage. Conveniently located in the South Loop Roosevelt Commons right off Roosevelt Ave, and Lincoln Park near the North Ave Whole Foods - call us today to schedule your appointment!

Lincoln Park:

Chicagoland Audibel Hearing Aid Center939 W North Ave #750, Chicago, IL, US(224) 325-4327View Map Here > 

South Loop:

Chicagoland Hearing Aid Center150 West Roosevelt Road Suite b201 Chicago, IL 60605(224) 325-4327View Map Here >

Hearing Aid Myths Exposed!

Sometimes we love to mislead ourselves by believing what we want to believe or believing what others tell us to believe.  As Dr. H. Gustav Mueller once said, “You have to hear what you don’t want to hear to know what you don’t want to hear.”  For example, did you know that Thomas Edison didn’t invent the light bulb? Or did you know that cracking your knuckles really doesn’t lead to arthritis and that Thomas Crapper didn’t really invent the toilet?  There are a lot of examples of beliefs that we assume to be accurate, but it’s good every now and then to reevaluate what we think we know.

So how is your hearing knowledge? For many of us, it’s time to learn about some of the misconceptions about hearing loss and hearing aids.

MYTH: Hearing loss affects only “old people” and is merely a sign of aging.TRUTH: Actually it is the reverse of what most people think. 65% of people with hearing loss are younger than age 65. There are more than six million people in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 44 with hearing loss, and nearly one and a half million are school age. Hearing loss affects all age groups.MYTH: If I had a hearing loss, my family doctor would have told me.TRUTH: Only 13% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss during a physical.

Since most people with hearing impairments hear well in quiet environments like a doctor's office or examining room, it can be virtually impossible for your physician to recognize the extent of your problem. Without special training, and an understanding of the nature of hearing loss, it may be and can be very difficult for your doctor to even realize you have a hearing problem.

MYTH: My hearing loss is normal for my age.TRUTH: Although it may be more common for loss at your age, it is not necessarily normal. But…isn't it strange how we look at things? It happens to be "NORMAL" for overweight people to have high blood pressure. That doesn't mean they should not receive treatment for the problem.

MYTH: I can wait until my hearing gets a lot worse before I have to do something about it.TRUTH: The longer a person waits to take care of their hearing, the less a hearing aid will do for them in the future. You may suffer auditory deprivation, a possible speech impediment, and remember- untreated hearing loss carries the same symptoms as Alzheimer's disease.

MYTH: My hearing loss is not that big of a deal. I can live with it.TRUTH: According to the 1990 National Center for Health Statistics, hearing loss is listed as the third leading cause of health problems in individuals over the age of 50. Arthritis and Hypertension are one and two.

MYTH: My hearing loss does not affect anyone accept me.TRUTH: Your hearing affects everyone around you, including the ones who love you the most.

MYTH: Hearing aids are too expensive.TRUTH: Some flat screen televisions sell for $8,000 or more, but this doesn’t make us say,  “All TVs are too expensive.” Just like TVs, hearing aids range in cost depending on features and performance. You can almost always  find hearing aids that fit your budget and lifestyle. The value of better hearing and a better life is almost always well worth the cost.

MYTH: You can save money buying hearing aids online.TRUTH: You wouldn’t purchase a pair of prescription glasses on the internet without consulting your eye doctor, because your glasses need to fit your vision loss. Buying hearing aids is the same. Sure, visiting a hearing specialist may be more costly, but take into account what you get for the price.  You can be confident that you get the right hearing aid with the right fitting and settings, along with follow-up care, adjustments, cleanings, instructions, repair services, and more. It’s well worth it.

MYTH: I have friends that wear hearing aids and it does not seem to help them.

TRUTH: It is true that some people do not do as well as others with hearing aids. Just remember this:  we all do not get the same eyesight clarity with glasses, but we still do not want to be without them. The longer you wait to correct your hearing; the less you will get in return. You have one set of ears -  take care of them.

If you feel you have a hearing loss, you’re not alone. What keeps you alone is not finding the help that is needed to correct the situation. Help is just a phone call away. If you or someone you know is suffering from this debilitating problem, please contact us today for a hearing exam. Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers has 14 convenient locations across the Chicagoland area. We can guide you in the direction you need to go for proper hearing care.

For confirmation of the information provided above and any additional facts see:

http://list25.com/25-popular-myths-debunked/5/

www.betterhearing.org

We'll be back in 5! - Gone to the Starkey Hearing Expo...

Not really! Our doors are still open, but owners Benjamin Wright and Sarah Sommers are spending 5 days in Las Vegas for the premier event for independent hearing professionals. The Starkey Hearing Expo features industry experts and global thought leaders. We can't wait until they get back to hear all about how Starkey Technologies is revolutionizing the hearing aid industry and bringing new technology to our patients. Chicagoland Hearing is proud to bring the power of Starkey Technology to our patients! Want to learn more about the event and how Starkey Technologies are redefining the industry and patient experience? Visit:http://www.bloomberg.com/research/markets/news/article.asp?docKey=600 201601201307PRIMZONEFULLFEED10159369-1http://www.starkey.com/

Hidden Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss patient Jeff Larcomb could pass a standard hearing test just fine. But he still could not figure out what others said while in a noisy room."It's impossible... As soon as there's competing sound, it's all mushed together," Larcomb said."I'm staring really intently at people and trying to follow their mouth and stuff like that," Larcomb continued. "It's just not normal behavior, right, and people are kind of like, 'What's this guy's deal?'"The reason patients such as Larcomb struggled deciphering speech in noisy situations had been previously unexplained by audiologists.New research has now named the condition hidden hearing loss."Hidden hearing loss... may very well explain a substantial number of these people who have trouble hearing in background noise," audiologist James Hall said.Researchers studied young adults who may have regularly overexposed their ears to loud sounds and found that hidden hearing loss was associated with a disorder deep in the auditory system.The condition may also play a role in tinnitus, an experience where some hear ringing in their ears.Though not yet an official diagnosis, hidden hearing loss proves a promising start for frustrated patients."I'm really excited about that because what I think it does is it gives credence to the fact that this patient population exists," audiologist Gail Whitelaw said.As the research is new, there is no targeted treatment or cure.For now, audiologists said hearing aids can help in some cases, as can a greater personal awareness of the effect of background noise.Call Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today to set up a free hearing evaluation.

Introducing A3i BTE 13!

We are excited to introduce the new A3i™ BTE 13, our newest Made for iPhone^® Hearing Aid. With the addition of the BTE 13 and our latest advances to our Made for iPhone Hearing Aids – the A3i family continues to break new ground leading the way in performance, personalization and connectivity.Our benchmark operating system,BluWave^® 4.0, is now at the heart of all A3i BTE 13 and RIC 13 products enabling us to continually optimize audibility, comfort and sound quality to deliver Audibel Superior Sound. A3i delivers what patients want:

• A more natural listening experience through Binaural Spatial Mapping and Active Noise Control²
• Superior audibility in noisy environments thanks to our multichannel adaptive solution to directionality, Active Directional Detection and Voice Detect
• Distortion-free comfort in loud situations with ISO-Clear Compression
• Make control adjustments a thing of the past with Auto Experience Manager

Audibel’s patient-preferred TruLink™ Hearing Control app has been updated to include even more features that enhance streaming and hearing in noise to helps our patients hear better, live better and have a healthier life. With Stream Boost, our patients can have an automatic setting that boosts any incoming media stream for enhanced audio performance, while Comfort Boost allows them to aggressively reduce noise to optimize sound quality in noisy environments.A3i connects hearing and health to make life better!

The man who ate his hearing aids

We recently stumbled across a news article about a man you accidentally ate his hearing aids thinking they were cashews. You can read the full story here. Though this is obviously an extreme case of failing vision, we thought we would use the incident to remind our patients that our Bloomingdale office is located within the Wohl Eye Center.Studies have show that there is a direct correlation between vision and hearing loss in adults in older persons. This sensory decline can have a cumulative effect on well-being, quality of life and connection to family and friends. Call today to book your hearing and vision examinations!  See our full post on our eye and ear center in Bloomingdale here.