WATCH YOUR SALT INTAKE

I never made this connection until a few years ago when my hearing had declined drastically in a very short time. After checking with an Ear, Nose & Throat MD I discovered that too much salt in the diet can cause a hearing loss over time. I went "cold turkey" on salt and within a few months my hearing had returned to what it was before. Something about the salt crystals build up on the ear and help to retain fluid. With the fluid inside the ear, it masks sounds and you don't hear as clearly.

FIND SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW YOU FEEL

Get support from your spouse if married. Without the support of my husband who cared enough to schedule my initial hearing test I probably would have gone on much longer before been diagnosed as hearing impaired. When I got my hearing aids in and wrote the check to pay for them, I began to cry as I heard the sound of a pen moving along as I wrote a check. I had never heard that before. Later on, I took music lessons and studied the flute because I was intrigued with the high notes which I had never been able to hear before.

A WARRANTY

When you purchase a hearing aid they come with a warranty. Mine are usually one year but it may vary from place to place. When that initial warranty expires it might be worthwhile to pay the price to renew it. No one ever knows what will happen and just one unexpected trip to repair an aid can cost around $100. I had one recently that I took in for check-up and the mold had tiny hairline cracks. It had been dropped and there was no choice but to send it in. Without the warranty it would have cost $175. As it was my audiologist was able to get it fixed for nothing! I like that.

AVOID PROBLEMS

Once you have your hearing aids you need to take care of them. It sounds so obvious yet there are a few things that you should NOT do. Realize that the high pitch sounds of hearing aid can be heard by dogs. Laying the aids anywhere close to a table or counter top can be a fatal mistake. The sound attracts the dog who in turn can select to stop the noise by, yes, eating them. I know because once, and only once did I make this mistake. When I mentioned it to my audiologist he said that you wouldn't believe the number of people who have made this mistake. I also found that there is a smell that comes from the ear and is on the hearing aid which attracts them.

Hearing batteries are very small and I can't tell you how many times I have dropped mine. What is more tragic than the hearing aids is dropping your hearing aid on the floor especially if the floor is not carpeted. The aid will eventually develop hairline cracks and will need to be replaced.

When the battery door seems a little loose, take it in for service. It is a simple task for the audiologist to replace but on your own you could make matters worse by jamming it inside the circuitry.

Take them out before taking a shower or a dip in the pool. If you wear the hearing aids on a daily basis you may actually forget that you have them and make a bad error in judgment. I've never done this but I have been told that more than one person has damaged their hearing aids in this fashion.

THE RINGING TELEPHONE

An old couple was just settling in to bed one night when the phone rang. The husband got out of bed and went into the living room to answer the phone. His wife could hear him say, "Hello?" Then he said, "Sure is." He hung up the receiver and went back to bed.

A minute later the phone rang again. The husband got out of bed and went into the other room and his wife could hear him say, "Hello?" again and then he said, "Sure is." again. He hung up the receiver and went back to bed. The wife asked who it was. The man said he didn't know.

A minute later the phone rang again. The husband got out of bed and went into the other room and his wife could hear him say, "Hello?" Then he said, "Sure is." He hung up the receiver and went back to bed. The wife asked again about the caller. The man said he didn't know who it was. The wife then asked, "Well, what did the person say? He said, "It's odd, a woman just keeps saying: "Long distance from Chicago..."

HEARING PROBLEM

An elderly retired gentleman had had severe hearing problems for some time.
He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the man to hear better than he had ever heard before.

One month later, the elderly man went back again to the doctor.

The doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."

The gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"

SIMPLE LOGIC

This may sound a little trite but if you wear hearing aids then use them. They are too expensive to hide in a drawer. A person I know purchased two digital hearing aids and wore them for a while. After spending almost $2000 he stopped wearing them because they weren’t doing him any good. He didn’t like “fussing” with them and in my opinion he gave up. What he didn’t realize was that he couldn’t hear and many times he would ignore what I said. I had to shout to get him to hear. With today’s small models most people won’t notice them.

Another person that I know claims that the hearing aids are not needed around the house. That person is missing out on so much. Yes, you will probably be self-conscious at first when you wear your aids but you will be amazed at exactly how much you have been missing in life. Isn’t it worth a little effort to hear the sounds of the world around us? And if sounds or noises bother you too much you can do what I do. Just turn the volume down. At noisy events like a race car event or football game, just turn them all the way down and watch the action in peace without the loud noises bothering you.

ONE HEARING AID OR TWO?

Many audiologists recommend purchasing two hearing aids rather than just one. It may seem expensive and unreasonable at first but with two hearing aids you hear clearer. There is a better balance between the sounds that are picked up by each ear. .If you only buy one hearing aid, (when you really need two) you have to focus more on hearing and understanding with only one aid. It’s a lot like wearing one prescription lens in a glasses frame. You would have to squint to see through the regular clear lens if that eye had reduced vision. In some cases you will need only one hearing aid and if that is the case, consider yourself lucky

In one of my earlier posts I mentioned that my hearing aids are “my ears”. I actually heard this phrase when I was looking at hearing aids. The young lady at the desk said “Wait just one minute until I get my ears in”. It made such an impression on me that I borrowed the phrase. Without my aids I would not be able to enjoy the world around me. With them, my artificial ears become my real ears. They hear what I can’t and help to make feel “normal” or like a regular person who can hear clearly.

THE COST

The cost for hearing aids varies according to the type of aid you or your audiologist selects. Be comfortable with the selection. You will be the one wearing the hearing aids and you want to be sure that they give you the proper volume and clarity of sound. Analog hearing aids are no longer manufactured so everything today is digital. I wear two hearing aids and they cost me around $1500 for both. They are an in-the-ear aid but they are not the small ones. These are a little more noticeable (at least in my opinion) but you would be surprised exactly many people never notice that I am wearing them. It has taken some people as long as two or three years to discover “my secret”.

As far as cost, plan to set aside around $1200 for hearing aids. Some may cost more and others will cost less. This is just my estimate but rather than worry about the cost, concentrate on how much better you will hear after you receive your "new ears".

PURCHASING A HEARING AID

I need to address the issue of hearing aids. A lot has already been said to address problems with hearing. It is not easy to admit that you need help but when the decision to purchase hearing aids has been made, don’t procrastinate. It might sound a little strange when you first read those two words but one reason and probably the most often mentioned reason is the issue of money. There is no way to get around the cost unless you qualify for Medicare or some other program that will assist with the purchase.

A second and just as important reason to get hearing aids is that they will help to prevent further loss of hearing. It may sound strange at first to read that but it is true. I have a deteriorating nerve loss and over the 25 years I have been wearing hearing aids the amount of loss has only dropped slightly. I'm not sure exactly how to explain it except that the hearing aid forces the nerves to respond. As long as the nerves are stimulated they will respond to noises/sounds. If the nerve is not stimulated there is no reason for the nerve to work and the level of hearing drops.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!!!

Perhaps the neat thing about this entry is that it applies to situations before you purchase a hearing aid or something that happens afterwards. Namely, that is don’t try to bluff or pretend that you heard something that you really didn’t understand. It may work at first but eventually it will catch up to you. Procrastinating about a problem only makes things harder. Whether or not you wear a hearing aid, ask someone to repeat something they have said if you did not understand it.

Many people just do not understand hearing loss and think that if they can hear everything fine, then you can too. That is an obvious error in judgment. They just can't relate to being hard of hearing or hearing impaired. If all of a sudden you start missing parts of a conversation, check with your audiologist or physician to check out the problem. It's not a disgrace to ask for help. And it's no fun sitting in a room not being able to understand what is said.

Four words "I Can't Hear You" can make a real difference in your life.

YOUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN

This step actually comes before your visit to the audiologist. It is important to rule out any medical problems that could be causing a hearing loss. Hearing loss can be caused by impacted wax that is jammed against the eardrum. Perhaps your problem could be related to some medication that you are taking.

Fungal infections can also cause a problem. They don't seem to bother me but when I get them my hearing declines and I know how to treat for them (which is really easy and doesn't require a trip to a physician if you know how to handle the situation).

Also, be aware that your audiologist has a camera that enlarges the inner ear and shows problem areas. That way you can actually see what he sees.

CHOOSE YOUR AUDIOLOGIST CAREFULLY

Work closely with your audiologist and by all means find one that you like. If you are like me, I have had to work with someone for 25 years and I’ve had a couple that I didn’t like. In one case, I was convinced to buy a mini-in-the-ear hearing aid only to have problem after problem. It drove me nuts and when I changed offices, I discovered that they were trying to put way too much circuitry into a small hearing aid and it wasn’t enough space for all the wires. He complained because I was constantly bringing the hearing aids in for repair and made me feel like the problem was actually me. The fact of the matter is that he couldn't admit that he made a mistake. So, if you find one that is not actually taking a personal interest in you find another one.

THE AUDIOLOGIST

The audiologist is the person who will check you hearing and make recommendation about what type of hearing aid will work best for you. I felt that their purpose was to simply sell a hearing aid and not really look at what was best for me. If you have a certified audiologist he or she will test your hearing in a sound-proof both to see how loud the control must be so that you can hear clearly. Once that is determined you will be asked to repeat words to determine exactly what you are hearing. The key here is that he audiologist will be looking for words that sound similar but have different endings. For example, the words “lamp” and “lamb” sound very close. Can you tell which one is the word that the audiologist spoke?

PASSING THE BLAME ONTO OTHERS

Admitting that you have a problem is the first step of finding a solution. But even at times we try to handle things in a way that we unconsciously transfer the problem to others. It may sound a little strange but here’s what I mean. The rationalization went like this: Well, if you don’t think what you said was important enough for you to speak up clearly then I can’t be blamed for that. I had this attitude and it was easy to dump my inability to hear unto other people.

Many people simply do not understand the struggles we have with hearing loss. Even after all the years (I have worn a hearing aid for 25 years) I am human. When time after time people talk in their regular voice and I can’t understand I get frustrated and pass the blame along.

One time my grandmother was visiting a patient in the hospital and she was either tired or didn’t hear what the patient said. Deciding to agree with what the person said, she nodded her head in agreement. The patient got a confused look on her face and it was only then that my grandmother realized she had missed something. The patient had said “I guess I would be better off dead.” Grandma’s nod of approval wasn’t appreciated. Big oops!!!

THE LITTLE THINGS ARE NOT TO BE MISSED

What little things? the cry of a baby; the gurgling sound of water rushing downstream into a creek; the chirp of a bird; the sound of musical instruments; the sound of rain falling onto a tin roof; the sound of cars on the road if you are walking along a highway; the ticking or chime of a clock; the doorbell; the sound of a child's laughter or giggle; the sound of the wind; the melody of a favorite song; the telephone ringing; the sound of change going into a machine; the sound of chalk on a blackboard; the noise of the keys on a computer while you are working; the warning alarm for bad weather; the emergency alert beep on the TV; the whinny of a horse; the bark of a dog; the meow of a cat; the purr of a kitten; the sound of a race car or ATV; the clink when money drops to the floor; the sound of fireworks; the crunch of boots walking in snow. And, oh so many more!!!

CONFIDENCE

You are a special person! Think about that again. You are special. There is no reason to downgrade yourself if you have a hearing problem. When you put yourself in last place, your self-esteem declines and you start to feel like you are not important at all. There are others who care about you and want to spend time with you. Rather than struggle and try so hard to listen to someone else (sometimes so hard that you almost get a headache), realize how you hearing loss is affecting you personally. Seek help. You will feel better and others will enjoy being around you.

TALKING TOO LOUD

Don’t shout!!! I can’t stress how important this. I have a hearing loss and the way it was handled in my family was avoiding the obvious and shouting back and forth to each other. And the problem is just not in my family. Others normally are aware of someone having a hearing loss when they hear them talk extra loud or almost reach a level of talking that is almost shouting.

Maybe you don't realize that you are shouting to others but usually someone in the family or office will let you know that you are talking well above a normal speaking voice. If you are having the hearing problem it only draws more attention to the fact that you can't hear clearly. If you are the one shouting, please take a few minutes to figure out why you are shouting. If you are angry that is one thing; if someone can't hear you take time to see if there is another way to talk to them besides shouting.

I realize that some people can only respond to shouting and if that is the case you will probably have to handle things the best way you can. I determined at an early age that I would NEVER shout at someone who had trouble understanding something that was said. For me, I think shouting is rude but the main issue is really being sensitive of other people's feelings. We all can use some kindness along the way.

SIGNS YOU NEED HELP

1. Unable to clearly understand what others are saying.
2. Trouble hearing in groups where more than one person is talking
3. Blaming others for not speaking clearly
4. A sense of feeling alone and maybe even wanting to stay home where you are in your
comfort zone. Keeping at home means keeping those feelings inside.
5. Increasing the volume on the TV or radio
6. Feeling that you can’t concentrate 100% on lectures, sermons, business meetings or
committee meetings

***There are other things that can happen but for me it was a combination of all of the above.

HEREDITY

For many of you reading this blog you may not have to deal with this problem. But for me it was there staring at me. Within my biological family I have my mom, two aunts, one uncle, my grandmother, and my great grandfather who all had hearing losses. It doesn’t seem much of a surprise that I could have a hearing loss. I knew the likelihood of becoming the person in the next generation who could have to face up to the problem. Did that make it any easier? No. Definitely not. When it happens to you it is totally different. You have to decide what to do. No one else can make the final decision for you. You have to determine the choices you will make and hopefully you will not having problems in hearing to control your life.

MY JOURNEY STARTS

Hearing loss is something that no one really wants to talk about but it is a serious problem in today's society. I was in denial when I first began having problems with my hearing. I knew that there was a familial trend that included a deadening of the nerve that conducts sound to the inner ear. I knew that some day I would probably have to deal with it. What I didn't expect was that I would have to begin at age 36. I felt that hearing was a problem that either started as a young child or something you faced as an elderly person. I was wrong. I had a series of ear infections as a child but other that that I had not been exposed to loud noises or received any hard blows to my ear. I just started my journey earlier than I expected.