Tο "Hear The World" στους Special Olympics 2011

Ο μη κερδοσκοπικός οργανισμός “HEAR THE WORLD” είναι μια παγκόσμια πρωτοβουλία της εταιρίας Phonak να αυξηθεί η ευαισθητοποίηση για τη σημασία της ακοής και τις συνέπειες της απώλειας ακοής. Ένα πρόβλημα που επηρεάζει περισσότερο από το 16% του παγκόσμιου πληθυσμού. Η πρωτοβουλία αντιμετωπίζει τις κοινωνικές και ψυχολογικές επιπτώσεις της απώλειας ακοής και παρέχει λύσεις και πληροφορίες σχετικά με την πρόληψη.

Η μείωση του κόστους δεν αυξάνει τις πωλήσεις ακουστικών βαρηκοΐας.

Η μείωση του κόστους αγοράς, δεν είναι αρκετή για να παρακινήσει τους ενηλίκους με ήπια απώλεια ακοής, στο να αγοράσουν ακουστικά βαρηκοΐας σε νεώτερη ηλικία, σύμφωνα με τους ερευνητές του Henry Ford Hospital του Ντιτρόιτ.

Ακουστικά βαρηκοΐας από την Panasonic

Panasonic Series 4 RIC

Θέλοντας να εισέλθει στην αγορά της Αμερικής, η εταιρία Panasonic παρουσίασε τη σειρά ακουστικών βαρηκοΐας 4 RIC, στην έκθεση της Audiology NOW! 2011 που πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Σικάγο των ΗΠΑ τον περασμένο μήνα.

Νέα προϊόντα από τη GN ReSound

Στο ετήσιο συνέδριο ακοολογίας, Audiology NOW! 2011, που πραγματοποιήθηκε τον περασμένο μήνα στο Σικάγο των Η.Π.Α., η εταιρία GN ReSound παρουσίασε τα νέα ακουστικά βαρηκοΐας, που θα  ολοκληρώσουν τη γκάμα της σειράς ReSound Alera. Επίσης, παρουσίασε και ένα πρωτοποριακό αξεσουάρ για τη σειρά ασύρματων βοηθημάτων, ReSound UNIT 2,4GHz.

ΕΓΩ δεν έχω πρόβλημα ακοής!

ΕΓΩ δεν έχω πρόβλημα ακοής!

 Είστε σίγουροι γι' αυτό; Η πλειοψηφία των ανθρώπων έχει συνδέσει  την απώλεια της ακοής με την πάροδο των χρόνων. Έχει παρατηρηθεί ότι οι συγγενείς και οι φίλοι αντιλαμβάνονται την απώλεια ακοής πολύ πριν την αντιληφθεί ο ίδιος ο βαρήκοος.

Τα άτομα που πάσχουν από διαβήτη έχουν διπλάσιες πιθανότητες να υποφέρουν από απώλεια ακοής

Σύμφωνα με δημοσίευμα μελέτης του Εθνικού Ινστιτούτου Υγείας (NIH) των ΗΠΑ, τα άτομα που πάσχουν από διαβήτη έχουν διπλάσιες πιθανότητες να υποφέρουν και από απώλεια ακοής σε σύγκριση με τα άτομα χωρίς τη νόσο

Σύμφωνα με τα ευρήματα της μελέτης του Εθνικού Ινστιτούτου Υγείας, 5 εκατομμύρια Αμερικανοί με διαβήτη παρουσιάζουν επίσης απώλεια ακοής, η οποία σε πολλές περιπτώσεις δεν εντοπίζεται και δεν αντιμετωπίζεται, δυσκολεύοντας τη ζωή των ασθενών.

Η εταιρία Hansaton παρουσιάζει το νέο AQ X-Mini RIC

Στην έκθεση Audiology NOW! 2011, που πραγματοποιήθηκε στις 6 με 9 Απριλίου στο Σικάγο των Η.Π.Α, η εταιρία HANSATON παρουσίασε το νέο της ακουστικό βαρηκοΐας AQX - Mini RIC (Riceiver In the Canal)

Έφυγε από τη ζωή ο γηραιότερος άνδρας του κόσμου σε ηλικία 114 ετών

O Walter Breuning έφυγε από τη ζωή σε ηλικία 114 ετών. Σε συνέντευξή του στο "Men's Jurnal", μεταξύ άλλων είχε δηλώσει πως το μυστικό της μακροζωίας είναι να προσέχεις τη διατροφή σου, να νοιάζεσαι για τους άλλους και να μη φοβάσαι το θάνατο.

Ένας στους έξι ενήλικες έχει βαρηκοΐα

Πρόσφατες έρευνες έδειξαν ότι το 16% των ευρωπαίων ενηλίκων, πάσχει από βαρηκοΐα σε τέτοιο βαθμό που επηρεάζει την καθημερινότητά του. Αυτό το ποσοστό είναι πολύ μεγαλύτερο  από το 10% που είχε παρουσιαστεί σε προηγούμενη μέτρηση.

Στην Ευρώπη, περίπου 71 εκατομμύρια ενήλικες, από 18 έως και 80 ετών, έχουν απώλεια ακοής μεγαλύτερη από 25db.

Μόνο στις χώρες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, ο αριθμός των ανθρώπων με απώλεια ακοής είναι πάνω από 55 εκατομμύρια.

Ένα ή δύο ακουστικά βαρηκοΐας?

Η χρήση δύο ακουστικών βαρηκοΐας θεωρείτε απαραίτητη από πολλούς ωτορινολαρυγγολόγους, ακοολόγους και ακοοπροθετιστές. Χρησιμοποιώντας δύο ακουστικά πετυχαίνουμε καλύτερο αποτέλεσμα σε θορυβώδες περιβάλλον και επιπλέον αντιλαμβανόμαστε καλύτερα την πηγή του ήχου.  Επίσης, σε περιπτώσεις όπου για κάποιο διάστημα δεν μπορεί να φορεθεί ακουστικό βαρηκοΐας  στο ένα αφτί , λόγω κάποιας ασθένειας όπως η ωτίτιδα ή λόγω βλάβης του ακουστικού, υπάρχει ήδη το ένα από τα δύο ώστε να εξακολουθεί να υπάρχει επικοινωνία μέχρι να αποκατασταθεί το όποιο πρόβλημα έχει προκύψει.

Δυο ακουστικά βαρηκοΐας εφαρμόζονται ανάλογα με τις ανάγκες και τις ικανότητες του βαρήκοου. Είναι απαραίτητο να εφαρμοστούν δύο ακουστικά όταν οι καθημερινές δραστηριότητες του βαρήκοου το απαιτούν και αφού το ακοόγραμμα έχει δείξει ότι υπάρχει αμφίπλευρη βαρηκοΐα και ότι οι δυνατότητες διάκρισης είναι μεγάλες και στα δύο αφτιά. Για παράδειγμα, θα πρέπει να εφαρμόσουμε δύο ακουστικά σε έναν βαρήκοο ο οποίος εργάζεται ή βρίσκεται πολύ συχνά σε επαφή με κόσμο, σε θορυβώδες περιβάλλον και γενικά σε βαρήκοο ο οποίος είναι δραστήριος και κοινωνικά ενεργός. Σε έναν βαρήκοο, όμως, ο οποίος είναι καθηλωμένος σε ένα κρεβάτι ή βρίσκεται περιορισμένος στο σπίτι  και οι ανάγκες του περιορίζονται στην παρακολούθηση τηλεόρασης και στην επικοινωνία μέσω τηλεφώνου, δεν κρίνεται απαραίτητη η χρήση δύο ακουστικών βαρηκοΐας.

High-Volume Portable Music Players May Impair Ability to Clearly Discriminate Sounds

Growing numbers of people enjoy listening to music on portable music players or cell phones, and many tend to turn up the volume, especially in noisy surroundings. In a study published March 2, 2011 in the open-access journal PLoS ONE, researchers explore the potential effects of this behavior on hearing.

The study was a collaboration between Drs. Hidehiko Okamoto and Ryusuke Kakigi from the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Japan, and Drs. Christo Pantev and Henning Teismann from the University of Muenster. The researchers demonstrated that listening to loud music through earphones for extended periods in noisy surroundings can cause neurophysiological changes related to clear discrimination of sounds, even if the hearing threshold is normal. This auditory abnormality concerns "the vividness of sounds" and cannot be recognized by the usual hearing test in which subjects are examined using a series of individual tones in a silent environment. These results may support a future auditory assessment plan for long-term portable music player users.

The research group examined the brain's response to sound using the biomagnetism measurement device MEG (magnetoencephalography), which makes it possible to measure the brain activity without any subject's behavioral response. They recorded the brain responses of two groups of 13 young adults; one group had regularly listened to music at full blast, and the other group had not. Subjects listened to a sound of a specific frequency contained in background noises while watching a movie. The inability to dissociate a sound from background noises was considerably more pronounced in the habitual portable music player users. This difficulty cannot be detected with the current standard hearing test, which yielded the same results in both groups.

According to Dr. Okamoto, "It can be said that listening to music at high volumes burdens the nerves of the brain and auditory system and can cause a decline in the ability to discriminate sounds, even if the usual hearing test results are normal and the subject is unaware of any changes." He also claims, "It would be better to suppress environmental noises by using devices such as noise cancellers instead of turning up the volume when enjoying a mobile music player in a noisy place."




http://www.audiologyonline.com

Oticon ConnectLine NEW Microphone

Enjoy clear conversation among the crowd

With the brand new ConnectLine Microphone, users can finally participate and interact in some of life’s most important situations – on equal terms with everyone else.

Demanding listening situations such as crowded or noisy environments can often make understandable communication impossible for hearing instrument users.

They will typically develop different coping strategies to handle such situations or try to avoid them all together. ConnectLine Microphone changes this.

ConnectLine Microphone (requires Streamer version 1.4) is a discreet microphone that connects wirelessly to the Streamer and lets users enjoy clear and private one-to-one communication in challenging listening environments.

Listening performance is dramatically improved where one-to-one conversations before were difficult or even impossible.

How ConnectLine Microphone works

The discreet microphone is worn by the user’s conversation partner and connects wirelessly to the Streamer, allowing the user to hear the other person’s voice clear and loud directly through their hearing instruments.

ConnectLine Microphone picks up the partner’s voice, filters out surrounding noise and transmits wirelessly, directly to the Streamer at a distance of up to 15 meters.

http://www.oticon.com

Oticon Ino Delivers Sound Essentials In A Discreet, Affordable Hearing Solution

More essential benefits

Fast and accurate RISE 2 processing, easy connectivity to phones and media devices, plus a broad range of discreet-looking styles. That’s how Oticon Ino takes entry-level hearing solutions to the next level.

Essential details

At the heart of Oticon Ino, the unique RISE 2 processing platform promises best-in-class sound quality through advanced features such as Binaural Coordination, Adaptive Directionality and Dynamic feedback cancellation.

Essential confidence

With a full range of styles to choose from – including new ITC Power and mini-RITE designs – you can select precisely the shape and style that suits your clients’ needs, so they can feel comfortable and confident all day long.

Essential connectivity

The Oticon ConnectLine solution offers clear and easy access to external audio sources – from TVs and PCs to mobile phones MP3 players. For conversing one-to-one in noisy situations the ConnectLine Microphone offers a boost that previously only FM systems could provide.

Easy fitting

Ino is exceptionally easy to fit. In-situ audiometry lets you use your clients’ own moulds and instruments when measuring their hearing thresholds. And three types of speakers allow you to take immediate steps to increase the output if their hearing needs should change.

Fitting Oticon Ino comes in a variety of styles suitable for hearing losses from mild to severe-to-profound. miniRITE/RITE  Standard  Medium  Power BTE 13/BTE Power Behind-the-ear and Behind-the-ear Power Corda 2 ITE In-the-ear and In-the-canal ITC In-the-ear and In-the-canal ITC Power In-the-ear and In-the-canal CIC/MIC Completely-in-canal/Mostly-in-canal Power CIC/MIC Power Completely-in-canal/Mostly-in-canal Power

http://www.oticon.com

New Siemens Aquaris. Completely waterproof, extremely robust.

Life was meant to be lived without limits. Everyday things such as water, dust or shock shouldn’t bring yours to a halt. With its tough build, impressive design, perfect engineering, and cutting-edge advancements, Aquaris™, the first truly waterproof hearing aid from Siemens, lets you actively enjoy every decibel of life to its fullest.

Waterproof

• Completely sealed housing shell and battery door
• IP57 certified: waterproof up to 3 feet (1m) (for 30 minutes)
• Custom-made soft ear mold for swimming

Sweat and dust resistant

• Efficiently repels dust, perspiration, and dirt
• Robust and moisture-resistant surface
• Watertight housing safeguards against corrosion

Shockproof

• Virtually shockproof thanks to ergonomic shape and soft-touch lacquering
• Scratch-proof non-slip soft rubber surface
• Attachable Sport Clip for extra security

Innovative

• BestSound™ Technology for excellent sound clarity
• Unique materials and cutting-edge ideas ensure waterproof seal
• Connects seamlessly to Tek and miniTek wireless enhancement systems

http://hearing.siemens.com/

Wireless Sound Transmission Via the Teeth

SoundBite hearing system is the world's first and only non-surgical and removable hearing solution designed to imperceptibly transmit sound via the teeth to help people who are essentially deaf in one ear regain their spatial hearing ability and rejoin the conversation of life. It employs a well-established principle called bone conduction to deliver clear, high quality sound to the inner ear. Nearly invisible when worn, the SoundBite system consists of an easy to insert and remove ITM (in-the-mouth) hearing device—which is custom made to fit around either the upper left or right back teeth—and a small microphone unit worn behind the ear. No modifications to the teeth are required. This system currently has FDA 510(k) clearance and CE Mark certification to treat single sided deafness. Intended future indications include conductive and mixed hearing loss.

http://www.sonitusmedical.com/

Tips For Managing Tinnitus

Diagnose and Understand Your Tinnitus

1. DO NOT panic. Tinnitus is usually not a sign of a serious, ongoing medical condition.
2. CHECK things out. The sounds you hear may actually be normal sounds created by the human body at work.
3. SEE an audiologist or ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT) interested and experienced in tinnitus treatment.
4. REVIEW your current medications (prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins and other supplements) with your medical professional to find possible causes of your tinnitus.
5. BE WARY of a hopeless diagnosis or physician advice like, “There’s nothing you can do about your tinnitus. Go home and live with it.”
6. BE a detective. Keep track of what triggers your tinnitus.
7. KEEP UP TO DATE about tinnitus. More and more research by the best and the brightest is bringing us closer to successful treatments and cures for tinnitus.
    

Find Effective Treatment and Take Care of Yourself

8. BE KIND to yourself. Developing tinnitus means you have undergone a significant physical, emotional and maybe even life-style change.
9. EXAMINE how you live to find ways to eliminate or reduce some stress in different parts of your life; stress often makes tinnitus worse.
10. PAY ATTENTION to what you eat. One-by-one, eliminate possible sources of tinnitus aggravation, e.g., salt, artificial sweeteners, sugar, alcohol, prescription or over-the-counter medications, tobacco and caffeine.
    (Do not stop taking medications without consulting with your health care professional.)
11. DON’T GIVE UP on a treatment if it doesn’t work right away.  Some can take quite a while to have a positive effect.
12. PROTECT YOURSELF from further auditory damage by avoiding loud places and by using earplugs when you can’t avoid loud noise.
     

Your Attitude Matters

13. DO NOT create any negative forecasts for your tinnitus, such as “This is never going to get any better.” Counting on a better future can help you create one.
14. TAKE HEART. In many cases people with tinnitus “habituate” to it, meaning they get used to it and notice it less than at first.
15. BE INVOLVED in your recovery. Consider yourself part of your treatment team where your thoughts and feelings should count.
16. DO NOT WASTE time blaming yourself for your tinnitus. The causes of tinnitus are varied and difficult to determine.
    
     

Line Up Support

17. LOCATE people who understand your struggles and learn that you are not alone. Have people in your life who , though they cannot “see” or "hear" your tinnitus, understand that you have it.
18. FIND a support group that will truly understand your struggles with tinnitus and help you sort out useful from useless information. You will find compassion, companionship and coping strategies. (ATA has information on tinnitus support groups and individual, helpful volunteers.)
19. EDUCATE your family, friends and co-workers about tinnitus; tell them about the conditions and settings that are difficult for you; and ask them for their support.
20. CONTINUE SEEKING reliable information from ATA and other credible sources.

www.ata.org

What hearing aid accessories do I need with my new hearing aids?

Hearing aid accessories needed for use with your hearing aids depends on the type or model of hearing aid you purchase as well as how you will be using your hearing aids.

Basic Hearing Aid Accessories

The most basic hearing aid accessories required to use your hearing aids are hearing aid batteries. Although rechargeable hearing aids are available on the market, most hearing aids are powered by disposable hearing aid batteries. The size of battery will be one of the following, depending upon the size of your hearing aids: 10 (yellow), 13 (orange), 312 (brown) or 675 (blue).

The life of hearing aid batteries depends on the size as well as how long the hearing aid is worn each day.  On average, most hearing aid batteries last between 5 -14 days, based on usage of 16 hours per day. Hearing aid batteries will be an ongoing purchase for you in order to use your hearing aids, and some hearing centers offer "battery clubs" for purchasing batteries on a monthly basis.

Other basic hearing aid accessories will be those provided by your hearing professional with purchase, such as wax prevention tools, cleaning tools and hearing aid storage cases.

Optional Hearing Aid Accessories

There are many other hearing aid accessories available to enhance the use and care of your hearing aids. The following are a few of the most commonly used and are by no means “required” to use your hearing aids.

Hearing Aid Battery Testing Device & Battery Carriers

Many advanced hearing aids on the market today provide a low battery warning (a beep tone) to the user when the battery is near exhausting, so they know when to change the battery. However, for persons who do not have this feature or want to ensure their hearing aid batteries still have plenty of juice before leaving home, hearing aid battery testing devices are a handy accessory. These devices measure the remaining voltage in a hearing aid battery.

Battery carriers are also a handy accessory to ensure you always have a fresh battery on hand in the event your hearing aid batteries quit on you while out and about.

Hearing Aid Dehumidifier

Over time, moisture can cause damage to the internal parts of hearing aids.Hearing aid dehumidifiers are devices that assist in removing moisture from your hearing aids.

Hearing aids are placed in these devices at night with the batteries removed. The use of hearing aid dehumidifiers is recommended for persons living in high humidity or who expose their hearing aids to excessive moisture. Hearing aid dehumidifiers are not required but can assist in the care and longevity of your hearing aids.

Bluetooth Streaming Devices

Many of today’s advanced digital hearing aids are Bluetooth compatible, meaning they are able to connect wirelessly to various audio devices such as cell phones, mp3 players, and televisions. Each hearing aid manufacturer offers different wireless solutions, which can enhance the wearer's enjoyment of television and improve communication on the telephone.

This list is by no means complete – there are many useful hearing aid accessories available. For more information on the accessories listed or to learn about other accessories compatible with your hearing aids, visit our locator to find a hearing center near you.

http://www.healthyhearing.com

New Hearing Aid Can Be Implanted Inside Ear

Engineering professor develops hearing aid.

A new hearing aid will offer those with hearing disabilities a choice between an external hearing aid or an implantable device thanks to the work of an OU professor.

Biomedical and mechanical engineering professor Rong Zhu Gan’s device is an implantable hearing system crafted over a seven-year period that solves many of the problems associated with conventional hearing aids, Gan said.

The device increases the ear’s mobility instead of simply amplifying sound in an acoustic way, research assistant Xiying Guan said.

The device can be implanted with low surgery risks and will be inexpensive compared to current partially-implanted devices, Gan said.

“The human ear is a very delicate area,” Gan said. “It is a very small area, and it is a very complicated area.”

Currently, the only option for patients with partial hearing loss is to wear a conventional hearing aid on the outside of the ear, Gan said.

The hearing device is the most recent of Gan’s work in hearing science.

She began working to create the device when she came to OU in 2000 and first produced a patented hearing aid in 2007.

Gan was recently recognized for an ear model patent at “A Tribute to the Faculty” on Thursday at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

Gan’s hearing device is not in use, but the team has conducted lab and cadaver testing, said Gan’s partner in the project, Dr. Mark Wood.

The team is hoping to move forward with the device, Wood said.

“It’s a great idea, we are in a investigational stage and we are hoping to take the next step,” Wood said.

Wood is an otolaryngologist, or ear, nose and throat doctor.

Once the research team receives funding, clinical testing of the device will take place, Wood said.

During this process, the team will identify patients who could use the device and conduct the first implant surgeries, Wood said.

Their hearing aid design will be showcased in a medical magazine in the coming months, Gan said.

The team hopes companies will become interested in funding production of the project, Gan said.

http://www.oudaily.com