Henry Ford Offers Free Hearing Tests in May

Detroit, MI – Henry Ford Hospital’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery – Division of Audiology is hosting two days of free events in May, including hearing screenings, to raise awareness about the importance of hearing health and the challenges of living with hearing loss.

Thursday, May 13: 9 – 10:30 a.m. Living with Hearing Loss Seminar
Presented by hearing loss advocate and Henry Ford hearing aid technician Liz Kobylak, this talk will focus on the everyday challenges of living with hearing loss and the devices that can assist in better hearing.

• 12:30 – 2 p.m. Free Hearing Screenings

Friday, May 14: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Free Hearing Screenings; 2:30 – 4 p.m. Living with Hearing Loss Seminar
Presented by hearing loss advocate and Henry Ford hearing aid technician Liz Kobylak, this talk will focus on the everyday challenges of living with hearing loss and the devices that can assist in better hearing.

All of the events will be held at Henry Ford Hospital in private dining room 2 near the hospital cafeteria. Henry Ford Hospital is located at 2799 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit.

To register for the free events, visit www.henryford.com/Classes or call 1-800-HENRYFORD.

About Hearing Loss
Hearing loss affects more than 36 million Americans. While most are the result of the normal aging process, the number of people younger than 65 with hearing loss is growing due in part to the popularity of MP3 players and earbuds.

Hearing loss can affect people of all ages. According the American Academy of Audiology, the most common causes of hearing loss are genetic predispositions, ear diseases, noise exposure (music, industrial and military), ototoxic medicines and head trauma.

Hearing loss can make it difficult to hear a conversation in a noisy environment such as a restaurant, or cause constant ringing or pain in the ears.

Although most hearing loss is permanent, an audiologist can determine the best treatment to improve hearing, including hearing aids, assistive listening devices and hearing rehabilitation.

To learn more about the services and treatments offered at Henry Ford’s Division of Audiology, visit www.henryford.com.

Baby Boomers & Hearing Loss

By Christine Wideman, RN

Every day, traffic noises, blaring horns and sirens, the dull roar of machines and tools surround us. In our homes, televisions and radios, DVD’s and Mp3s compete in sound wars. Then to escape from the daily maelstrom of noise we slip into our headsets. Now we can really crank up the volume of music while working out at the gym, or relive those blasting rock concerts of yesteryear. It’s a loud, loud world that Baby Boomers have grown up in. And the cumulative effect of all that noise is catching up to our ears.

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 1 out of 3 U. S. adults over age 65 has some degree of hearing loss. The percentage of people with hearing loss jumps to half for seniors 75 and older. As Baby Boomers begin to edge toward their senior years, many will find hearing loss impacting their lives.

That is why Dr. Lisa Hamzik Au.D. a Bloomfield Hills-based audiologist says that a hearing screening at any time during the adult years is a good idea for anyone concerned with their hearing. However, by age 50, she recommends a hearing screening for all adults as a part of basic health maintenance. “Hearing loss can occur at any time. A screening in the adult years provides a baseline for later comparison. In many people age-related hearing loss has already started by age 50. And men are affected far more than women, probably due to noise exposure on the job,” says Dr. Hamzik.

Early signs of hearing loss are often subtle. There may be ringing in the ears, but there is usually no pain. A person may notice that it is harder to hear higher pitched sounds, such as the tones of women and children’s voices. Consonants become difficult to distinguish. Sounds become less clear and lower in volume. Conversation may seem mumbled or slurred, especially when there is background noise. Surprisingly, despite the onset of symptoms, many people do not seek medical attention.

“Denial is a major issue for people experiencing hearing loss,” says Dr. Hamzik. “Onset of symptoms occurs slowly over time and people learn to compensate. They may raise the volume of their radio or television. They can make sounds louder, but cannot improve clarity. Or they may blame others for mumbling, when in fact it is their hearing that is at fault, not the speaker. Others have a fear that hearing loss means they are getting old.”

Hearing loss can occur as a part of natural aging. However, the severity and progression of hearing loss is impacted by heredity and can also be worsened by medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. Some medications may also exacerbate hearing loss. For these reasons Dr. Hamzik recommends screenings by a health professional such as an audiologist who can evaluate all associated factors and distinguish age-related hearing loss form other ear diseases.

Along with physiologic changes that impact hearing, our noise exposure is a huge factor in hearing loss. “The noise levels in our modern day environment are much greater that it used to be. People are around large machinery and loud power tools. Headset devices allow volumes that are damaging. Even intermittent use of loud equipment like lawmowers can be harmful. All of these insults over time add up and contribute to hearing loss,” says Dr. Hamzik.

While age related hearing loss is irreversible, it is treatable. The current standard involves the use of hearing devices or hearing aids. These are tiny instruments that fit in or around the ear. They modify sounds to compensate for hearing loss. Advances in hearing device technology have made them smaller and less noticeable. Yet, for many people, wearing a hearing aid is a stigma that they fear will make them look and feel old.

Dr. Hamzik warns, however, that far worse than your concerns about hearing devices is the impact of leaving hearing loss untreated. “People today are living longer and their lives are much more demanding, even into their later years. Untreated hearing loss is far more noticeable and damaging than wearing a hearing aid. Our quality of life in all areas…at work, with our families, with our friends is impacted by hearing loss.”

Studies have shown that untreated hearing loss has many negative, even dangerous effects. Older people with hearing loss may have difficulty hearing car horns, emergency sirens, doorbells or alarms. They may not understand explanations about medications or health care instructions. Family and social relationships suffer as they may become isolated and depressed or angry. They often have economic losses related to poor work performance and loss of earning power. Dr. Hamzik adds that even physical safety can be affected. “A person walking down a dark street may hear footsteps coming toward them, but a hearing impaired person may not be able to tell where the steps are coming from in order protect themselves.”

Fortunately, hearing loss can be remedied through the use of hearing aids, but Dr. Hamzik advises her clients that they must be realistic about the outcome. “Hearing aids can greatly improve function, but they cannot return hearing to what it originally was. People who wear hearing aids must be committed to working with the device and learning to adapt to it. And unfortunately, hearing aids cannot prevent further deterioration. Once a person has experienced hearing loss, they must be monitored closely for any additional changes.”

Hearing aids are also expensive and are not usually covered by Medicare. Dr. Hamzik stated that today’s devices are highly technical, but have relatively low sales volume. As the volume of hearing aids sold increases, prices should come down.

What can we do to prevent hearing loss? Probably the greatest impact that will benefit us over time is to reduce noise exposure in our daily lives as much as possible. If you must be exposed to loud volumes of noise on the job, or even intermittently for short periods while using tools, lawnmowers, or power equipment, Dr. Hamzik recommends the use of professionally fitted protective earplugs. And there is hope for those of us who can’t get along without plugging into some sort of headset device when listening to music. Dr. Hamzik also can provide specially designed earpieces that reduce background noise so we can enjoy that pure music experience at safe volumes.

So Boomers, let’s take care of ourselves. As we cruise into the future with all its changes, lets do everything we can to safeguard our health and wellness. And then, when no one’s looking, we can pull out the Pink Floyd, slip it into the C.D. player and enjoy it at a safe volume, knowing there are lots of good listening years to come. Yeah. “Rock on you Crazy Diamonds!”

Christine Wideman, RN, has a degree in nursing and journalism.  She continues to work as a nurse and has written on a variety of topics for both local and national publications as a freelance journalist.