To answer that question, we need to share a little background about how the ears themselves work and how they sometimes get blocked (or skip to the nitty gritty here).  Our ear canals start on the side of our head, and are sealed compartments ending in the eardrum.  The ear canal itself has no direct passage to the nose, throat or sinuses (despite some ear candle websites’ claims, the Eustachian tube is in the middleear, beyond the eardrum).  Ear canals consist of very thin skin over cartilage (and further in, just bone), with very little if any protective layer of fat.  The skin in just the outer 1/3 of our ears contains hair cells (some people have more “plush” hair than others), as well as some tiny glands that produce both sticky and oily substances (cerumen).  The skin itself includes a very thin sheet of keratin, which you can think of as being like a layer of plastic wrap.  In a healthy normal ear, this layer of skin sheds continuously outward, pulling with it the sticky/oily cerumen and anything it has trapped (dust, etc.), and is then washed away at the opening of our ear through normal hygiene.  The “earwax” we see is 50-70% dead skin cells.  This combination of keratin and cerumen makes our ears waterproof (like a waxed car), and because the pH is slightly acidic, also prevents growth of bacteria and fungus.

What they’re trying to sell you:

How should you clean your ears?

1 – Have your family physician, otologist, or audiologist check your ears to let you know about any canal or eardrum abnormalities of concern, and ask if there is anything in your health history (diabetes, cardiovascular problems etc.) that might influence how you should care for your ears.

2 – Grandma was right, don’t put anything smaller than your finger in your ears.  Your finger and a tissue or damp washcloth are all that are needed to remove loose cerumen from the opening of your ear canal for basic hygiene.

3 – Sometimes – particularly for hearing aid users or frequent users of earplugs or earbuds – cerumen can’t get to the canal opening normally, and will build up where the blocking device ends or at a point of anatomical variation (narrow canal or tight bend).   In this case, discuss with your physician or audiologist whether you should have a routine for removal at home via irrigation bulb, or at the office.

4 – If you have frequent buildup of dry cerumen (ie your ears aren’t producing much of the oily substance, just the sticky substance and dry skin), discuss with your physician or audiologist whether you should have a weekly routine for use of a moisturizing agent (like mineral oil or sweet oil) in the canal.

5 – If you have frequent buildup of wet/soupy cerumen, discuss with your physician or audiologist whether you should have a routine for use of an irrigation bulb at home.

6 – If you don’t have success with the home methods recommended by your physician or audiologist, schedule an appointment with their office for routine maintenance/removal of the cerumen by curette, suction or irrigation.

7 – If you suspect that a foreign object is in an ear canal, do not attempt to remove it yourself, and seek medical care. 

8 – If at any time you feel pain in or have drainage from your ear canals, have them checked by your physician or an ear surgeon.

9 – Unless specifically instructed to by a physician who has seen your ears recently, do not use antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide or alcohol in your ear canals.  Some chemicals can damage your hearing permanently if they were to get through a hole in your eardrum.

10 – If you have itchy ears after water exposure, discuss with your physician or audiologist whether you might need to use a swimmer’s ear product or similar home preparation.

Do you feel like you’re on the outside looking in, when you’d rather be participating in conversations and your favorite activities? Even minor hearing loss can separate you from where you want to be. Straining to hear conversations in a noisy environment can be tiring. It can make you retreat into a solitary place that’s a mere shadow of the life you want to live.

Bring your world closer – Ace

Ace by Siemens Hearing Instrument offers tiny size with unheard-of features in its size range including a push button for manual overrides, improved battery life, and a moisture resistant casing.  Ace also has the capability of stronger performance for users with progressive hearing losses, and tinnitus treatment options for those suffering from ringing in the ears.

Live in the Now – Intiga

Oticon Intiga is the new super tiny, ultra sleek, high-performance hearing device from Oticon. Intiga’s high-speed sound processing chip and wireless technology can work in harmony with your brain to help you organize, select and follow the sounds and voices you want to hear, and ignore competing background sounds. You can spend less time and effort trying to understand… and more time enjoying life.  Every day is a new journey, with new experiences and new opportunities to connect and grow. You don’t want to miss another moment of this precious time straining to communicate. Now is the time to move away from the frustration of hearing loss and get back into your circle of family and friends. Now is the time to take control and transform the way you live your life.

Life is On – AudeoQ

Make life easy again.  Phonak’s new AudeoQ line of hearing aids can connect you to conversation in person or over the phone using wireless technology via the ComPilot accessory.  Light and comfortable, the award-winning sleek cases and designer colors will give you the boost your life demands without drawing attention to themselves.  Phonak was the original developer of frequency lowering technology which makes high pitches better audible.

Dedication to Detail – Passion Dream The tiny Passion aid shouldn’t fool you – an amazing amount of technology is packed into this little package.  Completely automatic function provides excellent management of sound to keep you hearing clearly and naturally.  Widex is the premier manufacturer in tinnitus management research, and their Zen feature helps you keep your cool.
Personalized to You – Oticon Alta Oticon’s newly released Alta premium circuit breaks through the challenges of your individual listening difficulties to help you hear better – more naturally – in noise and to regain your sense of spatial sound to help you in the most challenging listening environments.
	Even experienced users of other premium instruments have found Alta to give more natural sound and listening comfort. Click here to see Oticon’s online brochure for the Alta

Don’t let another day go by without finding out how much more rich and rewarding life can be when you’re back in the middle of it.

We have teamed up with Etymotic Research, the first company to create high-fidelity hearing protection, in their nationwide initiative to Adopt A Band.  The mission of the program is to preserve the hearing of drumline, marching and concert band members nationwide.  We are proud to be affiliated with this program and advocate for the use of hearing protection in Bloomington-Normal’s music community.

What Can You Do?  Adopt a band!  Parents, boosters, band directors, music educators, local companies – anyone interested in advocating safe playing practicing habits for today’s musicians – can adopt a band.

What’s In It For the Band?  Sponsorship includes educational materials, earplugs at a reduced cost, and industry news and updates.  Sponsorships for bigger groups even includes ads placed in band publications.

Do you want to learn more about Adopt A Band?  Check out Etymotic Research’s dedicated website:  http://www.etymotic.com/adoptaband/about.html

Can we help you get your band adopted?  Contact our office if you would like your musical group – small or large – to be provided with hearing protection.

Phonak and Oticon have released water resistant hearing aid casings.  These products are water, sweat, moisture and dust resistant.

Siemens Hearing Instruments released the first ever, fully waterproof-capable hearing aid – the Aquaris.  It is the only device of its kind that can be submerged in water up to 3 feet for 30 minutes with no damage to the instrument if fitted with standard tube and a closed mold.  Aquaris is also dust proof and shock resistant.

Do you want to learn more about water proof or water resistant options?  Contact us!

Auditory processing is especially important for children because they are learning.  This is how they make sense of the world of sound around them.   Children with an auditory processing disorder cannot recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even if the words are loud and clear enough, resulting in difficulty following directions or concentrating in the presence of background noise.  Auditory skills include:  telling which direction a sound is coming from (localization), telling the difference between two keys on a piano (discrimination), following a melody (ordering), understanding someone in a noisy restaurant (competing sounds), and understanding someone who does not speak clearly (degraded sounds).

The cause of an auditory processing disorder is often unknown.  It can occur as the result of head trauma, lead poisoning, or chronic ear infections.  Auditory processing disorders can also be associated with conditions such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, autism, language impairment, and developmental delays and/or disorders.  Diagnosing an auditory processing disorder is difficult when a child may also have a language, learning, or attention disorder.  It is impossible to completely differentiate among these disorders. Auditory processing disorders affect approximately 5% of school-aged children.

Some symptoms of an auditory processing disorder include:

• Difficulty paying attention to and remembering auditory information
• Problems carrying out multistep directions
• Poor listening skills
• Easily distracted by background noise
• Often asking “huh?” or “what?”
• Disorganized and forgetful
• Low academic performance
• Behavior problems
• Language difficulty
• Difficulty with reading, comprehension, spelling and vocabulary

If an auditory processing disorder is suspected, an auditory processing evaluation should be completed.  An Audiologist will perform a comprehensive hearing test to rule out any peripheral hearing loss.  Next, various listening tests are administered to assess various areas of auditory processing.  Each test is designed to assess specific auditory processing abilities.  An auditory processing evaluation is typically completed in children at least seven years of age.  Younger children’s brains have not matured enough to accept and process a multiplicity of information.  Auditory processing skills improve over time and are often not completely developed until age twelve.

Parents and teachers are often the first to notice auditory processing problems.  If an auditory processing deficit is suspected, there are several things that can be done at home or at school to assist the child in achieving his/her full potential.  Suggestions include:

• Reduce background noise as much as possible at home and at school when the child is working on homework.
• Have the child look at the person who is speaking.  Tap the child on the shoulder or call the child’s name before speaking in order to attain their attention first.
• Ask the child to repeat directions back to the parent or teacher and to keep repeating them aloud until the directions are completed.
• Use words such as first, next, and finally when giving multistep directions.

Treatment of auditory processing disorders is highly individualized.  There is no one treatment approach that is appropriate for all children with an auditory processing disorder.  A multidisciplinary approach is often best.  Members of this multidisciplinary team might include an Audiologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, School or Clinical Psychologist, Classroom Teachers, Parents, and Physicians.  Treatment involves three main approaches:  environmental modifications, compensatory strategies, and auditory training.  Treatment often includes a combination of these strategies, individualized for the student and their particular difficulties.

Adults may also have an unrecognized auditory processing disorder.  Because it is difficult to diagnose, it is crucial to have an evaluation done by an audiologist with the specialized skills necessary to properly test and interpret the results.  Many Audiologists do not perform this testing or have the physical set up to do so, such as speakers in the sound booth at different angles, specifically recorded test materials, and analysis capabilities.  Therefore, the importance of seeing an Audiologist with training in Auditory Processing testing, and appropriate testing tools, is of the utmost importance.

Have you ever given much thought to your smoke alarm? For the majority of people, the answer is probably “no.” You may remember to change the battery in your smoke detector when you “spring forward” or “fall back” with daylight savings time, but other than that it is not something we often think about. For someone with hearing loss, this can pose a safety concern.

Currently in the United States, 36 million people over the age of three have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss affects approximately 10% of all adult men and women. The number of Americans with hearing loss has doubled in the past 30 years. And, three in 1000 infants are born with significant hearing loss each year.  With the number of individuals with hearing loss rising, assistance for those with hearing loss is important. Hearing assistance can go beyond the use of personal hearing aids. There are many Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) on the market today. Some of these devices address safety concerns for those with hearing loss. And one of these safety concerns is the ability for individuals with hearing loss to effectively hear a standard smoke alarm in the event of a fire.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, fires are the fourth leading cause of accidental fatalities. Most residential fires occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the majority of people are sleeping. Individuals with hearing loss, even if they use hearing aids, typically remove them before going to bed at night, which makes them ineffective in assisting these patients in hearing a standard smoke alarm.

Most standard smoke alarms used in homes in the United States emit a high frequency signal. The majority of hearing losses occur in the high frequency range. This is alarming! Although with proper amplification, this signal should be heard by individuals with hearing loss while wearing their hearing aids, the concern remains for those times when the patient is not wearing their hearing aids or is sleeping. Although there are safety standards in place for smoke alarms, there are no requirements as to the frequency of the signal that is emitted. This high frequency signal emitted by standard smoke alarms has been shown to be ineffective in alerting individuals with hearing loss, particularly while sleeping. Even if the signal of your current smoke detector is audible while awake, it does not mean that the signal will be successful in awakening you while asleep. A recent study revealed that almost half of individuals studied, with a mild to moderately-severe hearing loss, did not awaken to a standard smoke alarm.

Several products are now available for individuals with hearing loss. Some of the devices use a louder signal, although this is not necessarily better in alerting patients with hearing loss. Even if the signal is sufficiently loud while awake, it does not mean that the signal will be effective in waking an individual from sleep. Others combine a visual (i.e. strobe light) or vibrotactile (i.e. bed shaker) signal in addition to the standard auditory signal. Devices emitting a lower frequency signal have proven to be the most effective in alerting people with hearing loss. Several new products are on the market today that use this low frequency signal. These products even include devices that work with your existing smoke alarm.

If you or a loved one has hearing loss, this information could be critical. Contact an audiologist today to discuss these products.

Whether the volume has been pumped up in recent years at indoor arenas for games and concerts, at movie theaters and in aerobics studios is a subject of occasional discussion among audiologists who treat hearing and balance problems.

“Absolutely,” Kim Perkins, a doctor of audiology at Bloomington-Normal Ear, Nose & Throat, said when asked if it’s louder at large, indoor events and movies.

“Loud is cool,” she said. “They (some venue managers) literally want you to jump out of your seat.”

Natalie McKee, doctor of audiology at Bloomington-Normal Audiology, agreed. But Denise Lux, doctor of audiology and clinic director of audiology services at Illinois State University’s Eckelmann-Taylor Speech & Hearing Clinic, said people only think it’s louder because they’re more aware of the risk of being exposed to prolonged, loud noises.

Audiologists are concerned because sustained exposure to loud noises can cause progressive, irreversible hearing loss and most people don’t know they have a developing problem until they need hearing aids.

But there are things people can do to enjoy loud indoor events while reducing the risk of ear damage.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable,” McKee said.

Audiologists aren’t the only ones with noise levels on their radar screen. At two large Twin Cities arenas, balancing noise levels has been a recent priority.

“Regulating sound is pretty tough,” said Peyton Deterding, Illinois State University assistant athletic director for facilities and operations. For example, at basketball games at Redbird Arena in Normal, the diverse crowd includes people who prefer music quieter and those who want it pumped up.

“We’re trying to find a happy medium,” Deterding said.

Before August, ISU received occasional complaints about the sound levels in Redbird Arena. There were areas where some fans thought it was too quiet and other areas — such as parts of the upper bowl — where some fans thought it was too loud, Deterding said.

“In August, we (took decibel readings and) spent $60,000 to upgrade our audio system to even out the sound levels,” he said. “That helped.”

Deterding doesn’t know whether arenas are louder overall and said noise levels vary greatly.

“People strive for loud arenas to intimidate the competition,” he said.

At Redbird Arena, the Teflon roof and sound baffles that hang from the roof soak up a lot of sound, he said.

At U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, a decibel meter (which measures units of loudness) was purchased in December and the manager on duty will monitor and record decibel levels for each event, including concerts, Bloomington PrairieThunder hockey games and Bloomington Extreme football games, said Bart Rogers, Coliseum vice president and general manager. Noise levels was a topic at the fall meeting of the International Alliance of Venue Managers, he said.

In addition, limiters on the sound system control how high the volume can go, he said.

“I’ve been in the sports business for over 20 years and I don’t think it’s louder,” Rogers said. “When the players are introduced, there is excitement and the music helps to get people excited for the face-off or the kickoff. We want to make sure that people are having a good time and music is a big part of it.”

In his three years at the Coliseum, Rogers said he’s received no more than five complaints from people who said it was too loud. All complaints were lodged before a game, when music was playing during team warm-ups, he said. No one has complained during a game or concert.

When a complaint is made, Coliseum management goes to the team and works with them to adjust and monitor the sound levels, Rogers said. In addition, most Coliseum ushers and guest services have ear plugs available free for customers who request them. Ushers also may work with customers to find a seat that isn’t as close to speakers.

“We want to make sure that all our customers have a good time,” he said. “But there are a lot of variables,” including the size of the crowd, the team and the type of band that is performing.

“The bands control the sound and fans of some of the performers we’ve had here — such as Alice Cooper — expect it to be loud,” he said. Kenny Chesney brought 20 semi-tractor-trailers of sound, light and video equipment.

What audiologists — and responsible venue managers — are trying to prevent is hearing loss. If you have to shout over background noise to be heard, if the noise is painful to your ears or makes your ears ring or if you have decreased or muffled hearing for several hours, the noise has been dangerously loud, according to the American Academy of Audiology.

When the ringing or muffled hearing stops, people think they’re OK. Actually, cells in their inner ear have been damaged, Lux said.

With more exposure to loud noises, more cells are damaged but the person might not know that’s happening until enough cells have been damaged to result in hearing loss, she said.

“Once those cells are dead, they’re dead,” she said. “You won’t notice it until you have measurable, irreversible hearing loss.”

Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by prolonged exposure to any noise more than 85 decibels. Those includes lawnmowers (90 decibels); MP3 players at full volume (100 decibels); concerts, car racing and sporting events (as high as 110 decibels).

Any noise 90 decibels or louder should be avoided for longer than 30 minutes without hearing protection. The louder the noise, the briefer the time before damage occurs.

For some people, prolonged exposure to noises more than 85 decibels can hurt their digestion, raise their blood pressure and heart rate and cause irritability, Perkins said.

There are no age or income restrictions to take advantage of this service. The requirements are:

• Be a legal resident of the State of Illinois.
• Have working land line phone service in your home.
• Be certified by a physician, audiologist, speech-language pathologist, or DHS/DRS counselor.

The application can be downloaded directly from the ITAC website. For this, and more information, please click on the link: http://www.itactty.org/

Please feel free to contact our office with any questions regarding this program.  Applications are available in our office as well.  Many of our patients have taken advantage of this service and are very satisfied with their new phones!

• “Someone who works at a TV Station”
• “I have no idea”
• “Someone who adjusts music for recordings”
• “Someone who sings”
• “Audio, audio, audiolo…geez I can’t even pronounce it!”

Audiologists are the licensed hearing healthcare professionals who diagnose and provide audiological treatment of hearing and balance disorders. These specialists are responsible for identifying and rehabilitating hearing loss in individuals of all ages, from newborns to seniors.

Audiologists may practice clinically in hospitals, physicians’ offices or in a private practice setting. Some Audiologists teach at universities and some work in the industrial world, helping employers comply with OSHA noise standards. Research Audiologists conduct research in all areas related to audiology and hearing science. Audiologists can sub-specialize and work exclusively with children or persons receiving a cochlear implant. A few Audiologists work only with professional musicians, for whom hearing preservation is very important to their profession. A select group of Audiologists practice “forensic audiology” and are called to assist law enforcement personnel with cases where knowledge of acoustics is needed.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) specifies hearing loss as a handicap; Audiologists often with work with employers to assist them in making accommodations for their hearing-impaired employees. There are also Audiologists who have special interest in the balance portion of the inner ear and devote themselves to evaluation and treatment of vestibular/dizziness disorders.

For many years the entry level academic requirements for becoming an Audiologist began with completing a Master’s Degree program in Audiology. Upon completing this degree, it was necessary to pass a national “Board type” written examination and then spend one year in a clinical fellowship. Those interested in teaching at the university level or conducting research would complete a Ph.D. Program in Audiology. Recently, academic requirements to become an Audiologist have changed. A doctoral level degree is now required. Au.D. programs accept persons with a Bachelor’s degree with a strong science emphasis. The Au.D. programs themselves typically include four years more of academic and clinical training. Upon graduation, a national competency examination must be passed. Audiologists who hold an existing Master’s Degree in Audiology may continue to practice. Many Master Degreed Audiologists have chosen to “return to the classroom” and earn their Au.D. degree.

The field of Audiology began in the late 1940’s. WW II servicemen and women returned home to find that the excessive noises to which they had been exposed during combat had damaged their hearing. The Veterans’ Administration was the first to train audiologists. During the 1950’s, the US experienced a rubella epidemic that left many children severely hearing- impaired. Audiologists were needed to serve these Veterans and to work with the children who needed assistance to overcome the effects of their hearing loss. Test equipment to assess hearing loss was very basic compared to today’s standards. Audiologists today have multiple types of instrumentation allowing for very detailed and specific results to be obtained. Certainly, examples include the auditory brainstem response test and the otoacoustic emissions test which allow Audiologists to accurately determine the hearing status of a newborn infant. In fact, legislation now exists nationwide which requires that all infants have a hearing assessment prior to discharge from the birthing hospital. The devices now available to assist hearing-impaired patients include high tech digital instruments, Bluetooth technology and the much improved cochlear implants that can offer tremendous help to the very severely hearing- impaired population.

With the increased life expectancy of the US population, more and more individuals are finding themselves in need of hearing assistance. It is estimated that 33 million Americans experience hearing loss. As these persons look for care, it’s important that the distinction between hearing aid salespersons/dispensers and academically trained, State Licensed Audiologists be appreciated by the general public. AARP addressed this issue and stated,”more important than the specific hearing device that might be recommended, is the expertise of the person fitting the device.” Anyone seeking evaluation or treatment for their own hearing loss or for a family member or friend should not hesitate to ask if they will be seeing an Audiologist.

For over 20 years, Bloomington-Normal Audiology has been a healthcare provider that you can trust.  All of the audiologists in the practice are licensed by the State of Illinois, three have earned Au.D. degrees and one is working to finish her doctoral degree.  All staff members regularly attend continuing education courses to offer state of the art care right here in Central Illinois.

We pride ourselves in taking the extra time to answer questions and provide support to our patients and their families, giving them the information that they need in order to make their decisions.