Hearing Health Clinic :: Hearing Loss Facts & Statistics

HEARING LOSS FACTS & STATISTICS:

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD):

Hearing loss is greater in men.
Almost 12 percent of men who are 65 to 74 years of age are affected by tinnitus. Tinnitus is identified more frequently in white individuals and the prevalence of tinnitus is almost twice as frequent in the South as in the Northeast.
Approximately 28 million Americans have a hearing impairment.
Hearing loss affects approximately 17 in 1,000 children under age 18. Incidence increases with age: Approximately 314 in 1,000 people over age 65 have hearing loss and 40 to 50 percent of people 75 and older have a hearing loss.
About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or hard-of-hearing. 9 out of every 10 children who are born deaf are born to parents who can hear.
Ten million Americans have suffered irreversible noise induced hearing loss, and 30 million more are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day.
Only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears one.
Three out of 4 children experience ear infection (otitis media) by the time they are 3 years old.
At least 12 million Americans have tinnitus. Of these, at least 1 million experience it so severely that it interferes with their daily activities.
Approximately 59,000 people worldwide have received cochlear implants. About 250,000 people would be good candidates for a cochlear implant. In the United States, about 13,000 adults and nearly 10,000 children have cochlear implants.
Approximately 4,000 new cases of sudden deafness occur each year in the United States. Hearing loss affects only 1 ear in 9 out of 10 people who experience sudden deafness. Only 10 to 15 percent of patients with sudden deafness know what caused their loss.
Approximately 615,000 individuals have been diagnosed with Ménière's disease in the United States. Another 45,500 are newly diagnosed each year.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A HEARING LOSS?

Do you frequently ask others to repeat themselves?
Do people sound mumbled when they speak?
Do you hear people speaking but have difficulty understanding them?
Do you turn up the TV or radio louder than normal to hear clearly, or do others complain you need it louder?
Do you avoid situations because of your hearing difficulties?
Do you have difficulty hearing on the phone, or in groups?
Do you often feel tired or stressed from concentrating during a conversation?
Do you frequently misunderstand phone numbers, directions or names?

WHAT IS AN AUDIOLOGIST?
Audiologists are university trained health care and education professionals who identify, assess, and manage disorders of auditory, balance and other neural systems. All certified audiologists have completed a university level master’s degree or doctoral degree program and hold a Certificate of Clinical Competence for Audiology (CCC-A) with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Audiologists also provide audiological (aural) rehabilitation to children and adults across the entire life span. Audiologists select, fit and dispense amplification systems such as hearing aids and related devices. Audiologists prevent hearing loss through the provision and fitting of hearing protective devices, consultation on the effects of noise on hearing, and consumer education. Washington State’s definition of an audiologist is as follows: “Licensed audiologists are independent practitioners who provide a comprehensive array of services related to the identification, assessment, habilitation/rehabilitation and prevention of auditory and vestibular impairments. Audiologists service in a number of roles including but not limited to clinician, therapist, teacher, consultant, researcher, and administrator. Audiologists provide services in hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing facilities, care centers, private practice and other settings in which audiological services are relevant. Audiologists provide services to all ages” (WAC 246-828-095).

WHAT IS A HEARING INSTRUMENT FITTER / DISPENSER?
Hearing instrument fitter/dispenser guidelines are less strict regarding certification and education than audiologist guidelines. Hearing instrument fitters/dispensers are individuals who receive training for hearing aid fitting/dispensing through non-university institutions. According to Washington State RCW 18.35-00, to become a licensed hearing instrument fitter/dispenser, it is required that hearing instrument fitters/dispensers satisfactorily complete a minimum of a two-year degree program in hearing instrument fitter/dispenser instruction and also satisfactorily complete the hearing instrument fitter/dispenser examination. They are not required to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree. They can perform hearing tests and select, fit, and dispense amplification systems such as hearing aids and related devices.

HOW IS AN AUDIOLOGIST DIFFERENT FROM A HEARING AID DISPENSER?
Hearing aid dispensers DO NOT have any formal education requirements as audiologists do. A hearing aid dealer can be identified by the initials H.I.S. following his or her name. Dealers commonly work out of retail stores and may be a salesperson for a particular manufacturer.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE AN AUDIOLOGIST?
Hearing aids today are far more complex than in the past. Programmable and digital hearing aids can be precisely programmed to match your specific hearing loss. A complete understanding of hearing loss and the anatomy of the ear is essential to providing the most accurate fit possible. Hearing aids are not a cure for hearing loss; they should be part of a program which includes comprehensive testing, medical clearance, counseling, instruction, and follow up care. Audiologists use specialized equipment to obtain accurate results regarding your hearing loss. These tests should be conducted in sound-treated rooms, whenever possible, and with calibrated equipment. An audiologist is trained to inspect the eardrum and ear canal, perform cerumen (wax) removal, conduct diagnostic audiologic tests and check for medically related hearing problems. Hearing loss is caused by medically treatable problems about 10% of the time. Audiologists are educated to recognize these specific medical problems and, if appropriate, refer patients to ear, nose and throat physicians (otolaryngologists).

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET USED TO WEARING HEARING AIDS?
You will need time to adjust to having something in your ear as well as the amplified sound from the hearing aids. Because it may have taken years to lose your hearing, you may have become unaccustomed to hearing normal environmental sounds like the hum of a refrigerator or computer, the ticking of a clock, traffic noise, background conversation, as well as the sound of your own voice. When you begin to wear hearing aids, your brain must re-educate itself to filter out some sounds and concentrate on those you wish to hear. This process does not happen overnight; most patients learn to adapt to the hearing aids in several weeks, however, for some, the process can take a month or more.

DO I NEED TWO HEARING AIDS?
If both ears have a hearing loss then both ears need amplification. The brain does a much better job of understanding when it has equal input from both ears. When your ears work together, less volume is required. This means that a user of two hearing instruments can set the volume of each one lower, resulting in more pleasant hearing and less amplification of distracting background noises. When several people are talking at once, it results in a very difficult listening situation. When we are able to use two ears, we increase our ability to filter out some of the unwanted sound and focus more on the information we want to hear. With two ears providing information, a more balanced, natural sound quality is achieved. Listening is more relaxed because you aren't straining one ear to understand what is being said. Also, we need two ears to tell the direction of sound. If only one ear is amplified with a hearing aid, sound will seem to always be coming from the amplified ear. This is important for safety reasons, like determining the direction of an oncoming car, and for social reasons, like determining the location of someone calling your name.

I PURCHASED MY HEARING AIDS SOMEWHERE ELSE, CAN I COME TO THE HEARING HEALTH CLINIC TO HAVE THEM SERVICED?
We would be happy to see you. Hourly re-programming rates ($75 per hour, $50 per visit minimum) do apply for hearing aids purchased outside our office. If your hearing aid requires a factory repair and is no longer under warranty, repair fees will be charged to cover the manufacturer’s charge of the repair. This can range usually between $135-$225, depending on the extent and type of malfunction. We also can perform routine maintenance of your hearing aid at a reasonable fee of $15 per hearing aid. This maintenance includes a thorough check of your hearing aid, tubing/earhook replacement (for behind-the-ear instruments), wax guard/spring replacement, vacuuming of cerumen (wax) and debris from the microphone and receiver ports, and removal of cerumen from your ears.