Diabetes and hearing loss are two of the most common health problems in the US. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death.

Hearing tests conducted at the American Diabetes Association’s Expo in Portland, OR showed  most of the people screened for hearing loss were unaware that hearing loss was associated with diabetes.  Read more about diabetes and hearing loss at http:/bit.ly/ADAFacts

Most doctors do not suggest people with diabetes have their hearing tested.

Unbeknown to most people, some of the medication they are taking can cause hearing loss.  Pain medication can also cause hearing loss.  The increased risk for hearing loss for taking these more than twice a week is 22% for acetaminophen (ex:Tylenol), 21% for ibuprofen and 12% for aspirin. Did you know that acetaminophen effect shoots up to 99% for men younger than 50?

Judy Huch, Audiologist searched and found 368 different medications that cause aural hallucinations.  She used drugs.com for her research and drugdigest.org.

Helen Keller said “I’m just as deaf as I am blind. The problems of deafness are deeper and more complex if not more important than those of blindness. Deafness is a worse misfortune, for it means the loss of the most vital stimulus-the sound of the voice that brings language, sets thoughts astir and keeps us in the intellectual company of man.”

Like eyeglasses, hearing aids provide benefit and improvement. They can improve your hearing abilities and they can substantially improve your quality of life.

Beware of mail order or on-line hearing aid sales. By working with a hearing aid dispenser, you  are purchasing professional care and service including appropriate evaluation, referral for medical treatment if and when necessary, instruction in how to use the hearing aid , follow-up care, support, and repair services.

We normally hear with two ears. Binaural hearing helps us localize sounds, assists us in noisy settings, and provides natural sound quality. Most people with hearing loss in both ears can understand better with two aids than with one.

There are several styles of hearing aids and all are “state-of-the-art”. What is most important is that you purchase a hearing aid that accommodates your hearing loss and your listening needs. Just because your friend uses a particular hearing aid style does not mean you have to use that style. Your friend’s style of hearing aid may be a totally inappropriate prescription for your needs.

Everyone’s hearing loss and listening needs are different. By working with your hearing aid dispenser, you can determine how much a hearing aid will improve your hearing.

It seems in the not-too-distant future the physical impression will become obsolete.

An in ear scanner will create a digital representation that can be emailed to a lab. It will then be manipulated, modeled and printed by stereolithography(SLA)resulting in a finished earpiece. Some labs are already receiving SLA scans.

In the future, just as we are amazed plaster of paris was used in clients ears, someone will be surprised that silicone was actually used to inject into our clients ears

Powder and liquid impression material ruled the roost for almost 30 years until tub and tube silicone hit the scene.

Silicone eliminated all concerns of shrinkage. You could throw the silicone impression like a superball and it could still be used for a great earpiece.

One-to-one silicone was next, then in a pre measured format and eventually cartridge impression material.

Cartridges remain the fastest and most convenient way to make an impression. The material has greatly improved. Cartridges offer no variability in mixing and no messy loading of syringes; just a smooth, positive expression of perfectly mixed materials in the outer ear.

Next month the final article about the progression of ear impressions!

Over 50 years the developments, refinements, and process/material change have all been the response/request from clients.

Now taking an impression takes less time and the finished impressions are more durable and accurate.

The next step which came about was mixing a different powder and liquid, but it also had its drawbacks:

First the monomer and polymer would shrink giving the impression only about 30 days

Second the original was sold in bulk which gave the professional quite a bit freedom to adjust different amounts of liquid and powder

As you can well imagine the results varied greatly in the shape of the cured impression during transit to the lab.

Tune in next month for the next step we took!

How taking an ear impression has changed in 50 years!

Ear impressions are taken for many reasons: Ear Molds for Hearing Aids, Musicians, Hunters, Swimmers, Cell Phone Users, Dentists, Industrial Workers, Truck Drivers, Airline Personnel, etc.

In 1950 plaster of paris was used to duplicate the outer ear. Can you imagine removing that cured impression?

Thank goodness we no longer have to put our clients through that!

Tune in next month to see how we have progressed over the years.