5 Reasons to Treat Hearing Loss

So you’ve got a little hearing loss. What’s the big deal, right? It happens to almost all of us as we age.FACT: 37.5 million Americans 18 and older have hearing loss, including one out of every three, 60 and older.You can cope, you’ve decided. You’ll just turn the TV up a little louder. Ask people to speak up or repeat what they said. And hey, the quiet can be kind of nice, to be honest. “Why should I treat it,” you wonder?

Should you treat or ignore your hearing loss?

The decision to treat or ignore hearing loss should not be taken lightly. Why? Because hearing loss plays a significant role in many important issues that impact our quality of life, including five important ones:

1. Mental health

2. Physical health

3. Income and career

4. Personal safety

5. Relationships and social interactions

Before you decide whether to ignore or treat your hearing loss, read what studies, health care experts, and hearing aid wearers themselves have to say about each choice.

Ignore or treat hearing loss — a side-by-side comparison

(1) Mental Health

Ignore hearing lossNumerous studies link hearing loss to issues of mental decline, including increased anxiety and depression, accelerated brain shrinkage, and even dementia. One such study, by Johns Hopkins Medicine, tested volunteers with hearing loss over six years and found their cognitive abilities declined 30-40% faster than peers with normal hearing.Treat hearing lossJohns Hopkins’ researcher, Dr. Frank Lin, thinks that “if you want to address hearing loss well, do it sooner rather than later.” He recommends treating hearing loss before “brain structural changes take place.”A separate study released in 2015 backs him up. In the study, scientists concluded that treating hearing loss by wearing hearing aids reduces the risk of cognitive decline associated with hearing loss.FACT: Untreated hearing loss may result in serious long-term consequences to healthy brain functioning.

(2) Physical Health

Ignore hearing lossThe National Council on Aging notes that “falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans.” While no one knows how many falls are linked to hearing loss each year, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have found that people with hearing loss are three times more likely to fall than those without hearing loss.It’s thought that hearing loss may detract from environmental awareness, which increases the likelihood of tripping and falling.Treat hearing lossRecently, a study by the Washington University School of Medicine found that improving hearing through hearing aids appears to “improve balance in older adults with hearing loss” and helps reduce the risk of falls. Researchers credited the results to both increased alertness and improved balance.

(3) Income and Career

Ignore hearing lossA study by the Better Hearing Institute quantified the impact of untreated hearing loss on the job. The study found that people with untreated hearing loss can see an income hit of up to $30,000 annually, and were nearly twice as likely to be unemployed as peers who wore hearing aids.

“Hearing loss was affecting my presentations and ability to service clients.” Chris T., Pennsylvania  

Treat hearing loss

That same study found that people who use hearing aids reduced the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent. It also reported that most hearing aid users in the workforce said wearing hearing aids has helped their performance on the job.

“Listening is SO important in my work, and I can now work better, more efficiently and more effectively because of my hearing aids.” Marty C., New York  

(4) Personal Safety

Ignore hearing loss

Studies aren’t needed to know that missed or misheard signals like car horns, alarms and other warning alerts can jeopardize a person’s safety. And it doesn’t always have to be one’s own. Adults caring for infants and young children need to know when their charge is crying or in distress.

Treat hearing loss

Treating hearing loss with hearing aids enhances your awareness of your surroundings and can help ensure you hear every smoke detector, bike bell, emergency alert or distress call.

(5) Relationships and social interactions

Ignore hearing loss

More than anything, untreated hearing loss can lead to social isolation, as the challenges of listening and feelings of “missing out” often cause people to withdraw from the friends, family and activities that bring them joy.This, alone, is significant, as social isolation is closely linked to numerous quality-of-life issues, including depression, illness, exhaustion and even shorter life spans.9

Treat hearing loss

Treating hearing loss with hearing aids enables you to hear, participate, and ensure you don’t miss out on the people and activities that make you happy. It’s as simple as that.

 “I’m so glad I got hearing aids. It has truly been life changing!” Lesley P., California

Ready to treat your hearing loss and take control over your quality of life? Contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today!We can't wait to help you change your life.

City of Chicago Locations

Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers is the area's leading Hearing Aid Provider & Hearing Aid Center with over 23 locations in Chicagoland to chose from, including four within the city limits!These locations are in the Lincoln Park, Hyde Park, O'Hare and the South Loop neighborhoods and are all conveniently located just for you!We are committed to helping people enjoy life to the fullest by giving back the gift of hearing.Contact us today to set up an appointment in one of our Chicago locations! We look forward to hearing from you!Lincoln ParkHyde ParkO'HareSouth Loop

10 Tips to Get More Out of Your Hearing Aid Batteries!

Hearing aids are getting more and more advanced. With all the extra processing power and new features in today’s hearing aids, you can typically get 3-10 days off a single battery. Why is the life of a hearing aid battery so unpredictable, where one battery may last a week, and another just two or three days? Much depends on your amount of hearing aid use, streaming, and how you care for your hearing aids.Still, there are steps you can take to maximize the life of your batteries and optimize the performance of your hearing aids.

Here are 10 tips to get the most out of your hearing aid battery:

1. Let the battery "breathe" for 3-5 minutes. After removing the tab from the battery, let the battery sit for 3-5 minutes before installing it in your hearing aid. This "activation" time allows air to reach the materials inside the battery and activate them.2. Wash your hands throughly before changing batteries. Grease and dirt on the batteries may damage the hearing aid. Also, grease and dirt can clog up the air pores in the battery.3. Open the battery door at night. When you're not wearing your hearing aid, turn it off or open the battery door to minimize battery drain. Leave the battery compartment of  your hearing device open at night so moisture can escape. Doing so will keep the battery from corroding and damaging the hearing aid.4. Use a hearing aid dehumidifier. A hearing aid dehumidifier will help absorb moisture out of your hearing aid and battery. This will allow the battery power to be used more efficiently. The dehumidifier is also a great place to store your hearing aids.5. Remove the batteries entirely if you won't be using the device for an extended period of time. This also helps to avoid corrosion and damage from trapped moisture.6. Check the expiration date on the batteries. The further out the batteries are, the fresher they are. Over time, batteries will drain slightly while sitting on the shelf. Ideally, you should buy batteries that have an expiration date a year or further from your purchase date.7. Use the oldest pack of batteries first. The newest packs will have the furthest expiration date than your older packs of batteries. You want to ensure that you use the oldest batteries first, so that you are getting the most life out of them.8. Keep the stickers on the battery. The sticker tab on the battery keeps the battery "fresh." As soon as the sticker is removed, the battery is activated and starts draining. You want to make sure you don't peel the sticker tab off until you need to use that battery.9. Keep the batteries in a cool dry place. Storing new, unused batteries in extreme temperatures can cause the battery to drain/have a shorter life.10. Invest in a rechargeable battery hearing device. Rechargeable hearing aids and batteries  —  like our Muse iQ rechargeable hearing aids  —  are starting to come out into the market. Rechargeable batteries allow you to charge the battery at night and get a full day's worth of use. Rechargeable batteries need to be replaced on a yearly basis.For even more tips on making your hearing aid batteries last longer, call us today!

The World is Filled with People who are Faking they can Hear!

Today’s hearing fact isn’t that surprising when you think about it. Most hearing loss is subtle and gradual, worsening in parallel to our aging.Plus, “getting by” with a little hearing loss is a lot easier than, say, vision impairment. Take driving, for example. Or reading.Finally, let’s be honest: fixing bad eyesight with glasses carries no stigma, whereas wearing hearing aids to hear better might — though it’s definitely waning.

Is waiting worth it?

The question we need to ask ourselves though is, “is waiting (or ‘getting by’) worth it?” Is putting off getting help for hearing worth the hit it takes on our quality of life? Is stubbornness worth missing our favorite sounds (insert yours here), lessening our love for music or movies, or isolating us from the people and activities we enjoy most?It's not! Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers wants to help you on your hearing journey. We can't wait to hear from you!

Share the Love this Year! Refer-A-Friend!

A Year's worth of Free Batteries when you Refer-A-Friend! Share the love this year! When you refer a friend who purchases a new hearing aid BOTH you and your friend will receive a year's worth of free batteries! Contact us today to learn more about the reward! Remember to mention Share the Love! when claiming your reward. We have 23 convenient locations across Chicagoland. Find your nearest location!

Resolve to live a happier, healthier life!

At Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers, we firmly believe that to hear better is to live better. And the proof is in the many studies (some of which you can find here and here). Hearing loss is linked to numerous quality-of-life issues, and treating it has cascading benefits.If you’re struggling to hear your best, make a 2018 resolution to get your hearing checked and treated. Contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers to help ensure your 2018 is happy and healthy.

Can You Restore Lost Hearing?

This question requires one of those “good news, bad news” answers! The bad news is: once hearing is lost, it’s impossible to restore it to how it was. The good news is: Although it is impossible to restorehearing, it is possible to treat and improve hearing loss with hearing aids!There are several different types of hearing loss. By far, the most common type is hearing loss that happens due to aging. Age-related hearing loss is so prevalent, in fact, that it has its own medical name: Presbycusis.

Our window of optimal hearing is small

Did you know that human hearing is at its best between ages 18-25? Unfortunately, by the time we reach our “golden years”, our hearing system has endured just as much wear and tear as the rest of our bodies, so it doesn’t work as well as it once did.The aging process typically effects high-pitched hearing first. Children’s voices, women’s voices, and certain consonants (like T, S and F) become challenging to distinguish. A person with hearing loss will often comment that other people seem to “mumble” or that speech is no longer “clear”.

Hearing aids can improve hearing loss

With today’s hearing instruments, addressing this type of hearing loss — or most types of hearing loss — is no longer a challenge. Digital technology enables a trained hearing professional to program specific and accurate amounts of amplification per pitch to offset the hearing loss.Today’s digital technology also allows for the processing of sound in such a way that, not only can we offset hearing loss by amplifying specific sounds like speech, but background noise can actually be reduced at the same time!So, while hearing can never be restored to the way it was, hearing loss can be treated, helped and improved with amplification — and the impact it has on your life can be greatly diminished.Want to find out for yourself? Call Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today to schedule a consultation!

5 Ways To Protect Your Hearing

You probably shield your skin with SPF and your eyes with sunnies, but how often do you grab earplugs before hitting a concert? The answer is: likely not enough. One in 5 Americans ages 20 to 29 already has hearing damage, according to new research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And 1.1 billion young people worldwide are at risk for hearing loss, per the World Health Organization. Most of the affected don't even know it, which is distressing, since once you've lost any part of your hearing, it's gone forever.

The culprit is, not surprisingly, technology and the ways we use it. Today's earbuds may stay put during a run, but they cause more harm than traditional over-ear headphones. "Earbuds focus the noise right into your eardrum," says Yulia Carroll, MD, senior medical officer at the National Center for Environmental Health at the CDC, "so the effect on your hearing is stronger."

Meanwhile, 40 percent of young people ages 12 to 35 are regularly exposed to dangerous noise levels at concerts and sporting events. Nightclubs and bars pump music at intense volumes. And those craned beats that get you through cycling class? They may do wonders for your butt, but they're wrecking your ears (research shows that some workout classes reach 94 decibels [dB], higher than the recommended noise-exposure limit of 85 dB).

Wherever you are, if noise is preventing you from hearing a friend standing a few feet away, it's probably causing damage, says Dr. Carroll. We're born with around 16,000 hair cells in each inner ear that help convert sound waves into electrical signals for the brain. These cells bend when exposed to sound, then straighten. But they're like blades of grass: Step on them once and they bounce back; crush them constantly and you'll kill the lawn. Trampled hair cells don't regenerate.

One small bit of good news: noise-induced hearing loss is tied to both volume and duration. That means you'd have to listen to something at 85 decibels for eight straight hours to cause damage (see "How Loud Is Too Loud?" below). At levels over 100 dB, your window shrinks to 15 minutes.

5 Ways to Protect Your Ears1. Know Your Noise Levels

Download an app like SoundMeter or Noise Hunter to track the decibel level around you — at concerts, in restaurants, and in techno-cardio classes.

2. Pump Down the Volume

You can still live life to a soundtrack if you follow the 60:60 rule: Listen at no more than 60 percent.

3. Abandon the Buds

We get it — they're super convenient. But if you're cranking the volume, your ears are suffering. Need to drown out background noise? Noise-canceling headphones are best for blocking ambient sound. (Look for a noise reduction rating, or NRR, or at least 9.)

4. Plug Them Up

Your best festival accessory? Ear plugs. (Look closely; The band and crew are wearing them.) Follow instructions on the packet to insert them properly—otherwise, they're useless.

How Loud is Too Loud?30dB: A whisper

60dB: A normal conversation

80dB: City traffic

85db: Recommended noise-exposure limit

90dB: A leaf blower at close range

110dB: Your headphones at max volume

115dB: A rock concert

130dB: A jet engine at takeoff (from the runway, not the cabin)

"I'm 33 — and I need hearing aids."

"I blared The Clash and David Bowie in high school and joined a rock band at 18. My ears would ring for days after practice, but in my 20s, I didn't think twice about it.

At 30, I began having trouble tuning into convos with friends and colleagues. When baristas in my neighborhood repeated my order back to me, I'd just smile and nod. I thought everyone around me just needed to speak up. Meanwhile, I watched Stranger Things with subtitles because I couldn't hear the dialogue.

Eventually, an audiologist confirmed that my muffled hearing and the constant ringing in my ears were a direct result of the years I'd spent blasting (and making) high-volume music. I cried when he told me. I now use hearing aids — but to my happy surprise, they're not old-school giant tan plastic contraptions. They're nearly invisible. Not one person has ever asked me about them.

These days, I keep the music down to avoid further damage. At night, when all is quiet, I still listen to the sound of my ears ringing." —Dana Suchow, as told by Leslie Goldman

Sound Barriers

Craig Kasper, chief audiologist at New York Hearing Doctors, shares four other factors behind muffled hearing.

1. Ear Wax

You need some wax to lubricate and protect the tissue in your ear, but a wax buildup can block the canal and cause temporary hearing loss. Leave removal to a doctor; cotton swabs just push wax farther in.

2. Allergies

They can cause congestion in the tube that links your nose to the middle of your ears, which can lead to temporary hearing struggles until pathways clear.

3. Cold Water

Love catching waves? Surfers and other cold water swimmers are prone to something called exostoses, or small bony growths in the ear canal that develop slowly over time and can prevent sound from getting in. Docs aren't sure why this happens, but an audiologist will determine if you need surgery to remove them.

4. Perforated Drums

Changes in air pressure (experienced when flying or diving), very loud noises, and poking things in your ear can rupture a hole in your eardrum (ouch!). This often heals on its own — but if you notice long-term changes in your hearing, see your doctor.

Call us today to find out about more ways to protect your hearing! Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers is here to help you hear!This article was originally published as "Loud and Unclear" in the August 2017 issue of Cosmopolitan

10 Years without Good Hearing?!

Today’s hearing fact isn’t that surprising when you think about it. Most hearing loss is subtle and gradual, worsening in parallel to our aging.Plus, “getting by” with a little hearing loss is a lot easier than, say, vision impairment. Take driving, for example. Or reading.Finally, let’s be honest: fixing bad eyesight with glasses carries no stigma, whereas wearing hearing aids to hear better might — though it’s definitely waning.Is waiting worth it? The question we need to ask ourselves though is, “is waiting (or ‘getting by’) worth it?” Is putting off getting help for hearing worth the hit it takes on our quality of life? Is stubbornness worth missing our favorite sounds (insert yours here), lessening our love for music or movies, or isolating us from the people and activities we enjoy most?Don't wait 10 years! Come see us at Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today. We have 23 convenient locations just for you! 

Holiday Travel Tips for People who Wear Hearing Aids

The holidays are typically one of the busiest travel seasons as millions of people hop in planes, trains and automobiles to visit family and friends.It can also be one of the more stressful times of the year. According to Prevention magazine, 90 percent of Americans report stressing over at least one aspect of the holidays — with traveling high on the list.People who wear hearing aids can help alleviate some of the stress by remembering these five tips as they travel over the river and through the woods this holiday season.*Bring extra batteries! Especially when traveling abroad! The batteries that you use for your hearing aids, while globally available, may not have the same guarantee of quality when traveling. A battery caddy or blister pack of batteries is a great way to travel with them, and Zinc Air batteries are permissible in your carry-on luggage!*You can leave your hearing aids turned on while flying, even if they have wireless capabilities. All domestic airlines allow the in-flight use of hearing aids. If you have any questions, make sure you contact your airline ahead of time!*If you’re visiting someplace tropical, (a) you’re lucky, but (b) don’t forget to bring your dry aid kit! A dry aid kit is a small jar that has a desiccant in it to pull out all of the moisture! If you don’t have one, ask your hearing healthcare professional. Moisture in hearing aids can cause dirt and debris to build up on microphones and other parts and make cleaning difficult.*Speaking of cleaning, don’t forget your cleaning tools! Just like at home, you’ll want to properly maintain your hearing aids while on vacation or traveling away from home! Many people are more active on trips than when at home and tend to need extra TLC when traveling!*You can keep your hearing aids on as you pass through security! The electronic components of a typical hearing aid are so small that they don’t frequently get picked up by a metal detector. Just make sure that if you go through a body scanner you let the TSA agent know! They may ask you to take them out if they are detected!Please don't hesitate to contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers with ANY questions you may have about traveling with your hearing aids. We are hear to help! Contact us today, here.

Hearing Loss Affects 5 Percent of the Population!

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 5 percent of the world’s population — or 360 million people — has disabling hearing loss. Key to this statistic is the word “disabling”. Take it out, and the number of people with hearing loss soars to approximately 750 million adults — or 10 percent of the adult population.Of course, hearing loss doesn’t need to be disabling to have a big impact on a person’s quality of life. Little things like missing a grandchild’s silly jokes, or not hearing music as clearly as you once did can affect happiness.Treating hearing loss can help negate or minimize its many negative consequences and offers dozens of benefits that people with hearing loss may not have even thought of.To receive help, contact us now!

Welcome to the Team Rich!

We’re growing!!

Chicagoland Hearing is proud to announce our newest Hearing Instrument Practitioner, Rich Herstowski. Rich joined Chicagoland Hearing in August 2017. Rich brings years of expertise to the practice, and has helped thousands of patients on their hearing journey. Passionate about helping others with their hearing health, Rich finds it very rewarding helping people improve their quality of life.

Rich has been happily married for 22 years and has two sons.  When he is not working with patients, Rich enjoys spending time with family and friends.  Activities include playing golf and tennis.  Rich received his degree from the University of Iowa.

Book an appointment to meet Rich today! We can't wait to hear from you!

Fido can hear you, but is he really listening?

We love our pets. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent $55.7 billion in 2013 on grooming, toys, vet visits and food for furry family members. The number is roughly $500 a year for every American household with a single pet. Homes with more than one pet spent even more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that we spend more on our pet annually than we spend on men’s clothing ($404) and alcohol consumption ($456).Most dog owners treat the family dog like, well, family. Our dogs travel with us, we buy gifts for them, we talk to them. Many dog owners would argue that the family dog listens better than some of the humans living in their homes.

If dogs had a super power, it would be hearing

If you’re a dog owner who enjoys talking to your dog, have you ever wondered how much he really understands? We all know that dogs have a keen sense of hearing and hear better than we do. Dogs hear nearly twice as many frequencies as humans. They can also hear sounds four times further away — so what human ears can hear from 20 feet away; our dogs can hear from 80 feet away.Even though our dogs can hear better than we can, do they understand what they’re hearing?Two studies, one published in the journal Current Biology and the other in Science, conclude that the answer is yes! Your dog might not understand everything you say, but he listens and pays attention similar to the way humans do. The researchers discovered that dogs — like humans — respond not only to the words we say to them, but also to the emotional tone of our voices.

Humans and dogs listen to speech similarly

The studies suggest that humans and canines listen to speech similarly: both respond to vocalizations — what is being said — along with the emotional tone conveyed during speech, or how it’s being said.As one of the study’s supervisors, David Reby, noted, "This is particularly interesting because our results suggest that the processing of speech components in the dog's brain is divided between the two hemispheres in a way that is actually very similar to the way it is separated in the human brain.”

We are all “lefties” when it comes to language

In humans, the left hemisphere of the brain tackles most verbal processing — the what we say part. Speech using exaggerated, positive vocal inflection — the how we say it part — is processed in the right hemisphere.The dogs in the study demonstrated that they listen the same way — an ability that was once believed to be unique to humans. When unfamiliar language was presented to them, their focus shifted from linguistic content to emotional content.If you’ve ever traveled to a country and been unfamiliar with the language, you know how this works. When you’re listening to language you don’t know, you shift your focus to nonverbal cues like intonation and inflection to try to figure out clues about what you are hearing. Turns out our pups do the same thing when they hear unfamiliar speech.

You can’t fool Fido

Researchers in the second study tried tricking dogs by saying out-of-context words using positive, praising intonations (for instance, they replaced a praise-worthy “good boy!” with the word “however”). Brain scans taken during the study showed the dogs were not fooled. Researchers could tell because the left hemisphere of the brain was not activated. The findings contradict the assumption that dogs only understand the tone of our voices and have no idea what our words mean.

Good listeners make for great companions

The research is good news for animal lovers who enjoy talking to their four-legged friends. Your dog may not understand everything you say, but he is focused on both the content of conversation and the underlying emotional tone.So, go ahead and keep talking to your dog. Just make sure you say nice things, using a nice tone of voice. Keen hearing acuity and the ability to process language similar to humans makes your dog an ideal listener and points to one reason why dogs are, indeed, our best friends!

Millie Bobby Brown Opens Up About Being Deaf in One Ear

"It was like a bug," Brown told Variety of her desire to act. "I know this sounds crazy, but once I find something I want to do, nobody’s stopping me. If I don’t know how to sew, and I really had that passion to sew, that’s it, I’m going to sew. That’s also with acting. So here I am."

But things haven't always been easy for the actress. She also revealed to Variety she has never taken an acting class in her life or trained to be a singer. But she does both—while also being completely deaf in one of her ears.

She was born with partial loss of hearing in one of her ears, but eventually after years of tubes, her hearing completely faded away on that side. When she’s performing—either acting or singing—she can’t fully hear herself. In the first season of Stranger Things, Brown made use of her other senses when playing Eleven, who didn't talk much: “You can talk with your face,” she says matter-of-factly. “It’s very easy for someone to say, ‘I’m mad. I’m sad. I’m angry.’ I have to just do it with my face.”

Acting and singing with partial hearing loss could shake a young actress's confidence, but Brown has never let it affect her. "I just started to sing, and if I sound bad, I don’t care, because I’m just doing what I love," she said. "You don’t have to be good at singing. You don’t have to be good at dancing or acting. If you like to do it, if you genuinely enjoy doing it, then do it. No one should stop you."

The girl has talent. And, she’s pretty brave to open up about health struggles like this at such a young age. It’s inspiring to anyone who has gone through the same situation or, even, a similar one. According to statistics, two or three out of every 1,000 children born in the U.S. suffer from partial hearing loss – so, it’s not all that rare. It’s inspiring to have someone in the spotlight to look up to who understands the struggle some kids do face on a day-to-day basis. And, it pushes them to keep reaching for their dreams. We love you Millie! Keep doing your thing :)

Contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers for more information if you feel like your hearing isn't where it should be!

Shared from www.glamour.com

Glasses are cool. But why aren't hearing aids?

If I do my job right, this column might actually change your life. More important, it might change the lives of the people you love.

But first, I need to talk about Elton John’s glasses. It was my first concert. Philadelphia Spectrum, 1972. Elton opened up with “Tiny Dancer” on solo piano. Later, during “I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself,” a character named Legs Larry Smith came out and tap danced.

But none of that is what I remember best. What has stayed with me all these years has been those stylish glasses. Spotlights flooding the stage twinkled off his rims.

Back then, I wore glasses, too. Until that moment, I had never thought of them as a fashion statement. I just thought of them as a way of existing in the world.

But of course glasses were, and are, a fashion statement. Eyewear practically defines certain people’s style. Teddy Roosevelt and his pince-nez. Iris Apfel and her signature circular specs. Mr. Peanut, rocking a monocle. In my 20s I knew a girl with perfect eyesight who even had a pair of clear glasses designed for her. “So that I look hot,” she explained, “when I take them off.

Why, I wonder, is it that devices to keep you from being blind are celebrated as fashion, but devices to keep you from being deaf are embarrassing and uncool? Why is it that the biggest compliment someone can give you about your hearing aids is “I can hardly see them”?

Hearing loss is endemic, and not just for older people. Almost one in four Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 who think they have good hearing actually have some hearing impairment. Among those in their 50s, 4.5 million people have some hearing loss. How many wear devices that would enable them to better hear the world? Less than 5 percent.

Wearing hearing aids can change your life in an instant — not to mention that of the people you love, whose actual voices you may have been unable to hear. But we don’t get help. Because coverage by insurance carriers is inconsistent. Because we don’t know where or how to get our hearing tested. Because we’re afraid of what others might think. Because hearing loss is uncool.

This needs to change. Start with insurance: Hearing aids can be expensive, but employers need to know that people who can’t hear can’t do their jobs well. Education matters, too: People who thought it was dumb for Donald Trump to look directly at the sun during the solar eclipse might think nothing of slapping on a pair of headphones and cranking their music to 11.

The first thing you can do is to get your hearing tested; this is helpful even if you don’t think you have hearing loss, so that you have a baseline reference. You can contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers to set up a hearing consultation today.

About 90 percent of hearing loss is “sensorineural,” usually caused by damage to hair cells in the inner ear. Sometimes it’s the result of exposure to loud sounds (like concerts at the Spectrum). That’s the kind of hearing loss I have; my inability to hear high-pitched sounds means that understanding a conversation in a crowded restaurant can be a challenge.

New technology enables wearers to focus their hearing on the person in front of them while canceling out all sound behind. You can control just how much of the world you want to amplify or cancel out by using a free app on your mobile device. And it looks good — I recently wore such a device at a party where, for the first time in years, I heard everything that everyone was saying. It completely changed the way I experienced the world.

When I first learned that I had serious hearing loss (after a lifetime of playing in super-loud bands), I called my wife on the phone, and as I told her of my diagnosis I started to cry. “I’m so sorry you have to be married to someone like me,” I sobbed.

My wife, a tolerant woman by any measure, laughed. “You really think I’d leave you because you have hearing aids?” she said.

Well, yeah, I sort of did. Because I thought it would make me seem old and undesirable. Because somehow I’d forgotten that the world has long been full of people just like me.

I always loved that song that Elton opened with at the Spectrum. I have a friend who loves it, too, although once, when we heard it come on the radio, she asked me: “Hey wait. Why is he singing, ‘Hold me closer, Tony Danza?’ ”

“It’s ‘Tiny Dancer,’ ” I explained. “Not Tony Danza. Tiny Dancer.”

“Duh, Jenny, like — I know, ” she said. “Did you really think I was deaf?”

It was a joke, of course, and she laughed. As if the whole idea was funny, as if our hearing was a gift we could never lose.

Article from the New York Times.

NEW iQ Technology!

Starkey Hearing Technologies is excited to announce a new line of hearing aids based on cutting-edge research in virtual reality, advanced neuroscience, and signal processing. This new line — called iQ — is designed to create a truly immersive hearing experience for wearers, one that delivers the presence, clarity and personalization wearers may have previously missed during the moments that matter most.Our new iQ lineup includes Muse™ iQ, our 900sync™ technology wireless hearing aids; Halo® iQ, our smartphone-compatible hearing aid; and SoundLens Synergy iQ, our newest invisible-in-the-canal hearing aid.

Inspired by virtual reality research

Being truly present in the moment involves a sense of immersion — knowing where sounds are coming from to help you feel a part of your surroundings. iQ hearing aids help you do that with proprietary Acuity Immersion technology designed to:

• Restore the natural benefits provided by the ear to improve speech audibility and spatial awareness.
• Improve hearing directionality for a more natural, safer listening experience.

Spatial hearing is the brain’s early warning system, simultaneously sensing all the space around us and providing the feeling of connectedness. With Acuity Immersion, iQ wearers have the ability to localize sounds and reassert spatial perception.

iQ might be the most natural sounding hearing aids ever

The immersive quality of iQ hearing aids — combined with Starkey’s renowned industry-leading benefits like no whistling or feedback, superior speech detection, and automatic noise reduction — help people with hearing loss connect, hear and interact with everyday experiences as naturally and effortlessly as possible.We’ve also added two new features that we know repeat hearing aid wearers will love:

• Speech Indicators for memory – Instead of numbers or beeps telling you what memory you’re in, you hear descriptive names, like “Car”, “Home”, or “Outdoors."
• Smart VC – Allows for an increase in gain in all channels not already at maximum, to give wearers a desired increase in loudness when needed.

There’s an iQ hearing aid for every need and taste

Muse iQ and SoundLens Synergy iQ

Designed to provide high-quality, natural sound in even the most challenging environments, Muse iQ and SoundLens Synergy iQ hearing aids work with SurfLink wireless accessories to provide ear-to-ear streaming of calls, music and media, remote hearing aid control and a personalized hearing experience.Muse iQ hearing aids are available in both custom and standard styles, and the Muse iQ micro RIC 312t is also available in a rechargeable option.SoundLens Synergy iQ hearing aids offer wearers an invisible, custom fit hearing solution featuring Starkey Hearing Technologies most advanced technology and supreme sound quality.

Halo iQ and the NEW TruLink Remote

Halo iQ smartphone compatible hearing aids enable connectivity with iPhone, iPad®, iPod touch®, Apple Watch®, and select Android™ devices, providing the most natural audio experience yet, immersing you in the sounds of the things and places you love most.A brand-new wireless accessory, the TruLink Remote, lets you control your Halo iQ hearing aids without needing to go through your smartphone.To try our new iQ hearing aids, contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers today! We are SO excited about the new technology and you should be too!

Hurricane Harvey: Starkey Hearing Technologies is Here is To Help!

Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers is beyond thankful for working with such a generous company - Starkey Hearing Technologies! A company that gives back when necessary. Please read the below letter we've personally received from this amazing company!"Over the last few days, our hearts have been saddened by the damage Hurricane Harvey has inflicted on so many people’s lives. We know many of you, your families, your patients and your businesses have been impacted by the storm. At Starkey Hearing Technologies, we strongly believe that together we can make the world a better place, and in times of hardship, it is our human duty to come together to help those in need. We want you to know that we are here to support you.Leading with our heart, Starkey Hearing Technologies would like to help anyone who has lost their hearing aids in recent flooding. We understand how important better hearing is, and how precious the sounds of friends and loved ones are during trying times.If you have lost hearing aids or know of someone who has due to the storm, please connect Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers directly."Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected.Please contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers to get your hearing aids replaced via Starkey Hearing Technologies!

There are Drawbacks of Letting Hearing Loss Go Untreated!

The importance of hearing to our quality of life and the sheer volume of people who have hearing loss (it’s the third most chronic condition affecting adults) have made hearing loss a topic of regular research and scientific studies.We've compiled the findings of several different studies conducted over the years. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine — writing about a study comparing brain changes in adults with impaired hearing — noted their findings “add to a growing list of health consequences associated with hearing loss, including increased risk of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, and diminished physical and mental health overall.”But simply treating hearing loss can go a long way towards minimizing these increased risks! Hearing aids may improve balance, and more.To minimize health consequences and enjoy the benefits that come with treating hearing loss, consult with Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers. Contact us here.

The Other Brain Food

Have you ever heard the phrase “brain food”, or run across lists like the “12 best foods to boost brain power”? They usually discuss edibles like fish and spinach and berries — foods that scientists say can improve our memory and focus.But the nourishment your mind gets from these literal foods is nothing compared to the mental health benefits of the “brain food” in the video below.Humans are social animals, and we thrive when we’re engaged with the world around us. Subsequently, we can get weaker socially — and then cognitively — when we are deprived of auditory sustenance. Treating hearing loss helps ensure your brain never goes hungry.Fuel for your brain is just one benefit of better hearing! Get on the right track to a better overall life by calling us to schedule a hearing consultation! We just can't wait to hear from you :)

How Common is Hearing Loss?

Do you have hearing loss? Then welcome to the growing-larger-by-the-day club. According to the latest figures, there are enough Americans with hearing loss to replace the entire population of California and still overflow into parts of Texas.In other words, if you have hearing loss you are definitely not alone. To illustrate just how common hearing loss is, we’ve compiled many of these latest figures into our “Hearing loss by the numbers” infographic below.If you are one of the many struggling with hearing loss, don't hesitate to contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers with your concerns. We are available Monday through Friday from 9:00am-4:30pm! We can't wait to hear from you :)