Category: hearing test

Social Distancing vs Social Isolation and Hearing Loss

social distancing could also mean social isolation.

Social Distancing vs Social Isolation

This new year 2021 started where 2020 left off, hoping that this year is not the evil twin of last year.  Governments all over the world are advising to wear masks, hand wash, stay at home and  social distance.  Retail and the hospitality industries are the hardest hit economically with shorter hours of operations or closures for an indefinite period of time.  Vaccines are being created and administrated as a kind of hope against this relentless virus.  In the meantime, world citizens have to keep calm and keep safe by obeying government regulations.

One such regulation is to social distance, but for a person who is hard of hearing, social distancing could also mean social isolation.  According to a report from the American Speech and Language Hearing Association (ASHA), “hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic health condition facing older adults”.  Most people delay getting tested and therefore can fall prey to the side effects associated with untreated hearing loss, such as depression, anxiety, dementia, heart disease, mental fatigue and social isolation, to name a few.

The outlook for hard of hearing individuals seems bleak, but getting a hearing test is important.  Hearing clinics are considered as essential services and are open with safety protocols for disinfecting and cleaning in place.  For more convenience and accessibility, the hearing industry has also embraced tele support via virtual consultations. 

Hearing clinics are still alive and well, ready to help those who need hearing services.  For more information contact the local hearing clinic. 

That Constant Ringing in My Ears

There is no cure.

I hear the ringing, the buzzing, the clicking that noise sometimes throughout the day but it happens mostly at night before bed when everything is quiet.  This is called Tinnitus and many people young and old suffer from this condition.

I work as at a hearing clinic as a Hearing Specialist and I’ve noticed since the flu season began several people have visited the clinic with symptoms of tinnitus. Most are getting over the flu virus and report that the tinnitus was strongest when they were laid up with the flu and now they’re “better” the tinnitus is still present.

I know my tinnitus began with a virus and never went away even after I got better and that was over 10 years ago.  The ringing in my ears gets more prevalent when I am stressed or I’m lacking sleep and then calms down when I sleep better and take my vitamins.  That works for me so far, but it may not work for others.

At the clinic before I suggest any kind of solution to help the client with tinnitus, I take a case history and I do a full hearing assessment.  You see tinnitus and hearing loss go hand and hand but there is also a percentage of people suffering from tinnitus who have no hearing loss.

Step #1  get your hearing tested by a registered Audiologist or a Hearing Instrument Practitioner.  These people can help you and guide in the right direction.

Recently, I learned of a tinnitus workshop at Sunnybrook Hospital and check out their website called Your Health Matters @ health.sunnybrook.ca/wellness/tinnitus-ringing-ears/ This is a great resource.

I’ll write about Step #2 next time