Think before ordering hearing aids online

Although it is possible to purchase hearing aids online or by mail order, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association advises people not to order their hearing aids through these methods. Instead, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends that people with hearing loss schedule an appointment with an audiologist.

Audiologists, like the ones available to you through True Dental Discounts, offer professional care and a host of services that mail-order companies cannot provide. For instance, patients who talk to an audiologist can learn how to properly use their hearing aid in different circumstances. They also have access to an audiologist’s repair and rehabilitation services and the follow-up care that is often required when facing issues of hearing loss.

Finally, in some cases, patients with hearing loss require medical treatment, and an audiologist can give the proper referrals for those treatments. Hearing loss is a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. Fortunately, as a True Dental Discounts member, you have access to quality audiologists at a significantly reduced rate. Take advantage of that opportunity!

Balancing: It’s all in your ears

Even the simplest action, like walking, is affected by a person’s sense of balance. This balance comes from a complex combination involving the visual system and kinesthetic senses, along with one other important area: the inner ear.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, without those three parts working in concert, a person becomes dizzy and loses their sense of balance. The inner ear plays a critical role in balance, and any disturbances, such as calcium deposits, can affect a person’s balance. Some other causes of dizziness include Meniere’s Disease, certain drugs, and head trauma.

In order to determine what is causing a person to lose their balance, a doctor may conduct a balance assessment to monitor any changes and detect the site of the problem. Symptoms of balance issues include having rapid, involuntary eye movements; vertigo and dizziness; and difficulty or awkward walking/running.

If you suspect you may have problems with your balance, talk to your doctor about the health of your inner ear. He or she can assess your condition and determine the existence of any abnormalities.

My child has hearing loss – now what?

Once a child has been diagnosed with any form of hearing loss, the parent’s next step is critical. In most cases, parents must work with a team of professionals to learn what to expect and how to adapt. According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communicative Disorders, the child’s primary care provider can refer parents to an audiologist, an ear/nose/throat doctor, and a genetic specialist.

This team can help determine the cause of the hearing loss and recommend a course of treatment, if possible. Parents should expect to answer questions about the child’s pre-natal and birth history, as well as the family’s medical history. In addition to this information, specialists may recommend further testing of the child, including genetic tests and balance or eye examinations.

All of these tests can help narrow down the cause of the hearing loss and potentially point to a treatment plan. For this reason, it is very important that you talk to a medical professional about your child’s hearing. An audiologist can guide you through the needed appointments and help your family adapt to any changes. Call today to find out how you can save money on these appointments with your True Dental Discounts - dental plan.

The connection between earaches and nerves

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, earaches are one of the most common conditions in young children, with more than 70 percent experiencing at least one earache before the age of 3. In most cases, doctors treat this condition with antibiotics; however, new research has shown that the cause of many earaches is actually irritation of the small nerves in the spine. As described by Chiropractic America, “When these nerve endings are irritated, an abnormal tension is produced in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thus preventing the body from being able to naturally correct the problem.”

A chiropractor will look for increased tension in the neck and any misalignment of the vertebrae. Often, these issues are caused by the normal wear-and-tear a child experiences during play. Through simple adjustments to the child’s neck muscles and spinal vertebrae, a chiropractor can help lymph drainage return to normal and remove the cause of the earache. This way, by visiting a chiropractor on their True Dental Discounts hearing care plan instead of filling a prescription, parents can avoid overmedicating their children and wasting money on ineffective antibiotics.

Could your child’s toys negatively impact his hearing?

Walk around your local toy store and you’ll see millions of different toys for your child to play with. Many of them include a sound component, which, in addition to being annoying to parents, can also pose a risk to a child’s hearing. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, some children’s toys – like sirens or squeaky rubber toys – can actually emit sounds of 90 decibels.

To put that in perspective, adults experiencing that level of noise at work would have to wear ear protection! Worse, when held up to a child’s ear during play, these toys can actually reach up to 120 decibels – a painful level that can result in permanent hearing loss. The Association suggests that some of the most dangerous toys for hearing include cap guns, vehicles with sirens, walkie talkies, vacuum toys, and even talking dolls. Before buying a new toy, be sure to test out its sound component; if you already have dangerous toys at home, take out the batteries to ensure they stay quiet.

Healthy hearing practices begin at a young age, so start protecting your child at all times – even during play time. Talk to a doctor in your True Dental Discounts hearing plan if you have any questions or concerns about toys around your house.

Congenital hearing loss in children

Although it is more common for people to acquire hearing loss through age or exposure to loud noises, between one and six of every 1,000 newborn babies are born with congenital (or present-at-birth) hearing loss. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, more than 50% of all congenital cases are caused by genetics. There are thought to be at least three separate genetic causes of congenital hearing loss, including situations in which at least one parent has genetically caused hearing loss. In this situation, the chance of the affected gene being passed to a child is much higher (at least 50%) than in cases where neither parent has hearing loss.

In some cases, both parents may carry a recessive gene for hearing loss, meaning that although neither of them has lost their hearing, they still have the ability to pass that gene on to their children. In this case, there is about a 25% chance of the child being born with hearing loss. Finally, there is also the chance that the mother can pass a hearing loss gene to her child through the X-chromosome, meaning it can only be passed on to male children, who have just one X chromosome (females have two). Hearing loss is also a known characteristic of Down syndrome and other genetic conditions.

However, there are also several causes of congenital hearing loss that are not related to genetics. These generally include infections or toxins in the mother during pregnancy or conditions affecting the baby shortly after birth. For instance, babies who are exposed to German measles or herpes while in the womb can develop congenital hearing loss. It’s very important to talk to your True Dental Discounts hearing plan doctor about your chances of passing on hearing loss to your child so you can be as educated as possible prior to the birth.