April 25, 2006 Issue

             HEARING LOSS HELP E-zine
"The premier e-zine for people with hearing loss"


Volume 1, Number 2                          April 25, 2006
Publisher: Neil Bauman      neil@hearinglosshelp.com
            http://www.hearinglosshelp.com
    Copyright Center for Hearing Loss Help 2006

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                      "Hearing loss may change your life,
                        but your life need not be any less
                                rewarding and fulfilling
                        because you have a hearing loss."

                                                               -- Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

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In this issue
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1. Hearing Testing

2. Tips for Successfully Coping with Hearing Loss

3. Beware of (Ototoxic) Drugs that Can Damage Your Ears

4. Current Subscriber-only Special

5. Answers to Your Questions

6. Information on Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants and/or
Assistive Devices


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1. Hearing Testing
==================================================

"Can Tinnitus Mess Up Hearing Testing Results?"

Carolyn asked: "How in the world do I get a sensible hearing test
when I have so much internal noise in my ears? My tinnitus sounds
just like the "beeps" I'm supposed to be hearing"

You have a valid concern. A number of people have asked me the
same question. During pure tone testing, the fear is that your
tinnitus will mask the faint pure-tone "beeps" especially when
they are at the same frequency.

I have the same problem. Fortunately, there are a couple of
solutions that work for me. They should work for you also.

Many audiometers now can produce 2 or 3 different "kinds" of
tones. However, most people are only familiar with the standard
single pure tone "beeps." Before the test, ask your audiologist
what other sounds her audiometer can produce besides these simple
"beeps."

The best one I've found is a warble sound. Warble tones are VERY
distinctive. You won't mix up warble tones with your tinnitus or
other phantom sounds--at least I never have. I wish all
audiometers had a warble tone option.

If the audiometer doesn't have a warble tone, the next best
solution is the double beep sound. Instead of a single "beep,"
you hear a "beep-beep" and by listening for the break between the
two beeps, you can more easily separate the audiometer's sound
from your tinnitus or other phantom sounds. This works for me
too. However, the warble is still much easier to detect.

Ask for one of these options and you will feel more confident
that the pure tone testing produced valid results in spite of
your tinnitus.



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2. Tips for Successfully Coping with Hearing Loss
==================================================

"Hearing Loss and Social Security Disability"


A lady asked: "Do you know what degree of hearing loss would
qualify a person for Social Security Disability? Unaided I have
approximately 80% loss in my left ear and approximately 50% loss
in my right. I have hearing aids but can't wear them all day."

There is no set degree of hearing loss that makes you eligible
for Social Security Disability (SSD) here in the USA. Each
application is decided on a case by case basis. What IS required
is that you must have a "functional limitation" that prevents you
from working for a living.

Since you have some residual hearing and wear hearing aids that
help you--even though you don't wear them all the time (neither
do I)--and since there are many other assistive devices that can
also help you to effectively communicate, it is highly unlikely
you would meet the requirements of a functional limitation that
prevents you from working.

Hearing loss alone shouldn't prevent you from working. In fact,
there are many jobs you can do that do not require much hearing.
These occupations range all the way from entry level jobs such as
dish washing, stocking shelves and janitorial work to working on
an assembly line, to entering data (keyboarding) or bookkeeping,
to writing or editing books and articles, to coding complex
computer programs. In addition, there are many skilled trades
such as sewing or cabinetmaking that do not require good hearing.
When you really look, the list is almost endless.

To be sure, hearing loss does make it harder (maybe even much
harder), but not impossible, to function on the job. I well know
what that is like as my hearing has been worse than yours all my
life. What I did was choose occupations that I both liked and
where my poor hearing would not totally block me.

Instead of withdrawing from the workforce, look at the many job
possibilities open to you as a hard of hearing person. As one
wise person said:

"Success comes in cans.
Failure comes in can'ts."

What you really need is a "can do" attitude that you take with
you to your job. So, tomorrow morning, instead of lamenting your
poor hearing, take a "can" of success with you. It will make all
the difference.


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3. Beware of (Ototoxic) Drugs that Can Damage Your Ears
==================================================

A lady asked: "Are Betoptic eye drops ototoxic?"

Betoptic is the trade name for the beta-blocker Betaxolol.
Betaxolol can cause hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears),
ataxia (staggering gait), dizziness, vertigo (spinning sensation)
and ear pain.

So yes, these eye drops can definitely be ototoxic. However in
the amounts that are used in eye-drops, I don't know how likely
it would be that you would experience an ototoxic side effect.

In any case, I'd be cautious and watch for any signs of the above
side effects. Then, if any of these side effects ever began to
appear, I'd strongly consider immediately stopping that
medication (with your doctor's permission, of course). The real
question you should ask you doctor is "Isn't there a safer (less
ototoxic), yet just as effective eye-drop medication you could
prescribe?"

For more information on ototoxic drugs read our various articles
on ototoxic drugs at
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles.htm#ototoxic_drugs

For complete information and individual listings on the known
ototoxic drugs and chemicals, go to
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/products/ototoxicdrugbook.htm



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4. Current Subscriber-only Special
==================================================

The April 2006 AARP Bulletin carried an article on the wonders of
using loop systems to hear beautiful clear sound. As a result of
this article, thousands and thousands of hard of hearing
Americans who had never heard of loop systems before learned
about just how well loop systems work for hard of hearing people
if they have t- coils in their hearing aids.

Because you are one of our loyal Hearing Loss Help eZine
subscribers, we want to make you a special deal.

First, read our article "Loop Systems--the Best-Kept Secret in
Town," which explains how and why you would want to use one of
these wonderful loop systems. Here is the link to this article.
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/loopsystems.htm

Second, save 10% on one of these loop systems. The regular price
is $169.00, but until May 15, 2006 you can get this same
wonderful Univox 2A loop system for only $152.00. In order to
take advantage of this special offer, you MUST click on the
following link. Do NOT order from the regular links on the
website or you will be charged the regular price. For the special
price, click on this link now.
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/bonus/ezinespecials/apr25u.htm



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5. Answers to Your Questions
==================================================

If you have a question, or if something has been puzzling you
concerning your ears, email it to mailto:neil@hearinglosshelp.com
and put "e-zine question" as the subject. Suitable questions will
be answered here.
______________

"Do T-Coils Hear in Stereo?"

A man wrote: "I gather that silhouettes and ear links can support
true stereo sound (where the left and right ears hear different
channels of sound.) What about room loops and neck loops?"

In order for true stereo to occur, your t-coils must not pick up
each others sound channels (or you'd hear the same thing in both
ears, which I call dual mono).

Therefore, by definition, room loops and neckloops are always
mono devices since both t-coils pick up the same sound signals.

In order to have true stereo via your t-coils, the magnetic
signal for each sound channel must have sufficiently low power
that the t- coil on the opposite side of your head can't pick it
up.

At this time, the only truly stereo device that works with t-
coils is the dual Music Links (described at the link below).
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/products/earlinks.htm#music_links

These Music Links are similar in concept to silhouettes. In fact,
silhouettes COULD be true stereo devices IF they were correctly
wired to a stereo plug. However, all the silhouettes I have seen
are wired to a mono plug--so you'd only hear dual mono with them.

Thus, if you really want to hear in stereo via your t-coils, get
the Dual Music Links and enjoy true stereo sound. The Music Links
plug into any standard stereo audio device such as your computer,
MP3 player, DVD player, iPod, etc.

In case you were wondering, although the T-Links
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/products/earlinks.htm#t_links are
similar to the Music Links, and look like they should be stereo
devices, they actually are mono devices. This is because the
second wire/pin that would normally be used for the second stereo
channel is used for the microphone signal instead. The t-links
are designed to plug into your cell phone's headset jack and let
you hear beautiful clear sound on your cell phone.



==================================================
6. Information on Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants and/or
Assistive Devices
==================================================

"Implantable Cochlear Implants--Should I Wait?"

A mother asked: "I recently read they are working on a new
internal Cochlear Implant. We are going to be getting an implant
for our son this summer. I also know these internal implants are
still a few years away. What I want to know is if we go ahead
with the current implant, can he be implanted later with the
newer implant? If not do you think it's worth waiting for?"

Until the totally implantable CIs are finally designed, no one
knows exactly what they will be like. However, it seems that the
old technology will not be compatible with the new for a number
of reasons.

First, of course, is that ALL the electronics will be implanted,
including the processor, not just the electrodes as is done now.
Second, is that the processor will receive the sound signals in a
different way. Currently the microphone on the external processor
picks up the sound. The new fully-implantable cochlear implants
will likely receive the sound from a transducer mounted on one of
the bones in the middle ear or perhaps attached to the eardrum
itself.

All this will necessitate a new design for how the electrode
array attaches to the sound processor. As a result, I do not
foresee that the current electrode arrays will work with the new
fully-implantable cochlear implants.

However, when these new fully-implantable CIs come out, there is
always the possibility that the old implant could be taken out
and the new one implanted.

In the meantime, since these new fully-implantable CIs are still
a few years away, it would be better for your son to get whatever
CI model is available now and be implanted in one ear. He can
always get an implantable CI for his other ear when they are
finally available.

The reason you need to take action now is because the window of
opportunity for fully developing the auditory circuits in your
son's brain is right now while his brain is still plastic. This
window closes around the age of 6. So time is of the essence if
you want your son to have the best chance at hearing well with
his new implant.



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                       HEARING LOSS HELP E-zine

Neil Bauman, Publisher               Center for Hearing Loss Help
49 Piston Court                       Stewartstown, PA 17363 USA
Phone: (717) 993-8555                       Fax (717) 993-6661
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com     neil@hearinglosshelp.com

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