Hearing Care is Health Care
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Top 10 Facts About Positional Vertigo (BPPV)- Balance Awareness Week

Is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)  a rare and exotic disease? No, on most clinic days, I see at least one person with BPPV, and often, I see several. For some, BPPV is a minor annoyance. For others, it’s a nightmare of dizziness, loss of balance, nausea, and inability to work or participate in family activities. — Gregory T. Whitman, M.D. (otoneurology)

Here are the Top 10 things you should know about Positional Vertigo (BPPV), with thanks to the Vestibular Disorders Association

1. If you woke up with vertigo, it is likely you have BPPV.

2. If you have vertigo that comes on when you lie down, it is likely you have BPPV.

3. If you have had more than 2 episodes of severe vertigo, there’s a strong possibility you have BPPV .

4. If you have BPPV in both ears, it will almost certainly throw off your balance.

5. If you have a past history of migraine and develop BPPV, you may notice an increase in headaches or light sensitivity. These symptoms will likely decrease after the BPPV has been successfully treated.

6. After BPPV has been treated, it’s a good idea for the doctor to ensure that dizziness, imbalance and related symptoms resolve.

7. If your vertigo makes you nauseated, and you do not have any vestibular tests planned, you may want to ask your audiologist if it would be all right to take a medication for vertigo before the Epley Maneuver. This can make BPPV treatment much more comfortable.

8. Curing a bout of BPPV can require persistence. Doctors and Audiologists always talk about the “easy” cases, miraculously cured on the first visit. However, I have seen patients who needed treatment on 10 different days in one month to finally clear the symptoms.

9. Another version of Rule 8: if you’ve “had BPPV for a year” or more, it’s likely you haven’t been treated enough.

10. In some cases, BPPV follows a previous inner ear infection that has damaged the inner ear and/or vestibular nerve. If this is the case, and if you still have symptoms after successful treatment of BPPV, the best treatment may be vestibular physical therapy, intended to train the ear and brain to work well together.

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If you think that you or someone you may know may benefit from speaking to our Doctors of Audiology, please give us a call! We’re here to help you (519) 961-9285.

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Adventures in Dizziness – What does ‘Dizzy’ feel like to you?

Continuing with the theme of Balance Awareness Week, I sat and thought what would be interesting for our followers to read. As I think about the dizzy, vertigo and imbalance patients that we’ve been lucky enough to see at The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic, their stories came to mind.

The moment that they got dizzy, felt the world spin or that they were spinning.

I stumbled upon this blog post by blogger Mysocalleddizzylife and was amazed at the clarity with which she described her symptoms.

My Dizziness is sometimes more like a little ripple of vertigo, this weird uncomfortable sensation: like if I turn my head, it feels like my head hasn’t caught up to where I am.  My head feels unsteady.  I feel unsteady.  When I’m dizzy I can feel nauseous.  I feel it if I turn around too quickly or when I’m practicing some of my vestibular rehabilitation therapy exercises.  And like butterflies in your stomach when you feel naseous, I also feel the butterflies in my head, spinning around, making me feel woozy.  When this happens, I want nothing more than to close my eyes and pray for the tranquility of stillness.  When I’m really dizzy, I have no balance.  I’m more than clumsy.  If I walk, I look like I’m drunk.  Unsteady and stumbling.

The other night I felt so dizzy; it was like there was a violent sea in my head, waves sloshing around so that I couldn’t find my balance.

Emily’s blog describes the beginning of her symptoms, tests, treatments, vestibular rehabilitation and her life after her dizzies. How many of our readers have shared their dizzy stories with family and friends and learned that they too have had some vestibular dysfunction?

Balance Awareness Week isn’t just learning about imbalance, but about knowing that you aren’t alone.

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DEFEAT DIZZINESS – It’s Balance Awareness Week

At The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic, we’re kicking off Balance Awareness Week! A whole week dedicated to defeating dizziness.

Top Ten Facts about Vestibular Disorders

1. The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process sensory information involved with balance.

2. Over 35% of US adults aged 40 years and older (69 million Americans) have had a vestibular dysfunction at some point in their lives.

3. Vestibular disorders can be caused by disease, injury, poisoning by drugs or chemicals, autoimmune causes, traumatic brain injury, or aging. Many vestibular disorders occur from unexplained causes.

4. Symptoms of vestibular disorders include dizziness, vertigo (a spinning sensation), imbalance, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), fatigue, jumping vision, nausea/vomiting, hearing loss, anxiety, and cognitive difficulties.

5. Vestibular disorders are difficult to diagnose. It is common for a patient to consult 4 or more physicians over a period several years before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

6. There is no “cure” for most vestibular disorders. They may be treated with medication, physical therapy, lifestyle changes (e.g. diet, exercise), surgery, or positional maneuvers. In most cases, patients must adapt to a host of life-altering limitations.

7. Vestibular disorders impact patients and their families physically, mentally, and emotionally. In addition to physical symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo, vestibular patients can experience poor concentration, memory, and mental fatigue. Many vestibular patients suffer from anxiety and depression due to fear of falling and the loss of their independence.

8. Common vestibular disorders include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis, and vestibular migraine.

9. In the US, medical care for patients with chronic balance disorders exceeds $1 billion per year.

10.The Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) is the largest patient organization providing information, support, and advocacy for vestibular patients worldwide. (For more information click HERE)

If you or a loved one suffers from dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, instability or vestibular dysfunction, please feel free to contact our office to find out how we can help! (519) 961-9285

By admin SPECIAL EVENTS & NEWS

Join us for a Wellness Block Party!

Plan to join us September 12, from 10am-2pm at the Victoria Place Plaza for a Wellness Block Party!

Come and meet & greet your local wellness & healthcare professionals and see what we have to offer you & your family!

Along with wellness talks, join us for fitness participation demos, hearing screenings, medications reviews and talks with a dietitian about meal planning and eating healthy. We’re offering great deals on local services and products.

Make Victoria Place your one stop health destination and be entered in our draw to win a Custom Meal Plan, Windsor Spitfires Tickets, a Fragrance Lamp Kit, Prescription Sunglasses & More!

For more information, see the attached image, visit the event page on facebook or give us a call! (519) 961-9285

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Hearing Loss & Depression

A new study by the American Psychological Association has shown that adults with hearing loss who don’t wear their hearing aids are 50 percent more likely to suffer from sadness or depression.

Of course we see the effects of hearing loss all the time, except it’s not always the person with hearing loss complaining. Its usually family and friends who complain that ‘Mum doesn’t want to go out anymore‘.

Those with hearing loss – at any age, tend to socially isolate themselves. They feel that other people will often get frustrated or angry with repeating themselves and so they avoid social contact.

So the question begs, Why are there so many  people with hearing impairment not wearing hearing aids?

Most of the those with a hearing loss who do not wear hearing aids say “my hearing is not bad enough” or “I can get along without one.” Cost is also a large factor. Many times we hear the explanation that “it would make me feel old,” or “I’m too embarrassed to wear one,” or even “my mother wore one and it didn’t help her.”

In mid-September we are offering a Hearing Aid Test Drive. If you or a friend or family member have been contemplating giving a hearing aid a try, THIS IS FOR YOU! This is a 2 week trial of hearing aids at no cost or obligation. The only commitment from you is to wear them for two weeks.

What have you got to lose?

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This was fun!

Our receptionist stumbled across THIS WEBPAGE today.

In this test, created by Amplifon, players are taken to three different locations filled with noises.

It’s the player’s task to locate the waterfall, birds and telephone. The interactive sound map lets you move 360 degrees around the public location to pin-point the source. The noises get louder and clearer as you explore the map. After you’ve had a stab, it reveals where other users have guessed.

Aging is the most common cause of hearing loss, but the World Health Organisation recently said that the single largest cause of preventable loss is loud noise, such as from heavy industry in work places and loud music.

Generally, we don’t like online hearing tests – as they are only as good as your speaker system, but this was a fun take on showing how well we localize sound.

Put on your headphones and give it a try! And if you don’t score as well as you had thought, you know who to call!

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Meniere’s Disease – Do you have it?

Do you have other symptoms with your hearing loss?

How about dizziness? Vertigo, or imbalance? Tinnitus or ringing in your ears? Fullness in your ears?

When the three occur together – Hearing Loss, Tinnitus & Dizziness – as Audiologists, this triad of symptoms is a red flag for a disease called Meniere’s Disease.

There is no quick and easy test for Meniere’s Disease. Diagnosis is based on a detailed case history, hearing tests and balance assessment. Your Doctor may send you for a CT scan or an MRI to rule out other possible causes for your symptoms.

The disease itself is no fun, but with ongoing research and new treatments, people with Meniere’s are finding success in managing their various symptoms. And one day there may even be cure as researchers continue to learn more.

If you are experiencing Meniere’s like symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that you have Meniere’s Disease. Contact The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic to have your  hearing and balance tested today!

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Hearing Loss linked to Dementia in the Elderly

As if we needed ANOTHER reason to have a hearing test, new studies have come to show that the social isolation and lack of stimulation to the brain that stem from untreated hearing loss accelerate the onset and progression of Dementia.

Out of 639 participants, researchers found that those with hearing loss at the beginning of the study were significantly more likely to develop dementia by the end. In fact, the risk of developing dementia over time was believed to increase by as much as five-fold.

Read the whole article here: http://www.free-alzheimers-support.com/wordpress/hearing-loss-can-lead-to-dementia/

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Summertime activities could lead to permanent hearing loss

Ahhh… the warmer weather is in the air! The birds, the breeze, the flowers, the loud noises!

We at The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic would like to take a minute to remind you that your exposure to loud noises can permanently affect your hearing!

Research shows that prolonged exposure to noises over 85dB can cause permanent hearing loss. We expect to see you wear your hearing protection when engaging in the following dangerously LOUD summer activities:

  • The LAWNMOWER – (100dB) – this one seems like a no-brainer, but my neighbor laughs at my hearing protection! Your lawn mower is not the only enemy, your Weed Trimmer (130dB), and leaf blower (75dB) are suspect too.
  • FIREWORKS – (175dB) – Every year people complain about buzzing in their ears after watching a particularly fantastic fireworks show. That’s your ears crying out for hearing protection! Bringing your children? Protect their ears too!
  • BOATING/WATER SPORTS – (105dB) – A fun day out on the water wouldn’t be less fun with hearing protection. Your loud outboard motor or Sea Doo can cause hearing loss.
  • MOTORCYCLES – (100dB) – The drum of the road and the feel of the wind on your face could be causing a hearing loss. While we want you to use hearing protection, its important to continue to hear normal traffic noises, so we recommend custom hearing protection with a filter to block only the noises that are dangerous to your ears and hearing.

There are many other activities that are in the dangerous range (my neighbor’s a/c unit is ridiculously loud and they sit right next to it on the patio)  – use your best judgement, and protect your ears now so you don’t need us later! 

And of course, if you are experiencing ringing in your ears after a particularly spirited concert or day on the boat… call us and have your hearing tested. (519) 961-9285. Our Audiologists can give you tips and pointers and even make custom hearing protection specifically for YOUR ears!

custom_ear_plugs
Custom hearing protection comes in many colors and sizes!

By admin BLOG , , , ,

Did you know that your allergies can harm your hearing?

GESUNDHEIT!

With the beautiful weather comes ALLERGY SEASON!

Did you know that your seasonal allergies can affect your hearing? Histamines can cause inflamed nasal passages – which causes excess mucus production, which in turn can cause a Eustachian tube dysfunction. This can create a conductive hearing loss. For some, this can create a blocked feeling or pressure in their ears. Then its time for a hearing test!

Treating your allergies should reduce these symptoms, but if you feel discomfort in your ears even while taking allergy medication you should see a doctor. The longer you live with the discomfort the more damage you are doing to the structures in your ear!

Allergies have you feeling like your ears are blocked or plugged? Schedule an appointment to see our Audiologist! (519) 961-9285

http://www.hearinglab.com/blog/tag/allergy-season/

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Make a hearing test part of your health routine!

Many Canadians have their eyesight tested every 2-3 years, and yet Statistics Canada reveals that about 70% of adults with measured hearing loss did not report any diagnosis by a health care professional. That is, they noticed they had a hearing loss, but didn’t see an Audiologist or Physician about their problem.

Our Doctors of Audiology recommend a hearing test before the age of 40 for a “baseline“, and a hearing test every 2-3 years after to monitor changes.

Other factors that may affect your hearing: obesity, exposure to loud noise (industrial or leisure), diabetes, kidney disease. Are you a smoker? The chemicals in cigarettes are ototoxic (that is, they can impair your hearing, cause tinnitus or affect your balance).

It only takes one hour to have your hearing tested with our Doctors of Audiology. What better time to have your hearing tested than Better Hearing Month? Call to arrange an appointment at (519) 961-9285.

[av_image src=’http://hearinganddizzy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/MayMonthAd1-1030×1022.jpg’ attachment=’658′ attachment_size=’large’ align=’center’ animation=’no-animation’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’][/av_image]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/more/wellness/1283596-hearing-tests-part-of-%E2%80%98overall-health-routine%E2%80%99

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What is an Audiologist?

Continuing with our post-per-day vow through the month of May for Better Hearing Month, we decided to tell you who and what we are! We’re Audiologists!

At The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic, we are happy to have two Doctors of Audiology, Audiologists – Paige Pierozynski & Bernice McKenzie – to help you with your hearing & balance needs.

An Audiologist is a healthcare practitioner with a special interest in your ears. Our expertise includes the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of auditory and balance disorders; and provide care to all age groups from infants to the elderly.

We like how this Audiologist explains the differences between practitioners that you may see about your ears or hearing and why you should choose an Audiologist.

If you or someone you know has a problem with their hearing, experiences tinnitus, vertigo or imbalance – we’d be glad to offer our services and experience to you. We are open Monday through Friday, and are independently and locally owned.

Please call (519) 961-9285 to schedule an appointment for your hearing or balance with our Audiologists!

 

By admin SPECIAL EVENTS & NEWS , , , , , ,

May is Better Hearing Month!

Who’s ready to kick off Better Hearing Month?!?

For the entire month of May we will be celebrating…US!  By us, we mean – Doctors of Audiology, Audiologists!

While that may sound a bit self-serving, celebrating US means focusing on what we can do for you!

Through daily blog posts for the month of May, we will show you all of the ways that we can help you, your family members, friends, and co-workers with improved hearing health.

Our main goal is to help you improve your quality of life through better hearing and balance. Your EARS connect you to the people you love and the activities you love to do – it is imperative that we celebrate this!

In the spirit of Us: Doctors of Audiology, we absolutely LOVE —–>  this video  <——  It shows one of the many reasons why we wanted to become Audiologists.

So cheers to us, and Better Hearing Month! #BHSM 

P.S. Best of luck to the #Essex73s taking on Port Hope tonight! We’re rooting for you! Bring home the Schmalz Cup!

 

By admin SPECIAL EVENTS & NEWS , , ,

Breaking Tinnitus News!

A huge advancement in the study of tinnitus was made recently as researchers were able to map the tinnitus pathways!

A 50 year old man with bilateral (both ears) tinnitus underwent two days of extensive brain mapping.

Hopefully this ground-breaking tinnitus advancement will lead to the evolution of medications or procedures to alleviate tinnitus in the near future!

Read the whole journal article here!

If you or someone you love suffers from tinnitus, there is help! The Doctors of Audiology at The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic have a special interest in tinnitus. Call us at (519) 961-9285 to arrange a Tinnitus Evaluation!

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7 Signs That Your Spouse Has A Hearing Loss

Do you think your loved one has a hearing loss? This can be a sensitive issue for some couples.

Here are a few clues to look for as to whether or not your relationship might benefit from improved hearing!

The 7 Signs include:

1. Complaints about mumbling. Hearing loss isn’t just a lack of volume, its about lack of word understanding. If everyone around you sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown, chances are you’re suffering from hearing loss. If it sounds like you’ve got cotton in your ears, you aren’t picking up the full range of sound – from high notes to low – making noise sound like mumbling to you.

2. Mixing up words. “You want me to eat a frog?” “No, Fred, I said, ‘See the fog’.”   When hearing starts to go, the brain may compensate for words not heard. Misunderstanding people can be embarrassing, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

3. TV is too loud. Are others complaining that the TV is shaking the windows? If this isn’t a sign of hearing loss, nothing is. This is a common complaint of those living with someone who has a hearing loss.

4. Trouble with background noise or conversation. Being a little lost in conversation isn’t always a sign of hearing loss. However, let’s say you’re at a work meeting or eating dinner with the family; when two or more people talk at the same time, do you have a hard time keeping up? People with hearing loss have a hard time masking out background noise.

5. Constantly asking for repetition, saying “What?” or “Pardon?” more than a couple of times a day. Just because you didn’t hear a mumbling co-worker from 10 feet away doesn’t mean you have a hearing loss. However, if “what?” or “huh” is the most commonly used word in your vocabulary, you aren’t getting the sound signals you need to process sound correctly.

6. Trouble communicating on the phone, or from a different room – when not face to face. When you have a hearing loss, the brain tries to fill in the information that is missing with your eyes: reading facial cues and gestures is not something that can be done on the telephone.

7. Withdrawing or avoiding social situations. If social events used to be fun but now they’re exhausting or frustrating, this is a sign of hearing loss – straining to hear conversations or focus on hearing and listening is hard on all our senses.

If you answered YES to any of these clues, your loved one will benefit from a hearing evaluation done by our Doctors of Audiology. A hearing evaluation is quick and painless and results are given immediately. Read more here.

Studies show that once a hearing loss is diagnosed it sometimes takes 7 years to do something about it! Imagine waiting 7 years to treat diagnosed high blood pressure or vision loss!

Call The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic today to arrange a hearing evaluation at (519) 961-9285, you’ll be glad you did!

By admin SPECIAL EVENTS & NEWS , , , ,

April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day 2015

This April The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic is lighting it up blue for Autism Awareness! #LIUB

Susan Eichert from the Autism Treatment Network answers the question below in a recent article published on AustismSpeaks.org:

Our child has autism, will an ordinary hearing test work for him? Who should we see and what can we do?

Our professional view is much the same as Susan’s. Her advice is useful for parents of all children – she recommends seeing an Audiologist who has experience testing children behaviorally – that is, with having a child respond to words or beeps or interacting with sounds through play. Some children do not tolerate headphones, and that’s OK. At The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic we are able to test a child’s hearing using a sound field. We are also happy to have visual reinforcement audiometry in our arsenal to elicit valid responses for every developmental age – for both verbal and non-verbal children.

A reliable hearing test result for your child is something our Doctors of Audiology strive for! Call (519) 961-9285 to book your child’s hearing test appointment!

Susan’s full article can be found here:  Can Hearing Problems Contribute to Autism-Related Speech Delays?

 

 

By admin SPECIAL EVENTS & NEWS , , ,

Essex Free Press Article about our Tinnitus Lunch & Learn

Happy Thursday!  Hope everyone is staying dry and warm on this “spring” day.

Please see Sylene Argent’s article titled Clinic Shares Information about Tinnitus in the Essex Free Press this week. Sylene reported on our Tinnitus Lunch & Learn that we hosted on March 23, 2015.

If you or a loved one is suffering from tinnitus, or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic at 519.961.9285

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Can Hearing Aids Help People With Tinnitus?

As we are leading up to our Tinnitus Lunch & Learn on Monday March 23, we thought we would try to shed a little bit of light on how hearing aids can help those who suffer with tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing or chirping sound, perceived when there is no external sound present. Research shows that aging, exposure to loud sounds, earwax accumulation and ear bone changes (otosclerosis) contribute to the cause of tinnitus.

Many factors affect a person’s tinnitus such as: anxiety, stress and blood pressure.  There are many studies show that of the 20% of the world’s population suffers from tinnitus & many also have a hearing loss.

Which bring us to the question: Can Hearing Aids Help People With Tinnitus?

The short answer is: YES!

Studies* show that of those who complain of hearing loss (from the most mild loss to the most severe) together with tinnitus, hearing aids in both ears alleviated tinnitus perception in 69% of users!

Can tinnitus be alleviated by Hearing Aids?

Why do they help? Hearing aids provide a diversion for our brains. They tell our brain “hear this instead” and those sounds which would be lost by our hearing loss now act to stimulate the areas that were previously the source of our tinnitus. Hearing aids also make our sound range much larger, giving us more things outside of ourselves to listen to. Hearing aids reduce anxiety caused by troubled communications and help reduce stress while also having the added benefit of an improved social life. Hearing aids reduce the fatigue brought upon us by always listening closely. Hearing aids can also be programmed to mask the tinnitus with a sound that is more pleasant than the tinnitus itself.

Our Doctors of Audiology can help you with your tinnitus.  Just because there is not a cure for tinnitus, it does not mean there is no hope/help.  At The Hearing & Dizziness Clinic we are able to perform tinnitus testing and provide treatment, counselling and management. Call (519) 961-9285 to book your appointment today!

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