Hearing Loss Becomes An Epidemic Amongst Children
Experts have warned that many children are losing their hearing and by the age of 30, have the hearing capacity of a 60 year old. The hearing loss epidemic is not down to diseases or a virus but the rising exposure to high volumes of noise.
Children regularly listen to their music or play video games with the volume turned to the maximum level, this damages the ears, often beyond repair. Children may also be exposed to volumes only suitable for more mature ears such as sporting or music events which they are taken by their parents. Professor of preventive medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Dr Martin, said, “If a sound reaches 85 decibels and over an extended period, it can permanently damage hearing. The safe level for an iPod is 80 per cent on the volume slider. If you listen to music at that level, you can safely listen for 90 minutes a day.”
One easy way to measure if the music in your headphones is too loud is to stand at arms length from someone and if you are unable to hear them talk, it’s too loud. High volumes can physically damage your ears but also can lead to an affliction called Tinnitus. Tinnitus is a devastating condition that causes a permanent loud ringing noise in the ear and can often take over a person’s life. It can sometimes be treated but in most cases it remains present and victims are forced to suffer an unbearable ringing noise in their ear for the rest of their life.
In decibels, a normal conversation would generate 60dB, a loud concert or busy construction site may go as loud as 120dB and a jet engine or pneumatic drill can generate 150dB. Noises this loud are instantly painful and exposure to noises above 150dB will cause instant permanent damage. Even at a relatively low level, constant noise can cause high blood pressure, stress, anxiety and insomnia.
12% of children under the age of 19 in America and Europe have some level of hearing loss completely attributed to exposure to loud noise. There are laws against noise levels in a workplace but nothing to control individuals exposing themselves to loud music.
Many people have suffered hearing damage as a result of being exposed to high volumes against their will. Most of these people are entitled to hearing loss compensation or a claim of some sort.
Why Are All The Children Losing Their Hearing?
Doctors are reporting more and more cases of young children suffering hearing problems. Many of these patients can expect to have the hearing of a 60 year old by the age of 30. But this epidemic is not down to diseases or a virus but the rising exposure to high volumes of noise.
The problem is occurring because many young children listen to their music or play video games with the volume at the maximum level in their earphones. This kind of concentrated noise damages the ears, often beyond repair. Many parents do not realise that by taking their children to sporting or music events they are exposing them to volumes only suitable for more mature ears. Professor of preventive medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Dr Martin, said, “If a sound reaches 85 decibels and over an extended period, it can permanently damage hearing. The safe level for an iPod is 80 per cent on the volume slider. If you listen to music at that level, you can safely listen for 90 minutes a day.”
On average, a conversation would occur at 60 decibels of sound, completely harmless to the ears, a loud concert or busy motorway could create 120dB and a jet engine or pneumatic drill can produce more than 150dB. Most people will find noises above 100dB irritating and prolonged exposure to these levels can cause severe damage. Any exposure to noises above 150dB will cause instantaneous irreversible damage. Noises at a constant low level can cause high blood pressure, stress, anxiety and insomnia.
If you stand at arms length from someone with your music on in your earphones, you should still be able to hear them talk, if you can’t, the volume is too loud. Exposure to high levels of noise may not only cause physical damage to your ears, but cause Tinnitus. Tinnitus is a dreadful affliction that creates a constant high pitched ringing noise in the ear and can often take over a person’s life. Although some cases are treatable, it usually remains present and victims are forced to suffer an unbearable ringing noise in their ear for the rest of their life.
In developed countries, 12% of children aged 12 to 19 have hearing loss to some extent that is caused entirely by exposure to loud noise. Although there are laws regarding noise levels in a workplace, there are no laws about personal exposure.
Treating the rising number of cases of hearing loss is requiring hospitals to create more jobs for nurses and has called for more nursing jobs Warwick.
What Does The Future Hold For Hearing Aids?
In order to discuss the future of hearing aids we must understand their past.
Hearing Aids have been around for decades though the early form were quite primitive and lacked anything more than a basic form of amplification.
The rate of growth of hearing aid technology has been linked to the rate of growth of general technology in the world.
There are two types of hearing aids:
• Analogue
• Digital
Analogue meant that the sound going into the microphone of the hearing aid was directly proportional to the sound coming out. No elaborate formulae were used to process the sound. As a safety precaution they would have what’s called ‘peak clipping’. This is when the sound gets above a certain level, the hearing aid cuts it off so it can never reach a users pain threshold.
About fifteen years ago leading manufacturers introduced digital technology, and the first of the hearing aids were pseudo- digital. They performed like a digital hearing aid but weren’t as capable as what is available today. As time has gone on the expectations of hearing aids to perform better and better with more and more functions became immense. Once people could hear better and realised the potential, their expectations grew and users wanted:
• better sound quality
• hear better in noisy situations
• smaller more discreet hearing aids
• compatibility with phones
• capability to listen to music
User expectation and competition between manufacturers of these hearing aids meant that they improved vastly from the days of the analogue hearing aids.
More powerful hearing aids in the smallest size were introduced with features that would cut down wind noise, echoes, sudden loud sounds and annoying whistling.
It looks like hearing aids have reached a plateau in terms of size but not in technology.
As technology races on in the modern world so too does it in the hearing aid world.
Dual core laptops… and now dual core hearing aids – This means that even more features could be added without the risk of other operations being affected. Hearing aids are now twice as fast as they were 2 years ago and as research into the human ear progresses it opens up ways to allow people to hear more naturally then they thought was possible through the use of modern hearing aids.
Manufacturers strive to stay ahead of their competition by introducing different styles and connectivity possibilities which has led to
• open fit hearing aids
• Bluetooth enabled hearing aids.
Open fit hearing aids are for people with high frequency hearing loss. They fit in such a manner that it allows natural sounds to pass into the ear canal but at the same time the hearing aid enhances the higher tones thus allowing users to hear across the frequency range.
Bluetooth enabled hearing aids together with the use of a device that sits like a medallion around the users neck allow the user to connect to his/her mobile phone to make hands free calls. It also allows music to be streamed direct to the hearing aids from CD or mp3 players.
So, what is the future of hearing aids?
We know that in terms of sizes they will not get any smaller then a completely in canal (CIC) aid.
In terms of technology, we can see that smaller aids will have the same features as larger aids.
As for the features themselves, manufacturers will push the boundaries along with advancements in other technologies and industries, challenging one another.
And what about the hearing aid users? They will be given more and more freedom to adjust their own hearing aids.
The point remains modern Digital Hearing Aids have never been so advanced at meeting user requirements compared to hearing aids of the past, which have built a stigma of being unfashionable and outdated. The truth is many people do not know what is on offer in today’s market.
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Top 5 Tinnitus Causes Needing Tinnitus Remedies
If you suffer from Tinnitus, trying to find tinnitus remedies that will cure the condition can be difficult. A solution can be found much quicker if the cause is known. Below is a list of the top 5 causes that require tinnitus remedies;
1. Damage to the Outer Ear
The are many ways in which damage to the outer ear has been known to cause tinnitus. Tinnitus remedies are available for where the likes of too much ear wax or foreign bodies have caused a blockage and led to ear ringing.
2. Exposure to Loud Noise
This is probably the most common cause of tinnitus. Whether you work in a loud working environment surrounded by loud machinery or you tend to socialize in loud concert or clubbing atmospheres, the continuous exposure will cause damage to the hair cells and nerves in the inner ear. Ringing in the ears can be heard for days, weeks and even years after.
3. Neck or Head Trauma
The nerves, muscles or even blood flow connected to the ear can severely damaged from any accident or intensive exercising which causes damage or strain in the neck or head (whiplash for example) and in turn cause tinnitus.
4. High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can put pressure on the inner ear but is one of the most treatable causes of tinnitus. Treated via medication prescribed by a doctor or a simple change in lifestyle, high blood pressure can be lowered and relieve the inner ear pressure that causes tinnitus.
5. Unhealthy Diet
Again, it is very important that natural tinnitus remedies such as a better lifestyle and healthier diet are introduced as it is the inner ear that is affected. It all stems back to high blood pressure so some foods that are high in saturated fat and salt or drinks that contain a high content of alcohol and caffeine need to be consumed in less amounts or not at all.
All these causes of tinnitus and many others can be prevented but for those of you who are suffering and struggling to find tinnitus remedies that will help cure your tinnitus, Tinnitus Miracle, the remedy book that has helped thousands of men and women, could be the answer to all your prayers.
Find more information on tinnitus remedies here!
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Symptoms, Causes And Treatment Of Ringing Ears
Tinnitus (Tin-I-Tus), which is often mis-spelled as Tinnitis, is a common problem that affects one out of every five people. It is a perception of noise, usually ringing or buzzing of the ears, where no noise is actually present. Tinnitus is a symptom of some other underlying cause, rather than an actual condition itself.
Tinnitus involves a problematic perception of hearing sound where no external sound is present. Some of the symptoms of Ringing Ears include Ringing, Buzzing, Roaring, Clicking, Whistling and Hissing. The severity of the problem can be one that is rarely noticed, to one that is sometimes so loud that it interferes with one’s ability to concentrate or even hear properly.
There are actually two types of tinnitus. One is known as subjective tinnitus, which is a noise that only you can hear. The other type is objective tinnitus, which even your doctor may notice when he or she does an examination. Objective tinnitus is much more rare, and is usually caused by blood flow problems.
While tinnitus is usually more of a nagging problem than a dangerous condition, the fact that it is symptomatic makes it important that you see your doctor if you suffer from it. Although your doctor may simply refer you to a holistic approach, it’s best to follow up so that you can be certain that you do not have some serious cause that could grow into a much larger problem.
Some of the more common causes of Tinnitus include Earwax blockage, exposure to loud noises, changes in ear bones and of course one of the most common, age related hearing loss. Other causes include stress and depression, head and neck injuries, acoustic neuroma and Meniere’s disease. In some very rare cases, tinnitus or ringing of the ears can be caused by blood vessel disorders. These blood vessel problems can be brought on by tumors, build up of cholesterol and fatty deposits, high blood pressure and the narrowing or kinking of a neck artery.
There are also some drugs that can cause Tinnitus, so if a bout of this condition occurs any time after the start of a new medication, seek immediate medical attention and inform you doctor of what has happened so that he/she can find you an alternative medication.
One of the best ways to escape or keep Tinnitus in check is to suppress or reduce the amount of loud noise in which you subject your hearing. Make sure you wear protection for your ears whenever possible. Protection that totally covers your outer ears is best, although earplugs alone will help reduce the damages of loud sound. Loud music has damaged more ears than most can imagine, so always be careful not to expose yourself loud and blaring music whenever possible. Regular exercise and eating properly so that you protect your circulatory system and blood flow can also help prevent Tinnitus.
When it comes to a cure, there really is no specific medical cure for this common and often serious problem. However, there are several holistic remedies to relieving your ringing ears available today on the Internet.
If all else fails, you should consider counseling or joining a support group where there are other sufferers of this issue whom you can call on for help. Most importantly, read and research as much as you can about Tinnitus and some of the newest ways to help alleviate symptoms. You can find out more about Ringing in Ear and how to treat it by following the links in this article.
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