Why does my Voice Sound Funny with Hearing Aids?

Adapting to new hearing aids often requires adapting all over again to the sound of on'es own voice. hearing aid users sometimes describe their voices as sounding as if they are in a tunnel, a barrel, or talking through a microphone. The feeling is probably the most noticeable change for new users and the hardest thing to adapt to.  Your audiologist cannot make this sensation go away completely, but he or she can help alleviate some of the hollow feeling you may experience.

One of the principle sources of this funny sound is called occlusion. Occlusion is when there is a blocking or closing of the ear canal. Have you ever worn earplugs or put your fingers in your ears to block out sound? When you talk and your ears are plugged, your voice sounds much louder and a bit hollow. When you put hearing aids in your ears you do just that, plug them up. When we talk, the vibration of our vocal cords vibrates the bones in the head briefly, until it disperses out through the ear canals. When we plug up our ears, the sounds are no longer able to escape through the ear canals, but are redirected back to the eardrum, making the low tones louder. This causes us to experience that "echoey" or hollow tone in our voice.

So, if plugging up our ears causes occlusion, how do we get rid of it? Well, we do just the opposite; we unplug them, as much as possible anyway. Most hearing aids have a hole in the ear mold called a vent. This vent helps equalize pressure in the ear canal, lets air circulate and also helps alleviate some of the hollow feeling when we talk. So, as you can imagine, the larger we can make that vent, the more our internal sounds can disperse through the ear canal. Unfortunately, the size of the vent is sometimes limited by both the size of the hearing aid and the size of your ear canal, as well as the loudness of the hearing aid.

Occlusion is not the only factor causing this feeling of a loud, hollow sound. remember that we have hearing aids because we have a hearing loss. We are used to hearing our own voice at a level that reflects that of our hearing loss, but now we have turned that volume up using the hearing aid. So now our voice seems louder to us, even though it sounds the same to everyone else.

To alleviate this problem, your audiologist may try to turn the low-frequency volume down on your hearing aids, but this really only reduces the low-frequencies in everything you hear. Turning down everything we hear contradicts the goal of the audiologist to help you hear the best you possibly can. Needless to say, it is not the best solution. the best solution is to try to get used to your new voice. Try reading out loud to your spouse, kids, grand-kids, or yourself for 15 minutes 2-3 times a day. Reading out loud will force you to listen to your voice constantly. This is how we really sound to the rest of the world. They have gotten used to our voice; we have to try, too.

I know this process sometimes seems long and challenging, but stick with it. Your audiologist will be there for support.

Happy Memorial Day

Today we remember, with gratitude and pride, all those who

served and died for our country and our freedom.

May your day be filled with memories and peace.

God Bless America.

Your Pets can have Ear Problems Too

Why does your cat rush in to the kitchen at the first faint sound of the can opener? Why does your dog alert you to the mail carrier who is still a half a block away?  Our pets have brilliantly designed ears that allow them to raise, rotate and tun in to the faintest sounds.  That's something to be envious of.

However, this heightened sensitivity can come at a price for our pets.  Just as ours can, cat and dog ears can be sensitive to health problems.  We need to be proactive and regularly check their ears and practice preventive maintenance.  Mites, bacterial or yeast infections, allergic reactions, excess water and dirt can all wreak havoc in those amazing ears.  You might see them scratch their ears, shake their head, nip if you get too close to their ears, lose their balance, and even lose hearing.

Dogs seem to be even more at risk that cats, especially those with floppy ears, because those ear flaps can trap dirt and debris and cause a decreased amount of air ventilation which can become a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria to grow.

Don't let it go.  Contact your veterinarian at the first signs of ear problems. It's going to be hard for you to make a diagnosis yourself, so leave that to the professionals.  Inflammation of that outer ear can be a symptom of several things like parasites, allergies, a simple ear infection, tumors or other medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism.

Six reasons to see your vet:

1. your pet constantly scratches her ears.

2. you can smell a foul odor coming from the ears.

3. your pet's ears are tender to the touch.

4. your pet has trouble with balance.

5. the ears are bleeding or swollen.

6. your pet seems to have trouble hearing.

Ain't it the truth?

Ask the Audiologist

Q: My husband has difficulty hearing but he refuses to admit it or have his hearing tested. He says that his hearing is fine, but our friends and family members are getting very frustrated with always having to repeat themselves. How could he not realize how much he is missing?

A: Although hearing loss is one of the most common health problems in this country, it often goes unnoticed and the person with the hearing problem is usually the last one to become aware of it.

Described below are some of the early characteristics of hearing loss.
Understanding these may help explain why hearing loss can "sneak up" on someone, even when family and friends are well aware of the problem:

1. Gradual: a loss of hearing typically develops so slowly that you're not aware of any change from year to year.

2. Partial: you can develop a loss of hearing in the speech clarity range, but still have normal hearing sensitivity for background noises and for the loudness of speech. That's why someone with early onset hearing loss may say, "I can hear people talking, I just can't understand them."

3. Painless: although tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear) may accompany hearing loss, usually there is no feeling or sensation that alerts you to a change in hearing.

4. Invisible: the person with a hearing loss doesn't look any different and you can't detect hearing loss by looking into someone's ears. Only a hearing test can determine whether a hearing loss is present.

Keep in mine that because of these characteristics, it's easy for the person with early onset hearing loss to believe there is no problem. It's also very easy for them to blame others, because to them, it really sounds like people are mumbling. If you know of someone who may have an undetected hearing loss, please ask him or her to read this. And remember, the first step is not to get hearing aids, but simply have an audiologic evaluation. We've never heard anyone complain if the results indicate normal hearing!

Listen UP America Week

Despite the fact that more than 31 million Americans report some type of hearing problem, only about 13 percent of U.S. physicians routinely screen their patients for hearing loss during physical exams. In order to make qualified hearing testing available to the general public, we have partnered with the Audiology Awareness Campaign (AAC) to bring free hearing screenings to our community so that people can have their hearing checked by trained audiologists who specialize in evaluating and treating people with hearing loss.

Each day during this week (May 13-17) we have set aside time in our schedule for free hearing screenings.  Appointments are necessary, so call 419-534-3111 to grab one before they get filled!

What is a hearing screening?  First, let me say what it is not:  It is not a complete hearing evaluation. The purpose of a screening is to identify the need for a complete hearing test.  A hearing screening will basically tell us if you have normal hearing, of if there is some hearing loss that needs to be further evaluated. A screening is a pass/fail test.  If you have a hearing loss it does not tell us the degree or nature of the loss.  It simply tells us that further, complete evaluation is necessary.

Bigfoot...in Toledo?

Have you seen him?  He's running around here somewhere, and we want you to find him!

Kenwood is excited to have a billboard up in Toledo.

Find us on our Facebook page HERE, like our page and then send us a private message with Bigfoot's our billboard's location. Be the first and we'll reward you with a special treat!

Better Hearing with Both Ears

Being able to hear with both ears is just as important as being able to see with both eyes. if you have difficulty hearing with both ears, you will almost certainly benefit from a binaural fitting - that is, wearing a hearing instrument in each ear.

What are the benefits of wearing two hearing instruments?

• Your ability to localize sounds will improve
• It will be easier to understand speech in noisy surroundings
• The risk of "auditory deprivation" is considerably reduced
• You will experience a fuller, more comfortable sound picture

Why do we have two ears?  Because our brain uses and needs input from both ears to figure out which direction sounds are coming from. Within seconds, our brain compares the information received from both ears - like the volume and timing differences - and is instantly able to tell us which direction a sound is coming from, and how far away it is.

Background noise makes it difficult for anyone to follow what people are saying. But add in any amount of hearing loss, and suddenly it becomes much more difficult to separate individual voices from background noise.  The brain needs input from both ears to be able to separate sounds effectively.

When an ear with hearing loss is not aided, the brain gradually loses some of its ability to process information from that ear because of a continued lack of sound stimulation.

If you hear equally well with both ears, sounds are more comfortable to listen to. You don't have to strain to hear, the sounds have the kind of clarity and depth which give you a sense of space and volume. 

Hearing Loss: Increases Risks of Depression & Isolation

"When left untreated, hearing loss often lads to isolation, depression and other emotional conditions that can affect both mental health and quality of life," says Sergei Kochkin, PhD, executive director of The Better Hearing Institute. "Yes, hearing loss remains one f the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today."

Even people with mild hearing loss begin to experience increasing levels of isolation  As the world fades to a muffle, those with more severe egress of hearing loss experience even greater degrees of isolation according to a 2010 Australian report.  Once-engaged individuals withdraw. The stigma of hearing loss and the choice to not use hearing aids prevents these social people from getting out, seeing friends or even enjoying a nice dinner.

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I can recall, specifically, a patient in his late 50's who thought he might be experiencing hearing loss.  His wife had been bugging him for years to have his hearing checked.  On a cross-country drive in early 2011, it hit him like a ton of bricks.  On that 3 day drive, he realized he and his wife had not had one single conversation.  Not one word to each other, except maybe "are you hungry?"

Know aware that maybe his wife was right, he started thinking about other aspects of his life.  He realized he had been avoiding a weekly dinner out with friends. He thought he just didn't enjoy it anymore, but now thought it was probably because he wasn't hearing well.

He was fit with hearing aids and will tell any of you that they have changed his life, his relationships and his happiness.