This will tug your heart...

Below is a link to a video you all should watch.  Don't worry, it's quick, but it's sure to make your heart swell.

It's amazing to be associated with the people who make things like this happen.  I can only hope to be a part of something this big someday...

Audigy/Starkey Mission Trip to Guadalajara

2013 Health Fair - Bowling Green

Tomorrow Diann and Sarah will be participating in a Health Fair at the Simpson Building in Bowling Green.  The free health fair starts at 9am and runs until 1pm.

Sponsored by the Sentinel Tribune and Wood County Hospital, they're promising free give-aways every half hour!  (We've even donated a goodie basket for a prize!)

Stop by and see us if you're there, we'd love to see you!

A Dose of Laughter

A 92 year old man went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later the doctor saw the man walking down the street with a gorgeous young lady on his arm.

At the man's next appointment, the doctor said, "You're really doing great, aren't you?"

The man replied, "Just doing what you said, 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'"

The doctor said, "I didn't say that. I said you got a heart murmur. Be careful."

Technology AND Service

Every year it seem we see more advertisements for simpler  cheaper hearing aids that claim to be every bit as effective as professionally fit hearing solutions.  Based on the regular stream of patients who come see us frustrated with the hearing aids they've purchased from mail order companies or warehouse retailers, we know firsthand how inferior - and even dangerous - these products can be.

To achieve the full benefits of today's advanced hearing aids, consumer advocates repeatedly stress the importance of an experienced provider. not only can an experienced provider accurately test your hearing, and fit your hearing aids,but they will also provide critical follow-up services - carefully listening to your experiences and fine tuning the aids to your specific needs.

Audigy Certified providers pride themselves on such service and an unmatched dedication to patient satisfaction. Truly effective hearing care solutions, like our current lineup of AGX Hearing devices, are highly customized pieces of technology.  Let us show you how - through expert fitting and follow-up care - the advanced features and programs of today's hearing technology can help you enjoy the full benefits of better hearing and improved communication.

Make a resolution to hear better this year! Cal today to learn about our advanced hearing devices and find out how today' state of the art hearing technology can surpass your expectations of how compact, comfortable and effective your hearing aids can be. Make your appointment before January 31 and we'll give you $500 off a new pair when you trade in your old devices!

Hearing Loss = Less Pay?

According to a recent national study completed by the Better Hearing Institute - "Impact of Hearing Loss on Household Income" - Americans with unaddressed hearing loss make less money than people with normal hearing. The study found that wearing a hearing aid reduced the amount of income lost.  Specifically, untreated hearing loss negatively affects household income, on-average, by nearly $23,000 per year depending on the degree of hearing loss.  The use of hearing aids mitigates those negative effects by about 50 percent.

Did you know...

The youngest pope was 11 years old. 

Mark Twain didn't graduate from elementary school. 

Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses. 

Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner. 

They have square watermelons in Japan - they stack better. 

Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation. 

Heinz Catsup leaving the bottle travels at 25 miles per year. 

It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs. 

Armadillos can be housebroken. 

The first Fords had engines made by Dodge. 

A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night. 

Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite. 

Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone. 

A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside. 

A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge, a dime has one less groove. 

A hummingbird weighs less than a penny. 

Improvements in Hearing Aids: Delivering More Benefit

from Healthy Hearing, April 2010

If you have been doing your research on hearing aids you should know by now the majority of hearing aids sold today are digital. Just as any other electronic device, digital technology has brought innovation and improvements to hearing aids on many different levels.

One improvement reported by consumers is the utility of their hearing aids - the number of places where the wearer reports their hearing aids have improved their ability to hear. And thank goodness for that reported improvement, isn't that the point of wearing hearing aids - to hear better and improve your ability to hear in many different environments?

In a report from the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), a non-profit organization  the utility of hearing aids is on the rise ad consequently so it perceived benefit. According to BHI's report, the utility of hearing aids is directly related top received benefit; thus the higher the number of listening environments a hearing aid wearer feels their hearing has been improved  the more benefit they feel they have received. And any consumer knows benefit translates to satisfaction.

So exactly why has the utility of hearing aids improved recently? Well, many reasons with the core being a dramatic improvement in digital signal processing abilities of hearing aids - the ability to manipulate sound through digital technology. In addition, today's hearing aids boast a variety of features which allow them to work harder and more efficiently in previously challenging environments.

Bottom line: hearing aids deliver more features in more places than ever before.

And, if you think hearing aids are big, clunky and complicated, it's time to rethink your hearing loss.  Today, as shown in BHI's research, hearing aids deliver more than ever before based on the perceptions of those who actually use these tools in their daily lives.

A New Year

Pieces of Time

New years come and new years go,
Pieces of time all in a row.
As we live our life, each second and minute,
We know we’re privileged to have you in it.
Our appreciation never ends
For our greatest blessings: our family and friends.

Happy New Year!

By Joanna Fuchs

We hope that every one of you had a wonderful New Year!  Sending warm wishes for the best year yet...
The Kenwood Team

WHAT?

If your kid thinks it's cool to listen to his iPod at full blast, or to have her ears ringing after a Justin Bieber concert, it's time to speak up about the dangers. nearly half of the 2,500 respondents in a 2010 mtv.com survey said they listened to MP3 players at 75 to 100 percent of their maximum volume. Nearly half also said they experienced symptoms of hearing loss (ringing in the ears, trouble hearing, ear pain from loud noise) but only 32 percent said the considered it a problem.

"Hearing loss is so prevalent that it has become the norm," says study author Roland Eavey, M.D., director of the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center. "Parents need to tell kids to protect their ears, just as they tell them to wear helmets and sunscreen." A good gauge and house rule: if you can hear the music your child is listening to on his MP3 player, it's too loud. Also consider nipping the problem in the earbud with healthy headphone options. like volume-reducing earphones (we have some available in our office for $19.99 plus tax).  They make great stocking stuffers!

Why You Should NOT Clean Your Ears with a Cotton Swab

There are some people that swear by sticking a cotton swab (Q-Tip) into their ears to remove excess wax and debris. Anyone in the medical field can tell you that they have seen many catastrophes resulting from using cotton swabs. From punctured ear drums to super impacted wax, there are many negative consequences associated with "do-it-yourself" ear cleaning.

There are a number of "bad" items that people use to clean their ears, some of the most interesting seen in the doctor's office are:

• cotton swabs (q-tips)
• hair pins
• tweezers
• pens and pencils
• straws
• paper clips
• children's toys

The ear canal has specialized cells that produce cerumen, commonly known as ear wax. For some people, ear wax accumulates must faster than others. This can lead to wax build-up that causes decreased ability to hear and ni some instances, pain.  As an easy way to avoid seeing a medical professional, many folks resort to using swabs to remove the excess wax. while this may seem like an excellent alternative to spending countless minutes waiting in a doctor's office waiting room, using a cotton swab may do more harm than good.

The ear drum is easily reached with a swab. Because the ear drum is so delicate, it can be easily ruptured by using even the gentlest pressure when using a swab. Ask anyone who has experienced a punctured ear drum - it isn't a pleasant experience. The pain is quite severe and the ear may also leak a clear fluid.  While a punctured ear rum will heal, it typically takes awhile and can even lead to conductive hearing loss.

So this leaves us with the question, do we really need to clean out our ears? The answer is a little confusing, as both a "yes" and a "no" are appropriate.  The outer ear that can be sen does need a good cleaning every now and then. This can be accomplished with a little soap, water and a washcloth.

In most cases, the ear canal does not need to be cleaned. During hair washing or showers, enough water enters into the ear canal to loosen the wax that has accumulated. Additionally, the skin in your ear canal naturally grows in an outward, spiral pattern. As it sloughs off, ear wax goes with it. most of the time the wax will loosen and fall out on its own while you are asleep. The need for a cotton swab isn't really necessary.

For those that have heavy wax build-up, a trip to the doctor may be needed. Doctors can easily remove ear wax in various ways.  Never stick anything into your ear canal, including your own fingers. This could further impact the wax or damage the ear drum. As a good rue of thumb, if you aren't  sure if what you are doing is safe, contact a health professional.