Air Travel and Ear Pain

With the summer holiday season fast approaching, more and more of us will be jetting off to far flung destinations around the world. Whilst traveling by plane many of us will experience issues with our ears due to pressure.  In rare cases these problems can lead to severe pain and hearing loss, so it is best to take precautions, before, during and after a flight. 

As an Audiologist, I thought it would be good to explain what happens to our ears when we fly…

It really comes down to air pressure. Normally the air pressure inside the inner ear and the air pressure outside are essentially the same, or at least not different enough to cause any trouble. Even if you were to hike to the top of a tall mountain, the slow speed of your ascent would allow time for the pressure to equalise along the way. A problem only occurs when the change in altitude is so rapid that the pressure inside the inner ear and the air pressure outside don’t have time to equalise, as occurs in air travel. 

When your flight takes off, and begins its ascent, the air pressure inside the inner ear quickly surpasses that of the pressure outside. The eardrum swells outward. Picture a loaf of bread baking, and you get the idea. Conversely if air pressure inside the inner ear rapidly becomes less than the air pressure outside, the tympanic membrane (the eardrum) will be sucked inward, almost like a vacuum effect. What has happened is that the Eustachian tube (which links our ears with our throat) has flattened and needs a bit of extra help from you in order to continue to do its job of bringing air into the inner ear. Whether ascending or descending, that stretching not only causes the eardrum not to vibrate (thus the muffled sounds) but also causes the pain you feel. 

Everyone who has flown in a plane has felt the effects of a change in altitude on ears; a feeling of fullness and popping is commonplace. You need to equalise the pressure by introducing as much air as possible via the Eustachian tube and there are a number of ways to do that. 

The easiest way to equalise the pressure is to swallow. When you swallow, that clicking or popping sound you may hear is actually a tiny bubble of air that has moved from the back of the nose into the middle ear, via the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube ensures that the air in the middle ear is constantly being re-supplied. That air is then absorbed into the membranes of the inner ear, and the cycle starts over again. This constant cycle of air ensures that the air pressure on both sides stays equal. When you fly, the trick is to ensure that the Eustachian tubes work overtime and open more frequently to accommodate the change in air pressure. 

Chewing gum or sucking on a hard boiled sweet will help; for infants, whose Eustachian tubes are much narrower than an adult’s, the change in air pressure can be even more excruciating, so a bottle or dummy is recommended to increase swallowing. 

Other ways of equalising the pressure include:

• Avoid sleeping during ascent or descent
• Drink lots of fluids in-flight to stay hydrated
• Yawn
• EarPlanes: Specially designed ear plugs that have a filter to equalise pressure
• Nasal spray: Take only when needed as overuse of nasal sprays can end up causing more congestion

Karen Finch is the Managing Director and lead audiologist at The Hearing Care Centre.
The multi-award winning, family-run company has 20 centres across Suffolk and Norfolk.
For more information visit www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk or call 01473 230330.

Osteoporosis and Hearing Loss: What’s the Connection?

Evidence is emerging that suggests a link between osteoporosis and sudden hearing loss, with a new study showing that SSNL (sudden sensorineural hearing loss) is almost twice as common among people with osteoporosis. 

SSNL is a sudden, unexplained loss of hearing that typically happens in one ear. It can happen all at once or over the course of a few days. 

 

Osteoporosis, which means ‘porous bones’, happens when bones lose density and mass at a rate of 3-4% per year. Small-boned women of European and Asian heritage past the age of menopause are particularly vulnerable, although men can have osteoporosis too.  When bones become brittle because of osteoporosis, they break very easily. A simple fall, bending over or even coughing can be enough to break a bone if a person suffers from osteoporosis. 

 

It’s not immediately clear why SSNL is more common among people with osteoporosis, but a recent study conducted in Taiwan found a 1.76-fold increase in the incidence of SSNL for patients with osteoporosis compared to a control group. And patients with more severe osteoporosis appeared to have a higher risk of hearing loss than those with milder osteoporosis.

 

It is difficult to say by there is a link between sudden hearing loss and osteoporosis however inflammation, bone demineralisation, and cardiovascular risk factors may all be contributing factors.

 

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis please do ensure that you book to have a hearing assessment. At least this way we can obtain a bench mark set of results for us to compare to over time. This takes no more than 30 minutes and provides us with a large amount of relevant information to assist in advising an action plan. In fact lots of my work is about educating the people of Suffolk and Norfolk to take proactive steps with their hearing!

 

It is worth noting that around 85% of the people who are treated for SSRL recover at least some of their hearing, but early treatment is key, as urgent medical treatment for SSRL is vital.

 

Make sure you keep your hearing ability high on your agenda in the same way you do your eyes and your teeth, regular checks are necessary for all ages.

Introducing Phonak Bolero V and CROS II Hearing Aids

Phonak Bolero V 

The Finest in Performance and Reliability

Phonak Bolero V Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids feature Phonaks latest high-performance technology and are designed to provide you a seamless listening experience, even in the most challenging environments. In an appealing and robust design, Bolero V is available in four performance levels and offers a wide choice of colours to either blend in or stand out from your hair or skin tone. You benefit from a better all-around hearing performance with additional reliability and ease of use.

• Newly designed models at different performance levels
• Water resistant and dust tight
• Connects to the entire Phonak Wireless Communication Portfolio

Styles and Colours

Phonak Bolero V is designed to suit your individual style and preferences. It comes in a choice of 11 colours, so you can match your personality, hair or skin with either vibrant or subtle tones.

 

Phonak Programs, Features & Benefits

Thanks to unique and unmatched features you will be able to capture more of the voices and sounds you want and need to hear. Actively holding a conversation while enjoying the outdoors on a windy day or focusing on a single voice in a noisy crowd. These are just two examples of challenging environments where you will be able to communicate and understand more with ease.

More Information

Call The Hearing Care Centre on 01473 230330. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phonak CROS II

The smart solution for single-sided deafness

Phonak CROS II is the discreet wireless CROS transmitter based on the Venture platform. It transmits the sound from the ear with no hearing to a hearing aid on the better hearing ear. As a result, persons can hear speech from the side they have not heard from before.

CROS II will transmit sound and voices to let your good ear hear for both your ears. If you have good hearing in one ear and non hearing in the other, then CROS II will work for you. CROS stands for ‘Contralateral Routing of Signal’ and consists of two parts:

• The CROS aid with a microphone to pick up sounds and voices from the non-hearing ear and wirelessly transmit them to the hearing aid.
• The hearing aid to receive the signal from the non-hearing ear and play it to your good ear.

With CROS II, you will immediately feel included in a conversation, regardless of the situation. Whether at dinner with friends or in a meeting at work, you don’t have to position yourself so that everyone sits on your good side.

More Information

Call The Hearing Care Centre on 01473 230330.

FREE BEER!* By HCC patient, Geoffrey Holdcroft

"Right now that I've got your attention, I want to discuss men and hearing loss.

Ask any medical professional and they will tell you that we men are very bad at seeking help when it comes to health issues. Hearing loss is just such an issue. Hearing loss is a problem which will creep up on you. Whereas the ladies will deal with the issue when they know they have a problem us men just ignore the problem and put off dealing with it. How do I know this? Well, I've lost count of the number of ladies who tell me their male partner has a hearing problem and refuses to deal with it!

Why does it matter, I hear you ask? The posh term the professionals use is “auditory deprivation”. Eh?? In a nutshell the mechanism of hearing is a complex system involving the ears and the brain. If you fail to deal with a hearing problem when you or your family notice you have a problem, the system gets into a vicious circle and you lose the ability to hear. Having a hearing test and getting the right aids for you will prevent the system “forgetting” how to hear and becoming a degenerative downward spiral. Modern hearing aids are a wonder of miniature high tech engineering. I wear hearing aids myself and I can tell you that the aids themselves and the connecting wires are so small, nobody notices them.

My own experience is quite interesting. I suspected I had a hearing problem so I went for a hearing test at HCC. Quite properly I was told, yes I did have hearing loss but I wasn't in need of aids immediately. I decided to go ahead anyway because I had come across an article giving pointers that socially I did need aids. For me the ones that resonated were:

1. Do people appear to be mumbling?       

 Yes especially female check-out assistants.

2. Do you find it difficult to hear when a lot of other people are talking?

Yes our family gatherings are nothing short of riotous!

3. Do you get a very bad headache after attending an event as described above?

Yes this is the killer reason I decided to get hearing aids. I was getting really bad headaches when I had been straining to hear in difficult conditions.

There are lot of other pointers which might apply to you. For example: Do you say pardon a lot? Does your family complain that you have the TV or radio far too loud? Everyone is an individual and there are lots of other pointers.

*Sorry, I'm not giving away free beer I lied - but I do urge anyone, especially the men amongst us to book a hearing test if you suspect you have a problem."

Geoffrey

Give your hearing aids a spring clean

Cleaning out the cupboards, window washing, dusting, gardening, washing the car are all activities that seem to keep us busy each spring.

The spring season is an important time of the year that triggers renewed energy urging us to clean up clutter and unwanted items that have accumulated during the winter months, and start a fresh.

You may not realise but your hearing aids could use the same attention. Proper hearing aid care helps maintain optimum hearing, extends the life of your hearing aids and ensures healthy ear hygiene.

Debris, oil, moisture and earwax can build up on your hearing instruments, clogging the parts that release sound to your ears. This can affect the hearing aid’s performance which is why it is really important to clean them daily and if it has been more than six months since you have had a professional hearing aid service, I would recommend you book to see your hearing professional for a good spring clean!

If you would like some assistance regarding cleaning them yourself, I have noted some useful tips below:

ITE (in the ear) model and RIC (receiver in the ear) model

You’ll want to concentrate on cleaning the sound outlet area and the microphones, with the use of a soft-bristle brush and any other specific tools you have. Hold the hearing aid firmly and gently sweep the bristles over the outlet area. Angle the brush downwards so any particles will fall on the ground instead of inside the holes. Change the wax guard if your aid is fitted with one. Then, finish by wiping the device with a clean, dry tissue.

BTE (behind the ear) model

Cleaning this type of device is similar, but there is the additional earmould to also clean. This needs to be removed from the hearing aid and washed in soapy water. Rinse thoroughly using luke warm water and then using your puffer blow air through the tube to dry. Refit the earmould to the hearing aid.

Avoid contact with harsh products

You should avoid using any hair products while a hearing aid is in situ, as this can create a sticky surface and increase accumulation of dust and debris buildup. These products can also cause damage to the plastic, volume control or program control of the hearing aid. Before using any body products, including face washes and creams, it’s best to remove your hearing aid and place it in a safe, dry location. Hearing aids also need to stay out of contact with direct heat, so always take it out before drying your hair with a hair drier.

Sound advice: turn down your music!

Last week saw the return of International Ear Care Day organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness of hearing loss and to promote prevention of hearing loss.

A very big concern of mine is that more than one billion teenagers and young people around the world are at serious risk of developing hearing loss due to unsafe listening behaviours. According to data release by WHO, nearly half of 12-35 year olds in middle-income and high-income countries listen to dangerous levels of sound on devices like smartphones and MP3 players. Additionally, almost 40% of these young people are exposed to hazardous noise levels at entertainment venues like nightclubs, concerts and sporting stadiums.

As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more people (not only youngsters) are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss. My advice to everyone is to look after your hearing because once you lose it, it won’t come back. Hearing loss can have a devastating effect on your life. It can damage your physical and mental health, and have an adverse effect on relationships, education and employment.

The WHO defines an acceptable level of noise for prolonged exposure as 85 decibels – roughly the volume of heavy city traffic. As volume increases, safe exposure duration falls steeply. For example, it is not safe to spend more than 15 minutes around noise levels of 100 decibels, which is typical for sporting events, clubs and bars.

Everyone should protect their ears against hearing loss by wearing earplugs at noisy events. They should also keep the volume down on their personal audio devices, and try to limit use of these devices to fewer than 60 minutes per day.

If you feel your hearing is already being affected, I would highly recommend that you book a hearing test with a qualified audiologist.  How much time do your children spend listening to music, headphones seemingly permanently clamped to their heads?