DRAPER, UT – November 2, 2021—As remote working continues to be a widespread norm, challenges communicating over the phone and during video calls has taken on new importance, yet many employees may be underestimating the difficulty that untreated hearing loss may be creating in these situations. According to a new research study^[1] by TruHearing, the market leader in hearing benefits, 77% of employees who are wearing hearing aids agree that they find telephone and video calls easier to follow and catch more of the discussion now that they wear hearing aids, yet only 45% initially identified this as a challenge they faced while working prior to wearing hearing aids.

“What our survey reveals is a scenario where people tend to explain away their hearing loss until they experience the difference that wearing hearing aids makes in their day-to-day interactions,” said Patty Greene, Director of Provider Engagement, TruHearing. “Particularly when there are ready excuses like poor connection and bandwidth quality, it’s easy to overlook untreated hearing loss as a potential culprit.”

According to the TruHearing survey, additional benefits at work that employees noticed after wearing hearing aids included:

• They participate more and understand conversations better (79%)
• They feel more collaborative and are more likely to work efficiently and effectively in a team environment (64%)
• They more easily maintain concentration and focus on the current task at hand (63%)

Despite the advantages that wearing hearing aids can offer to employees with untreated hearing loss, individuals take an average of six years to go from acknowledging hearing loss to addressing it.^[2] “Most people don’t realize how common hearing loss is among the working-age population, when in fact 60% of people with hearing loss are under 65^[3],” said Greene. “Employers can support employees in thinking about their hearing sooner by

^[1] Online survey conducted by TruHearing of 270 employed consumers within its database of members and inquiring members in May of 2021.

^[2] MarkeTrak 10. Base Report. Hearing Industries Association, 2019.

^[3]  Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_260.pdf

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You are around damaging, loud noises more often than you think! One of the questions that I always ask my patients is “Have you ever been exposed to loud noise?” The responses I often get are “No, never”, “I don’t think so”, and occasionally I even get the response of “Yes, but not enough to cause hearing loss”. As I explore deeper into their history of noise exposure and ask if they have ever been around fireworks on the Fourth of July, ridden the L train in downtown Chicago when it goes underground, shot a gun before or been near someone while they shoot, listened to loud music on headphones, or gone to a concert, I typically discover that almost everyone has experienced most of the above.

Many times they report that those things happened so many years prior to experiencing difficulty with their hearing that they couldn’t be connected. The bad news is that all those things, in association with aging, are the reason they have hearing loss today. Sometimes it helps to give my patients an analogy that makes it easier to understand. Most of us have injured an ankle, twisted a knee, or broken a wrist. When these injuries occur in our youth our bodies are a lot like Wolverine from the X-Men and it seems as if they repair themselves overnight. We quickly forget that the injury ever happened. Then as we get older and reach the age of 60-65 our bodies start to wear down and fatigue. The same body that used to magically repair any injury overnight now gets stiff after a brisk walk and sore if you bend over to tie your shoes the wrong way. When this time of decline begins to occur the old injury that was quickly forgotten in our youth begins to sneak back up on us.

Whenever the body begins to give out, it commences to give out where the repair happened so long ago. Most of us have used or heard the phrase “The old knee injury is acting up”. This simple sentence captures perfectly the concept I am trying to explain. The same situation that occurs with the old knee injury happens with our hearing system. Those loud noise events that we encountered in our youth begin to catch up with us, and as we age and begin to wear out, our hearing system begins to wear out in the frequency pitches where it was damaged so long ago.

What loud noise does to our hearing

When we encounter loud noises, even if they are for a very brief time, they can have a permanent damaging effect on our hearing system. When a loud noise occurs it is actually a sound wave that is generated by a powerful sound source and sent through the air molecules until it reaches our ear. The sound wave travels to our eardrum through the outer ear canal and pushes it with a lot of force which causes it to retract; forcing the middle ear bones (ossicles) to also move with great mechanical force. This motion pushes all the pressure into the inner ear, which is filled with fluid. This causes something of a tidal wave in that inner ear fluid, which forces the inner ears parts and organs to move violently, which then shears off the sensitive inner hair cells. This shearing of the hair cells results in permanent damage; they cannot grow back. Even if a complete shearing of the hair cell does not occur, the trauma will eventually cause a weak spot, and, as was discussed earlier, this will inevitably result in permanent hearing loss.

The inner ear is organized “tonotopically” which means it’s organized like a piano—with certain sections dedicated to low-pitched tones and others dedicated to mid- or high-pitched tones. These are known as the frequencies. When a loud noise event occurs and the hair cells are damaged they are typically damaged in the higher frequency range, or the high-pitched tones. When the hearing system is tested, we can determine from the results with consistent accuracy if the damage was caused by loud noise damage. When this is the case it is diagnosed as a progressive high frequency hearing loss. How loud is too loud? Once we understand that sounds we didn’t think are loud enough to do damage are in fact doing damage to our sensitive hearing system, it is important to have a guideline to follow for hearing protection.

One of the most common sources of loud noise damage today is music listened to through headphones. It is very difficult to gauge how loud the music we listen to is when it comes through a headphone. The other dangers related to headphones are how close to our ear the sound is coming out, and the duration of time we spend listening to music. Listening to an IPod is something that a lot people do on a daily basis, and listening to it with the volume turned way up is also almost as common of a practice. If you have ever been able to hear the music from the headphones of someone else while at the gym or in the store, they are listening to it loud enough to do permanent damage to their hearing. A good rule of thumb while listening to headphones is that no one should be able to hear your music beyond 12 inches away from you. Apple Inc., in correlation with the OSHA standards, has set governors on their devices (IPod, IPad, etc.) so that they will not exceed an 80 dBA output, but these restrictions are easily removed through the Apple software once you get it home and load your music onto it from your computer.

Am I doomed to have hearing loss?

Most people know that as we age our hearing ability wears out and results in hearing loss. So the questions need be asked—is it a result of just getting older? Or is it associated with a lifetime of loud noises we encounter every day and have become desensitized to? Studies of indigenous populations and their hearing abilities have been performed. These studies suggest that just because we get older doesn’t mean we have to lose our hearing.

Specifically, the studies indicate that those who live secluded in the deep forests of their forefathers, who have never been exposed to our industrialized nations, don’t typically lose their hearing as they age past the years of 60-65. When they tested the hearing of individuals from these populations that were over the age of 65 they did not find that they had any progressive high frequency hearing loss, indicating that it is not just getting older that causes hearing loss, but that it is a combination of getting older and being exposed to loud noises at any point in our lives. This study gives us the promising implication that if we protect our hearing from any source of loud noise no matter how brief the duration, we do not have to expect that we will inevitably lose our hearing. If we protect our hearing by using earplugs and earmuffs there is no reason why we have to deal with the loss of our hearing in our future.

What can I do if I have hearing loss?

Since most of us have been exposed to loud noises and all of us will continue to get older, many of us may encounter hearing loss in our lifetime. The most difficult part of my job is delivering the bad news of hearing loss to my patients, but along with that I also get to inform my patients that they don’t have to live with the hearing loss. Today, hearing aids and the use of amplification can restore the majority of hearing abilities back to an individual. Hearing aids and their technology have advanced in leaps and bounds and have capabilities that were never imagined 20 years ago. When we picture the hearing aids our parents and grandparents wore we get a sick pit in our stomachs thinking we will have to wear the same type of hearing aid they had. Fortunately hearing aids today are scientifically advanced to restore hearing functionality to a normal level for most individuals, and at the same time they are smaller and more cosmetically appealing than ever.

Learn how TruHearing can help with hearing health.

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Many people have the same question, “what is an audiologist and what can they do?”

Audiologists are primary health care professionals who earn a Doctor of Audiology (AuD). Audiologists must be licensed in most states and work in a variety of settings (i.e. hospitals, universities, ENT offices, etc.).

Some of the tasks of an audiologist are prescribing and fitting hearing aids, assisting in cochlear implant programs, performing ear or hearing-related surgical monitoring and provide hearing rehabilitation such as auditory training, speech reading and listening to skills improvement. Almost all types of hearing loss are treatable by an audiologist and most are caused by nerve damage that can be treated with hearing aids, assistive listening devices and hearing rehabilitation.

Learn how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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Presbycusis is also known as age-related hearing loss. This is a common cause of hearing loss in adults worldwide. Hair cells, which are the receptors in the inner ear, tend to fall out & degrade as a person ages, which affects their ability to hear. In this article, learn about the symptoms, causes, treatment, hearing aid selection & communication tips.

Click to read the full article.

Learn more about how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. One in three people older than 60 have hearing loss. Even though hearing loss is such a common problem many people don’t know what to do about it. The first thing to realize is that they are not alone. TruHearing stands by every step of the way to ensure they have the knowledge and support needed.

A great resource to begin is with the article below. This article asks the common questions many of us have had and provides some answers. They ask questions like “Do I have a hearing problem?”  “What should I do?”  “Why am I losing my hearing?”  “What treatments and devices can help?” and “Can my friends and family help me?”

Click to read the full article.

As you have additional questions, call TruHearing customer care to find out more.

Learn how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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Although they may not express it themselves, these little quirks could be taking a mental toll on people with hearing loss. In fact, normal conversations can become a major source of stress and frustration for people who are losing their hearing, potentially causing them to withdraw from normal social situations. Further, if left unchecked hearing loss can even lead to depression, according to a study recently released by the American Medical Association.

The study, published in JAMA Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, provides evidence of the way hearing loss affects mental health in adults of all ages, not just seniors.

According to the study, researchers evaluated over 18,000 survey responses from the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in an attempt to find the risk factors and prevalence of depression in adults with hearing loss. This is the first study to look specifically at depression in adults with hearing loss using such a wide variety of American adults. Many studies are focused only on seniors or do not account for other influencing factors such as ethnicity, age, and other health issues.

Individuals were scored for depression based on their responses to a short questionnaire and self-reported their hearing ability from “excellent” hearing to “completely deaf.”

The results of this study are easier to understand if they are split into groups, as the individuals over 70 years-old had a professional hearing test in addition to self-reporting their hearing status.

The results from the younger group showed that more than 11% of individuals who reported at least some trouble hearing suffered from moderate to severe depression compared to only 4.9% for those with excellent hearing.

In the group of individuals over age 70, the link between self-reported hearing trouble and depression was no longer found. However, for women in this group, there was a strong association with depression if their hearing test revealed a moderate hearing problem.

In both groups, women were more likely than men to suffer from depression.

So, what can we do to avoid the depression and sadness that can accompany hearing loss?

The first step is to recognize changes in hearing. Whether you feel you’re having trouble or you are sensing that a family member or friend is struggling to hear, it is important to see a medical professional about it as soon as possible.

If hearing loss is found, the next step is addressing it. Hearing aids have improved dramatically in the past several years and are smaller and more convenient than ever. There are many affordable options that will drastically improve communication and quality of life for people with hearing loss as well as for their loved ones. Your healthcare provider can direct you to the best hearing aid options for your specific situation.

As with any new diagnosis or health concern, there can be an intimidating learning curve to hearing loss. Be patient in the process and be sure to ask your audiologist or physician if you have questions along the way. For the internet savvy, there are several online groups that help people share ways of coping with hearing loss and provide a network of people who are going through similar problems.

Remember, hearing loss doesn’t just affect a person’s ability to hear but their ability to communicate with the people they care about. Helping your loved ones find treatment for hearing loss will not only help them improve their hearing but could potentially save them a lot of stress and frustration and improve their quality of life.

Learn more about how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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Here are 3 of the most important:

1. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Study

A study released in 2008 looked at hearing loss in individuals with and without diabetes. The researchers accounted for age, race, sex, education, income, previous noise exposure, and medications. They also reported hearing loss across all frequencies (pitches). Results of this study showed that diabetics of all ages had worse hearing across all frequencies, but particularly so in the high range of hearing.

2. The “13” Study

A more recent analysis looked at 13 past studies of diabetes in relation to hearing loss. In comparing results of the previous studies they found that diabetics, overall, were 2.15 times more likely to have hearing loss compared to their non-diabetic counterparts. Additionally, diabetics under the age of 60 were even more likely to develop hearing loss, at 2.61 times their normal hearing peers.

3. The Henry Ford Hospital Study

Another study done in 2012 at Henry Ford hospital showed that women with diabetes who were between 60-75 years old had hearing similar to non-diabetic women in the same age group, as long as their diabetes was well controlled. This was the only group that showed a difference in hearing between uncontrolled and controlled diabetes. But, this result highlights the fact that more information is needed to understand the complex connection between diabetes and hearing loss, especially between genders.

The Prevailing Theory Linking Diabetes and Hearing Loss

Diabetes is known to cause blood vessel disease and nerve damage, particularly in the kidneys and eyes. For example, diabetic retinopathy, which can ultimately cause permanent blindness, is caused by damage to these small blood vessels in the eye. The ear is similar to the eye, in that, it needs these tiny blood vessels to be healthy in order to function appropriately. It is thought that the increased blood glucose levels cause damage to the small blood vessels in various parts of the ear that are absolutely critical to hearing.

Correlation Doesn’t Equal Causation

Several studies have linked diabetes with hearing loss. But, it is important to remember that we do not know that diabetes CAUSES hearing loss. There is more research needed to understand the exact effect diabetes has on hearing loss. We only know that the connection is startling

Diabetes can put someone at risk for many health issues, including hearing loss. While there are obviously a lot of factors that can influence hearing in respect to diabetes, we know that there is a definite link between the two—but we don’t have all the answers yet.

With the likelihood of diabetes creating a permanent and progressive hearing problem it is important for those with the disease to be tested regularly and earlier than most to catch and address any hearing loss as quickly as possible. Hearing testing is often overlooked in regular physician visits, but if you feel you or a loved one are having any difficulty be sure to mention it at your next appointment.

Learn how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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What is speech reading?

The terms “lip reading” and “speech reading” are sometimes used interchangeably, but most experts prefer the latter. “Lip reading” means you are watching the speaker’s mouth for clues to what they are saying. Using the term “speech reading” helps to remind us that important clues in the conversation come from many sources, in addition to the lips.

While it is difficult to “lip read” perfectly, knowing some basic lip and speech reading techniques can supplement what you are able to hear and keep conversation flowing smoothly. Essentially, learning to use these visual cues is a game of narrowing down the possible sounds or meanings of a specific portion of speech to help you make a more educated guess at what someone is saying.

In English, about 30% of speech sounds can be visualized.

These sounds tend to make very specific shapes near the front of the mouth. So, if you can determine where a tricky sound or letter is being made in a person’s mouth it can help to decipher what that word may be.

Exercises for your lips

For example, making these sounds in front of a mirror while looking at your lips:/p>

• Words with /p/, /b/, /m/, and /w/ are made by pursing the lips together. Good practice words to visualize these are: mom, map, we, pill, boat, etc.
• Words with /v/ and /f/ are made by pressing the upper teeth to the lower lip. Practice words like: fat, vein, very, have, sofa, food, etc.
• The sounds /s/ and /sh/ make a rounded shape, with the speaker’s teeth close together. The /r/ sound also makes a rounded shape, but the teeth are slightly separated. Practice with shirt, round, rat, etc.
• Vowels tend to leave the speaker’s mouth open. Try saying bat, meet, suit, my, etc.

It can be very difficult to pick out specific sounds in speech, especially if they have the same placement in the mouth. But, narrowing the options to just a few possible sounds makes it much easier to guess what is being said.

Lip reading can be particularly helpful for those with hearing loss as many of these visible sounds fall in the ranges where most people tend to lose hearing first.

Just as sounds that tend to be easier to see are usually more difficult to hear, sounds that are easier to hear are generally more difficult to see.

Speech reading is about more that your mouth

As stated above, “speech reading” means incorporating cues from all aspects of the conversation including: body language, gestures, interests, context, and even current events.

Here are some tips that go beyond trying to “read” someone’s words that will help you have better communication overall:

• Try to find out the topic of conversation as soon as possible. This will help you fill in the gaps of a conversation if you run into lip reading difficulties.
• Focus on the big picture instead of each sound/word. Understanding a sentence or comment as a whole is much more important than pinpointing a single word.
• Make sure you are able to see the other individual’s face. Being aware of facial expressions and gestures they are making can provide clues about their speech and mood. Some gestures can be entire comments in and of themselves. Simply being aware that someone has nodded their head, shrugged, raised their eyebrows, or winked can provide a lot of information about the conversation that has nothing to do with the words coming out of their mouth.

• Use context to fill in the blanks. Considering your own situation can help to distinguish between words that look similar by lip reading only. For example a waiter is more likely to say “Would you like a CUP of water?” than “Would you like a TUB of water?”
• Keep up to date with current issues and the interests of friends and family. This will help you to know which topics or even keywords or buzzwords they are likely use regularly.

Some of these techniques come naturally to all of us, but by paying even a little more attention to the context and visual cues of a conversation can help you ain greater understanding and communicate more effectively.

The most important thing

The most important thing to remember while speech reading, particularly if you have a hearing loss is to be patient with yourself and those you are speaking with. Learning the finer details of lip and speech reading takes practice and patience from everyone involved.

All these tips and methods above can be practiced informally, just by talking with friends and family. However, if you are interested in learning more about speech reading, there are many formal classes and websites (like this one and this one) that provide extensive information as well as video-based practice lessons. (Click here for a great list of books, videos, and advice on finding a local speech reading class.) If you want more information on speech reading and learning to use visual cues, talk to your hearing healthcare provider and they’ll point you in the right direction.

Learn more about how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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Almost everyone has felt a temporary ringing in the ears – and we all know it is annoying. Sadly, for roughly one in six Americans, that annoyance is much more long-lasting. Nearly 50 million people in the U.S. have experienced tinnitus, a condition commonly described as constant ringing, roaring, clicking or buzzing in the ear. Now acknowledged as a potential side effect of COVID-19, that number is expected to rise.

In short, tinnitus is likely more pervasive than you think. How do we confront this as part of the health community? Luckily, tinnitus can be treatable with access to hearing health benefits. Health plans can help reduce the number of sufferers by providing those benefits and increasing member education, ultimately leading to healthier outcomes long term. Among the many reasons why addressing common audiological issues is important, here are some of the most compelling.

Side Effects Might Be More Harmful Than You Think

Those experiencing tinnitus might describe the sensation as irritating or distracting. Though certainly true, audiological issues often trigger more than just a personal annoyance. Depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances and poor concentration are common side effects of tinnitus – and sufferers may not even notice the correlation. Social connection and workplace productivity typically diminish, too, which can impact both professional career growth and personal wellbeing. Providing treatment for tinnitus to prevent members from letting the issue linger is an important consideration, and one that can lead to improved wellness and plan satisfaction.

Solutions Are Available and Affordable

Dozens of possible causes for tinnitus exist, including hearing loss, ear and sinus infections, heart disease, hormonal changes and even buildup of earwax. As tinnitus can present itself in a number of ways, approximately 15% of the public has struggled with this false and uncomfortable perception of sound. Sufferers often don’t realize that a simple solution like hearing aids can actually work to reduce the sensation, as certain devices have programs designed to mask the sounds with white noise. A trained provider can help mitigate individual concerns by adjusting the programs to focus on specific frequencies that match the patient’s symptoms. Though hearing aids aren’t the perfect solution for everyone, offering access to an affordable hearing health plan can lower costs and increase the likelihood that members seek help. In general, encouraging medical consultation through available benefits could be life changing for many.  

Those with hearing concerns often avoid taking action to confront concerns like tinnitus due to lack of awareness, inaccessibility and fear of appearing old or disabled. However, people become more likely to start contemplating and researching solutions if they know that benefits are available to them. If you offer a hearing health plan like TruHearing, you can point clients and their members to plan resources for more information, while reducing any financial barriers to treatment. Prioritizing hearing health and promoting member education can benefit customers, employees and product managers alike.

Learn more about how TruHearing can help with your hearing health.

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Rob Gibbs, SVP, Sales and Account Management, TruHearing

When reports of COVID-19 first surfaced nearly a year ago, we never could have imagined the societal, cultural, economic and personal impacts that the virus would have globally.  Nearly a year later, we are still adjusting to the new normal of social distancing, communicating through new mediums and battling to stave off the negative side effects that can come from greater isolation. One group that is especially impacted by these changes is those with hearing loss, yet little focus has been placed on the value of adding a hearing health benefit to plan offerings during this critical time.

Health plans and the members they serve may not realize the effect that even slight hearing loss can have on mental health, especially in the time of the pandemic. Those unable to hear clearly are already less likely to participate in social activities, often due to subconscious fears about feeling left out or misunderstood. This is even more problematic as society becomes increasingly reliant on new technology to facilitate connection — like video chats, which require heightened concentration for those with auditory complications. This self-isolation, combined with quarantine, can have serious consequences for short-term and long-term wellbeing.

If hearing loss is not treated, loneliness can compound and lead to mental decline, depression and even dementia. This process is likely being accelerated during the COVID-19 crisis as reduced stimulation leads to increased seclusion, potentially causing brain connections to more quickly deteriorate. Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t just something that impacts older individuals. Approximately 60% of people who experience hearing loss operate in a professional or educational setting and rely on their hearing health and their mental health for daily productivity. Providing access to benefits for working populations in addition to retired ones is essential – particularly in today’s work-from-home environment, which often creates further isolation as well as additional barriers to clear communication.

We’ve all felt heightened loneliness throughout the pandemic. Yet, consider how members of the hearing loss community are grappling with the compounded effects of isolation, placing greater strain on total body wellbeing and overall productivity. Luckily, negative outcomes are preventable with intervention, and TruHearing offers everything members need to improve their hearing at the lowest possible out-of-pocket cost, along with individualized care that can create a more satisfying health plan experience. There’s never been a better time to focus on hearing, and ultimately, mental health to showcase a commitment to member safety, well-being and satisfaction.

If you’d like further information about TruHearing benefits, please contact our team at 1-215-880-8554 or explore truhearing.com to learn more.

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