  CCONTACT
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03 9530 6120
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info@ablehearing.com.au
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BRIGHTON
Suite 2, 197 Bay St.
NOBLE PARK
20 Douglas St.
BALACLAVA
366 Carlisle St.
ST.KILDA
37 Mitford St. |
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HEARING |
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The
Outer
Ear consists
of the pinna, the ear canal and the eardrum. The eardrum or
tympanic membrane is the boundary between the outer and
middle ears.
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The Middle Ear consists
of an air-filled cavity containing a chain of three little
bones. These bones are called the malleus, incus and
stapes, and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to
the inner ear, connecting with the inner ear at the oval
window. A small passage called the Eustachian tube
connects the air-filled middle ear cavity with the back of
the throat. The function of the Eustachian tube is to
equalize the air pressure in the middle ear to that
outside the ear. |
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The
Inner Ear consists
of the cochlea or shell-shaped bony spiral filled with
special
fluids and lined with tiny hair cells that connect to
nerve endings. These nerve endings connect to the hearing
(auditory) nerve that transmits sound messages to the
brain. The organ of balance is also connected to the inner
ear. |
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Sound
waves travel along the ear canal and cause the eardrum to
vibrate, in the same way as a normal drum. The movement of
the eardrum causes the little bones in the middle ear to
vibrate, and these vibrate the oval window. This enables
sound to be transmitted to the cochlea in the inner ear,
which in turn sets the cochlea fluid in motion.
The tiny
hair cells in the cochlea respond by creating electrical
signals. These are carried along the hearing nerve to the
brain, where they are processed and interpreted as sound.
High
pitched sounds are detected by the hair cells at the first
turn of the cochlea, and low pitched sounds towards the
last turn (apex) of the cochlea.
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The central
auditory system is
an network of neural pathways in the brain that is
responsible for sensation and interpretation of sound
characteristics such as pitch and rhythm as well as sound
localization, speech understanding in noisy listening
situations and music perception. |
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Each sound
has a certain pitch or frequency. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz).
Loudness of a sound, or intensity, is measured in units
called decibel (dB).
An audiogram is
a graph that helps illustrate usable hearing and the amount
of hearing loss for each ear.
On the
audiogram, pitch of the sounds is charted from left to right (low
to high pitch) by
numbers at the top of the grid. Loudness or intensity of the
sounds is measured from top to bottom (soft
to loud).
The audiologist presents tones one
frequency at a time. The softest tone a person can hear at
each frequency is marked on the audiogram. This is called a hearing
threshold.
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Types of
Hearing Loss |
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There are a
variety of causes that can lead to hearing loss. Depending
on the part of the ear that is affected, we distinguish
between three types of hearing loss: conductive
hearing loss, sensorineural
hearing loss and mixed hearing loss.
Conductive (Middle Ear) Hearing Loss
Conductive
hearing loss occurs when there is disruption of sound
transmission in the outer or middle ear. It is frequently a
temporary condition and can sometimes be corrected or
improved with medical or surgical treatment. People with
conductive hearing loss notice a reduction in the volume of
sound. Hearing aids may be considered if medical or surgical
treatment is ineffective.
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Sensorineural Loss (Nerve Deafness) |
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Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the hair cells lining
the cochlea are damaged, resulting in a diminished sound
signal being sent to the brain.
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NORMAL
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SENSORINEURAL LOSS |
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Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent and does not
usually respond to medical or surgical treatment. |
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As well as
noticing a reduction in the volume of sound, people with
sensorineural hearing loss may also have a distortion in
sound clarity. Recruitment (increased sensitivity to loud
sound) can also be present.
Most
appropriate management of sensorineural hearing loss is
through fitting of appropriate hearing instruments and an
education program that includes strategies designed to
assist the person to manage their hearing loss effectively.
Assistive listening devices may also be helpful.
Note: People
may have a combined conductive and sensorineural
components. This is known as the
mixed hearing loss.
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The popular notion that
with age we become "hard of hearing" is often true. Hearing
loss occurs gradually in most people as they age. According
to The
LISTEN HEAR Report on
the Economic Impact and Cost of Hearing Loss in Australia,
2006, about 1 out of every 3 Australian adults
aged 70 and over has a hearing loss. As many as 1 in every 6
people in Australia suffer from hearing loss...
We are born with a set of
sensory cells, and at about age 18 we slowly start to lose
them. High noise levels that we are exposed to, disease
processes and genetics all contribute to the overall loss
and impact over time
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Noise Induced Hearing Loss
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Prolonged
exposure to loud noise can permanently damage hearing by
causing the destruction of hair cells in the cochlea.
Ears should be protected from loud noise whether it be
industrial noise from machinery or loud recreational noise
from music concerts, firearms, power tools or motors.
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Ear
muffs and earplugs will provide some protection. Cotton wool
will NOT protect ears from the potential risk of damage from
noise exposure.
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ABOUT HEARING |
TECHNOLOGY |
STYLES |
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Not all hearing aids
are created equal...
So, which features
are
important to you?
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Hearing aids
may either be
manually
controlled or
automatically adjusted.
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Hearing
instruments
take
in the surrounding
sounds and amplify
appropriate regions of
speech to improve
clarity and ease of
communication.
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FREE Hearing Aids to eligible pensioners