Published: March 21, 2008 02:50 pm         

Baby boomers are getting an ear full

As the baby boomer generation continues to age they are becoming susceptible to all of the signs of aging, including hearing loss.

The evaluation of hearing and sale of hearing aids is a growing business in Enid as much as anywhere. But what is involved in finding the right hearing aid and how do you know a hearing aid business is reputable?

Getting the right hearing aid requires a hearing evaluation, said Carmen Ball, executive director of Hedges Speech and Hearing Center. The examination usually takes about an hour and depending on the results the audiologist will discuss what he sees as issues, the type of environment the individual works in and other issues. Some hearing aids are better for certain types of environments, plus budget considerations, she said.

“We’re very proud that the audiologist here is very professional, and also very supportive about listening to what people are saying,” Ball said. “He doesn’t suggest a hearing aid if surgery is needed.”

Knowledge of the audiologist doing the evaluation is vital, she said.

The baby boomers have hit every market as they age and now are beginning to impact the hearing aid business. They are beginning to hit the age when people generally begin to need hearing aids. Also, the types of hearing aids have increased dramatically, and more people can be helped than 20 years ago.

“They are better than they used to be. Now they are focused on what type of hearing arena people are in, what their loss is and what works best for them,” she said.

Nationally there is some concern focused on how a person’s hearing is affected during his lifetime. Many regulations requiring hearing protection have begun appearing at job sites.

“But we are bad about sticking buds in our ears and turning the sound up loud. As a nation we are listening to louder things,” she said.

The closer you get to the ear drum with the sound source the more sensitive it is. Today’s hearing aids are complex little machines, and not the same type works for all hearing aids of the past, she said.

There are a number of types of hearing loss, but age-related loss involves sensitivity of the inner ear, which deteriorates with advancing age. The result is a gradual loss of hearing that begins during an individual’s 20s and may be recognizable in the 50s. Symptoms vary from patient to patient. The loss occurs ever so gradually overtime — the individual may not even notice it.

High frequency sounds are affected more than low frequency sounds. Common symptoms are a reduction in speech comprehension and of the ability to hear the telephone, songbird or doorbell.

The volume on the television may be higher than others prefer.

Dennis Galusha of Hearing Aid Technologies in Enid and Alva said there has been significant new technology in recent years, even in the past 18 months. There are hearing aids available now that have eliminated the feedback or whistling problem for most people.

“People with severe hearing loss want to turn their instruments up and it drives the hearing aid into oscillation and causes feedback,” Galusha said. “When that happens they want to turn the hearing aid down so the microphone won’t hear the output.”

Determining what type of hearing aid an individual needs is done by using specifically designed equipment. First, Galusha determines whether the individual has a medical condition by a hearing test. The test places a vibrator on the mastoid bone, directly behind the ear. When frequencies are given the patient will indicate at what level they hear it. Then the test is given with a headphone, and the level will be higher if there is no nerve loss.

“It’s a mechanical problem if you hear better with the bone than the ear,” he said.

Galusha wears a hearing aid and thinks that gives him familiarity with the problems of hearing impaired people. Hearing aids will be computer designed, but often he said they are not quite what the patient needs and he will have to adjust them.

The percentage of Americans with hearing loss is rising with the baby boomers and young people who play stereos loudly. Galusha said 25 percent to 40 percent will have hearing loss. He said half of the people with hearing loss will not admit it because they do not want to wear a hearing aid.

“Not everyone needs high-dollar technology. People just want to hear,” he said.

Greg Kuykendall, of Kuykendall Hearing Aid Centers said the industry is getting busier because of the arrival of the baby boomer generation to old age and because of new technology is far more advanced than ever before.

People are accepting the new products better because they are able to fine tune for individual hearing loss and environment through digital computer chips. The same technology is used in cell phones. The largest percentage of customers are baby boomers, but Kuykendall said they also utilize an open ear instrument that allows them to fit partial hearing losses, which will aid the problematic tone and not affect others.

“In the past we had to wait on partial hearing loss until it got worse. Now we have a product through digital open ear instrument, and we can help specific frequencies and not hinder others,” he said.

Patients go through their case history and family health background and work environment, plus inspection of the ear canal. They are tested for “tone and bone” problems along with speech testing. Then an evaluation is made and they explain the results and make a recommendation.

Greg and Todd Kuykendall merged their business with audiologist Cindy Roberts, and she performs the hearing testing for the Kuykendall center. There are also two ear, nose and throat doctors in the building, so they can also be utilized.

Hearing aids are more expensive than they once were. The old analog type are phasing out in favor of digital products, which average between $1,000 and $2,500. They can cost more if there are additional services to the products. The digital products work with a computer chip and can have a few variables or many variables.