Categories
Hearing Aid Clinic Tinnitus

What is Tinnitus – Types, Symptoms, Causes & Treatments for Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a condition when one experiences ringing or any other noise in at least one of their ears. These sounds cannot be heard by people around them and can have an impact on your mind. However, one should know that tinnitus is a common problem, and it affects around 20% of the population across the globe, especially as one grows old. Tinnitus can even result from an age-related hearing loss, but with the right treatment, there will be an improvement in one’s hearing but may or may not reduce tinnitus 

Types of Tinnitus

  • Subjective tinnitus: Subjective tinnitus is a common form of tinnitus. Symptoms experienced usually affect individuals that are exposed to excessive noise. This type of tinnitus can appear out of nowhere and disappear in the same manner. It may last for anywhere between three to twelve months at a time. If it turns severe, it may never stop.
  • Neurological tinnitus: This form of tinnitus can be caused by a disorder that is learned to primarily affect the brain’s auditory functions. 
Types, Symptoms, Causes & Treatments for Tinnitus
  • Somatic tinnitus: This form of tinnitus is related to the sensory system. It is related to the sensory system and can worsen with it. 
  • Objective tinnitus: It is the rarest form of tinnitus seen amongst individuals. Vascular deformities or involuntary muscle contractions may cause it. When treated, the tinnitus stops entirely, in most cases. Interestingly, it is the only form of tinnitus that others can hear too. Fortunately, there is a permanent fix for it. 

Symptoms of Tinnitus

When we talk about tinnitus symptoms, we need to focus on sounds the patient hears, especially at night or any period when they are in a quiet environment. The varying sounds include whistling, chirping, screeching, clicking, hissing, roaring, buzzing, pulsing, musical, whooshing, or humming. 

Causes of Tinnitus

  • Hearing loss: If you experience hearing loss, you may have tinnitus. There is a possibility of the same, and you should make sure that you connect with an audiologist in Mumbai at the earliest. Don’t let the condition get worse for you.
  • Ear infection: The ear canals might be blocked by a build-up of fluid, dirt, earwax, or any other material. This leads to a blockage and can eventually cause tinnitus.
  • Severe head or neck injury: When you go through a traumatic experience that affects your head or neck, your inner ear, brain function linked to hearing or hearing nerves can be affected. This can lead to tinnitus. 
  • Medications: When we take a medicine, we do not look at the same side effects. There is a possibility that one of the side effects of the medication might cause or worsen tinnitus. Interestingly, when you stop taking that particular medication, you might notice the unwanted sounds disappear or reduces

Treatment for Tinnitus

  • Sound Therapy: One of the most common treatments available for tinnitus is sound therapy. Masking devices offer temporary relief from tinnitus with the pleasant sound of music. Hearing aids are even used commonly for sound therapy. The primary reason for using hearing aids is that it amplifies environmental sounds, and the entire attention is directed from tinnitus. 
  • Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT): This therapy can help hyperacusis go away. The technique helps in reducing stress and improve the quality of life of the patient. The program involves extensive directive counselling, along with sound therapy. Utilizing the brain’s neuroplasticity, the subconscious, non-auditory areas of one’s brain are retained, allowing the brain to ignore the sound of tinnitus. 
  • Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT): This therapy aims at helping people with depression. However, one cannot expect it to reduce the sound of tinnitus but helps to overcome other related problems 
Categories
Audiologist in Mumbai Hearing Aid Clinic Treatment

How to prevent hearing loss?

How to prevent hearing loss?

Hearing loss is one thing that affects our life directly. Even missing out on minor details during a conversation can lead to major communication gaps. This is one thing we do not want to see piling up on our list of problems. We have to agree on the fact that hearing loss needs to be corrected at the earliest. Fortunately, there is a solution, if you are suffering from hearing loss.


Before we look at hearing loss treatments, we need to understand the issue and the diagnosis process. We need to ask ourselves some questions.


How will hearing loss affect your life?

Untreated hearing loss leads to undesirable effects on quality of life. You might find yourself irritated, stressed, and angry. It can lead to social rejection and loneliness too. In many cases, it is seen that the impact of hearing loss leads to a negative impact on one’s work, family, memory, and even the development of a child’s mind. 

How do I know if I’m losing hearing?

There are a few things to check if you want to know whether you are losing hearing or you are doing just fine.

  • Physical examination: Let your doctor do the analysis and help you know the answer to the question.
  • General screening tests: Whisper test is quite common, and it will help you understand your listening abilities. However, it’s accuracy has limitations. This test is now absolute.
  • App-based hearing tests: With the advancement in technology, you can use a mobile application to determine whether you are having a hearing loss
    If you find any hearing problems in any of the above tests or if you are missing out on conversations do consult an Audiologist and get a Pure Tone Audiometry test done. It is a test done by qualified Audiologist in a sound proof room and it gives an accurate picture of your hearing problems. It not only gives us idea about degree of hearing loss but also gives us information about the type of hearing loss.

Some of the common causes of Hearing loss & their treatments

1. Wax Removal: Wax blockage is a common cause of hearing loss, and ENT doctor is the best one to remove earwax.
 
2. Surgical procedures: After analyzing your hearing abilities, your ENT might ask you to opt for surgery. Some Conductive or mixed types of hearing loss need surgery or medication for correction. In some cases, Hearing aids is a good choice over surgery depending on the severity of the problem.
 
3. Hearing aids: When the Pure tone Audiometry reports indicate damage to the inner ear, HEARING AIDS are advised. If a hearing aid is a solution you need, start looking for hearing aid clinics around you and allow yourself to listen clearly once again. You can buy hearing aids online at your convenience as well. 
 
Hearing loss is a serious issue that impacts the social & psychological behavior of a person and as home remedies can’t help in many cases, you know that there is a need for you to get help from an Audiologist in Mumbai or Goa, go ahead and connect with us before the problem gets out of their hands.

Categories
Hearing Aid Clinic Hearing Loss

Can ear infections cause hearing loss? Inner Ear Infection Signs, Symptoms, & Treatments.

Can ear infections cause hearing loss?

If you notice muffled or distorted sounds, you might be looking for a reason as to why. Ear infections could be a reason on the list. Ear infections causes hearing loss in some cases, but it is a temporary condition in most cases.

Ear infections develop over a period of time and often accompany a cold, flu, or respiratory infection. Swimmer’s ear is an example of an ear infection and can cause hearing loss. It is an infection in the outer ear canal, and individuals suffer from it when water remains in the ear even after one gets out of the swimming pool.

How long does hearing loss last after an ear infection?

When treated promptly, inner ear infections resolve in a couple of days or hurt one’s hearing abilities for a few weeks. However, the damage is not permanent. In rare cases, inner ear infections lead to permanent hearing loss.

hearing loss and ear infection

If an ear infection is left untreated, it can lead to permanent hearing loss.  

Inner Ear Infection Signs, Symptoms, & Treatments

There are three sections in our ears – outer, middle, and inner ear. These sections work together to help us hear without any trouble. The inner ear plays a vital role because it contains the cochlea that receives the signals and transforms the same into a message that eventually the brain analyses. Inner ear is responsible for our body balance. If you notice any issue with hearing and balance, you might be suffering from an inner ear infection.

Some signs of an inner ear infection include vertigo, having trouble while walking normally, dizziness, nausea, problems with hearing, feeling like the ear is blocked, headaches, fluids coming from your ear, or tinnitus.

Inner ear infections can be linked to various symptoms, depending on the infection and the impact it has created. Running nose and fever are common symptoms that can be a result of an inner ear infection.

Inner ear infections should not be taken lightly. If you feel any of the possible signs and symptoms of an inner ear infection, get in touch with your ENT doctor at the earliest. If they suggest that you should invest in a hearing aid, don’t delay the process. Get a hearing aid at the earliest and allow yourself to listen clearly once again. Hearing aids can do wonders for you, and with invisible hearing aids, no one will notice the device on your ear. So, there is no scope for embarrassment. In this case, you should know that you are working on your hearing abilities with the help of a hearing aid, and the intention is not to please others but oneself.

When we talk about the treatment for an inner ear infection, we know that hearing aids can do wonders, and the solution can be obtained.

However, we cannot deny that the medical line of treatment is the first choice in patients suffering from the issue. A middle ear infection is treated by medication and in some cases by surgery. ENT Doctor will symptomatically treat inner ear problems like in case of giddiness or vertigo or tinnitus by giving appropriate medication &. Exercises to control the problem & then refer to Audiologist for further management if needed. 

Categories
Hearing Aid Clinic Symptoms Treatment

Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss has many different causes and manifestations. In some cases, it can be sudden, while in most cases, it is gradual. For some, it occurs in one ear, while in some cases, it impacts both ears. Fortunately, different forms of treatment can help mild as well as severe cases. 

Types of Hearing loss

Types of Hearing loss
  • Sensorineural hearing loss: As we age, we come across multiple health issues impacting our lives. One of the issues can be inner ear damage. It is a common issue, and most people suffering from sensorineural hearing loss opt for a comfortable hearing aid to carry on with their day-to-day routine. 
  • Central hearing loss: When the central nervous system cannot send a readable signal to the brain, the individual suffers from a central auditory processing disorder. This is a complicated condition because the patient can hear all sounds but is not in a position to separate or process them.
  • Conductive hearing loss: When an individual is not able to get sounds through the outer or middle ear, it is categorized as conductive hearing loss. In many cases, louder sounds may be muffled, leading to a certain level of irritation. These are treated with surgery or medication.
  • Mixed hearing loss: an individual might suffer from both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss leading to a mixed hearing loss. 

Causes of Hearing Loss

  • Damage to the inner ear: With age and extensive exposure to loud noise, there might be noticeable wear and tear on the nerve cells in the cochlea that are responsible for sending sound signals to the brain. If these nerve cells are damaged or missing, the transmission of electrical signals might not be effective, leading to hearing loss. 

  • The build-up of earwax: Earwax not only blocks the ear canal but also prevents the conduction of sound waves. This is a gradual process, but if you learn about the issue, get the ur ENT’s attention immediately.
  • Ear infection: This is a common reason for hearing loss but does not cause long-term complications. However, if left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage. 

Symptoms of Hearing Loss

If you pay attention to your hearing abilities, you’ll be in a position to tell whether you are losing them or not. However, learning about the symptoms will make it easy for you to get early treatment and enjoy listening without needing the help of anyone. Some of the symptoms of hearing loss are muffled speech and other sounds, needing to increase the volume of the mobile device or television, difficulty in understanding words with background noise, trouble hearing consonants, dejected withdrawal from conversations, and the need to ask others to speak slowly and clearly.

Treatment for Hearing Loss

  • Wax removal: Earwax blockage does not damage your hearing permanently. It is a reversible cause and can be treated with ease. Consult your ENT doctor and get earwax removed. 
  • Surgical procedures: Once your ENT doctor analyses your hearing abilities, they might ask you to opt for surgery. Surgery is needed for Conductive or mixed types of hearing loss. In some cases, opting for a hearing aid might serve the purpose, depending on the severity of the condition.
  • Hearing aids: When the Pure tone Audiometry reports indicate damage to the inner ear, HEARING AIDS is advised. If a hearing aid is a solution you need, start looking for hearing aid clinics around you and allow yourself to listen clearly once again. You can buy hearing aids online at your convenience as well. 
Categories
Audiologist in Mumbai COVID 19 INVISIBLE IN THE CANAL - IIC

COVID-19 and hearing loss: The Deepening connection

COVID-19 has changed the world, and we continue to face multiple problems while trying to restore our lives. This is a challenge, and we have to make sure that we deal with it in our own way. However, it is important to understand how COVID-19 has impacted our lives. COVID-19 has impacted our work and mindset, but it has affected our health in the biggest way. In many cases, hearing loss is even linked to COVID-19.

When we talk about the impact of COVID-19 on our health, we think of complications like heart damage, neurological disorders, and even lung damage. However, we ignore the theories that point out the connection between COVID-19 and hearing loss. Hearing loss is now recognized as a symptom that affects an individual in the infection process. This isn’t quite common yet, but the individuals affected by COVID-19 have reported a hearing loss as a symptom. In rare cases, it is also seen as an initial symptom. Getting the treatment at the earliest will help you get your hearing back without any complications.

A small study published on Journals.lww.com shares insight on patients evaluated for auditory function after testing positive for COVID-19. It gives us an idea about how COVID-19 can impact the hearing ability.

Hearing loss can possibly be a side effect of Covid-19 medications

Unfortunately, the problem does not end with one’s negative report for COVID-19. Hearing loss can possibly be a side effect of medications used in the treatment of COVID-19 as well. When certain medications are used to treat COVID-19, one can be at risk of hearing loss. This might not be the case with every patient treated for COVID-19, but the level of risk is very high.

If you are treated for COVID-19 and start noticing any hearing loss, it is advisable to connect with an Audiologist in Mumbai. There might be a need to get surgery in some cases, but in most cases, you can get away simply by getting a hearing aid. This can help your cause and give you the liberty to live a normal and satisfying life post-COVID-19 treatment. Remember that if they suggest you get a hearing aid, take their advice in all seriousness. Don’t delay. Get in touch with a hearing aid specialist at the earliest and look for a hearing aid ideal for your situation.

Hearing loss is concerning, and you must take care of it in these difficult times. If you need to invest in a hearing aid, don’t shy away from using it because it will help you listen to every detail precisely. There are Invisible in the canal (IIC) hearing aids available too. So, if you are worried about embarrassing yourself in front of your friends and relatives, this hearing aid will do the trick of concealing the fact that you are using a hearing aid.

We are in the COVID zone, and taking any issue lightly can significantly impact your future. So, it is essential that you take the necessary precautions and be safe at all times.

Categories
Uncategorized

Hearing Care and Hearing Aid Brands – Ashclinic

5% of the world’s population suffers from hearing loss. Helen Keller once said, Blindness separates people from things; Deafness separates  people from people. Not being able to hear your loved ones is the most traumatic experience, and We at Atharva Speech & Hearing Care Pvt Ltd  understand this and work hard everyday to provide you with end-to-end solutions so that you can experience the beauty of hearing your loved ones. 

Atharva Speech and Hearing care is the hearing aid service provider with hearing centers spread all over Mumbai and Goa. Founded in 1998, Atharva speech and hearing care have more than  22 years of experience in treating hearing loss with different types of hearing devices. https://www.ashclinic.com/, Atharva Speech & Hearing Care Pvt Ltd  is known for treating it’s patients with high quality services and with utmost care and warmth.

You experience hearing loss, when you are not able to hear sound partially or completely with both your ears. Hearing loss can be both temporary and permanent and it usually occurs over time. There are many kinds of hearing loss and they all are unique to each other. It may be something you are born with, or maybe because of some accident or event in your life or the most common, it can be the result of degradation in hearing as you grow older.  According to the National institute on Deafness and Other CommunicationDisorders (NIDCD), 25% of people in the age bracket from 65 – 74 year experience difficulty in hearing. To understand how we hear you can click on https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/how-we-hear/

There are different types of hearing loss. Some can be Conductive, some can be sensorineural and then there is mixed type of hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is a problem with the outer or middle ear. Sensorineural Hearing loss, on the other hand, occurs when there is a nerve damage in the inner ear or due to cochlea damage. Unfortunately, this type of hearing loss cannot be reversed. When people experience problems with both inner ear and outer ear, then the person faces a mixed type of hearing loss. 

According to WHO, there are four levels of hearing loss-

  1. Mild: people with mild hearing loss will face difficulty to hear and understand soft speech, sound which is coming from distance, and when there is some kind of background noise in a speech. This generally is age related hearing loss, i.e degradation in hearing as you grow older. And the longer you avoid this it will become more harder for you. 
  2. Moderate: people with moderate hearing loss will face problems in hearing speech even at a close distance. Hearing loss is gradual, similar to mild hearing loss. 
  3. Severe:  people who are unable to hear regular conversational speech, then unfortunately they are suffering from severe hearing loss.  
  4. Profound: when a person can only hear loud sounds like fireworks, heavy traffic,etc & is able to hear loud conversations only a person suffering from profound hearing loss perceives loud sounds as vibrations. This level of hearing loss can be present at any stage of a life, during birth, early childhood or gradually over the years. 

To understand the signs of hearing loss click on this link – https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/signs-of-hearing-loss/

Now each of these hearing losses are caused due to different underlying factors. 

CAUSES OF CONDUCTIVE HEARING LOSS

  • Heredity 
  • Accumulation of fluid in the ear canal during cold. 
  • Malformation of outer and middle ear structures
  • Certain allergies
  • Infection in ear canal 
  • Tumor in the ear 

To know more causes of conductive hearing loss click here https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/types-and-causes/

CAUSES OF SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS

  • Before or during birth
  • Lack of oxygen during birth
  • Heredity
  • Intense noise
  • Physical damage to the head or to the ear 
  • Later onsets 

https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/types-and-causes/ click on this to know whatare the other causes of sensorineural hearing loss

Marion Ross rightly said, Thing about hearing loss is that no one can see it. Most people are so impatient; they just assume that a person with hearing loss is being rude or slow witted. We at Atharva Speech & Hearing Care know the importance of hearing in making connections with loved ones. We understand going through a hearing loss is a difficult process and we stand with you at every step to make it easier for you. People who go through hearing loss in life suffer on daily basis, communication for them is difficult, they are embarrassed,they lack concentration, they may have low self esteem, they feel isolated because they are not able to interact with others fluently and due to this not only physical health but  there mental health is also affected, they are constantly stressed, depressed, and may suffer from anxiety.

 We, at Atharva Speech & Hearing Care Pvt Ltd provide high quality services and try to make your life easier. We understand every hearing loss situation is unique and we provide customized hearing aids after a thorough diagnosis and detection. We also follow up on every hearing aids devices we have offered to our patients.We make sure the equipment functions perfectly.And, we are open for lifetime service and support to the patient. 

Atharva Speech & Hearing Care Pvt Ltd  is the authorized dispenser of hearing aids brands like Siemens (Signia), Phonak, Resound, Widex, Unitron and Starkey. Our  range of hearing aids include:-

  • BTE- Behind the ear
  • ITC- In The Canal
  • CIC-Completely In Canal
  • RIC- Receiver In Canal
  • IIC- Invisible In Canal

Which hearing aid best suits you depends upon many factors like desired features, ear anatomy, lifestyle, budget and cosmetic appeal and we achieve that after thorough diagnosis. We believe that what’s  best for our patients is best for us. We give a trial for three best hearing aids suitable for the patients and then the patient has to choose it from them. We provide a wide range of products  so that you can filter according to your need, product feature and budget.

https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/what-we-do/ click here to know more about what process we follow to treat you. 

Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Pvt Ltd is presented with awards by various prestigious institutions like Siginia ,mid day and starkey. We are committed to provide complete end-to-end, personalized services to our patients.

We believe everyone deserves to hear better. And we work hard everyday to achieve this.  

Categories
Uncategorized

Your Ultimate Guide To Hearing Aids

Hearing loss can be traumatic. According to the research done by the World Health Organization, one in every three people over the age of 65 lives with hearing loss. We at Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Clinics, know going through hearing loss can be very arduous. We are with you every step of the way, making your process comfortable.

Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Clinics is the hearing aid service provider with centers spread all over in Mumbai and Goa. Founded in 1998, Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Clinics have more than 15 years of experience in treating hearing loss. We are known for our high-quality services to our patients and being the authorized dispenser of hearing aids of brands both domestic and international.https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/affiliations.

Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Clinics clinic is presented with awards by various prestigious institutions like Signia, Mid-Day and Starkey. We are committed to providing complete end-to-end, personalized services to our patients.

Every hearing loss is different from the other, some can be sensorineural, some can be conductive, and then there is mixed hearing loss.  The most common type of hearing loss is  Sensorineural hearing loss. It’s a permanent loss caused by damage to your auditory nerve.  Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is a problem with the outer or middle ear (ear canal, eardrum, and the three bones). Some people have problems associated with both the inner and outer or middle ear. Such a type of hearing loss is called a mixed type. you can read about  what are the cause of these hearing loss here https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/types-and-causes/  

95% of the hearing loss can be helped by Hearing aids. Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Clinics  is the authorized dispenser of hearing aids brands like Siemens (Signia), Phonak, Resound, Widex, Unitron and Starkey. our range of hearing aids include:-

·         BTE- It stands for  Behind The Ear. This type of earmold for hearing aid is worn outside of the outer ear. There is a small transparent tube that routes the sound down to your ear canal. It is available in different sizes, shapes and colors. BTE hearing aid provides best amplification and is easy to clean and use. Top brands from which you can choose BTE hearing aids are Phonak, Widex.  You can go check more about different models and their features on https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/bte-phonak-hearing-aid

·       ITC- In The Canal hearing aids as the name suggests fits in the ear canal. These are custom-made hearing aids. Top brands from which you can choose your hearing aids are Starkey and resound. You can visit https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/itc-starkey-hearing-aid for detailed information and also to know about other brands offering the same.

·        CIC – Completely In the Canal type of hearing aid is placed completely in your ear canal. The only visible part is the clean piece of wire which is used to pull out the earmold. They are less visible than larger custom designs. Starkey hearing aids are one of the best when looking for CIC earmolds.  You will get more elaborated information on our website, here is the link to the same https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/cic-starkey-hearing-aid 

·        RIC – Receivers  In Canal are the most popular type of hearing aid as they are more effective and are easy to wear. These are the open fit hearing aids that use a thin plastic micro tube extending into the ear canal. They are good at amplifying high pitched sound and you have clear and natural sound quality. Check https://dev2.imageonline.co.in/ashclinic/ric-siemens-hearing-aid to know about different brands offering a wide range of products. And choose the best for yourself 

·        IIC – Invisible In Canal is custom made to fit the shape of your ear. These types of hearing aids are the smallest and customizable and are suitable for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. These rest in the second bend of the ear canal where no one can see them.  We are affiliated with brands like Phonak ,Starkey and resound to provide you with custom made IIC hearing aid.

Which hearing aid best suits you depends upon many factors like desired features, ear anatomy, lifestyle, budget and cosmetic appeal and we achieve that after thorough diagnosis. We believe that what’s best for our patients is best for us. we give three best hearing aids and then you have to choose it from them. We provide a wide range of products so that you can filter according to your need, product feature and budget.

Since we are using a machine to hear better we can sometimes come across various problems like :

  • NO SOUND: Sometimes the hearing aid produces no sound. This can happen due to various reasons like, the microphone is switched off, batteries are not in the right size, and it can be due to battery depletion.
  • EARWAX BLOCKAGE: There can be times when you hear weak and distorted sound, this may happen due to battery depletion or the earwax is interfering with your hearing by blocking tube, microphone or receiver. This is the easiest problem to solve, you just have to clean your hearing aid daily.
  • FIT: Interestingly, our ears grow in size as we age. Ears are made of cartilages and it grows till we die, another reason is our earlobes elongate due to gravity. And that makes our ears larger. This may not be a serious problem to everyone but it is to a person suffering from a hearing loss. Because of this, the custom made hearing aid will stop fitting. And this will hinder the hearing aid’s performance 

We believe everyone deserves to hear and live better, so we do everything we can to make our patient’s life easy. We know our role is more than just suggesting the best hearing aid to you. We follow up on ever hearing aid we have offered to our patients. We make sure the equipment functions perfectly. And, we are open for lifetime service and support to the patient. 

Atharva Speech and Hearing Care Clinics work towards fulfilling our vision of spreading awareness amongst the general populace with regards to hearing disabilities, how they can overcome and how such people are to be treated at home and in society because we know the importance of hearing in maintaining connections with loved ones. We work hard every day to provide end-to-end solutions to people with hearing impairment.