Hearing aids are truly a miraculous solution for those who suffer from hearing loss. With the simple help of an audiologist at our Detroit hearing aid center, a device can be perfectly fitted to an individual’s needs, providing them with a new ability to hear more clearly. Unfortunately, for many people, the idea of wearing a hearing aid comes with a certain stigma. Perhaps you have a loved one who is struggling with their hearing but they refuse to consider a hearing aid for fear of what other people will think. You know that wearing a hearing aid would help them enjoy life more fully, but you aren’t sure how to help them see that there is nothing to be ashamed of when wearing a hearing aid.

If this is the situation you are facing, check out these tips for helping your loved one accept a hearing aid as a viable solution and to overcome the stigmas they see attached to this wonderful technological advancement.

#1: Talk About Modern Hearing Aids

One of the first ways you can tackle a fear of wearing a hearing aid is to introduce your loved one to the modern world of hearing aids. Perhaps they are imagining the bulky and cumbersome hearing aids of old.

The good news is that as technology has advanced, so have hearing aids. Today, hearing aids are customized to fit perfectly and are virtually unnoticeable. In most situations, no one will even be able to tell that your loved one is wearing the hearing aid.

#2: Listen To Their Concerns

If your loved one is hesitant to see an audiologist for a hearing assessment, take some time to understand why. Are they worried about a diagnosis that is bleak? Are they concerned about looking old? Everyone has their own reasoning for why they are holding back. It is important to take the time to understand what is at the root of the issue so that you can better help your loved one overcome these hesitations.

#3: Be Supportive

At the end of the day, the best way you can help your loved one overcome hearing loss is by being extremely supportive. Talk to them about the options that are available and assist them as they look through their choices. Be there to process with them the changes they might need to make and offer them your unending support no matter what they decide to do.

#4: Talk About How It Will Improve Their Quality Of Life

Finally, if your loved one starts to consider hearing aids and is becoming more open to the idea, spend some time discussing the ways their quality of life will improve. Perhaps when you go out with friends, they are often left sitting alone unable to follow the conversation due to poor hearing. Point out how they will once again be able to partake in group conversations. Maybe they often feel embarrassed because they can’t track with what you or someone else is saying. Discuss how great it will feel for them to be in the loop again.

With the advent of modern technology, hearing aids truly do offer a wonderful gift to many. Stop by our Detroit office today to meet with an audiologist and to learn more about the possibility of hearing aids for your loved one.

When you get out of the shower, you dry off with your towel and maybe some mornings or evenings you grab a few Q-tips and try to dry out your ears so you can get that full body clean feeling. But have you heard that using Q-tips may cause more harm than good? You don’t have to give up using these tools completely, but there is a right and a wrong way to use them. And using them incorrectly could cause serious damage to your ears and potentially your hearing.

At Platinum Hearing Aids, we have a team of audiologists who are passionate about educating our patients about all potential hearing issues, from tinnitus to hearing loss. Get in touch with us today for quality hearing aids and thorough treatment.

What’s Wrong With Q-tips?

“The rule of thumb with Q-tips is don’t put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow,” says William H. Shapiro, audiologist and associate professor at NYU Langone. When you insert a Q-tip to presumably remove wax from the area just outside the inner ear, what you are really doing is pushing any existing wax further into your ear.

Effects of Using Q-tips Incorrectly

Your eardrum lies just beyond where you’re pressing the Q-tip, so the wax you’re trying to remove is really being pressed up against the eardrum. When a build up of wax occurs, it can prevent your eardrum from effectively vibrating, which is how you hear. Over time, this can lead to hearing loss.

If hearing loss hasn’t caused you to go in your bathroom and throw out any Q-tips you find, here’s another scary effect: insects. The wax in your ear is actually very beneficial and serves multiple purposes.

• Safety Device: Wax helps to keep out spiders and other insects that try to crawl into your ear at night.
• Lubrication: Wax keeps your ear canal lubricated to prevent it from becoming dry and itchy.
• Acidic: Wax is acidic, which will help prevent fungus from growing in your years.
• A Trap: Along with spiders, wax also keeps our hair, dust, and dead skin.

What is Wax?

Have you ever wondered what wax is made of? The proper name for earwax is cerumen, and it only occurs in the area just outside of the ear canal. In this area, there are thousands of sebaceous glands, which you can blame for oily hair, and sweat glands. The substance secreted by these glands is what the wax develops from.

How to Safely Use Q-tips

Many audiologists may tell you that there isn’t a safe way to use Q-tips, but if you just have to clean your ears, only swab the outside of your ear. If you do need a build up of wax removed, schedule an appointment with a doctor to have it safely and professionally removed.

What Not to Do

Avoid pushing the swab into your ear, even if you are being extremely careful. If you are considering using the ear candling method, don’t. This method uses pressure to pull out the wax, which can also cause damage to your eardrum.

Always keep in mind that earwax is good for you and it should stay in your ears! If you have any questions, get in touch with Platinum Hearing Aids today.