1 in 6 UK adults suffer hearing loss

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BIHIMA Survey Finds 1 in 6 UK Adults Have Hearing Loss

1 in 6 UK adults suffer hearing loss and, on average, they believe they should have their hearing tested every 2-3 years, yet most of us only have our hearing tested once a decade!

In a recent survey of 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by the British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (BIHIMA) and announced on its website, 16% of respondents self-reported suffering from hearing loss, with men being nearly twice as likely to suffer as women: 1 in 5 men reported suffering from hearing loss compared to 1 in 10 women.

These UK figures are significantly higher than the 1 in 9 Europeans with self-reported hearing loss, according to the latest Eurotrak report.

Eleven percent of 16-24 year olds surveyed say they too suffer hearing loss. This figure doubles to 22% in the over 55 age group. This revelation comes as no surprise as we are familiar with the concept that hearing can deteriorate with age.

Hearing loss compounds feelings of isolation and loneliness which can affect the lives of sufferers. As with loss of vision, identifying and treating hearing loss can improve an individual’s quality of life.

Nearly half of those who say they have a hearing loss claim to wear hearing instruments according to BIHIMA’s UK 2018 Eurotrak study, leaving over 50% not taking advantage of available technology. This problem could be managed with regular visits to an audiologist, according to BIHIMA.

BIHIMA Chairman, Paul Surridge comments on the survey’s findings: “Not everyone notices a decline in their hearing. It’s often a relative or family friend that raises the subject. We know hearing loss can have a detrimental effect on people’s mental health and the way they live their lives. As a society, we need to encourage everyone to have regular hearing tests and, when appropriate, be fitted with life changing hearing instruments to prevent unnecessary suffering.”

BIHIMA advises people to get their hearing tested every three years, and annually after the age of 55.  Just as we visit the optician and dentist regularly, our hearing should also be valued and protected.

Research and Methodology:

The research was conducted by Censuswide across 2,000 UK adults. It was completed in February 2020, but publication was delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. www.censuswide.com

Source: BIHIMA

Starkey’s Livio AI Featured in ‘TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019′ List

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Starkey’s Livio AI Featured in ‘TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019′ List

 

The Honiton hearing centre are excited to learn that Starkey’s Livio AI has featured in the ”Time’s 100 Best.

 

Starkey Hearing Technologies announces that Livio AI, “the world’s first multi-purpose hearing aid,” has earned a place on TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019 in the accessibility category. This list is said to “highlight inventions that are making the world better, smarter, and even a bit more fun.”

Starkey Livio AI hearing aid

Starkey Livio AI hearing aid.

TIME uses a multi-step process to assemble the annual list. Contenders from around the world are evaluated on key factors, including originality, effectiveness, ambition, and influence. The result: One hundred groundbreaking inventions that are changing the way we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible, according to Starkey’s announcement.

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Livio AI  features integrated sensors and artificial intelligence, providing what the company says is “superior sound quality and the ability to track both body and brain health.” By providing direct monitoring of physical and cognitive activity, including fall alerts and transcription features, Livio AI helps raise awareness about the connection between treating hearing loss and reducing health risks, like cognitive decline and heart disease.

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“I’d like to thank TIME for this incredible recognition. We are humbled and proud to be on this list and in the company of other innovative companies that are truly making the world a better place,” said Starkey President Brandon Sawalich. “I’m grateful to the entire Starkey team for its relentless dedication to helping people hear better, so they can live better. Thank you for continuing to push us to break technological boundaries and transform hearing health as we know it.”

The new issue of TIME, featuring Starkey and Livio AI, goes on sale November 22.

Source: Starkey Hearing Technologies 

Sidmouth hearing centre

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Sidmouth hearing centre

 

The Sidmouth hearing centre has closed recently in 2019. We here at the Honiton hearing centre would welcome anyone looking for hearing aids, hearing tests or ear wax removal. We are a family run hearing centre and are proud to be independent. We look after our clients like they are our own family.  Only 20 mins from Sidmouth or less than 10 miles along the A375. Please call Sam on reception to book in for an appointment for any hearing issue, we will be glad to see you and help.

For ear wax removal using Microsuction please click here to watch our video

 

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Phonak Marvel Receives Gold Stevie Award, Named ‘Innovation of the Year’

Stevie Awards

Phonak announced its Marvel hearing aid solution has won a Gold Stevie Award and was named Innovation of the Year—Consumer Products Industries in the 2019 International Business Awards. According to comments obtained from judges, the multifunctional hearing solution received top honors for being “the world’s first hearing aid to combine universal Bluetooth connectivity, lithium-ion rechargeability, and top-rated sound quality into a single device.” The Gold Stevie marks the fourth major product honor awarded to Phonak Marvel this year, placing it among the company’s most highly-awarded products ever, according to Phonak.

iba19_gold_winner

“We are thrilled that Phonak Marvel has received a Gold Stevie award and was named an Innovation of the Year,” said Martin Grieder, Group Vice President, hearing instruments marketing. “Marvel truly is the culmination of so many of our innovations into one product—including rechargeability, universal Bluetooth connectivity, Binaural VoiceStream Technology, and various eSolutions, just to name a few. All this technology works together to produce clear, rich sound quality from the very first fit.”

The Gold Stevie award is the latest product honor awarded to Phonak Marvel this year. In June, Marvel received the 2019 MedTech Breakthrough Award for its ability to fully support stereo audio streaming from Android and iOS devices. Also in June, Phonak eSolutions, optimized for Marvel, was the winner of the 2019 Mobile Business Awards. Phonak Marvel also received a Silver Edison Award in April and was named a 2019 CES Innovation Award Honoree in January.

A record total of more than 4,000 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Startup of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 250 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from May through early August, according to Phonak’s announcement.

For more information about Phonak Marvel, visit: www.phonak.com. Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at: www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Source: Phonak, International Business Awards

Images: International Business Awards

 

 

 

 

 

Hearing loss as you get older

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Hearing loss as you get older

The Honiton Hearing Centre

 

A new report from the Oticon hearing suggests that as you get older we all start to lose our hearing which we all know. However the amount of hearing loss is practically not known unless you survey and test many many 1000’s of people.   The new report surveyed  the ” Rock and Roll” generation and the findings are pretty stark reading.

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The report is bellow, it’s a sober fact that hearing loss does happen in constant loud environments even if you are enjoying the experience.  If you feel that maybe you had done a lot of head banging back in the day and maybe feel a little hard of hearing sometimes, book in and let’s try and correct some of the hearing loss. At least then you can turn down your Iron Maiden via your iPhone directly to your hearing device.

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Devon hearing aids, Hearing aids available in Devon,

Hearing aids, Devon. Honiton hearing Centre

 

 

Oticon Hearing Health Poll Shows Hearing Loss Among Woodstock Generation

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By the lovely people at Oticon

Fifty years after the iconic “Three Days of Peace and Music,” a just-released survey by The Harris Poll, commissioned by Oticon, Inc, suggests that members of the Woodstock Generation may be experiencing unintended consequences of their love of hard-charging, culture-changing rock n’ roll. According to the online survey of more than 1,000 US adults ages 65-80 conducted in June, the prevalence of hearing loss among those who listened to loud music when they were young (ie, in their teens and 20s) is 40% greater than the percentage of hearing loss indicated in studies of older Americans that don’t include questions about music listening habits, Oticon announced.

That fact, and many more revealed in The Harris Poll survey, are at the core of Oticon’s nationwide media blitz to alert adults and young people to the importance of hearing health for maintaining lifelong quality of life. Timed to coincide with Woodstock celebrations across the country, Oticon has launched a targeted media campaign that includes media interviews by Oticon audiologists and a network of hearing care professionals in local markets, press releases, social media posts, and a colorful infographic, all to drive home the risks of noise and age-related hearing loss and the need for regular hearing health checks.

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Then and Now Hearing Health Matters

“We recognized a unique opportunity to tap into consumer and media excitement around the 50thanniversary of Woodstock to promote a hearing health message that would resonate with people of all ages, especially music lovers,” said Gary Rosenblum, President of Oticon, Inc. “The survey results allow us to demonstrate the far-reaching consequences of loud music listening on hearing health. Fifty years ago, many believed that turning up the volume and seeking out concerts with the biggest speakers contributed to music enjoyment. Today, we know the long-term effects of noise on hearing health and the importance of protecting hearing to maintain not only the ability to enjoy music and conversation but overall quality of life.”

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The Harris Poll survey questioned the Woodstock Generation about their listening habits in their youth and their ability to hear and enjoy music now.  The survey found that 47% of the Woodstock Generation who listened to loud or very loud music when they were in their teens and 20s now report hearing loss. As a result, many of the Woodstock Generation (41%) say they are unable to enjoy music as they once did. The negative impact of hearing loss on their ability to participate in social activities/gatherings, at least a little, was reported by 41% of those adults with hearing loss, and 38% say their hearing loss affects relationships with family or friends, at least a little.  Approximately 52% state that, at least sometimes, they have difficulty understanding what is being said in loud environments like busy restaurants.

From “Survey Says” to Call to Action

One survey finding provides an opportunity to communicate a powerful call to action about hearing healthcare.

Despite hearing challenges, the study found that many members of the Woodstock Generation have not taken steps to address their hearing loss. The majority of these adults (70%) have never seen a hearing care professional specifically about their hearing. Only around one in 10 (12%) have used hearing aids either currently or in the past.

“Helping consumers to understand that addressing hearing loss will allow them to not just enjoy music again but live fuller, more social lives is a central goal of our media outreach,” said Rosenblum. “The ability of today’s high-performance hearing aids, like Oticon Opn S, to provide wearers with access to a full range of sounds, and the possibility of again enjoying a richer, more authentic music experience, is a meaningful benefit not just to the Woodstock Generation but to all people who experience hearing loss.”

To learn more about the Harris Poll survey and to download the infographic, visit: www.oticon.com/woodstock.

Research Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the US by The Harris Poll between June 5 and June 12, 2019 on behalf of Oticon among 1,006 US adults age 65-80 (“Woodstock Generation”) including 437 older adults with hearing loss. Data were statistically weighted where necessary by age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, region, income, household size, marital status, and employment status to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

Source: Oticon, The Harris Poll

Image: Oticon

 

Hearing aids, South Devon

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Hearing aids, South Devon

The Honiton hearing centre is an independent hearing specialist centre based in Honiton South Devon.  We specialise in the very latest hearing aids that will transform your life. The new 2018 digital hearing aids are a joy to use, connecting with your Iphone or most Android smart phones that are on the market today.  You can really hear the benefits of the latest hearing tech, so why not book in and have a hearing test today and discuss your needs.

We cover Honiton, Exeter, Teignmouth, Torbay, Torquay, Totnes, Plymouth, Sidmouth, Kingsbridge, Seaton and South Hams.

 

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The latest 2018 hearing aids available at the Honiton hearing centre, Devon

Swedish University Researchers Develop New Test for Balance Disorders

Original story by The Hearing Review

Bo Håkansson, Professor in Biomedical Engineering, undergoes testing using the new compact vibrating device he and the team helped design. Credit: Johan Bodell/Chalmers University of Technology

Many individuals over age 65 suffer from dizziness and problems with balance; however, tests to identify the causes of such problems are often painful and can risk hearing damage. Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology have developed a new testing device using bone conduction technology that is said to offer “significant advantages” over current tests, the Sweden-based university announced. 

Hearing aids Teighnmouth, Devon

Potentials (VEMP) test uses loud sounds to evoke a muscle reflex contraction in the neck and eye muscles, triggered by the vestibular system—the system responsible for our balance. The Chalmers researchers have now used bone-conducted sounds to achieve what they say are better results.

“We have developed a new type of vibrating device that is placed behind the ear of the patient during the test,” said Bo Håkansson, a professor in the research group ‘Biomedical signals and systems’ at Chalmers.

Bo Håkansson, Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Chalmers. Photo Credit: Johan Bodell/Chalmers University of Technology

Bo Håkansson, Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Chalmers. Photo Credit: Johan Bodell/Chalmers University of Technology

The vibrating device is small and compact in size, and optimized to provide an adequate sound level for triggering the reflex at frequencies as low as 250 Hz. Previously, no vibrating device has been available that was directly adapted for this type of test of the balance system.

In bone-conduction transmission, sound waves are transformed into vibrations through the skull, stimulating the cochlea within the ear, in the same way as sound waves go through the ear canal, the eardrum, and the middle ear. Håkansson has over 40 years of experience in this field and has previously developed hearing aids using this technology.

The cause of dizziness can be difficult to diagnose for several reasons. In 50% of cases, dizziness is due to problems in the vestibular system. But today’s VEMP methods have major shortcomings, and can cause hearing loss and discomfort for patients.

Hearing aids Exeter, Devon

For example, the VEMP test uses very high sound levels, and may, in fact, cause permanent hearing damage itself, according to the university’s press release.  And, if the patient already suffers from certain types of hearing loss, it may be impossible to draw any conclusions from the test. The Chalmers researchers’ new method offers significant advantages.

“Thanks to this bone conduction technology, the sound levels which patients are exposed to can be minimized,” said postdoctoral researcher Karl-Johan Fredén Jansson, who made all the measurements in the project. “The previous test was like a machine gun going off next to the ear—with this method it will be much more comfortable. The new vibrating device provides a maximum sound level of 75 decibels. The test can be performed at 40 decibels lower than today’s method using air-conducted sounds through headphones. This eliminates any risk that the test itself could cause hearing damage.”

The benefits also include safer testing for children as well as patients with impaired hearing function due to chronic ear infections or congenital malformations in the ear canal and middle ear.

The vibrating device is compatible with standardized equipment for balance diagnostics in healthcare and the cost of the new technology is estimated to be lower than the corresponding equipment used today.

A pilot study has been conducted and recently published. The next step is to conduct a larger patient study in collaboration with Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, where 30 participants with normal hearing will also be included.

More about the research

The scientific article “VEMP using a new low-frequency bone conduction transducer” has recently been published by Dove Medical Press, in the journal Medical Devices: Evidence and Research.

Chalmers’ partners in the study are the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, and the Danish audio companies Ortofon andInteracoustics. Grants for this project are received from Vinnova (Swedish Innovations Agency) and Hörselskadades Riksförbund (Hearing Impairment Federation).

See the researchers’ own presentation of the project

Read more about research on medical signals and systems

Original Paper: Håkansson B, Fredén Jansson K-J, Tengstrand T, et al. VEMP using a new low-frequency bone conduction transducer. Medical Devices: Evidence and Research. 2018;11:301-312.

Source: Chalmers University of Technology, Medical Devices: Evidence and Research

Image: Johan Bodell/Chalmers University of Technology

 

Unitron Moxi available at Honiton Hearing centre,Devon

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Unitron Launches Moxi ALL Hearing Instrument

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Unitron announced the release of its latest hearing instrument, Moxi ALL.

Like all hearing instruments driven by the Tempus™ platform, Moxi ALL was designed around the company’s core philosophy of putting consumer needs at the forefront. The new hearing solution is designed to deliver “amazing sound quality,” according to Unitron, and advanced binaural performance features that help consumers hear their best in all of life’s conversations, including those on mobile phones.

After powering up overnight, a rechargeable battery is designed to help “keep them in the conversation” for up to 16 hours, including two hours of mobile phone use and five hours of TV streaming. Plus, consumers never have to worry if they forget to charge because they have the flexibility to swap in traditional batteries at any time.

A new way to deliver their most personalized solution 

Consumers can take home Moxi ALL hearing instruments to try before they buy with FLEX:TRIAL™.

“Today’s consumers are not interested in one-size-fits-all. They want to know that the hearing instrument they select is personalized to their individual listening needs and preferences,” said Lilika Beck, vice president, Global Marketing, for Unitron. “This simple truth is driving our FLEX™ ecosystem—a collection of technologies, services, and programs designed to make the experience of buying and using a hearing instrument feel easy and empowering.”

As the latest addition to the FLEX ecosystem, Moxi ALL is proof of Unitron’s ongoing commitment to putting consumers at the center of its mission to provide the most personalized experience on the market when it comes to choosing hearing instruments.

The global roll-out of Moxi ALL begins February 23, 2018.

Source: Unitron