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NewsletterOctober 2006 |
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Hello, everyone! |
Fall is here, but it's still summer in the Pacific Northwest as I write this the last week of September. We had a taste of fall a couple of weeks ago—it was wonderful to see the leaves changing color and experience the crispness in the air. One day our office kitchen was filled with the bounty of a customer's vegetable garden—the most beautiful green beans, squash and tomatoes! I just love fall! |
Keeping you up-to-date
Last month, Jim had the privilege of being the guest speaker at the monthly local Hearing Loss Association meeting. His presentation was well-received and he enjoyed being able to provide information of interest to the hard of hearing community. Thank you Andrea Cabral for extending the invitation to Jim to speak, and to Leone Miller for getting us involved in this extremely helpful organization.
If you are hard of hearing and wear hearing instruments, we would recommend that you join the Hearing Loss Association of Lane County (formerly SHHH) or your local chapter wherever you live. Locally, they have meetings the second Tuesday of each month that provide essential information, encouragement, and fellowship with other hard of hearing folks. Our local chapter is comprised of a great group of very active folks who would love to have you join them. To get in touch with them, please contact Leone Miller or Andrea Cabral. They'd love to hear from you.
Later this month, Jim will be going to Minnesota for training on some of the latest technology. Unitron, the manufacturer for the Moda open-air products, is upgrading their current circuits, providing more versatility. We are excited about this because we'll be able to offer more features for these products at the same affordable prices we currently have.
Next month, we'll be having our Vivatone representative in for a 2-day sales event to introduce the open-air Vivatone products. These hearing instruments are unique in that the receiver goes into the canal, but without an occluding tip. They also provide enough amplification for some severe losses. We've had very good success with this product and will be offering a special introductory discount for this 2-day event.
Hormone replacement therapy and hearing loss in women
Important news for women! Science Daily has recently posted the results of the largest study to date concerning hormone replacement therapy and hearing loss in women. The study was conducted by doctors and scientists associated with the International Center for Hearing and Speech Research, the University of Rochester Medical Center and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology.
The results of this study showed that women who take HRT which includes the synthetic hormone, progestin, suffer hearing loss as a result. On the average, women who receive progestin as part of their HRT had the hearing of women five to ten years older!
In addition, the tests showed that these women not only had problems in the inner ear, but also in the areas of the brain used for hearing. According to past testing, the research team has concluded that the hearing problem stems not only from "degradation of the inner ear, but also from an aging brain that loses the ability to process and filter information as the years go by."
According to Robert D. Frisina, Ph.D., senior author of these findings, "Women on HRT should consider having a thorough hearing check-up done every six months."
To read more details of this study, refer to the Science Daily article online.
Tinnitus: More Methods of Treatment
There are various methods of treating tinnitus. Because there are different kinds of tinnitus, and everyone is an individual, some treatments work for some folks, but not for others. You have to experiment and see what works for you, if you suffer from this symptom.
There is quite a variety of treatments and methods that have proven effective in bringing relief for some suffers. Some may seem unconventional, but the general attitude is, if it works for you, great! Among these successful methods used to address tinnitus are various forms of masking, cognitive behavioral therapy, TRT (tinnitus retraining therapy), temporomandibular joint and musculoskeletal therapies. Even St. John's Wort, Xanax, and Ginko biloba have proven effective for some. In addition, many tinnitus suffers have found it very beneficial to refrain from caffeine, salt, cider vinegar, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. They also report that avoiding certain perfumes, cleaning chemicals, antiseptics and suntan lotions helped. Aspirin seems to aggravate tinnitus as well as other aspirin-type medications such as ibuprophen, Midol, Pepto Bismol and Aleve, as well as some antihistamines.
There is an array of advertisements for a variety of products claiming to provide tinnitus relief: homeopathic medicines, vitamin supplements, bracelets, laser therapy, etc. Remember, there is no certain cure for tinnitus, but many of these methods do provide relief for some folks. You just have to see what works for you. You may find that a combination of things work best. Even if you cannot completely eliminate or mask the tinnitus, being able to provide some relief is a good thing.
In our next Newsletter, we will explore the various masking methods available.
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As always, your questions and comments are welcome.
Beth Bell |
Quote of the Month
WORDS ...
A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day ... 30,000 to a man's 15,000.
The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men ... "
The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"
| Author unknown |
Reminders |
| If you last had your hearing instruments cleaned in May, it is time to get them cleaned this month! |
Assisted Listening Devices |
| For Assisted Listening Devices, please visit our online store. We offer many products, including TV Ears, at competitive prices and shipped directly to your door. Satisfaction guaranteed. |
Referrals |
If you know someone who has been thinking about getting some new hearing aids and benefiting from newer technology, please send them our way. If they purchase a set of premium digital instruments, we will gladly supply you with 2 free boxes of batteries. If they purchase a set of basic or advanced digital hearing instruments, we will supply you with 1 free box of batteries.
We appreciate your referrals! As you know, we do not use telemarketing to acquire new customers. We rely upon word-of-mouth and media advertising. Not only will they receive the best care, but we can save them money, too! |
Questions? Comments? |
| Do you have a question, comment, or concern? Do you have a testimonial that you would like us to include in a future newsletter? Please don't hesitate to contact Jim or contact me. |
How to receive our newsletter |
| If you have friends or loved ones who would like to receive our newsletter via email, we will be happy to add them to our email list. All you need to do is have them contact me to provide me with their name and email address. We also have copies of the newsletter in our office if you would like to pick them up here. |
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How to contact us
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Office Hours
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Saturday by appointment only
Address and Phone
816 Beltline Rd
Springfield, OR 97477
Telephone: 541-746-7671
Toll Free: 800-230-1953
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