Reasons Hearing Aids Are NOT Like Glasses

We often think about a deterioration in vision and hearing as being symptomatic of old age. Indeed, our systems do experience a decline in our later years, and that may manifest as either a hearing loss or loss of sight. However, the similarities between these two conditions are very limited and treating them requires two very different approaches. Here are a few key reasons glasses differ from hearing aids.

1.      Most hearing problems are sensorineural, and most eye problems are mechanical. This is an oversimplification, but it is important to distinguish these differences. As long as the optic nerve is in good health, treating vision is relatively direct. Hearing, on the other hand, works in tandem with the brain. This makes hearing loss a complicated condition to treat.

2.      Your hearing won’t get worse while wearing a hearing aid. Your brain actually works harder when hearing aids are in use. Hearing aids work to stimulate the nerves in the ear, which in turn send more activity to the brain. Glasses, on the other hand, compensate for the muscles in your eyes so that they are working less. Over time, these muscles can weaken and your eyesight may suffer.

3.      Hearing aids are more complicated. Generally, glasses serve one function: to refract light at the correct power to enable the user to see. Bifocals can be more challenging to get used to, but the process is relatively straightforward. Hearing aids offer corrections (gain) for each individual frequency. In eyeglasses, this level of sophistication might be similar to the lenses continuously adjusting the spectrum of colors.

4.      Hearing aids require more customizations. Unlike your eyeglass prescription, tuning your hearing aids can require more trial and error. Everyone experiences hearing loss differently. In order to make sure the right set of frequencies is amplified and filtered, you may need to have a couple of fittings with your audiologist.

Both eyeglasses and hearing aids serve to improve an individual’s overall health and quality of life. However, hearing aids require adjustments and patience to work optimally. If you’d like to set up a hearing consultation or are in need of hearing aid repair in Houston, we can help. Our hearing center serves central Texas in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders. Contact us at (832) 495-4277!

Can Gene Therapy Help Cure Tinnitus?

Tinnitus, or the perception of sounds when no sounds are present, affects 50 million Americans, which is equivalent to approximately 20 percent of our nation’s population. The condition can range from minor to debilitating, depending on the individual. There are proven tinnitus therapy methods, such as sound or behavioral therapy, but not everyone is able to achieve complete rehabilitation from these methods. New studies conducted in gene therapy have shown promise and may even lead to a cure for tinnitus and hearing loss.

There are a number of potential causes of tinnitus, and identifying the underlying issue is key in finding an appropriate tinnitus treatment. Many cases of tinnitus are linked to hearing loss.
Experts theorize that as you lose the ability to hear certain sound frequencies, the brain compensates by increasing your sensitivity to sound or creating phantom noises.

Gene therapy studies have attempted to regenerate cells so the body can restore the hair cells responsible for transmitting sound to the brain. Through the regeneration of sensory receptors, an individual’s hearing can potentially normalize, thereby eliminating the presence of unwanted sounds. This method has proven successful in treating other animals, primarily guinea pigs and mice. Recently, researchers have begun doing pilot testing on human subjects. In 2014, a Denver native was among the first to receive the gene therapy treatment. Though the research is ongoing, the patient did tell the New York Times he was “hearing a new sound or hearing sound differently” than he had before.

Little has been reported on the success of these trials since early 2015; however, researchers are optimistic that this therapy may lead to human treatment by 2025. If these methods are successful, it would have a significant impact on the medical field and hearing health industry. Fortunately, there are many other successful options for treating tinnitus Houston is equipped with premiere hearing health professional who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss. To schedule a consultation, we welcome you to contact our team at (832) 495-4277.