Stone's Hearing Aid Service
Where Your Hearing is Our Concern
Blog
Spring Cleaning; It is not just for your home….It is for your Hearing Health
Posted on March 11, 2015 at 11:22 PM |
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Spring Cleaning; It is not just for your home….It is for your
Hearing Health Window washing, dusting,
yard work, car washes, organizing, cleaning out the cabinets; these are all activities
that seem to emerge every spring. The spring season is an important time of
the year that allows us to clean up some of the dirt and grime, that has
accumulated during the winter months, and start again, clean and fresh. As spring rolls around, we often take on the dirtier nooks and
crannies of our homes and vehicles. However, you may not realize your hearing
aids could use the same attention. Proper hearing aid care helps maintain
optimum hearing, extends the life of your hearing aid and ensures healthy ear
hygiene. Dirt, oil, moisture and earwax can build up on your hearing devices,
clogging the tube that sends sound to your ears. This can affect the hearing
aid’s performance which is why it is important to clean them daily and if it
has been more than three months since you have had a professional cleaning,
they probably are due for a good spring cleaning. Whether you are a current
patient of Stone’s Hearing Aid Service or you have never been to our office
before, please come in to receive a FREE hearing aid cleaning and check and if
you wish a FREE hearing evaluation as it is important to occasionally check
your hearing to determine if your needs have changed since you last visited our
office. Start spring off fresh
with a cleaning, new tubes, new battery or maybe even a new set of hearing aids!
We offer many upgrade and trade-in deals for our hearing aids. Bring your hearing aids
in for a professional cleaning and don’t miss any of those spring sounds. No
appointment is needed; walk-ins are always welcome as our doors are always open
with Mark and Matt always “home” at Stone’s Hearing Aid Service, where your
hearing is our concern. Stone’s Hearing Aids 51 High Street Pottstown, PA 19464 610-326-1250 |
Do NOT Let Winter Wipe Out Your Hearing
Posted on February 3, 2014 at 10:36 PM |
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Genetics of Hearing Loss
Posted on January 12, 2014 at 9:50 PM |
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Genetics of Hearing Loss Though inherited genetic defects are just one factor that
can lead to hearing loss and deafness, which may occur at any stage of a
person’s lifespan, this is often overlooked as one does not consider probability
in this. 50%-60% or 3 in every 1,000 infants born who suffer from
hearing loss have obtained this through DNA. Although exact data is not
available for the aging it is likely that genetics play an important role in
hearing loss for the elderly as well. Other factors may include: medical
problems, environmental exposure, trauma, and medications. Inherited genetic defects play an important role in
congenital hearing loss. The majority of hearing loss is caused by mutations
("misspellings") in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequence of
genes. There are a number of other factors in the environment that can cause
hearing loss too. 25% or more of hearing loss in babies is due to
"environmental” causes such as maternal infections during pregnancy and
complications after birth. Sometimes,
both genes and environment work together as a team to cause hearing loss. For
example, there are some medicines that can cause hearing loss, but only in
people who have certain mutations in their genes. There are four compounds known as "bases" in a
strand of DNA: adenine (A), guanine (G), thymine (T), and cytosine (C). Each
DNA molecule consists of two strands that form the shape of a double helix,
through the pairing of A with T, and C with G. Thus, knowing the sequence of
bases on one DNA strand automatically gives the sequence on the other strand of
the double helix. Genes contain the instructions that tell the cells of
people’s bodies how to grow and work. For example, the instructions in genes
control what color a person’s eyes will be. There are many genes that are
involved in hearing. Sometimes, a gene does not form in the expected manner.
This is called a mutation. Some mutations run in families and others do
not. If more than one person in a family
has hearing loss, it is said to be "familial". That is, it runs in
the family. If only one person in the family has hearing loss, it is called
"sporadic". Meaning, it does not run in the family.
About 70% of all mutations causing hearing loss are
non-syndromic. This means that the person does not have any other symptoms. About 30% of the mutations causing hearing loss are syndromic. This means that
the person has other symptoms besides hearing loss. For example, some people with hearing loss
are also vision impaired or blind. The cochlea (the part of the ear that changes sounds in the
air into nerve signals to the brain) is a very complex and specialized part of
the body that needs many instructions to guide its development and function.
These instructions come from genes. Changes in any one of these genes can result
in hearing loss. The GJB2 gene is one of the genes that contains the
instructions for a protein called connexin 26; this protein plays an important
role in the functioning of the cochlea. In some populations about 40% of
newborns with a genetic hearing loss who do not have a syndrome, have a
mutation in the GJB2 gene.
Diagnosis/testing: Genetic forms of hearing loss must be distinguished from
acquired (non-genetic) causes of hearing loss. The genetic forms of hearing
loss are diagnosed by otologic, audiologic, and physical examination, family
history, ancillary testing (e.g., CT examination of the temporal bone), and
molecular genetic testing. Molecular genetic testing, available in clinical
laboratories for many types of syndromic and nonsyndromic deafness, plays a
prominent role in diagnosis and genetic counseling. Genetic counseling: Hereditary hearing loss can be inherited in an autosomal
dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked recessive manner, as well as by
mitochondrial inheritance. Genetic counseling and risk assessment depend on
accurate determination of the specific genetic diagnosis. In the absence of a
specific diagnosis, empiric recurrence risk figures, coupled with GJB2 and GJB6
molecular genetic testing results, can be used for genetic counseling |
Understanding the Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Process – Part 4 of 4
Posted on December 12, 2013 at 8:37 PM |
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Buy Local By Local
Posted on November 30, 2013 at 4:15 PM |
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Top Ten reasons to Think Local - Buy Local – By Local – Be Pottstown Why Buy Local? Support yourself: Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally owned, chain, “big box” businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community and lower the tax base. Support community groups: Non-profit and local organizations receive an average 250% more support from local independent business owners than they do from large “big box“, franchised and chain businesses. Keep our community unique: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun, all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of the Pottstown area. Our tourisum businesses benefit as well, when people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of place, not just anyplace, a sense of belonging. Reduce environmental impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in our town or within the surrounding area, as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution. Create more jobs and sustainability: Small local businesses are the largest employer in our community, provide the most jobs to residents. Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers. Respecting the customer and creating a community family. Invest in community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in our community, whom are less likely to leave, and are more invested in Pottstown’s future. Put your taxes to good use: Local businesses in our Downtown Community require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned, “big box” or chain stores entering our community. Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, well informing them of their purchase options, and not misleading, guarantees a much broader range of product choices and satisfaction. Without an individual being bullied or intimidated into a purchase. Encourage local prosperity: A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character. Stone's Hearing Aid Service has been family owned and operated, serving the Pottstown Community since 1885 |
Understanding the Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Process – Part 3 of 4
Posted on November 24, 2013 at 9:37 PM |
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Understanding the Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Process – Part 2 of 4
Posted on November 13, 2013 at 12:01 AM |
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Understanding the Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Process
Posted on October 24, 2013 at 5:37 PM |
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Understanding
the Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Process – Part 1 of 4 How often should I get a hearing evaluation? Hearing
evaluations should be conducted once every ten years through age 50 and at 3-year
intervals thereafter. If you have any risk factors, particularly occupational
or recreational noise exposure, they should be screened as needed, required by
law in the workplace (OSHA, 1983), or if you suspect that you might have a hearing
loss. In addition to noise exposure, other risk factors for hearing loss in adults
can include heredity; viral or bacterial infections; medications, such as
aspirin and chemotherapy drugs; and head injuries. A
hearing evaluation is no doubt very useful for those who have even a trivial
uncertainty about the accuracy of their hearing. If you have a distressing
feeling that one or both of your ears may have a problem, please contact us at
Stone’s Hearing Aid Service for your free hearing evaluation. What
is an audiologic screening program? An
audiologic screening program consists of 3 simple, fast procedures to determine
if a person may have or is at risk for hearing loss: 1.
Screening for hearing loss (impairment) 2.
Screening for ear disorder 3.
Screening for hearing-related disability The
entire audiologic screening process does not usually take more than 10 minutes.
When these three components of an audiologic screening program are completed, you
are identified as either having normal hearing or being at risk for or suspected
of having a hearing loss, and referred for comprehensive audiologic evaluation.
Ten minutes is a small investment of time and energy to help protect your ears
and possibly your future communication ability. A
medical evaluation may be recommended if the screening indicates a medical condition
requiring evaluation, monitoring, and/or treatment. A medical referral will be
made, for example, if the visual inspection of the ear reveals that the ear
canal is blocked by cerumen (ear wax), or if pain or drainage is present. Your
ears are one of your most important “natural resources” to protect and conserve.
Have of your hearing screened today. At Stone’s Hearing Aid Service, “Your
Hearing is Our Concern”. That is why we offer free hearing evaluations both in
office with our state of the art stationary audiometer and sound proof room or,
for those whom are unable to come to our office, we offer free in home
evaluations with our portable audiometer system. Stone’s Hearing Aid Service has been Family
Owned and Operated since 1885 serving the Pottstown and surrounding
communities. |
Occupational and Routine Life Hearing Loss (Pt 4 of 4)
Posted on August 8, 2013 at 8:46 PM |
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Occupational and Routine Life Hearing Loss (Pt 3 of 4)
Posted on August 1, 2013 at 7:08 PM |
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