Single Sided Deafness (SSD)(also called unilateral hearing loss) is the loss of hearing in one ear and is more common and more troublesome than most people realise. It’s typically caused by viral infections, Meniere’s disease, head or ear injuries, or as a result of surgical intervention to remove brain tumours.

In addition to not hearing well in one ear, a number of symptoms can accompany SSD. Most commonly, separating background noise from sounds you want to hear can be very difficult. The ability to determine the location of sound sources can also be compromised. This can make it dangerous in situations where being aware of the sound location is important – such as crossing a street.

Effective treatment options available to people with SSD are readily available and can either include a Contralateral Routing of Signals (CROS) system or a Bone Conduction Implant. CROS systems include a small behind-the-ear or in-the-ear device for both ears. The device on the worse hearing ear detects sound and relays it to another device on the ear with better or normal hearing. Modern CROS systems are mostly wireless and are effective in improving the ability to hear sound in all directions.

Meet Kevin from Mount Pleasant

Kevin is 84 years old. At the age of 25, a virus infection attacked his right ear and left him with no useable hearing in that ear. With the effects of noise induced hearing loss (‘industrial deafness’), hearing in his left ear had declined to a point that conventional hearing aids no longer provided effective assistance.

Kevin found social situations very difficult. Prior to treatment at Mackay Hearing, he recalls attending a function where a lady asked his wife “does it speak?” – a hurtful inference that he was stupid.

Our Treatment

Kevin was first fitted with hearing aids from another clinic when he was 74 years old with limited success in his poorer hearing (right) ear. Despite upgrading his hearing aids to premium technology devices, he could hear but always had difficulty understanding conversations.

Kevin’s hearing status, symptoms and history prompted consideration of alternate solutions, and a trial of a wireless CROS system was undertaken.

Kevin’s Outcome

Kevin’s trial was an outstanding success. Kevin reported being able to hear conversations much more effectively and he had gained new-found confidence at social gatherings.

Kevin was fitted with his own wireless CROS system and says that “it has changed my life!”

 

Find out more about Mackay Hearing at mackayhearing.com.au or call 4952 4649.

>> BACK TO SCHOOL WITH MACKAY HEARING

Courtesy of Pakmag

What’s news in business | Business of the Month: Mackay Hearing

Jodie and the team from Mackay Hearing take time to understand the needs of children and work hard to resolve or provide solutions for hearing issues.

Case Study with Jodie Miles, Mackay Hearing

Mum, they all talk at once!

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) can present in lots of different ways, and isn’t picked up by a standard hearing test. Mackay Hearing recently had a client, let’s call him Jason, whose mum brought him to us when he was having trouble with schoolwork.

Meet Jason

A 7-year-old Year 2 student, Jason complains to his mum that he’s having trouble hearing in class because feels like everybody is talking at once. Jason’s general academic level for reading, writing and maths is below average, however previous hearing tests have shown he has normal hearing. Talking to his teachers, they’ve noticed that Jason is fine in small groups – but in bigger groups he withdraws and doesn’t participate.

A quick and pain-free auditory processing testing procedure showed that Jason has a Spatial Processing Disorder – a common type of CAPD.

Mackay Hearing offer CAPD testing from 6 years old.

The treatment

Mackay Hearing recommended and provided Jason and his mum with:

• General communication strategies to use at home within his family
• Listening strategies and tips for Jason to use at home and in the classroom
• Classroom-specific strategies for Jason’s teacher to improve the listening environment in the classroom

Jodie and her team also introduced Jason to a CAPD rehabilitation app, which he played every day for three months. This app trains children in a fun and interactive way to listen to target sentences in background speech, and help them to separate the target sentence from the distracting noise.

The result

A retest of Spatial Processing Disorder showed that Jason now performs just like children without the disorder. His results at school have improved, especially his reading, handwriting and maths, he participates in bigger groups, seems more connected with what’s going on around him – and overall has increased confidence.

If you have concerns that your child might be experiencing something similar to Jason, please get in touch with Mackay Hearing today on 4952 4649.

 

Article appeared in Pakmag Issue 54 in April 2017.

View article online – click here.

Find out more about Mackay Hearing at mackayhearing.com.au or call 4952 4649.