UpState Hearing Instruments Summer 2022 Newsletter

Upstate Hearing Instruments staff Newsletter

The UpState Hearing team is growing!

We would like to introduce and welcome our new staff members:
• Bryce Etzler – Office Manager
• Kassidy Roetto – Patient Representative
• Jasmine Rydlek – Patient Representative
• Jessica Kingsley – Patient Representative
• Jacob Concienne – Lab Technician/Dispenser in Training

Sweatin’ in the Summertime

Spring is gone and summer is here! Nothing is better than the sunshine, blue skies, and all the available activities that come with it. But summer in the Redding area is often filled with unforgivable heat. Visitors to Redding call it record-breaking heat, but the locals just call it summer. The heat is not something that can be ignored!

Hearing devices that sit behind the ear are affected the most by perspiration because they come in direct contact or are in the run-off area of the sweat glands. However, other types of devices can still have trouble with the added moisture that the body and weather generate during the summer. So, what can be done to battle the war on perspiration?

What has been found to be very effective in preventing perspiration getting into the hearing device is wearing some sort of sweatband and putting the hearing device into a miniature sock. These types of preventative measures are not the most cosmetically appealing; however, they do help reduce the effects of perspiration on hearing devices.

For many, just a simple habit of putting your hearing devices in a warm dry place with the battery door open and the battery removed can be help keep damage from moisture at bay. But to have the best chance at maintaining your device’s function during the summer months, we do recommend that you wear the sweatband when you can, and if you’re able to stop by our office, let us do a Redux treatment on your hearing aids.

What is a Redux treatment you ask? A Redux treatment is a water-removal treatment system that leaves hearing aids sounding better in just minutes. This leads to fewer repairs, 80% chance of improving sound quality, and a lower chance of having to replace your hearing devices. If you have ‘dead’ hearing aids, they have a 50% chance of being revived and, on average, your hearing aids will perform optimally for 2-3 months with one Redux treatment. So, don’t let the sweat get to you. Come by our office for a Redux treatment!

Encore Resumes

Encore is starting back up every month on the 4th Wednesday at 11am. Encore is an Aural Rehab class that focuses on strategies to hear better with family, TV, church, and noisy environments. We highly encourage our patients to bring a family member or close friend to Encore as hearing loss impacts the people around you just as much, if not more. We can all be better at communicating and the only way to do so is by working together.

Annual Hearing Test

At UpState Hearing we understand the importance of ongoing care for the hard of hearing. We strongly recommend that you get a hearing evaluation once a year. Normally, hearing doesn’t change much from year to year, but over time it can, and we want to be able to know when that happens.

For your annual test, we do three major things.

First, we perform a hearing test to determine if there has been any change. Normally, hearing loss is gradual with little change from year to year, but sometimes things do change, and we want to know that.

Second, we do a detailed and thorough cleaning that includes: disinfecting, vacuuming, drying, and changing of wax traps and domes (if applicable). Then, we test your hearing aids to determine if their performance matches the computer settings.

Third, we look at the results of your test and settings of your current hearing aids. We have a conversation about how you are hearing. When you first started losing your hearing, it wasn’t easily noticeable, however, as time goes along, often we are not hearing as well as we should be. Most hearing aids today have some sort of “data logging” or “analyzer” that shows history of use, including the average number of hours worn a day, how much the volume control was used, and more.
Using this data helps us determine if any changes are needed and how to better serve you and your hearing.
We send a letter to remind you of your annual test, but if you know it’s been awhile, please call the office and set up a time to come it. It usually only takes 30 minutes, and it will be time well spent.

Oticon More: Best of the Best!

Oticon More continues to lead the way as the best of the best hearing aids on the market.
Now with the most recent firmware upgrade, there is no need to hold the phone up to your ear while talking on the phone! The phone microphone now connects to your hearing aid microphone, just like a Bluetooth headset.

The rechargeable option of the Oticon More has been a huge success. While not for everyone, the concept of never needing to have batteries nor having to change them regularly is a substantial benefit. Another advantage to the rechargeable option is without the battery door (and battery), they have become much more reliable.

Some common themes we hear about the Oticon More are that they have a very natural sound. They are clear and great at identifying and understanding voices, especially in crowds. Please go to our website at upstatehearing.com to read more reviews.

Christa Atwood, HIS
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Request a Callback

With so many myths and misinformation about hearing loss and hearing care, it’s often the unknowns or confusion that holds us back from making the right decisions.

That’s why we have a hearing care expert available to help.

If you have a question, or would like to speak to a professional privately about the challenges that you may be facing, then simply request a callback and we’ll call you for a friendly no-obligation conversation.