You’re coming to the hospital to give birth.

You’ve had a hip replacement and now will have a hospital stay to complete rehabilitation.

There are a lot of things swirling through your mind, notably thoughts like “Am I going to be OK?”

Questions like “Where is my toothbrush?” are probably on the backburner. That’s why it’s a good idea to make a “hospital essential items” checklist now.

Kurt Bloomstrand, MD, sees these scenarios plenty while providing care in the emergency department at OSF HealthCare. He says a hospital will provide basic toiletries, blankets, food and clothing like a gown and socks. But some people prefer their own toiletries, clothes and snacks.

Other things to do and bring:

·       Write down your health information: health insurance, medications, medical history, name of your primary care provider, allergies and legal documents like power of attorney and a do not resuscitate order. Have an identification like a driver's license, too.

“Some people in the emergency department are not able to tell us their health information given what they’re presenting for. So, it’s so valuable to have basic health information written down,” Dr. Bloomstrand says. He adds that knowing your health information allows providers to care for you properly. You can also bring legal forms to your provider anytime to be added to your medical record.

·       Bring other items essential to your well-being: eyeglasses, contacts, hearing aids, dentures and a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP) for sleeping. Bring cases and batteries for these items, too.

·       When choosing clothes, opt for loose-fitting and short-sleeved garments.

“If you have an IV, a short-sleeved shirt is much better to access it than a long-sleeved shirt,” Dr. Bloomstrand says. “You can bring a robe to cover up.”

 

·       For moms giving birth, bring your birth plan in written form. Pack a few pairs of clothes for you and your baby.

“Babies notoriously spit up on their clothes,” Dr. Bloomstrand says with a smirk.

The hospital can provide diapers, wipes and a breast pump. But, you can bring your own if you prefer a certain type.

“Not only can you use your breast pump, the people at the hospital can teach you how to use it,” Dr. Bloomstrand says.

What babies don’t need at the hospital: rattles, books and toys. Save those memories for home.

·       Don’t overdo it with personal items and food. This can cause your room to get cluttered and create a trip hazard. Have someone who can take unneeded items home.

·       Don’t bring valuable items. Dr. Bloomstrand says a phone is OK to keep in touch with loved ones. But other electronics and jewelry should stay home. Hospitals have security, but like any other place, there is a chance for theft.

Interview clips

According to Emily Cooper, AuD, a clinical audiologist and audiology supervisor with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, researchers continue to learn more about the relationship between hearing loss and dementia.

"Over the last 10 years, there have been more and more studies linking hearing loss with dementia. There's a growing body of research showing that not only is there a link, but that untreated hearing loss is more of a risk for cognitive decline," Dr. Cooper says.

While researchers are still working to understand exactly why hearing loss and dementia appear to be connected, Dr. Cooper emphasizes that hearing loss alone does not cause dementia. Instead, untreated hearing loss may contribute to factors that increase the risk of cognitive decline over time.

One possible reason is the impact hearing loss can have on a person's social life. Individuals who struggle to hear often withdraw from conversations, social gatherings and activities they once enjoyed.

"Your brain needs to be active and used," Dr. Cooper stresses. "Hearing loss also takes a lot of brain power. Your brain is having to do a lot more processing to understand the world." Over time, that increased effort may contribute to cognitive decline.

Recognizing the signs of hearing loss

Hearing loss can develop gradually, making it difficult for people to recognize when their hearing has changed. Dr. Cooper says some common warning signs include:

• Turning up the television louder than usual
• Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
• Saying "what?" or "huh?" more often during conversations
• Having more difficulty hearing in noisy environments, such as restaurants or crowded events
• Experiencing ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus

Because these changes often happen slowly, family members are sometimes the first to notice them.

Dr. Cooper says loved ones can play an important role by encouraging hearing evaluations in a supportive way. Rather than focusing on the hearing loss itself, she recommends emphasizing quality of life and participation in important moments.

For example, family members might say they want their loved one to fully participate in family gatherings or clearly hear conversations during medical appointments.

Don't wait to get your hearing checked

Many people postpone hearing evaluations for years, assuming hearing loss is inevitable or waiting until their golden years.

"Getting treated early is going to be the most beneficial in preventing cognitive decline as it relates to hearing loss," Dr. Cooper says. "That means getting your hearing tested early, not waiting until you're 65 and on Medicare to do so. Even in your 40s and 50s, there's research that shows even mild hearing loss in your 40s and 50s can lead to cognitive decline later in life."

She encourages adults to establish baseline hearing assessments as they age, just as they monitor other aspects of their health.

A good first step is discussing hearing concerns with a primary care provider, who can then provide a referral to an audiologist for a comprehensive hearing evaluation.

A growing concern for an aging population

The importance of hearing health is becoming even more significant as the nation's population ages.

By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be over the age of 65 according to the United States Census Bureau. Dr. Cooper says this creates a larger risk for both hearing loss and dementia.

"We're looking at massive numbers of an aging population and people who could be at a risk for dementia and hearing loss," Dr. Cooper says. "As a field, we are looking at educating people to get their hearing tested early and getting treated early."

Research in Oxford Academic’s Age and Ageing journal suggests that individuals who receive treatment for hearing loss may have a lower risk of cognitive decline than those who leave hearing loss untreated.

Treatment options vary based on the severity of hearing loss and may include hearing aids or cochlear implants. While Medicare does not currently cover hearing aids, cochlear implants are covered by Medicare and many other insurance plans.

For Dr. Cooper, the message is straightforward: hearing loss should not be viewed as something people simply have to accept. Identifying hearing loss early and seeking treatment may help individuals stay engaged, connected and cognitively healthy as they age.

If you have concerns about your hearing, speak with your primary care provider who can help talk through options with you.

Video Interview Clips

As parents, it’s easy to sometimes think our children are ignoring us. But it’s a real possibility they could have a hearing problem.

According to the World Health Organization, about 95.1 million children age 5-19 live with hearing loss. And more than 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. May is national Speech-Language-Hearing month and is a good time to raise the importance of staying on top of our children’s hearing.

Krista Irmeger, AuD, an audiologist with OSF HealthCare, says congenital hearing loss starts at birth. 

“It can be genetic. It can be a factor in pregnancy with the mom; it can be acquired later with different viruses and illnesses,” says Irmeger.

There are plenty of signs to look out for, Irmeger adds. In babies, it starts when they don’t get startled at loud noises. They don’t use signal words by the time they turn 1. Signal words are basic words and gestures toddlers use to communicate basic needs, regulate their emotions or express preferences before they develop full sentences. In older children, speech and language development is delayed. They don’t follow directions or often turn the TV volume up.

As children age, there are several contributing factors that could lead to hearing loss. The biggest one is noise exposure. That can include repeated exposure to loud music or attending concerts or fireworks displays. Another potentially bad habit is overusing ear buds and headphones.

“Kids nowadays are using earbuds and headphones like crazy,” says Irmeger. “So, monitoring the volume of that; the rule that we go with is 60% or less of the max volume, never greater than that. And then monitor how much time they're using headphones and earbuds. Wearing hearing protection when you're around loud noises, concerts, sporting events, fireworks...”

Children should be receiving hearing exams in school through middle school. But if parents have any concerns or notice any issues such as speech and language delays or frequent ear infections, Irmeger encourages parents to make an appointment to see an audiologist to set up a hearing exam. Ear tubes are an effective way at treating hearing loss caused by chronic fluid buildup or repeated infections in the middle ear.

“If there's an underlying medical condition like an ear infection or a structural abnormality, first we would get that treated,” Irmeger says. “And if the hearing loss is still there, then it would be a hearing aid, and if it's more severe, it'd be a surgical treatment, like a Bone Anchored Hearing aid (BAHA) or a cochlear implant.” BAHA is a surgically implanted device that uses bone conduction to transfer sound directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that can provide a sense of sound to a person who is deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. 

Getting the news that hearing aids are needed can be unsettling to anyone. Irmeger says children typically react in one of two ways. “Some children are excited to have hearing aids because the kids in their classroom are like, ‘Whoa, that's really cool that you have that.’ And others are more reserved and they're hesitant to get them. I think the big factor that really helps is how the parents respond. If they're super excited and they make it seem like a cool thing that they get to do.”

Preserving your child’s hearing starts with good habits developed in the home. “If you're in a situation and it's loud for you, it's going to be loud for your kids too,” says Irmeger. 

For more information on children and hearing, visit the OSF HealthCare website. 

 

Interview Clips 

Do you ever get a loud ringing in your ears? What about a hissing or whooshing or clicking sound? Chances could be that you have tinnitus.

And you’re not alone. Many people have a ringing or another sound in their ears from time to time. But tinnitus (tin-NITE-us or TIN-ne-tus) can be both persistent and frustrating for people with a severe case of it.

“Anywhere between 10 to 20% of the population may have tinnitus at one time or another. Estimates of 50 million people in the country which is quite significant," says Chris Workman, AuD, an audiologist with OSF HealthCare. "For most of those people, it's not something that's significantly disabling. However, there is a percentage of population where it can cause significant issues.”

That includes having trouble sleeping or concentrating. Being alone in a quiet room can exasperate the situation. Dealing with tinnitus on a daily basis can make people feel angry, depressed and feeling irrational.

Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease. It’s been linked to noise exposure, hearing loss, a side effect from taking certain medications at high doses and the aging process. (Hearing loss impacts one in three people over the age of 65.) An injury to the head or neck can damage the structures of the ear, and even ear wax or an ear infection can cause a blockage of the ear and trigger tinnitus.

Tinnitus can occur in one or both ears.

“Most of the time, we see it happen in both ears because it's gradual due to aging, noise exposure or some other health issues," says Dr. Workman. "Sometimes hypertension, cardiovascular health can play a role. So it may come on slowly and gradually and usually both ears. If it's one ear, I would definitely suggest having it checked out.”

There is no cure for tinnitus. But there are therapies and devices called sound generators which may help silence tinnitus, mask the sounds or help the patient get used to the noise or distract them.

“Some patients who have normal hearing may not need a hearing aid, so we might use that device as a tinnitus masker where it has different noises, whether it's a white noise or ocean-like noise, something else to focus on," says Dr. Workman. "We have fit patients with no hearing loss with a mild-gain hearing aid as a means to kind of drown it out. Sometimes just a little amplification is helpful to help the brain focus on the external noises around them.”

Because ongoing noise in your ears is annoying, Dr. Workman says anxiety will play a pivotal role in how a person handles tinnitus. He recommends that people find ways to reduce stress, which may help.

“Part of the key in minimizing the annoyance is reducing anxiety, educating them on the possible causes, and the fact that over time it may reduce the level of intensity," adds Dr. Workman. "It may not be a cure, but exercise and those types of things can help reduce overall stress levels, which will help minimize the annoyance of the ringing. It also may help them get better sleep, which in turn will help lead to less stress.”

Dr. Workman also suggests limiting the intake of caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes, which can increase tinnitus. Lifestyle issues such as exercise and diet are also important to cardiovascular health which also helps overall health, including hearing.

When it comes to your hearing, protection is the key. To minimize any type of damage, Dr. Workman recommends wearing earplugs whether it’s going to a rock concert or mowing the lawn. And if you use earbuds turn down the volume. If someone else can hear your music or podcast, it’s too loud.  

For starters, people age 55 and over should schedule a hearing test to establish a baseline.

For more information, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

The OSF Audiologist says since it's his profession, he knows the dangers of loud noise and the lasting impact it can have on his hearing. 

Our listening habits could be doing more harm than good. Especially for younger people.

A recent published study cautions that between 670 million and more than 1.3 billion teens and young adults could face hearing loss due to unsafe habits. 

Researchers concentrated on two main sources of loud music exposure: live music events and personal listening devices like headphones. 

Listening to sounds at a decibel level of 85 or higher for long or a repeated amount of time can cause hearing loss.

“A lot of us feel invincible at that age, so we tend not to take that message to heart," Dr. Workman says. "Hopefully they understand the potential damage they could do.”

Dr. Workman offers a few helpful tips like wearing protection at concerts and sitting in the back of the venue, if possible. 

He also says to wear ear plus and turn the music down on your headphones. 

If you're concerned you may be experiencing hearing loss, Dr. Workman recommends scheduling a hearing test.

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