Audiology Australia Conference 2023

Some of the CHC team were in the Gold Coast this week for Audiology Australia’s 2023 Conference and an excellent time was had by all! It was fantastic to reconnect with peers and audiology peeps from across the country but also to hear the latest thinking and research from around our profession worldwide and learn more about the newest hearing device technologies on the market.

Thanks to Audiology Australia for another amazing conference 😊

Causes and Treatments of Poor Balance

balance

Balance issues can cause a feeling of disorientation and instability. These symptoms can cause you to feel unsteady on your feet, like spinning or swaying, even when you’re standing still or sitting down. This can lead to a fear of moving or falling and affect your day-to-day activities. In some cases, it can even lead to falls and injuries.

Causes of Balance Problems

Various factors, such as ear infections, inner ear dysfunction, head trauma, poor blood flow, certain drugs, chemical imbalances in the brain, low or high blood pressure, neurological diseases, arthritis, and the natural aging process, can cause balance issues. Vertigo, for example, can cause dizziness when the head is moved. This can be the result of an inner ear infection or inflammation. The flu or other respiratory illnesses can also lead to this condition. 

Meniere’s disease is when the volumes of fluid in the ear are altered, leading to balance issues, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears. Its origin is unknown. Head injuries, strenuous physical activity, ear infections, and changes in atmospheric pressure can result in fluid from the inner ear leaking into the middle ear, leading to balance problems. Prolonged sea travel can cause balance issues that may take days or even months. Tours such as acoustic neuromas may also be linked to balance issues.

Diagnosing Balance Problems

Balance problems can be difficult to diagnose and treat because of many different causes. Your doctor will likely ask about your symptoms and review your medical history. Depending on their findings, they may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist for further testing. Tests such as blood tests, hearing exams, eye movement tests, and imaging scans of the brain and head may be used to determine the cause and intensity of the problem. Posturography, which is a study of your posture, may also be done.

Treating Balance Issues

Balance difficulties may be addressed by targeting the source of the problem, such as an illness. The following methods may help to restore balance and improve overall health:

  • Medications

Your doctor will look into your medication regimen. They will possibly change it or adjust the dosage for you. If your condition results from a bacterial ear infection, your physician can give you medicine to treat it. If you experience nausea, they might give you medicine to help with that. Additionally, they may inject a few corticosteroids behind the eardrum to help decrease the feeling of dizziness.

  • Surgery

If you have Meniere’s disease, your doctor may suggest that you have surgery on your inner ear, which is part of your vestibular system and helps you keep your balance. Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that affects balance and hearing and sometimes produces a ringing in the ears. It is a chronic condition with no known cure, though there are ways to manage it. One of the effective treatments is surgery on the inner ear.

  • Home Care

To manage vertigo, your doctor may suggest a series of exercises that can be done at home or with a physical therapist. One of the most popular techniques is the Epley maneuver, which requires you to sit up, quickly lay back, and turn your head to one side. This should be done for a few minutes, after which you should sit up again. 

If the cause of the vertigo is undetermined or untreatable, your doctor may instruct you on ways to reduce your risk of injury. This could involve using a cane or handrails and getting help when using the restroom or going up and down stairs. It’s usually best to avoid driving if the condition is severe.

Conclusion

Poor balance is a condition that affects many people and can be caused by various factors. Poor balance can affect physical activities, cause dizziness, and lead to falls and injuries. The causes of poor balance can range from physical impairments to medical conditions to lifestyle choices. Treatments for poor balance vary depending on the cause and severity of the condition. They can include physical therapy, balance exercises, medications, and lifestyle changes. It is important to seek professional advice to ensure the treatment is tailored to the individual’s needs.

Country Hearing Care provides hearing tests, hearing aids, balance issues, hearing aid servicing, wax issues and more. We offer a wide range of hearing services to cover all of your needs. If you’re looking for a hearing aid centre in Australia, we’ve got you covered! Get in touch with us today and let us know how we can help!

Understanding Meniere’s Disease and Its Treatment

Hearing and treatment

Meniere’s disease is a debilitating condition that occurs in the inner ear. There are many symptoms associated with it, but most people in Australia seem to agree that they experience some form of vertigo, hearing loss, and a nagging pressure in their ears. Today we’ll discuss what Meniere’s disease is, its symptoms and the kinds of treatment that can be done to address those symptoms and the condition itself.

What is Meniere’s Disease?

Meniere’s disease is a condition manifested by a type of vertigo that happens because of a pressure change in the inner ear. The disease is named after the doctor that first described it, Prosper Meniere. It is a malady that is not well understood, but it is thought to be genetically linked. Meniere’s disease is also not well recognized. Only about 10% of the population that has this condition are actually aware that they are suffering from it.

Symptoms of Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s disease affects people differently. Some will experience the typical symptoms of vertigo, hearing loss, and pressure in the ear, but there may be other symptoms too. Gastrointestinal symptoms are often seen with Meniere’s disease. Some people will only have migraine-type headaches, while others will also experience attacks of vomiting, where nothing has been consumed.

Another thing is that Meniere’s disease can affect the patient’s blood pressure. This can lead to people passing out when that happens. Some people will feel like a band is wrapping around their heads and tightening. A lot of dizziness is common with the disease, and a lot of people will find that their balance is affected. Some patients will wake up from sleep and feel like they have been tossed around in a dryer.

There are individuals that are so disabled by this condition that they cannot leave their homes. Some people will suffer from temporary loss of vision. There are also some patients that will go deaf. Ear infections are common too, and they are often very painful. Because of the severity of the symptoms, a person may have a lot of trouble getting back to their normal way of living. Some even have to quit their jobs because of the way that the condition makes them feel.

Medical Approaches to Treating Meniere’s

Meniere’s disease is a difficult condition to treat. Some patients will have their symptoms come and go, and others will have their symptoms all the time. The treatment for this condition will depend on the symptoms that you have. If you have vertigo that comes and goes, you can try anti-vertigo medications. These medications will help the patient control the vertigo when it occurs. If you are having a lot of vertigo and your balance is affected, you should see a doctor about getting a balance disturbance device. The device will employ pressure in order to give the patient a sense of balance, and it can help you walk. If you are experiencing regular loss of hearing, you should see an audiologist so that they can fit you with a hearing aid.

The Biggest Challenge to Treating Meniere’s Is…

The biggest challenge to treating this condition is that it’s not completely understood. It’s thought that there is a genetic component to it because the malady seems to be more prevalent in some families. It is also thought to be more common in people that are of Asian descent. Meniere’s disease will usually start to be problematic after the patient has been diagnosed with other conditions.

Conclusion

Meniere’s disease doesn’t have a definitive cure, but there are a lot of ways to treat the condition and the symptoms associated with it. Some individuals will have a mild form of it, while others suffer greatly from it. While there is no cure, there are ways to control the condition and have your quality of life returned to a more normal state.

CH Care is your local family-owned audiology practice providing complete hearing health care to Australians. From hearing tests to hearing aids, our fully qualified clinicians are equipped to give you the professional hearing services you deserve. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

How Early Detection of Hearing Loss Can Make a Difference

early detection of hearing loss

There are plenty of little, incredibly minor inconveniences that happen to us throughout our lives. We tend to shrug a lot of them off, figuring they would sort themselves out and/or that they would just pass without needing to do anything about them. While that may be true for things like a fly suddenly finding its way indoors or if someone in the house accidentally leaves the hallway lights on until noon, some things need immediate attention, like having trouble hearing.

Hearing Loss: Why You Should Not Dismiss It

No matter how minimal your hearing loss may be, it should not be overlooked. Sure, it could be a natural sign of aging or you just need to clean your ears. However, the likelihood of something going on that needs to be addressed quickly is pretty high as well. Most people will just let their hearing issues pass unless the loss is significant, whether in one ear or both. In truth, your best course of action is to get your hearing checked as soon as you notice any issues. That way, possible complications can be prevented, and things won’t progress any further in the wrong direction.

A little-known fact is that aside from helping with hearing, detecting hearing loss early has other benefits for your health. Here are some of the ways that detecting hearing loss early on can make a difference:

Early Hearing Loss Detection Can Positively Impact Mental Health

Since hearing is a cognitive skill, any damage goes beyond the ears and to the brain. Hearing issues will corrupt the brain’s long-term ability to process certain sounds. That means that even when hearing is restored to its normal state, the brain will have difficulty understanding those sounds again. The longer the issue goes on, the more of a hit comprehension will take.

Early Hearing Loss Detection Can Uncover Other Issues

Hearing loss can be triggered by a number of bigger issues that may have been previously unknown. The cause could range from infection all the way to a degenerative disease. In some cases, medications with underlying toxicity could be the culprit, if not diabetes or even high blood pressure.

Early Hearing Loss Detection Helps Ensure Safety

Yes, you read that right; the general safety of your whole body can be protected when hearing loss is detected early. That’s because hearing loss can severely affect safety in general.

Can you imagine not hearing an ambulance as you’re driving until it’s too late to get out of the way? What about not being able to hear a warning during a sports game when a ball is headed in your direction? Think of other warning signals like fire alarms as well. The last thing you want to end up happening is reaching a point where you won’t be able to hear warning sounds, which could be the difference between life and death.

Conclusion

Hearing issues are often overlooked and not addressed immediately, especially if they’re considered minor. In truth, they should be addressed immediately by a medical professional for a number of reasons. Early hearing loss detection helps ensure safety, uncovers other underlying issues and can even positively impact mental health.

Looking to get a hearing loss test? Reach out to CH Care today! We’re a locally owned and operated independent business specialising in hearing aid fitting and maintenance, as well as hearing assessments for individuals in Victoria, from Echuca to Broken Hill.