Another Award For Nick Chitty at Oxford Hearing Centre

PRESS RELEASE

November 2011

OXFORD HEARING EXPERT RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE UK...AGAIN!

2009  -  2010  -  2011

The sweet sound of success is in the air again for local hearing specialist, Nick Chitty, from Oxford Hearing Centre who is celebrating after receiving a special commendation in the 2011 prestigious UK Audiologist of the Year Awards.

It is the third time Nick has been highly commended, his dedication and commitment to helping his patients overcome their hearing difficulties led to him first being awarded in 2009 and 2010.

Voted for by patients, the Awards recognize the finest standards of hearing healthcare in the UK. Created by battery manufacturer, Rayovac, in conjunction with Audio-Info’s Magazine, these awards are open to both private hearing healthcare practices, and the NHS. They give patients the opportunity to recognise those who go ‘beyond the call of duty’ to provide outstanding hearing healthcare and service.

Identified from amongst hundreds of entries from across the UK, Nick Chitty’s special commendation recognises what the judges highlighted as “continual dedication to both his profession and to his patients.”

On being given his award, Nick Chitty commented,

“I am immensely proud to have received a special commendation for the third year running! The fact that the award is voted for by patients demonstrates our continuing commitment at Oxford Hearing Centre to ensure we work to identify and provide the very best level of personal care and service to help each and every one of our patients overcome their hearing difficulties and make a fundamental difference to their quality of life. To be recognised as having contributed in some way to making that happen by the patients themselves is both a privilege and an honour.”

Richard Moss, senior partner of Oxford Hearing Centre, said;

“It comes as no surprise to hear that Nick has been commended again in this way. Locally, we are the only Hearing Centre to have been recognised by the ‘Audiologist of the Year Awards’ and I hope other people who may be worried about their hearing will come and talk to us and see just why our service is so special.

“For those who are considering help with a hearing device, it is important to understand that any hearing aid is only as good as the audiologist who fits it for you, each hearing loss is personal, and it takes a highly-skilled and trained professional to fine-tune this sophisticated equipment to ensure you get the best out of it for your life-long needs.”

Nick Chitty concludes;

“Although the latest hearing technology used at Oxford Hearing Centre is remarkable, we know that the device is only part of the solution. The finest professional aftercare and understanding of the individual’s hearing requirement are vital for the best outcome.”

Meet your Local Hearing Expert...

If anyone is having difficulty or is worried about their hearing, Oxford Hearing Centre offer a FREE 10 minute Hearing Screening, which is a great opportunity to address any hearing issues that you may be experiencing. It might not necessarily mean you will need hearing assistance, but just some good advice on how to protect your hearing and alleviate any problems.

To book your free Hearing Screening, simply phone the Oxford Hearing Centre on 01865 861861 or, simply call into the Centre at: 157 Eynsham Road, Oxford OX2 9NE.

About Oxford Hearing Centre



GUNPOWDER, TREASON AND… WHAT?!

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 5^th NOVEMBER,
GUNPOWDER, TREASON AND… WHAT?!

Every year, the 5^th November brings a unique array of sights and sounds as many of us enjoy the thrill of Guy Fawkes night. But while most people are aware of the harm fireworks can do if not handled properly, very few will appreciate the damage the noisiest night of the year can do to their hearing and to the hearing of their children.

Richard Moss, senior partner at the Oxford Hearing Centre, explains;

"It's quite possible for a person watching fireworks to experience noise levels significant enough to cause hearing loss and ringing in their ears – either due to a close explosion or through a cumulative exposure to noise.” 

Hearing loss through exposure to noise can be accompanied by a condition, called tinnitus, a permanent ringing in the ears for which there is no specific cure.

"We don't know necessarily who when exposed to increased levels of noise is going to end up with ringing ears and permanent or temporary hearing loss," says Richard, “Part of the problem is that it's sometimes hard to judge just how loud a sound actually is.

"A key element of impact explosions, like fireworks, is that they're very short," he explains. "Research has shown that if a sound is less than about
150 milliseconds that we really don't realise how loud it actually is. So when you hear the bang of a firework, it may be much louder than you think! This factor, coupled with the ready availability of new, more powerful fireworks means that this is a growing concern."

Aside from the instant damage experienced by some people, the cumulative amount of "continuous noise" in a Guy Fawkes night party can easily add up to harmful levels.

How to protect yourself and your children

Hearing damage on fireworks night can easily be prevented by using earplugs or specially designed headphones for young ears which the Oxford Hearing Centre are recommending for children this November 5^th.

^{“I’d like to suggest a new warning for the Fireworks Code,” said Richard;}

^{“ALWAYS WEAR HEARING PROTECTION!”.}

He sums up his message: “We obviously want everyone, especially children, to enjoy all the fun of Guy Fawkes night, but with the right protection those at risk from loud noise can avoid a lifetime of hearing damage.”

About the Oxford Hearing Centre

The Oxford Hearing Centre was formed in 1982 as a hearing aid and audiological centre of excellence. The practice is a founding member of AIHHP – The Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals. AIHHP is a professional body representing the leading independent hearing aid audiologists in the United Kingdom. Full members of the association have to meet rigorous clinical standards and are subject to peer evaluation before admission.

As well as helping people to hear, the Oxford Hearing Centre provides individual and organisational guidance on hearing conservation.

The centre has been acknowledged in both 2009 and 2010 for the Audiologist of the Year Awards. The Awards are issued as a result of members of the public nominating those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help them overcome their hearing difficulty.

Richard Moss also acts as consultant to the music industry, advising many famous professional and amateur musicians on issues of hearing protection and healthcare.

The Oxford Hearing Centre’s diverse client list covers all walks of life, from royalty to rock stars.

For more information contact:

Richard Moss, FSHAA, MRSPH

Oxford Hearing Centre

157 Eynsham Road

Oxford OX2 9NE

Tel. 01865 861 861

info@oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk

www.oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk

Do-It-Yourself Hearing Aids

Here is an Excellent article from the Better Hearing Institute

 The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is warning consumers of the inherent risks associated with purchasing over-the-counter, one-size-fits-all hearing aids instead of consulting a hearing healthcare professional. Hearing loss is sometimes the symptom of a serious underlying medical problem. All 50 states require that consumers use a credentialed hearing care professional to purchase hearing aids.

BHI also points out that hearing devices that are purchased over-the-counter or Internet without the consultation of a hearing healthcare professional may result in the devices not being accurately customized to the specific hearing needs of the individual.

                                                                   
"Today's state-of-the-art hearing aids should be programmed to the individual's specific hearing loss requirements in order to provide good levels of benefit and customer satisfaction," says Sergei Kochkin, BHI's Executive Director. "The process requires a complete in-person hearing assessment in a sound booth, the training and skills of a credentialed hearing healthcare professional in order to prescriptively fit the hearing aids using sophisticated computer programs, and appropriate in-person follow-up and counseling. This is not possible when consumers purchase one-size-fits-all hearing aids over the Internet or elsewhere."
Extensive research shows that individualized hearing health assessments and fittings programmed specific to the needs of the hearing aid user provide the best chance for optimal hearing enhancement and customer satisfaction.

"The best advice BHI can give anyone purchasing a hearing aid is to find a state credentialed hearing healthcare professional and to communicate openly during the evaluation, fitting and trial period to increase the likelihood that you are receiving the best possible benefit from your hearing aids," says Kochkin. "It will make a tremendous difference in your ability to hear and in your quality of life."

BHI has published a comprehensive consumer guide entitled, "Your Guide to Buying Hearing Aids." (See http://www.betterhearing.org/ under hearing loss treatment.) The guidelines give confidence to first-time hearing aid buyers by providing a detailed, step-by-step explanation of what to expect, ask, and look for when selecting and visiting a hearing healthcare professional and purchasing a hearing aid.

To read the full story follow this link http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/better-hearing-institute-warns-on-do-it-yourself-hearing-care-131831238.html


 Advice on Hearing Care Call Oxford Hearing Centre 01865-861861

Wax Removal

Excessive wax is a common problem that we regularly see at Oxford Hearing Centre.

This is one of our audiologists effortlessly removing  a large mass of wax from a patient's ear canal without pain or discomfort.

                    

 If you are worried about wax call us for a free examination on 01865-861861

Otomycosis

 Oxford Hearing Centre presents further posts of conditions and disease of the ear.

Symptoms

Itching, an intolerable urge to clean the ear often causes further trauma to the ear canal. Pain, discomfort, feeling the ear blocked and mild discharge can also be noted. Tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and vertigo can also  occur.

Signs

Absence of healthy wax is noticed in most ears. The external auditory canal shows edema and black discharge, at time like wet tissue paper in the ear.

Why fungus in the ear?

The ear canal can be easily infected by bacteria or fungus as it is dark, warm and humid. This occurs more in those who wear head cover in some part of the world.

Otomycosis most often occurs when too much water gets in the ear canal such as after swimming or showering in chlorinated water. It is also called Swimmers ear or Singapore ear. It is easier for germs and fungus to grow when water removes the protective ear wax. Too much cleaning of your ears can have the same effect.

Treatment

Send a swab for microbiological tests to identify the fungal and bacterial pathogens
1. Clean the ear canal by vacuum suction under an operating microscope using normal saline at body temperature. If the ear is painful instill little local anesthetic drops before cleaning. Remove all the fungal debris and discharge.
2. Insert a medicated wick with antifungal and antibiotic cream/ointment.
3. Analgesics if there is pain
4. A broad spectrum antibiotic for 5 days
5. Avoid swimming, or water getting into the ear until the fungal infection is fully eradicated.
6. Systemic antifungal therapy like ketaconazole, Iconazole rarely. Make sure the patients are not diabetic, liver and kidney functions are normal.
7. Visit the doctor and make sure the fungus is eradicated from the ear.

Antifungal agents commonly used

Clotrimazole, Gentian violet,Tolnaftate,Nystatin,Acetic acid, and Econazole

How to prevent Fungus in the ear

To prevent Otomycosis, it’s important to keep the ear canal’s natural defenses against infection working well. Leave some amount of ear wax in the canal, this has an antifungal property.

After swimming or showering, use a towel to dry your ears well. Turn your head to each side and pull the earlobe in different directions to help water run out. A hair dryer set on the lowest speed and heat can also help dry ears, but be sure to hold it several inches from your ear. After swimming in common pool, put few drops of acetic acid ear drops or any other antifungal ear drops. Use ear plugs, when swimming.

Custom made ear plugs are available from Oxford Hearing Centre.  Call 01865 861861

RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE FOR

OXFORD HEARING CENTRE

Oxford Hearing Centre is proud to announce that they are the First Hearing Care Clinic in England to be made a Centre of Excellence!

Leading Danish hearing aid specialists, GN ReSound, who are responsible for the initiative, only award the title of ‘Centre of Excellence’ to select, highly skilled professionals who demonstrate exemplary patient care and technical expertise.

To be recognised as a ReSound Centre of Excellence, Oxford Hearing Centre were able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to expertise, training and professional development in a clinical and caring environment, with a comprehensive service and aftercare programme.

Richard Moss, Director of Audiology Services at Oxford Hearing Centre said; “We are delighted that the care and service we offer has been recognised by ReSound. Our ethos has always been to put our patients first and we are prepared to spend as much time as is necessary to make sure they get the very best out of their hearing assistive systems. We guarantee that this level of care makes a real, and significant audible difference to their lives”.

Making sure a patient receives the greatest benefit from a hearing instrument is a huge responsibility and requires experience, knowledge and expertise. Unlike a pair of spectacles where the skill lies in the initial diagnosis and the resulting prescription, hearing instruments must be carefully tailored to each individual’s hearing ability. They require skilled, precise electronic programming and continued adjustment, as the patient becomes accustomed to their new world of sound. This fine-tuning can take several appointments over a number of months to get the best possible result.

Ceri Whittaker, Marketing Manager at GN ReSound said; “We appointed Oxford Hearing Centre as our First Centre of Excellence, as it is clear their commitment and dedication to a careful and professional procedure ensures each individual they treat, is getting the utmost benefit from their hearing devices.

“It is this commitment and the evidence of the impact this can have on a hearing impaired person’s life, that led us to award Richard and the team at Oxford Hearing Centre.                                                   

“Any person who goes to them receives personalised, on-going fine tuning based on their hearing loss, preferences, lifestyle and physiology. The continuous service and support programme they offer for hearing loss adaption is second to none, that is why Oxford Hearing Centre are our First Centre of Excellence”.

For further information about Oxford Hearing Centre call: 01865 861861 or visit: http://www.oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk/

Or, simply call into the Centre at:

157 Eynsham Road, Oxford OX2 9NE

.

 About Oxford Hearing Centre

The Oxford Hearing Centre was formed in 1982 as a hearing aid and audiological centre of excellence. The practice is a founding member of AIHHP – The Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals. AIHHP is a professional body representing the leading independent hearing aid audiologists in the United Kingdom. Full members of the association have to meet rigorous clinical standards and are subject to peer evaluation before admission.

As well as helping people to hear, the Oxford Hearing Centre provides individual and organisational guidance on hearing conservation.

The centre has been acknowledged in both 2009 and 2010 for the Audiologist of the Year Awards. The Awards are issued as a result of members of the public nominating those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help them overcome their hearing difficulty.

ReSound Introduces Alera TS for Tinnitus | News | The Hearing Review | Hearing Review Products

ReSound Introduces Alera TS for Tinnitus News The Hearing Review Hearing Review Products

New Wax Removal Clinic Opens at Oxford Hearing Centre

Commencing July 1^st 2011  we will be able to carry out wax clearing and ear cleaning in our new aural care clinic here at Oxford Hearing Centre.

We know that ear wax (or cerumen to give it the correct name) is not the most pleasant of substances, but if there’s one thing that regularly affects our patients, their hearing aids and our ability to carry out our job, it’s ear wax!

Blocked ears render hearing tests inaccurate, cause hearing aids to malfunction or whistle and ear impressions to be useless.

                                                              

In the past you’ve had the inconvenience of wasted visits and we’ve had to rely on

the support of your GP or practice nurse to clear this for you. In some clinics there seems to be a reluctance to carry out ear wax removal at all.

So we’ve further invested in training and more state of the art equipment to be able to offer this new service to you. All of the audiologists on staff are able to clear ears by using water irrigation or dry clearing with specialist tools. This is carried out with the use of a special microscope to provide you the safest, most comfortable and highly effective procedure possible. We also offer a quick free ear examination.

Call  01865-861861 or 
Email info@oxfordhearingcentre.o.uk

Cotton Buds

Local Hearing Specialist Waxes Lyrical about…

    Cotton Buds!

You may have read about the plight of an 11 year old boy who had suffered partial hearing loss in one ear for nine years, and was instantly cured – when a cotton wool bud popped out of his ear!

He was diagnosed with single sided deafness when he was just 2 years old. Somehow a cotton bud end had become stuck in his ear, and had been routinely missed on examination. But whilst playing with friends one day, his ear popped and out came the end of a cotton bud, restoring his hearing to normal!

It is situations such as this, that Richard Moss, senior partner at the Oxford Hearing Centre hopes to bring attention to, by raising awareness of the risks associated with the humble Q-Tip or cotton bud, as it is more commonly known.

Originally launched in the USA in 1923 and marketed under the name of ‘Baby Gays’, cotton buds (Q-tips are the registered brand name), are now one of the world’s most widely used cosmetic products.  

Demand for the product has grown as people have found more uses for it. Families used tips moistened with warm water to clean a baby's outer ear, the folds of the neck or between the toes. They're even used to apply makeup, as well as clean parts of CD players.

Unilever, the company that now owns Q-tips, produce in the region of 25.5 billion Q-tips each year.

“In our local area”, says Richard Moss. “Thames Water estimates that every single week 100,000 cotton buds are flushed down the drains!

As the plastic is not biodegradable, they cause pumps and filters in the sewer network to fail, risking pollution and putting even more pressure on our local drainage system.

Cotton Buds are found in the bathroom cabinet of just about every home in Britain, and are often incorrectly used to clean inside the ear. Despite warnings on boxes, nearly everyone does it, mostly to try to clean wax out of the ear.

Ear drum damaged by Cotton Bud

This is why as hearing care specialists, Oxford Hearing Centre has good reason to dislike cotton buds.

Because, in fact, using cotton buds often pushes earwax deeper it can cause the ear canal to become blocked, bruised and potentially even infected, as if the bud is pushed too far in, it can penetrate the eardrum and cause permanent hearing problems.

“Fresh Earwax is a good thing and is a sign of a healthy ear!” says Richard Moss. “It helps moisturise the skin in the ear and prevents the growth of bacteria.

“If you suspect that wax has built up and it begins to affect your hearing, you should have your ears examined by an experienced doctor or audiologist, if confirmed they can carefully remove the wax.”

“We know that ear wax is not the most exciting thing to talk about”, said Richard, “but if there’s one thing that regularly affects our clients, their hearing aids and our ability to carry out our job, it’s ear wax! Blocked ears can render hearing tests inaccurate, cause hearing aids to malfunction or whistle, and ear impressions to be useless”.

Oxford Hearing Centre now offer a specialist ear wax removal service, “All of our audiologists”, explained Richard, “are able to clean and clear ears by using water irrigation or dry clearing with specialist tools. This is carried out with a specialist microscope to provide the safest, most comfortable and highly effective procedure possible. We also offer a quick free check to see if the ears are actually blocked”.

So... a couple of ‘Tips’ from the team at Oxford Hearing Centre are as follows; “Don’t suffer an unnecessary hearing loss by using a cotton bud to clean inside your ears, if you must, you can use them on the outside folds of the ear, but never push a cotton bud into the ear canal.

“And ... Please don’t flush cotton buds down Oxfordshire’s drains, we may want ears to be clean, but we also want to be green! The future of ear cleaning should most definitely be environmentally friendly!” concluded Richard!

For further information about Oxford Hearing Centre’s ear wax removal service and hearing tests call: 01865 861861 or visit: www.oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk

Or, simply call into the Centre at: 157 Eynsham Road, Oxford OX2 9NE.

 About Oxford Hearing Centre

The Oxford Hearing Centre was formed in 1982 as a hearing aid and audiological centre of excellence. The practice is a founding member of AIHHP – The Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals. AIHHP is a professional body representing the leading independent hearing aid audiologists in the United Kingdom. Full members of the association have to meet rigorous clinical standards and are subject to peer evaluation before admission.

As well as helping people to hear, the Oxford Hearing Centre provides individual and organisational guidance on hearing conservation.

The centre has been acknowledged in both 2009 and 2010 for the Audiologist of the Year Awards. The Awards are issued as a result of members of the public nominating those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help them overcome their hearing difficulty.

Richard Moss also acts as consultant to the music industry, advising many famous professional and amateur musicians on issues of hearing protection and healthcare.

The Oxford Hearing Centre’s diverse client list covers all walks of life, from royalty to rock stars.

For more information contact:

Oxford Hearing Centre

157 Eynsham Road

Oxford OX2 9NE

Tel. 01865 861 861

info@oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk

www.oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk

Is Tinnitus an alarm bell ?

                                         
                                     

Tinnitus is a ringing or buzzing in one or both ears and although many people have experienced this after being in a noisy environment or whilst suffering from a head cold, it is thankfully, only a very brief intrusion with their hearing.

If it develops into constant tinnitus, this should not be ignored. In these cases, further advice, diagnosis and possible treatment should be sought, as it can be a symptom of other problems and an early warning of more serious underlying hearing loss.

It is estimated that over seven million people in the UK are affected by tinnitus, yet only three million people have consulted their GP or a hearing professional with the condition. Many people choose to do nothing and simply resign themselves to live with the problem. 

We now know that tinnitus is not a single problem, but can be a common symptom of underlying causes. This can be anything from noise-induced hearing loss from exposure to loud environments; a side effect of certain drugs and medicines; or in some extreme cases, more serious medical conditions.

In many cases, hearing aids have been shown to be helpful in coping with tinnitus. Tinnitus can be commonplace in those who are diagnosed as having a hearing dysfunction, possibly due to the damage to the hearing system, which is associated with its onset. For those people, a hearing aid may not only help to make external sounds more audible but may, in several cases, reduce the level of the tinnitus. Oxford Hearing Centre has a wealth of knowledge in this area.

                   

01865 861861

Evolution in gunshot noise reduction

Custom made Modular Digital Noise Suppressor

Evolution in gunshot noise reduction continues with the Cens Proflex Electronic module. 

Combined with unique multisoftness custom fit ear moulds, this new unique design combines superb functionality with an eye catching appearance.  This latest development leads the trend towards obstruction free, comfortable custom noise suppression for today’s shooter. These noise supressing earplugs  feature both a volume control and soft canal tip. They can also feature two pre-programmed settings for use in clay or game shooting situations.  

Oxford Hearing Centre 01865-861861

Hassle free gun mounting
Oxford Hearing Centre
01865 861861

Custom made comfort

Features  

Volume control
Program select button
Digital DSP circuitry
Low battery warning
Modular design
Multi-soft earmould

How Loud Is Too Loud

How Loud Is is too Loud

When your MP3 player is on, You should be able to have a conversation with somebody in the room without raising your voice- If you can't then music is too loud
you can also establish noise levels by considering these examples
20 db (A) =  a quiet room at night
60 db (A) = ordinary conversation
70 db (A) = a city street
80-110 db(A) = a night club
120 db (A) = pneumatic drill
130 db (A) = passenger jet 100 metres away
140db (A)  = Pain threshold and possible permanent damage
    OXFORD HEARING CENTRE HAS THE FULL RANGE OF HEARING PROTECTION AND  MUSICIAN'S AUDIO DEVICE'S

Ear Wax

Ear wax is a sticky liquid secreted by Cerumen Glands. Its there for a purpose
1. Its sticky and traps foreign objects
2,Its bacterio static this helps prevent infection
3, It is greasy so helps lubricate your Ear canal

Do Not Try and use a cotton bud it may be the last thing you  HEAR........... If you are concerned about excessive wax consult your Health care professional or call Oxford Hearing Centre 01865 861861

Normal Ear Drum

Cotton bud Damaged Ear Drum

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