Volume 42 Issue 1

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 42, Issue 1
January 2, 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Table of Contents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Article 1: Study Seeks Tinnitus Treatment for Military

- Article 2: Nationwide Captioning Advocacy Organization Launched

- Article 3: BAHA: An Overview

- Article 4: Short Takes

Our advertisers make it possible for us to provide HOH-LD-News as a free service. Please let them know you appreciate their support, and please mention that you saw their message in HOH-LD-News.

- Advertisers in this Issue
First Premium Placement:
YOUR AD HERE
Second Premium Placement:
Storewide 10% Discounts to Celebrate the New Year
Third Premium Placement:
Hearing Aid Repairs and Reduced Price Hearing Aids from Hearing Haven
Classified Section:
One Online Store and two Employment Opportunities

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----------------------------------------------------------
YOUR AD HERE
----------------------------------------------------------
If you're interested in getting your message out to people who are hard of hearing or late deafened, and to the people who serve them, you might consider a premium ad in this newsletter! Our rates are surprisingly affordable and we reach the movers and shakers in the hearing loss world. And this newsletter (unlike some of the others) is strictly "opt-in", which means that everyone who receives it WANTS to receive it!

For more information please point your browser to: http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/pub/nsltr/hln/adv.htm
or contact larry@hearinglossweb.com
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 1: Study Seeks Tinnitus Treatment for Military
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: You probably know that tinnitus is the number one disability reported by veterans of our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's good to see that the military is investing some money to find treatment options for this sometimes debilitating condition. Here's the story from the University of Alabama

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A University of Alabama researcher is embarking on a $5.6 million phase-three, randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative treatment that uses a noise-generating device, along with counseling, to alleviate the debilitating effects of tinnitus - that ringing in the ears that drives some people to distraction.

The non-medical habituation-based treatment being studied is known as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy or TRT. The investigational study of TRT will involve tinnitus sufferers drawn from the U.S. Navy, Marines and Air Force, and will be conducted in Navy and Air Force flagship hospitals in California, Texas, Maryland and Virginia. Researchers expect to recruit 228 participants for the study.

Dr. Craig Formby, UA distinguished graduate research professor in the department of communicative disorders, leads the NIH-sponsored study. Formby's team at UA leads the clinical part of the study, which is funded by a $3.2 million award from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have received a $2.4 million award to manage and analyze the study data. The project will be spread over five years, including four years for recruiting study participants and conducting the treatment and follow-up measurements.

Tinnitus is the No. 1 service-connected disability among veterans returning from the Middle East conflicts. In 2008, compensation for tinnitus disability in the VA medical system alone exceeded $500 million and is projected to exceed $1.1 billion and affect more that 800,000 veterans by 2011.

"Tinnitus is a noise inside the ear or head in the absence of any sound that could account for it," Formby says. "We don't know what happens. In some cases, it's related to an acoustic insult or gunfire. However, there may be no obvious cause for the tinnitus for many sufferers. It's some sort of over-stimulation of the auditory system that produces hyperactivity either at a peripheral or central level."

Most people who have tinnitus ignore it, Formby says, but for some it's torture. As many as 50 million Americans experience tinnitus. Estimates are that for about 2 to 5 million people, the problem is incapacitating.

"We know of reports of sufferers who have chronic debilitating tinnitus that is so troublesome that they would elect to cut the auditory nerve to get rid of the persistent ringing," Formby says.

The current standard of care involves counseling people with debilitating tinnitus. The counselors typically try to help the tinnitus sufferer to manage the problem by suggesting coping strategies and by providing information about tinnitus.

"The standard of care historically has included reassurance that the patient's condition is not life threatening nor an indicator of imminent hearing loss," he says.

General Hearing Instruments has developed this device, which is part of the new treatment.

Formby will compare the current standard of care for management of tinnitus in the military with TRT and with a placebo condition that will control for the treatment effects of the noise-generator component of the TRT treatment. After specialized TRT counseling to start the habituation process, each of the affected military personnel will use a pair of ear-worn noise-generator devices produced by General Hearing Instruments that produce a "soft seashell-like noise," which blends with the tinnitus.

"In TRT theory, the soft noise throughout the day from the noise generators helps to facilitate the habituation process, which is initiated by the counseling," Formby says. "Patients are encouraged to use their devices from the time they start their day until the end of the day or at least for eight hours a day. The patients are told to forget the devices are on. Don't worry about the tinnitus, don't keep a log, and don't worry about how bad their tinnitus is from hour to hour or day to day; just go on with their lives."

They are also taught about their auditory system and how it is believed to work together with parts of the brain and central nervous system to give rise to their debilitating tinnitus conditions."

In the clinical trial, Formby and his co-researchers will measure treatment-related changes in the impact of the tinnitus on each participant's daily activities. They also will track measures of perception, awareness, and annoyance of the tinnitus for each participant in the study. The questionnaire responses for participants who are assigned to the TRT treatment group will be compared with the responses of tinnitus patients given the current standard-of-care treatment for tinnitus in the military and with a third treatment group who are assigned to the placebo noise-generator control.

"If successful, then most patients receiving the full TRT treatment will likely report the tinnitus is no longer troublesome for them at the conclusion of the study," Formby says. "If you make a measurement of the tinnitus in terms of its pitch and loudness characteristics at the start of the study and at the end of the study, then the perceived tinnitus properties will likely be similar. But the patient's perception of the annoyance and awareness of the tinnitus will be reduced, and the tinnitus will not be bothersome to them in the way it was at the start of the study. The other treatment groups are not expected to benefit appreciably from their interventions."

Formby has been working with the U.S. military since 1999, to develop the study protocol for this pioneering investigation, which is the first definitive phase-three clinical trial of TRT sponsored by NIH. The clinical trial will take place at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton in Irvine, Calif.; the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.; the Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Va.; the San Diego Naval Hospital; the David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif.; and the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

The department of communicative disorders is part of UA' s College of Arts and Sciences, the University's largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is experiencing significant growth in both enrollment and academic quality. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.

----------------------------------------------------------
Storewide 10% Discounts to Celebrate the New Year
----------------------------------------------------------
Ring in 2010 with 10% discounts at Harris Communications. In addition to this storewide discount, all orders of $50 or more will receive Free Shipping!*

Didn't get everything you wanted for Christmas? Take advantage of the savings available on popular books, DVDs, equipment and novelties. We have the latest books and DVDs on hearing loss and our equipment products are from the manufacturers you know and trust.

Note: If you are a bargain shopper, be sure to check out our Clearance section for huge savings on many discontinued items. Prices good while limited supplies last!

*Sale ends January 7, 2010. Certain product restrictions may apply. Free shipping available on ground shipments in the contiguous U.S.

Go to: http://www.harriscomm.com/index.php?utm_source=hlw &utm_medium=news&utm_campaign=010310
or contact us at: mailto:info@harriscomm.com .
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 2: Nationwide Captioning Advocacy Organization Launched
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: Regular readers are familiar with the outstanding work being done by John Waldo in Washington State. We're thrilled to see the results of his efforts, and his success has encouraged others to undertake related endeavors. Lauren Storck has just announced the launch of a national captioning advocacy organization based at least in part on John's model. Here's her press release.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a new space to share timely information and action (advocacy) focused on captioning needs and resources. This new "work in progress" is called, provisionally, the CCAC, the "Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning" for people with hearing loss who require captioning, most of whom need CART and good quality speech-to-text systems.

The mission is focused - one theme that is multi-layered. Advocacy for captioning is needed on many levels - in cities, states, regions, and nationally. It is also required in multiple varied situations - at work, school, training, entertainment, transportation, health care, and more places.

No other existing national organization or group has this one focus, while other groups are doing great work related to this, yet within other or larger missions and goals. There is surely room for more energies and more collaborations devoted to this one important theme and goal.

The new project offers these benefits:

(1) A central interactive, online, collaborative, and open exchange of timely information about any and all captioning advocacy projects going on, locally (city), state-wide, regionally, or nationally, by individuals, organizations, government departments and agencies, and others. One goal here is to create useful organized data about "who is doing what and where, methods and approaches, technologies suggested and used, etc."

(2) A place to initiate new national advocacy projects, and work collaboratively with national organizations for people with hearing loss, to add energies and support ongoing activities on this focus.

(3) A place to encourage state by state projects for communication access using the group model (or similar) used in WA (the Waldo model). A place to support city and individual advocacy actions also.

(4) To offer a needed place for collaborations among individuals in the many hearing loss groups (ALDA, HLAA, NAD, TDI, CSD and others) to work together on this one theme of importance - real time captioning (or a good substitute) for full equal access in all areas.

Participation from concerned and energetic individuals and groups is invited now - from people with hearing loss, professional providers, attorneys, and interested others. Please join us. There is room for new ideas, new energies, and new actions to push this agenda along for millions of people who need it and deserve it for full equal communication access.

Contact: Lauren E Storck, PhD, Advocate for Accessibility Equality, drlestorck, then @, then gmail.com

----------------------------------------------------------
Hearing Aid Repairs and Reduced Price Hearing Aids from Hearing Haven
----------------------------------------------------------
Don't throw away your hearing aids! Even if you've been told they can't be repaired - give Hearing Haven a try.

Come check out our "Hearing For Life" program too; cutting the upfront price barrier of new aids, and giving you peace of mind with total hearing aid care.

Visit us at HearingHaven.com
1-888-412-3337
CS@HearingHaven.com
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 3: BAHA: An Overview
By Bonnie O'Leary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: The Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) is a treatment for conductive and mixed hearing loss. Here's Bonnie O'Leary's report on the BAHA Workshop at the 2009 HLAA National Convention.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This session about the Bone Anchored Hearing Aid, or the Baha(r) system, was a presentation of the National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication: Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center. The speakers were Dr. David Haynes, MD, Andrea Hedley Williams, AuD, and Kristina Rigsby, AuD.

The Baha System has been well recognized for treating conductive and mixed hearing losses since 1977. It is a prosthesis, and it is the only implanted hearing treatment that works through direct bone conduction. It is composed of three parts: a titanium implant, an external abutment, and a detachable sound processor. Bone conduction can be accomplished by conducting sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull, or through the skull bone bypassing the outer and middle ear and stimulating the cochlea.

Direct bone conduction works independently of the ear canal and middle ear. Its direct transmission gives clear and natural sound. Preoperative testing is possible, the surgery is safe and straightforward, the wearing comfort level is high, and the outcome is predictable.

Osseointegration

When titanium is left undisturbed in bone, it forms an initial bond which will strengthen over time. The term "osseointegration" comes from "os" meaning "bone" and "integro" meaning "renew." It is the process by which living bone tissue bonds with titanium. This is important because the integration needs to be in place before the external processor can be attached.

Surgical and Healing Process

The Baha System is outpatient surgery and relatively non-invasive. The implant is connected to an abutment that will protrude through the skin. A small, hair-free, possibly numb area will remain around the abutment. The dressing and pressure bandage should be in place for one to two weeks following surgery, and it should take about three months for the osseointegration before the external sound processor is fitted for adults. The procedure is different from very young children. The first stage of the process involves drilling holes for the fixture, placing a sleeper receptor under the skin and allowing the skull to continue to thicken. After osseointegration, which can take six to eight months, the "post" is attached during a second surgery.

FDA Clearance

The Baha System was cleared to treat mixed and conductive hearing loss in 1996. In 1999, it was cleared for pediatric use in children age five and older. The Baha System was cleared for bilateral fittings in 2001, and in 2002, the Baha Softband was introduced for children under the age of five. In 2002, the Baha System was cleared for use in patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, also known as single sided deafness (SSD).

Who Is a Candidate?

Persons who could benefit from the Baha system have mixed and conductive hearing loss. They can suffer from chronic otitis media which is an infection or inflammation of the middle ear; they can be born with congenital atresia which is the absence of an external ear canal; they can have cholesteatoma, which is an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear behind the eardrum; they can have middle ear dysfunction or disease, or external otitis. Also, individuals who have acoustic neuroma or have had a labyrinthectomy, can benefit from the Baha.

Studies show that the sound quality of the Baha System is significantly better than hearing aids due to reduced gain, less distortion and fewer feedback issues.

For very young children, the Softband provides excellent audibility compared to conventional hearing aids. It also allows accurate pre-operative testing and evaluation and gives good access to sound while waiting for the implant.

Care and Maintenance

The sound processor can be worn during all waking hours, but it is not waterproof, so it must be removed prior to bathing, showering, or engaging in water activities. The sound processor should never be exposed to extreme heat or cold. It is recommended that the sound processor be removed during contact sports to avoid damage. A safety line is provided to keep from losing the sound processor during physical activity.

Models Available

The current Baha System models are the Divino, the Intenso, and the Compact. There are also accessories available to Baha System users. The Audio Adapter protects the wearer from power surges when connected to external equipment such as personal stereos, MP3, TV, Hi Fi systems, FM and IR systems. And the MicroLink FM Receiver, developed by Phonak, enables wearers to use their Baha System with the Phonak FM transmitters.

To learn more about the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, visit www.mc.vanderbilt.edu

For more about the Baha: http://tinyurl.com/ctgql4

~~~~~

(c)2009 by Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC), 3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130, Fairfax, VA 22030; www.nvrc.org. 703-352-9055 V, 703-352-9056 TTY, 703-352-9058 Fax. You do not need permission to share this information, but please be sure to credit NVRC.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 4: Short Takes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: Here are our picks of some additional stories that you may find interesting. For more, please point your browser to: http://www.hearinglossweb.com/news/curr.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Air travel with a cochlear implant

I believe the recommendations for air travel with a cochlear implant have had some significant changes over the past few years. I seem to recall that people used to be advised not to go through the security screening with their processors in place. That advice has been changed, and there are also some new regulations regarding how to carry spare batteries on a plane. I encourage you to read the following advisories from the TSA (http://tinyurl.com/yzhebkp) and Advanced Bionics (http://tinyurl.com/y9kncoh)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apple Wins Dismissal of Suit Over IPod Hearing Loss

Apple Computer Inc., the maker of the bestselling iPod digital music player, won a federal appeals court ruling upholding dismissal of a lawsuit claiming the device and headsets sold with it are defective and the company doesn't adequately warn about the possibility of hearing loss. The lawsuit, filed by an iPod customer in Louisiana and another customer in California in 2006, had to be dismissed because they failed to show that the devices weren't fit to be sold for the ordinary use of listening to music, the appeals court said today. The customers alleged that iPods can play music at 104 decibels -- a noise level equivalent to helicopters and power mowers. While a noise warning is in user manuals, there is no indication of the iPod's volume capability on the device itself, the complaint claimed. A federal appeals court in San Jose, California, threw the case out.

http://tinyurl.com/yfvc5ax

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dog gets $3,000 wireless hearing aid

Timmy the service dog has become the second dog in the nation to receive a $3,000 wireless hearing aid. A 101/2-year-old Springer-Labrador-Bassett, Timmy received the hearing aid from the University of Cincinnati, according to his owner, Neil Young, of Young's Funny Farm. Funds were raised from the region to pay for the hearing aid Timmy wears in his left ear. "We raised close to what we needed," Young said. Some Kiwanis clubs donated money, and a local foundation, which wants to remain anonymous, gave $2,000. Timmy was fitted Dec. 16 with the hearing aid, which was custom-made for his ear. He was placed in a soundproof booth to test his hearing with and without the hearing aid. All the results were positive, Young said.

http://www.dailyitem.com/homepage/local_story_361235450.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Classifieds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One Online Store and two Employment Opportunities (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
COMFORT DUETT 10% OFF!
http://www.weitbrecht.com/onsale?php?utm_source=hlw

Employment Opportunity 1
Exciting Career Opportunities at GLAD
Various Southern California Locations

Employment Opportunity 2
Teaching Positions at GSD
Georgia School for the Deaf
Cave Spring, GA

-------------------
WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
COMFORT DUETT 10% OFF!
http://www.weitbrecht.com/onsale?php?utm_source=hlw
-------------------

Don't miss out on a thing staring this year with a new Comfort Duett on sale at 10% off through January. It's just what you need for that extra boost with one-on-one or noisy situations, watching TV and more! It's about the size of small MP3 player and easy to use. Options include a choice of headphones and earbuds. For information on all the features and to order call us now at 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY) or visit us at http://www.weitbrecht.com/onsale?php?utm_source=hlw for more details.

For a copy of our NEW catalog, email your request to: sales@weitbrecht.com.

We're now on Facebook! Come visit us!

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology

-------------------
Employment Opportunity 1
Exciting Career Opportunities at GLAD
Various Southern California Locations
-------------------

Exciting Career Opportunities at GLAD

GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

* Job Developer/Interpreter-- Crenshaw, CA
* Job Developer/Interpreter - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
* Community Interpreter - Los Angeles, CA

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

-------------------
Employment Opportunity 2
Teaching Positions at GSD
Georgia School for the Deaf
Cave Spring, GA
-------------------

Position 1
High School Math Teacher

Minimum Qualifications: Must possess or be eligible to obtain Georgia Professional Standards Commission Certification in the area of Special Education Deaf Education AND High School Math. Sign language proficiency at the "Intermediate Level" as measured by the Sign Communication Proficiency Instrument is required. Note: Candidates selected for employment must meet the "Highly Qualified" provision of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Note: Must submit required certification documentation with resume and cover letter or application.

For Additional Information:
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/emp/gsd_math.htm

~~~~~

Position 2
Substitute Teacher (Part-Time/Hourly)

Minimum Qualifications: High School Diploma or GED and four hours of initial substitute teacher training provided by a local education agency in Georgia and sign language proficiency at the "Intermediate Level" as measured by the Sign Communication Proficiency.

For Additional Information:
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/emp/gsd_sub.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Contact Information and Disclaimers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are very interested in your comments concerning the content and format of this newsletter. We want this publication to be useful to you. Please send your comments and suggestions to: hearinglossweb@hearinglossweb.com

Visit our Website at: http://www.hearinglossweb.com

To subscribe to this newsletter, email
HOH-LD-News-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Yahoogroups will respond with a subscription email.

To unsubscribe to this newsletter, email
HOH-LD-News-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. Yahoogroups will respond with an unsubscription email.

Archives for this newsletter are on our website at:
http://www.hearinglossweb.com.
Click on "Free Email Newsletter" in the header.

Advertising information for HOH-LD-News and Hearing Loss Web is available at http://www.hearinglossweb.com/misc/adv/adv.htm.

Publication of articles or advertisements does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services offered, nor of the companies that offer them.