6
TIME OF YOUR LIFE SPRING EDITION
MAY 18, 2018
PENINSULA HEARING
Hearing care is health care Hearing and tinnitus’ effects on the brain
associated with attention, emotion and stress. What results is an overly distributed and stimulated network leading to irritation and in worse cases, depression and lack of sleep.
By MEGAN NIGHTINGALE, AUD PENINSULA HEARING, POULSBO AND PORT TOWNSEND, WA
A
ccording to the latest research, hearing problems and tinnitus aren’t just a minor inconvenience, they can have real world negative consequences for brain health. To date, over 2,000 research articles have been published about how living with untreated hearing problems and bothersome tinnitus can change Megan Nightingale, AUD the critical nerve pathways and junctions in the auditory system of the brain. Our brain works with rapid-fire conduction and transfer of information by neurons conducting billions of bits of information to and from the various processing centers of our brain. One of the parts of our brain that allows for rapid-fire processing is the nerve Synapse, or junction between nerve fibers. Information in the form of electro-
Untreated hearing loss can ultimately lead to greater cognitive decline. File Art chemical transmissions take place at these junctions, allowing for incredibly fast transfers of information.
1. Having untreated hearing loss can lead to greater cognitive decline and faster decline over the years.
We do know that as we get older, these transmitters of information start to slow down and while a healthy, older brain is just as capable of processing information as a young, healthy brain, the older brain is just slower at it. This is called normal cognitive decline.
2. There was no difference in the rate of cognitive decline between normal hearing subjects and those with hearing loss who wear hearing devices.
Studies from Johns Hopkins University here in the U.S. and from various universities around the world are finding the same conclusions:
In the case of tinnitus, studies in the U.S. and China have found that with today’s advanced brain imaging technology, people with reported bothersome tinnitus show an excess of neural activity connecting the auditory processing system to other regions of the brain that are
Many studies investigating the adverse effects of hearing and tinnitus issues are coming from our own Veteran’s Administration. This is due to the fact that the number one and two disabilities for veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan are hearing loss and tinnitus. Findings from the VA state that the most effective treatment for tinnitus is hearing devices to treat hearing loss. This is because in about 90 percent of cases where tinnitus is reported, there is also a hearing problem, usually unnoticed. Stimulating auditory neurons through the use of hearing devices helps the brain focus its attention on hearing the outside world better while also decreasing the brain’s attention to the extra neural activity involved with tinnitus. Over time the brain learns to tune out the bothersome tinnitus as it focuses and interprets sound from the world around us. There have never been better treatments for hearing and tinnitus issues than what we have available today, so be sure to ask you doctor to screen your hearing at your next physical or visit your local hearing health care center for a free hearing screening. Remember, hearing care is health care!
CALENDAR RESOURCES
Making new friends when you’re over 55 It’s not that easy to reach out and make friends when you’re older, but there are plenty of places around Kitsap to try By LESLIE KELLY
W
hen younger, making friends seemed to be a natural thing. You met people at work, at social functions or even online. But after age 55, the opportunities to meet new people and make new friends can be problematic. If you’re not a church-goer and you feel you’re too young for the community senior centers or the “Red Hat” society, here’s a handful of suggestions of places, events and activities where you might find new friends, and maybe even find that special person to spend time with.
ATTEND A WINE TASTING With wine tasting rooms in every part of the county, this is the perfect place to drop in and meet new people. Eagle Harbor Wine Co. on Bainbridge Island at 278 Winslow Way E, is a popular one. Call 206-842-4669 or go to their website at www.ehwineco.com. Or try Olalla Valley Vineyard & Winery, 13176 Olalla Valley Road SE, Olalla, call 253-851-
4949. Website: www.olallavalleyvineyard.com Listen to our local talent at a community concert. During the summer, there are plenty to choose from with concerts at the waterfront gazebo in Port Orchard, on the waterfront in Bremerton and in the parks on Bainbridge Island and in Poulsbo. Check the parks department websites for specifics. Get outside. Olympic Outfitters is a place to go to learn about fly fishing. See more at www.peninsulaoutfitters.com/ product-category/fly-fishing-classes/. If you’ve never been in a kayak and want to try, check out the classes offered at Olympic Outdoor, www.olympicoutdoorcenter.com. There are also standup paddle boards to try. For those who want a hike, try the Kitsap Outdoors group on MeetUp.com. The Kitsap Outdoors Meetup Group is an outdoors group dedicated to bringing introductory hikes, snow travel, camping, backpacking and biking to the citizens of Kitsap County. Starting where the Clear Creek Trail leaves off, they know area parks, the Olympics and Mount Rainier. Go to www. meetup.com/Kitsap-Outdoors/ for more. The North Kitsap Trails Association at www.northkitsaptrails.org, is where you can work outdoors, assisting with keeping up our local trails. Learn something new. Sign up for an adult education class with your local parks department or classes offered at Olympic College. If you’re really committed, check out the See FRIENDS, Page 7
Getting outside is a great way to meet new people. File Art