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Review: Phonak hearing aids at your service even in noisy environments


Hearing aids are digital equipment for sound collection, amplification and direction, into the ear. A basic hearing aid must include a microphone, amplifiers, receivers and batteries. It is traditionally expected that hearing aids should help one to hear better in a quiet environment. When it comes to a noisy environment, making a good choice can be a challenge. Audiologist and clinicians can help you if your lifestyle involves being in noisy environments, like a stadium or a restaurant.

According to a study conducted four years ago, hearing aids can meet the challenges of noisy environments. The studies showed that some hearing aids can work well there.

It was found that a new hearing aid technology, open-fit hearing aids, a type of behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, when equipped with directional microphones, can perform well in noisy environments. Open-fit technology allows ambient sounds into the ear canal. This is more attractive than the traditional hearing aids which can create canal blockage. Directional microphones, on the other hand, help its user to distinguish conversation from background noise by partially cancelling out low frequency sounds coming from the sides and from behind. It was proved conclusively that open-fit hearing aids with directional microphones on average gave wearers a 20 percent improvement in speech intelligibility in a noisy environment, particularly a restaurant setting, compared to not having a hearing aid or wearing an open-fit aid without a directional microphone. This study was the first to show that this combination showed an improved performance in hearing sound. Open-fit hearing aids, a type of BTE hearing aids, have been in the market for a long time, but with the results of this research, audiologists and clinicians will readily recommend the technology with a directional microphone for a challenging noisy environment.

Phonak Hearing Aids

Phonak hearing aid brands have been ranked number three worldwide in the market. Phonak hearing aids come equipped with the basic features like microphones, amplifiers, receivers and long lasting batteries. Its brands have different styles like in-the-canal (ITC), in-the-ear (ITE), completely-in-the-canal (CIC) and behind-the-ear (BTE). Phonak’s BTE hearing aids come equipped with directional microphones. So, you can be sure that whether in a quiet environment or a challenging noisy environment, Phonak hearing aids can serve you well. You can visit the website for Phonak hearing aids for an overview of its product line.

Always remember to consult an expert for your lifestyles and needs before choosing any hearing aid. Remember also that hearing aids are costly. So, avoid falling into the trap of buying one that you’ll later regret doing so. Get yourself checked by an audiologist before a recommendation before taking a decision on hearing aids.

Source: Unaided and aided performance with a directional open-fit hearing aid.


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To get healed after a relationship post break-up, de-friend that ex- on Facebook or you’ll get caught stalking.


After you have called it quits, you continue to establish contact with your former partner. This is not because you desire to return to the relationship status quo, rather because you do not want to perceive yourself as feeling hurt, or harboring grudges. On the other hand, it is wise that after a relationship post break up, you call it quits, stop having frequent and close contact, whether offline or online, with your former partner. If you do not do so, you are giving yourself greater sadness and inhibiting your options for recovery.

Would you not feel anger, disappointment, confusion, hatred, frustration or even betrayal if you found your former partner talking with a handsome man or beautiful woman on the street? Would your adrenaline not get a rush? Maintaining close contact with that ex- online, most especially by reading his Facebook updates and being friends with him/her on Facebook can illicit unwanted sexual arousal, lust and a negative desire to do something wrong.

The sooner you make all contacts with that ex- infrequent, particularly when both of you were former friends on Facebook, the better for you so that you can heal your broken heart after a relationship break-up.

The effects of remaining Facebook friends with an ex-lover or even just following their activities online can disrupt your ability to heal emotionally and move on with your life. Due to jealousy and unwanted desires, you could end up doing Facebook surveillance on his or her posts. Researchers have found that this negative outcome is demonstrated both online and offline. This is termed relational intrusion and can lead to stalking.

Whether you are mature enough to handle the distress associated with the break up or not, it is better to let sleeping dog lie. Your split might be amicable. You find nothing wrong in remaining friends on Facebook. You have no negative feelings, no sexual desire or longing for that ex-. Both of you might share the same passions offline and online. So, you find nothing wrong in your having constant contact on Facebook, even offline.

It is better to keep that ex- at a distance. It is best not to read his or her Facebook status updates, or even Facebook profile wall messages and photos. Because Facebook information is easy, free and anonymous, you could end up falling prey to the trap of monitoring the behavior of the ex- online. You could end up stalking that individual on Facebook. It has been shown that this happens online as well as offline.

People who engage in it tend to perceive it as harmless. It is relational intrusion and dangerous. Many persons have found themselves guilty of writing a status update just to make the ex-partner feel jealous. Do not go that way. Your action could turn out to be obsessive because it costs you nothing to do so, and by the way, no one saw you doing it. Much more so, the desire for that former partner could be renewed and how upsetting you would be to find that ex- has found another smashing handsome man? Mounting electronic surveillance on people without permission is a dangerous thing.

If you found that you are obsessively monitoring your ex-partner’s online behavior, better de-friend that person immediately. That is the best you can do for yourself. It is the best remedy you can give yourself when you are broken-hearted over your break up with an ex-partner. You have to allow yourself the time and opportunity to heal emotionally well from the break up. Your personal growth can be at risk also if you do not take this course.

Source: Can Post-Breakup Facebook Surveillance Delay Emotional Recovery?


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Where you need to have dentures fitted, go for removable traditional dentures


Many adults and teens go to the dentist when they lose their teeth. Losing one’s teeth could arise from an accident or from microbial infection to the teeth due to improper dental hygiene. Whatever the case, full or partial dentures have helped so many people restore their esteem and ability to chew again after they have lost their teeth.

Teeth decay from eating sugar is not because one eats too much sugar. This arises because the amount of sugar that has contact with the teeth for extended period of time is high. Teens obtain about 40 percent of their carbohydrate intake from soft drinks and this constant beverage use increases the risk of tooth decay. If one suffers tooth decay because he is taking too much sugar and has to have dentures fitted, he should consult a dentist and make sure the dentures fit well otherwise, he would fall into the same trap that caused the problem in the first place: eating of foods that are easy to chew and low in nutritional quality such as cakes or pastries.

It is better to be safe than sorry. It is better to maintain a high standard of oral hygiene than having to lose your tooth and have to replace them with devices that will help you to chew, speak and make you retain your self-esteem.

What if you needed a denture?

When looking for a denture, make sure you have one that is secured because if they are not, food could get in-between and make your mouth sore. Try the one you like, but not without consulting your dentists. Make sure you chose one that helps you to talk better because it could be embarrassing to have them fall when you are trying to talk.

Traditional dentures are viable replacement for your tooth. They are prosthetic devices that partially serve as false teeth. Traditional dentures could be partial or complete. The partial dentures are removable and can be inserted without much help, while the complete dentures are fixed, sometimes called dental bridges, and you need to have a dentist with you when being inserted.

Partial dentures might be your choice, if you were poor and cannot afford to pay the high cost of seeing the dentist often and on. They can be removed and reinserted without the help of a dental professional. They attach to the remaining natural teeth, with an ability to be removed for easy maintenance and cleaning. One other advantage removable partial dentures have is that one requires minimal tooth preparation for the device to be accommodated in the mouth.

It is good to get yourself a denture that is well secured, has good support and is well retained so that they do not have to fall out even when you are talking.

Nothing replaces taking care of the teeth

Nothing can replace taking care of your teeth. Sugar-free carbonated drinks and acidic beverages such as lemonade should be preferred over sugared beverages because they can contribute to de-mineralization of tooth enamel if consumed regularly.

Brush and floss your teeth regularly. When brushing, make sure you brush your tongue very well. Try to eat much of calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A and proteins to ensure that the foundation of the teeth is strong because even with good brushing and flossing, a weak foundation would have made all that effort useless. Try to brush right after you eat very sweet food like chocolate and pastries.

I wish you do not have to get dentures. I wish that you can reverse the effects of your teeth decaying. But if on the other hand you cannot do without a denture, make sure that your dentures are fitted properly. If you are having difficulty chewing or have mouth discomfort, eat nutritious foods by having cooked vegetable instead of raw, canned fruits.

Although having a denture, whether a removable, fixed or complete, know that dentures do not come cheap. You can ask your dentist to give you a payment plan if possible. After all is said, the best you can do for yourself is to stop your teeth from decaying.

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