You At Your Best

SponSor content As one of our most important senses, the ability to hear and enables us to connect to the world for many very important, even vital, reasons. Most importantly, hearing connects us to people enabling us to communicate in a way that none of our other senses can achieve. How do I know if I have hearing loss? The only way to know for sure if you have hearing loss is by taking a comprehensive hearing evaluation. Everyone's hearing loss is specific to them, like a fingerprint. Finding a solution is never a one size fits all approach. To find your specific needs, testing should involve a layered method, such as an in-depth discussion of your history, lifestyle, interests, and establishing your communication difficulties. Because hearing loss is different for everyone, the correct style of device and customized programing is needed to meet an individual's specific hearing requirements. And options should be presented to work within your budget and lifestyle as well. Helen Keller said, "Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people." Hearing enables us to connect to the world and people around us and untreated hearing loss is not something to put off. It can cause isolation, depression, and low self- esteem. It can also cause health concerns, like balance issues. And studies show a correlation to hearing loss and early onset of dementia symptoms, according to Johns Hopkins University. Hearing health is important to overall well-being. If you do have a hearing loss, protecting the hearing you have left is essential. At Miracle-Ear, hearing evaluations are always free. Take the first step and make an appointment. We'll find the right solution to your hearing needs. 1003 SE 14th St., Ste 12 Bentonville, AR 72712 479-321-3390 Hours M-F 9-5 The importance of Hearing HealtH Special to You at Your beSt Do you suffer from anosmia? It's not a loss of memory - that is amnesia. However, anosmia does involve the loss of something else, namely your sense of smell. Chances are at some point in your life you have experienced a period of anosmia, which is the partial or complete loss of smell. Few people give thought to what loss of sense of smell means until they are nose-deep in that loss. Anosmia can be permanent or temporary, and various things could be behind it. Allergies or a cold A cold or allergies are two conditions that irritate the delicate lining inside of the nose, interrupting olfactory receptors. In addition, swelling of the nasal membranes likely also plays a role in loss of smell, which is common with respiratory illnesses and allergic rhinitis and chronic sinus infections, according to Healthline. Head trauma The Monell Center, which studies and treats issues related to taste and smell, says that between 20 and 30 percent of head trauma patients have some type of problem with smell. Olfactory nerves pass through small openings in the cribriform plate, a honeycomb-like bone between the nose and the brain. These nerve fibers can be crushed or severed when the force of a head injury causes the brain to collide with the skull. COVID-19 Anosmia has been identified as a side effect of the COVID-19 virus. In fact, temporary loss of smell is the main neurological symptom and one of the most commonly reported early indicators of the disease, says Harvard Medical School. Research teams found infection of nonneuronal cell types - those that support neurons - are responsible for anosmia in COVID-19 patients. The good news is the neurons are not affected, so sense of smell can recover over time. Other causes There are other medically sound reasons why loss of smell may occur. These range from exposure to chemicals that burn the inside of the nose to an underactive thyroid to long-term alcoholism. Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease also have been linked to anosmia. However, there are many other conditions that obstruct the nasal passages or cause damage to the brain or nerves involved in sense of smell. Anyone who experiences loss of smell should consult with a doctor, especially if a COVID-19 test comes back negative. Such a loss could indicate a minor situation or be a symptom of a more serious illness. What may be behind a loss of smell 4 | You at Your beSt | YouatYourbeSt.nwaonline.com September - the 5 SenSeS | SundaY, auguSt 28, 2022 https://www.miracle-ear.com/stores-near-me Name: YAYB 2 x 5" Customer Name: Miracle-Ear Ad Number: 062622NWR3921 BUY ONE, GET ONE Special offer applies to purchase of same Miracle-Ear make and model hearing aid. 50% discount applies only when first aid is purchased at regular list price. Valid at participating Miracle-Ear locations only. Limit one coupon per purchase. May not be combined with other offers and does not apply to prior sales. Offer valid Level 5, 4, 3, 2 Solutions. Cash value 1/20 cent. See store for details. Offer expires 09/30/2022. OFF! *Our hearing test is always free. Not a medical exam. Audiometric test to determine proper amplification needs only. USE PROMO CODE: AHM0822N WHEN YOU SCHEDULE "Miracle-Ear is worth it because it's given me my life back!" - Lorraine: Miracle-Ear Patient CALL 479-408-4605 TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE HEARING EXAM *

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