Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2024

58 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

and ototoxic drugs that damage the inner ear. Examples of ototoxic drugs are aspirin taken in large doses (eight to 12 pills a day), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), certain antibiotics; loop diuretics, used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure and certain chemotherapy drugs. Other causes are ear trauma, tinnitus, vertigo and exposure to continuous loud noises. Too much earwax can also reduce hearing. Hearing impairments can affect people in several ways. They may have difficulty following conversations, mainly if there are other sounds in the room or if the person speaking talks quietly, rapidly or unclearly. There is often a time delay between when a speaker asks a question and when a person with hearing loss interprets and responds to the question. There is a close relationship between one’s ability to hear and oral language. Individuals with hearing loss might also have little or no speech, especially if the person is born Deaf or who become Deaf at a very young age. People who are Deaf will often communicate through sign language. American Sign Language (ASL) is widely used and has its own grammar and word order. Others may use manual English (or signed English), which is sign language in English word order.

Approximately 48 million people in the United States have a hearing impairment. 32 One in three people aged 60 years and older have mild hearing loss, and half of people over age 85 have significant hearing loss. Assistive Technologies for Clients With Hearing Impairment People who have hearing loss may use hearing aids. A hearing aid is a small device that fits in or on the ear. Most work by making some sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate and participate more fully in activities of daily living. There is a growing number of hearing aids that work through bone vibration. These types of hearing aids are called bone conduction hearing aids. Unlike traditional hearing aids, which can be easily removed, bone conduction hearing aids are surgically implanted and are generally not removable. Approximately 30 percent of people aged 70 and older wear hearing aids to improve hearing. 61 Despite the high number of people affected by hearing loss, only about one-fifth of those who could benefit from a hearing aid have one. 61 To increase access to hearing aids, the Food and Drug Administration established a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults 18 years of age and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss that went into effect on October 17, 2022. 62 Individuals with hearing loss or speech impairments may also use a teletypewriter or a telecommunications device . These enable communication through typed messages. The person sending a message types it on a keyboard, and the person receiving it reads the text on a screen. Massage Practice Setting for Clients With Hearing Impairment Consider using the following suggestions when interacting with individuals who have hearing loss. • Be sure you have the client’s attention before speaking. Eye contact is considered a sign

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