Simple Precautions Can
Prevent Hearing Loss
Although summer is a time for
fun with friends and for family cel­
ebrations, many summertime activ­
ities can endanger your hearing
health. The A m erican Speech-
L anguage-H earing A ssociation
(ASH A) warns that even a one-time
exposure to extremely loud noises,
such as lawn movers, fireworks,
rock concerts, power boating, and
other loud recreational activitiescan
permanently damage hearing.
"Noise-induced hearing loss is
usually gradual and painless, but
unfortunately, perm anent, "said
Larry Higdon, ASHA’s vice presi­
dent for professional practices in
audiology.
“ Even a one-time exposure to
extremely loud noise, like a fire­
cracker for example, can cause per­
manent hearing loss.”
Knowing what noises can cause
damage is important. Prolonged or
repeated exposure to any noise
above 85 decibels can cause hear­
ing loss. Most lawn movers, motor­
cycles, chainsaws, and powerboats
produce noise at or above 85 deci­
bels. Personal stereos may account
for the highest sources o f noise-in­
duced hearing loss—sound from per­
sonal stereos has been measured at
levels as high as 110 decibels. Per­
manent hearing loss can occur from
exposure to impulse noise at or above
140 decibels, this includes some rock
concerts and firecrackers.
To protect vour hearing this
summer, ASHA recommends the
following tips:
• Wear hearing protectors such as
ear plugs during fireworks and when
attending concerts. Using cotton in
your ears does not block sound.
• Turn down the volume on stere­
os and personal listening systems.
• Use hearing protection when
engaging in noise-producing activi­
ties, such as lawn mowing, power
boating, using power tools, or other
loud household appliances.
• Limit the length oftinie ofexpo­
sure to loud noise during your sum­
mer festivities.
Twenty-eight million Americans
have a hearing loss, according to
ASHA. Nearly half are the result o f
damage from excessive noise. Indi­
viduals with a hearing loss, or who
suspect they might have a hearing
loss, should consult a certified au­
diologist. Audiologists are hearing
health care professionals who spe­
cialize in preventing, identifying,
and assessing hearing disorders as
well as providing audiologic treat­
ment including hearing aids and
other assistive listening devices.
For a free brochure about noise
and hearing loss or for referral to a
certified audiologist in your area,
call ASH A ’s Helpline at 1-800-
638-8255 or write to ASHA, Infor­
mation Resource Center, 10801
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Mary­
land 20852.
ASHA is the national profession­
al, scientific, and credentialing asso­
ciation for more that 82,000 audiol­
ogists, speech-language pathologists,
and speech language and hearing
scientists. Speech-language patholo­
gists are the professional who identi­
fy, assess, and treat speech and lan­
guage problems including swallow­
ing disorders.
Oregon Health D ivision O btains Federal Exemption
Oregon Health Division’s public
lealth laboratory- has become the sec-
)nd state in the nation to receive a
Till exemption from federal clinical
aboratory licensing regulations,
\udrene Horton, Laboratory Licens-
ng Program Manager, announced
oday. "This exemption means that
is o f June 13, Oregon laboratories
vi11 benefit from local control, lower
ees, and less red tape,” she said.
The exemption is an example o f
uccessfu I government stream lining,
ccording to Horton. Since 1970,
Jregon's public health laboratory has
liscensed clinical laboratories under
state law. The passage o f the Clinical
Laboratory Improvement Amend-
inent (CLIA) in 1988 allowed for
“state exempt" status if a state had a
program that met CLIA regulations
and was approved by the Health Care
Financing Administration (HCFA).
“This exempt status change will
be mostly transparent to laboratories
because the requirements are essen-
tially the same. However, the labs
will benefit because they will only
see one set ofpaperwork, regulations
and fees,” Horton stated.
The Health Division's laboratory
licensing program has already begin
working with laboratories across the
state to achieve a smooth transition
Washington became the first state tc
achieve CLIA exemption in Octo-
ber, 1993, and New York achieved a
partial exemption in August, 1995.
“Oregon must maintain equiva-
lent regulations, licensure and com-
parable biennial inspections o f mod-
erate and high com plexity labs
HCFA will monitor the state pro-
gram on a routine basis,” Horton
said.
Help, Hope Mental Illness
When I was growing up, people
w eren't m entally ill. They were
"crazy", nuts," or "off their rocker."
One way in which today is better than
"the good old days" is that we have a
more enlighteneded attitude about
mental health. We realize that mental
illnesses are among the most com ­
mon health problems. Approximately
one in five American adults suffer
from a diagnosable mental illness in
any six month period - that's almost
57 million Americans a year.
These illnesses strike individuals
old and young. White and African-
American, rich and poor, school drop­
outs and college graduates. They can
a ile d the person's ability to think
clearly, act appropriately and relate
to others and reduce the chances for
a happy, productive life.
A mental illness isa medical prob­
lem -m uch like diabetes or heart dis­
ease. And, like physical illness, men­
tal disorders can be treated. Today,
scientists know that many people
suffering from mental illnesses have
imbalances in the way their brain
metabolizes certain chemicals. Too
much or too little of these chemicals
may result in depression . anxiety or
other disorders. This knowledge has
allowed pharmaceutical company
researchers todevelop medicines that
can alter the way the brain produces,
stores and releases these chemicals.
thus alleviating thc symptomsof some
mental illnesses.
Due to medical progress, about 90
percent ot the people with mental
illnesses today will improve or re­
cover. II you or someone you know
has a mental disorder, the important
thing is to get help One of the most
common mental illnesses is depres­
sion. Here is a brief summary of its
symptoms and treatment
Everybody's unhappy sometimes,
but major depression is more than a
case of "the blues.” It's a "whole-
body" illness with long-lasting, dis­
abling symptoms, such as:
• Persistent sad, anxious or “em p­
ty “feeling and periods o f crying
• Loss o f interest in things that were
once enjoyable
• Decreased energy and/or fatigue
• Insomnia, or sleeping too much
• Changes in appetite and weight
• Decreased ability to concentrate
and remember
• Hopelessness and thoughts o f sui­
cide
II you experience these symptoms-
or observe them in a loved one
contact a doctor right way Reports
indicate that 15 percent of people
with severe depression eventually
take their own lives, so don't wait.
Effective treatments are available.
They include many forms of psycho­
therapy (talk therapy) and a variety
of non-habit forming antidcprcssam
medicines. The exact way these med­
icines work differs, but most antide­
pressant medicines alter the metabo­
lism of brain chemicals. They allevi­
ate many depressive symptoms, in­
cluding loss of appetite and sleep
problems, and tend to have minimal
side effects.
Pharmaceutical companies current­
ly have 64 medicines in testing for
mental illnesses, including 13 for de­
pression, to learn more about mental
illnesses . current treatments and new
medicines on the horizon, Send for a
tree booklet, "New Hope for Depres­
sion and Other Mental II Inesscs." Write
to PhRMA, 11(X) 15th Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 2005. Additional
brochures on depression are available
form the National Institute of Mental
Health. Call 1-800 421-4211.
Travel Hints and Wellness
Advice is available in a free brochure from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Association titled. Spectators’ Wellness Guide to the Games. Created to
help the estimated two million Olympic G am es' spectators have a safe and
memorable stay while cheering for their favorite athletes in Atlanta, The
brochure outlines basic health information for the smart traveler.
Conference Creating Minority Health Partnerships
Partnerships lor Health Com-
munities. Breaking Barriers, Build-
ing Bridges ' is the theme of the
1996 Minority Health Conference.
sponsored by the Oregon Health
Dlvlslon
I he contcicnce will be held July
8 and 9 at the Oregon Convention in
Portland.
I his is the sixth o f a series o f
yearly conferences that focus on mi-
nority. I he overall goal of our of-
fice is to improve the health status of
minoritycommunities,” saysSuganya
Sockalingam. Director of the Office
of Multicultural Health at the Health
Division. These annual conferenc-
eshave provided a forum where com-
munities o f color can present and
The conferences have also offeree
good opportunities for cross-cul
tural networking, coalition buildinj
and problem solving.”
Keynoter for the first day is Cher
yl Boyce. Executive Director o f the
O hio C om m ission on Minority
Health, who will speak on “Creat
ing Community Partnerships foi
discuss then unique health issues
H ca llh v Ethnic C o m m u n iti« ”
Medical
Milestones
N ew A d v a n c e s In
L im b T rea tm en t
(NAPS)—What it would be like
to be excluded from sports
because one of your legs is shorter
than the other or because you are
bowlegged? Try to imagine not
being able to reach shelves in a
supermarket or the teller counter
at the bank because you are only
3-feet-4 inches tall.
The bad news is,
kids will be kids.
The good news is,
it's covered.
Well, with Kaiser Perinanente,
you have one less thing to worry
about. I lull s because at Kaiser,
you never even have to file a
claim. Just bring them in to
vour neighborhood Kaiser
For most of us, these are reali­
ties we will never have to face.
Unfortunately, until recently, help
for those who do suffer these con­
ditions was difficult to find.
Using a surgical-quality, com­
puter-controlled erector set, ortho­
pedic surgeons are able to fix bone
deformities and a variety of limb
problem s and can even help
patients reach a more functional
height.
The newly-opened California
Center for Reconstructive Ortho­
pedics in Pasadena, California,
combines leading edge technology
and a specialized technique to treat
limbs damaged or deformed by dis­
ease, accidents or birth defects in
children and adults.
Doctors have found th at any
segment of a limb can be length­
ened with a procedure that begins
with a surgical cutting of bone.
Titanium pins, which are attached
to a steel frame assembled around
the limb, are then inserted into
the bone. Following surgery, tiny
motors are attached to the frame
and programmed by a computer to
gradually pull the bones apart.
New bone tissue forms in the gap
between the bones.
For more information call Cali­
fornia Center for Reconstructive
Orthopedics at (800) 240-8081.
The
w h o le
s e c re t
o f th e
study o f N a tu re lies in le a rn in g
to use o n e 's eyes.
—George Sand
left before they start dr
K A ISER P E R M A N E N T E
Different from the ground up