Soal Tema 5 Kelas 2 Semester 2

Best Over-the-counter (OTC) Drugs For Common Ailments

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Best Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Of 2023

What Are Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids?

According to the FDA's new rule, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are hearing aids intended for people at least 18 years old with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. They are now available at stores and online retailers (who aren't required to be licensed sellers) without the need for a medical exam, prescription or fitting adjustment by an audiologist or hearing health professional. With that said, the OTC hearing aids must be controllable by the user and customizable to the user's hearing needs, allowing them to make volume and frequency-dependent changes based on their preferences without the assistance of a professional.

Note that OTC hearing aids are different from personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), which are used to amplify sounds in certain environments and are not subject to FDA regulation.

While specific cost information is not yet outlined by the FDA, OTC hearing aids are expected to be more affordable than prescription hearing aids, which are often sold bundled with audiology services. Affordable OTC hearing aids have the potential to make hearing aids more easily available to people with some degree of hearing loss who may not otherwise be able to afford them. Users also won't be required to present a prescription from an audiologist or other hearing health professional in order to purchase them.

Sreek Cherukuri, a board-certified ear, nose and throat physician and hearing aid expert, expects to see the consumer marketplace determine the ultimate cost of OTC hearing aids (as opposed to the FDA establishing a price ceiling). "Where the average price of a prescription hearing aid is $2,300, we expect OTC hearing aids to cost $300 to $1,000 for a pair," he says.

Many are excited about the new OTC hearing aids category, but the idea remains controversial. Members of some hearing health industry associations are concerned about consumers purchasing and using OTC hearing aids without first completing a hearing evaluation conducted by a hearing health professional. They worry people might damage their ears from overamplification or simply not get a positive result with the products and give up on hearing aids altogether, which has all sorts of social and health implications. Meanwhile, the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) openly supports a regulated market for OTC hearing aids.

According to Abram Bailey, an audiologist and Forbes Health Advisory Board member, Audicus, Eargo, Jabra, Lexie and Lively are all brands to keep an eye on as the OTC hearing aid market solidifies.

A hearing aid typically contains a microphone, amplifier and speaker. The microphone picks up acoustic sound waves and converts them into electrical signals, which are then processed and enhanced by the amplifier. Those signals are then sent to the speaker, which converts them back into sound waves, providing a louder and clearer sound for the wearer. This method of sound amplification can help improve a person's hearing and make speech from others easier to understand.

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Who Should Consider OTC Hearing Aids?

OTC hearing aids are intended to help adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, according to the FDARA. However, consumers should keep in mind that hearing loss can sometimes be a symptom of underlying health issues, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease, says Michele Michaels, a hearing health care program manager at the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing in Phoenix.

For this reason, she recommends consulting with a hearing health professional or a primary care physician before purchasing an OTC hearing aid. "We always advise people who notice hearing loss to see a licensed hearing healthcare professional who can look in the ear for earwax or other causes of hearing issues and possibly do a hearing screening," says Michaels.

If you're wondering whether your hearing loss might benefit from an OTC hearing aid, here are several signs you may have mild to moderate hearing loss:

You miss syllables and high-frequency consonants. For example, if someone says, "Let's go to the pool," you hear, "Let's go to school," or "Let's go to tool."

You frequently ask people to repeat themselves.

You have trouble understanding when someone whispers to you, such as in a movie theater or auditorium.

You often confuse similar words. For instance, when someone tells you "15 minutes," you hear "50 minutes."

You've started making behavioral modifications, such as sitting closer to a speaker during a weekly lecture or asking your spouse to stop talking to you from another room because you can't hear them.

The types of OTC hearing aids outlined in the FDARA aren't intended for persons with severe hearing loss who have great difficulty communicating, says Michaels.

Can I Buy OTC Hearing Aids Now?

OTC hearing aids are now available at retailers like Walmart and Best Buy, as well as online via these retailers and some manufacturer websites.

You can also purchase certain direct-to-consumer hearing products online to help you hear better in certain situations, and in some instances, they are the same models being sold in audiologist offices. Direct-to-consumer hearing products include:

Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAP)PSAPs are wearable devices purchased from retail and online outlets that provide amplification of certain environmental sounds and are often used while hunting, bird watching, listening in background noise or listening to a public speaker. They should not be marketed as devices that help people with hearing loss.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALD)ALDs help people with hearing loss manage specific listening environments, using light, vibration or intense sound to alert someone to things like phones, lights, doorbells and smoke alarms.

Wireless Hearing Aid AccessoriesDesigned to supplement a hearing aid, these accessories allow someone to stream information from a phone or other electronic device to improve their listening experience. (Typically, these are only available at an audiologist's office and need to be set up there, but this will likely change as more hearing aid companies start using Bluetooth 5.2 technology.)

HearablesHearables are ear-level devices, such as earbuds or headphones, that enhance listening experiences like music streaming and face-to-face communication. It's worth noting that some hearables have no hearing enhancement function.

"One of the main benefits of these types of devices is that they help people with or without hearing loss to access sound so they can improve their quality of life," says Michaels. "For people who may not realize they have hearing problems, using these devices helps them accept that they have hearing loss that can be helped and that they might benefit from hearing aids."

The risk of using such devices occurs when the wearer turns the volume up too high, which could damage their hearing further, says Michaels. However, hearing assistive technology can also benefit the person with hearing loss significantly since the devices help reduce isolation and improve their quality of life.

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'Pneumonia Could, Literally, Be A Death Sentence' If We Continue To Over-use Antibiotics

Taking antibiotics unnecessarily can put your health at risk, a Suffolk doctor has warned - as he offered advice on when to use the drugs and when you should opt for something over-the-counter.

Antibiotic-resistance is on the rise, and doctors across Suffolk and north Essex are warning people that the prescription-only medication is not a "cure-all" option.

Doctor David Egan, a GP in Debenham and prescribing lead for the NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG, said it is important that we use antibiotics in the right way.

He said: "There needs to be a greater understanding around what antibiotics can and cannot do for us."

So what are they?

"Antibiotics are very powerful medicines that fight certain infections and kill or slow the growth of bacteria," said Dr Egan.

"When used properly they can save lives, but many people believe they can cure viral conditions such as colds, coughs and sore throats. This is not the case, as antibiotics don't work on viruses and won't make you better if you are suffering from a viral infection."

When should you take them?

Antibiotics should only be taken if they have been prescribed by a doctor - and then it is important to complete the whole course prescribed, to ensure you recover.

What are the dangers?

Doctors warn against "popping some antibiotics belonging to a friend or family member", or using any old antibiotics you have kept from a previous illness, as it won't help you and may cause your condition to deteriorate.

Doctor Christopher Browning, a GP in Long Melford, says antibiotic resistance is also an increasing concern.

He explained: "If we continue to take antibiotics at the current rate we risk returning to a pre-antibiotic era where a condition such as pneumonia could, literally, be a death sentence."

So when should you use paracetamol or ibuprofen?

People are being urged to opt for over-the-counter medicines.

Dr Nimalan de Silva, a GP in Colchester, advised: "The best course of action is to take paracetamol or ibuprofen, which are effective in lowering temperature and relieving pain.

"Then it is a good idea to visit your local pharmacy where the pharmacist will be able to give you further advice, and might recommend that you buy a medicine over-the-counter if you need it."

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