If you or someone you know has never worn hearing aids before, it can be surprising to learn that it can take awhile to get used to them. In addition to learning how they work, you're also grappling with all the new sounds and stimuli that your brain has forgotten about in recent years. What [...]
Did you know that hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia...exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and social isolation? From time to time we like to share an article that we feel will help to inform and motivate, especially as it relates to hearing health. Below is [...]
As we go about our day-to-day lives, much of our hearing is on autopilot. All the day long, our brain is processing the sounds our auditory system collects as automatically as we inhale and exhale. In fact, the way we hear is a fascinating and, sometimes mysterious, process. Here are 5 things about your hearing [...]
NPR recently conducted an interview with David Owen, the author of a new book called Volume Control in which he describes our current age as a "deafening" one and explains how the loud noises we live with are harming our ears. Below are excerpts from his book and highlights from the interview that offer an [...]
If you've noticed that you’re not hearing as well as you used to and have decided it’s time to have your hearing tested, here are 7 questions to ask your audiologist to ensure you get the best possible outcome. First off, congratulations on being proactive with your hearing health. Untreated hearing loss can put you [...]
People with unilateral hearing loss now have the opportunity to hear out of both ears. In July, the FDA approved the use of cochlear implants for single-sided deafness and asymmetric hearing loss for patients 5 years of age and older based on data from a clinical trial conducted by Margaret Dillon, AuD, and the UNC [...]
New patients often ask us why we recommend a comprehensive audiological evaluation (CAE) for any problem related to the ear. This is because a CAE is the only objective measure of your inner ear health and is the cornerstone of an ear examination. Just as an eye doctor measures visual acuity at each of your [...]
According to a large study published in JAMA Network Open this past July, hearing loss in middle age was found to be associated with higher odds of cognitive decline and dementia later in life. Using data from more than 16,000 men and women, researchers found that a new diagnosis of hearing loss between ages 45 [...]
Some risk factors for hearing loss are understandable—think aging, excessive noise exposure, or traumatic brain injury—but other risks aren’t always so obvious. Here are seven unexpected risk factors for hearing loss that may surprise you: 1. Sleep apnea Several studies published in the last few years have strongly linked sleep apnea to hearing loss. Medical professionals aren’t entirely [...]
If you or a loved one has suddenly developed hearing loss, see your doctor right away. While often downplayed as not serious, any new or sudden hearing loss should be taken seriously by both you and your healthcare providers. Why? The sooner you get a thorough audiological workup, the better your chances are for a [...]