How To Prepare for Your First Audiologist Visit
If you’ve been having problems hearing and have scheduled an appointment with an audiologist, know that you are taking an important step in prioritizing your health and wellbeing! However, even though you’re making a great decision, that doesn’t mean that you won’t feel nervous or overwhelmed as your appointment approaches. Let’s go over a few…
Benefits of Treating Your Hearing Loss Early
Paying your taxes late results in a penalty, and leaving your planning to the day before the party causes unnecessary stress, so why do so many people put off seeking help for medical issues when it will almost certainly make things worse? One of the most common conditions residents in the Bay Area avoid dealing…
Hearing Devices & Neuroplasticity
The brain has a remarkable ability to adapt to change. Learning and experiences can transform the physical structure of the brain, and the brain can move functions from one area to another if one section of the brain is damaged or understimulated. This ability to adapt is referred to as neuroplasticity. It comes into play…
Good Boy! How Hearing Dogs Create Happier Lives
Aptly nicknamed ‘man’s best friend,’ some canine companions can provide more than just comfort. Hearing dogs serve as a second set of ears for people with severe hearing loss or deafness. Why They’re Doggone Amazing Hearing dogs are trained to alert their masters to sounds in the home by nudging or pawing their owners to…
The Unintended Consequences of Cotton Swabs
People use most bathroom supplies as intended. Tissues are for blowing your nose, and toothpaste is for brushing your teeth. However, there is one common item that most people use incorrectly: cotton swabs. You can use a cotton swab to apply and remove makeup and use it around the house for various purposes (e.g., arts…
What is The Connection Between Neuroplasticity and Hearing Loss Treatment?
More evidence is emerging that shows the human brain’s ability to adapt to change. For example, new research indicates that hearing aids may be able to reverse brain changes caused by hearing loss. What Does Neuroplasticity Mean? Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to adapt by forming new neural connections throughout life. These changes can…
What Is Hidden Hearing Loss?
If you can pass a hearing test with flying colors but have trouble making out what your friends say in a noisy restaurant, you could have hidden hearing loss. Hidden hearing loss often goes undiagnosed because a standard audiogram, which measures your ability to hear varying volumes and pitches in a quiet room, won’t detect…
The Essentials for Hospital Stays with Hearing Loss
Medical issues that require hospitalization do come up, and it’s important to seek care as soon as possible if you believe it is needed. Even if necessary, staying in the hospital can already cause anxiety, and hearing loss can compound it. Hearing Loss and Hospital Care People with hearing loss are more likely to need…
How the Flu Affects Your Hearing
As miserable as the flu can leave you feeling, there’s a lesser-known side effect of it that is fairly common: temporary hearing loss. When you’re sick, fluid may build up in the middle ear and Eustachian tube, a thin canal in the back of the throat that connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx. This…
The Difference Between Online & In-Person Hearing Tests
From online shopping to online dating and from accessing telehealth to learning a new skill on YouTube, the question is what can’t you do on the internet. In this day and age, you can even get a hearing test online. But are these tests really comparable to the care you get in an audiologist’s office?…