The Lyric is a hearing aid that is housed inside the ear canal for extended periods of time. No need to change a battery or put the hearing aid in a recharging device at night. All you need to do is go to your audiologist and ask to try a pair of them for free! Discreet Amplification The most amazing consequence of wearing the Lyric is that you are a “normal” person. You do not have to be careful with your hearing aids around the house so the dog or cat does not eat them when you take them … [Read more...] about Exploring the Lyric Hearing Aid and Tinnitus Masker
Karon Lynn
What is it Like to Have a Hearing Loss?
As an audiologist, I see hearing-impaired individuals every day. One of the most rewarding activities of my job is to teach the family members what it is like to have a hearing loss and how to better communicate with hearing-impaired people. What Can the Hearing-Impaired Person Hear? I think that understanding what a person really can and can’t hear is the key to successfully living with or working with a hearing-impaired person. It is crucial to understand what can change the clarity of … [Read more...] about What is it Like to Have a Hearing Loss?
Changes in Hearing After Head Injury
Approximately 1.4 million individuals suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the United States. Common causes of injury are automobile accidents, airbag deployment, falls, assaults/blows, sports-related injuries and explosive blasts. Other causes of brain injury are strokes, edema, meningitis, tumors and even certain medications. The resulting symptoms a person suffers are varied. INJURY FROM AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS The brain may be shaken within the skull, causing bruises (also … [Read more...] about Changes in Hearing After Head Injury
How to Love Your Hearing Aids
You have a hearing loss and the family is driving you crazy to get something done. But, you feel that one more thing added to your life will push you over the top. If this sounds familiar, I have some wonderful ideas for you! First, get your hearing tested by an audiologist. He or she will check for wax in the canals, or medical causes for your hearing difficulty. What if your hearing loss can be treated medically and you were dragging your feet for nothing? If the audiologist says nope, … [Read more...] about How to Love Your Hearing Aids
Understanding the Effects of Noise Pollution
Noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most common environmental exposures in the United States. In 1981, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that nearly 100 million people in the United States (about 50% of the population) had annual exposures to traffic noise that were high enough to be harmful to health. How Does the Body Respond to Noise? Despite the widespread prevalence of noise exposure, noise has historically been treated differently from pollutants of a … [Read more...] about Understanding the Effects of Noise Pollution
Understanding the Value of Baseline Hearing Tests
People getting a hearing test are often asked if there has been a change in their hearing. Some want to know how much their hearing has diminished through the years. Others ask to have a comparison made from the test and ask if their hearing is likely to change significantly. These are important concerns; however, let’s look at a missing component. Why Baseline Tests are Important Hearing, as with any function of our body, will change or fluctuate through time. The bloodwork you had to … [Read more...] about Understanding the Value of Baseline Hearing Tests
Hyperacusis: Hearing That is Too Good
Most of us are aware of hearing loss and the difficulty associated with not being able to hear conversation or other important sounds. What about the people who suffer (suffer is the correct word to use here) with hyperacusis? One in 50,000 people reportedly suffer from hyperacusis. What is Hyperacusis? The definition of hyperacusis varies and may even seem unclear. Most audiologists define hyperacusis as a condition in which a person has intolerance to a level of sound. It can be defined as a … [Read more...] about Hyperacusis: Hearing That is Too Good
Understanding the Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Hearing Loss
Sleep apnea is a common disorder and, according to the National Sleep Foundation, it affects about 18 million Americans. Most of us think of sleep apnea as snoring with periodic gasping or “snorting” noises. This seemingly innocent annoyance interrupts sleep and can cause excessive daytime fatigue and other symptoms such as generalized inflammation, cardiovascular and endocrine problems. It can also affect the way a person thinks and even hears. More than half of individuals with sleep apnea … [Read more...] about Understanding the Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Hearing Loss
Understanding Musical Ear Syndrome
Musical ear syndrome, also known as musical hallucinations or auditory hallucination, is more common than you might believe. It can cause enormous stress on the individual experiencing it. It is more likely to be a song or music without words but a few people have reported to me that they hear songs with words. I find in my practice that people are embarrassed to tell anyone about what they hear and are secretly afraid that they are going crazy. One source estimates that auditory … [Read more...] about Understanding Musical Ear Syndrome
Understanding the Connection Between High Blood Pressure and Hearing Loss
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease, which affects nearly 70 million adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This adds up to one in three adults! In addition to people with hypertension, the CDC states that one in three adults is living with elevated blood pressure or prehypertension. Prehypertension is not hypertension, but the blood pressure levels are above what is considered normal. What … [Read more...] about Understanding the Connection Between High Blood Pressure and Hearing Loss