Better Communication Tips

By: Dr. Sarah Pitrone, Au.D., CH-TM
Fall is here and holiday gatherings are right around the corner. As family gatherings, Friendsgiving and office Christmas parties commence, hearing in crowds can be challenging, anxiety-producing and downright frustrating. In addition to using hearing technology, these effective communication strategies can turn a social gathering from isolating to enjoyable by giving you as many listening advantages as possible. Share these better communication tips with your loved ones so they can help keep the conversation flowing.

Upgrading Hearing Technology

When and why should I consider upgrading my hearing technology?

If your hearing has changed and the hearing technology has improved to a point where you can benefit from it, you should consider upgrading hearing technology.

Schedule an appointment here for a hearing test to see if your hearing has changed and possibly test-drive new hearing technology to see if it can benefit you.

Tinnitus and Hearing Discounts for our Heros

At Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center, we believe in recognizing and appreciating the heroes who selflessly serve our communities and nation. We understand that military personnel (active and retired), veterans, first responders, teachers, and nurses often encounter unique challenges that can lead to unresolved hearing issues such as tinnitus, sensitivity to sound, or hearing loss. These heroes put their lives on the line and devote themselves to our well-being, and we want to show our gratitude. We offer a 15% discount on all devices and services to help address their hearing impairments.

Can Hearing Aids Reduce the Risk of Dementia?

A recent study has indicated that individuals with untreated hearing loss may be more at risk of dementia when compared to those without hearing loss. The study, published in The Lancet Public Health journal on April 13, is the largest of its kind, comprising 437,704 individuals, and is the most compelling evidence to date of this connection. However, there is some hope. The findings also suggest that early detection of hearing loss and treatment with hearing aids can eliminate this increased risk to improve longevity.

A Closer Look into Hearing Loss in Dogs and Dog Hearing Tests

Dog hearing tests can help you determine whether or not your dog may be experiencing hearing loss or deafness. Just raise your paw when you hear the beep! However, hearing tests for dogs are not performed in the same way that we test hearing in most humans. This is done using Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) test. It is similar to the hearing test that is done on infants.

Ototoxic Drugs That May Cause Tinnitus or Hearing Loss

What medications can cause hearing loss or tinnitus? Quite a few. Believe it or not, but more than 600 medications can cause tinnitus, hearing loss, or balance problems. These ototoxic drugs include over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids: What Does This Mean For People With Tinnitus and Hearing Loss?

On August 16th, the FDA announced rules for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, promising sweeping changes for hearing healthcare and purportedly creating a new class of more affordable and accessible types of hearing aids. Now, retailers can sell OTC hearing aids directly to consumers with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss without seeing an audiologist.

Can Hearing Loss be Reversed?

In this article, we will discuss the most important things for you to know about hearing loss and how and when hearing loss can be reversed.

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Among Dentists

Fortunately, there are quite a few things that dentists can do to help treat and prevent occupational hearing conditions like tinnitus. In this guide, we will discuss a few important facts dentists need to know about tinnitus and hearing loss, plus offer a few prevention tips.

Middle-Age Hearing Loss and Dementia

Approaching your golden years can be a joy, but unfortunately, it may also come with some frustrating health issues, such as hearing loss and dementia.

Cognitive Brain Training and How It Relates to Hearing Health

Smoking and Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss and Heart Disease

Cancer Treatment and Hearing Loss

Adventures with Hidden Hearing Loss

Hearing Health Tips for Back-to-School Season

Why Do My Ears Feel Clogged?

The Link Between Migraines and Hearing Loss

For some, a migraine starts with mental and physical warning signs: tiredness, mood changes, craving sweet foods, feeling thirsty, a stiff neck, etc. For others, it begins with a visual aura or nausea. Then comes the notorious pain and pounding sensation in the head. If you’re a migraine sufferer, you’re probably familiar with your own stages of a migraine, but do you know about the link between migraines and hearing loss? Educate yourself on how migraines can permanently impact your hearing, and contact your doctor or audiologist to get treated today.

The Link Between Oral Health and Hearing Loss

Learning that your hearing health is excellent may make you smile, but did you know that your oral health can actually influence your ability to hear? Tooth decay and gum disease are caused by pathogenic bacteria, which can enter the bloodstream and threaten a person’s overall health.

The Impact of Hearing Loss and Tinnitus on Relationships

List of Ototoxic Medications That May Cause Tinnitus or Hearing Loss

There are more than 600 prescription and over-the-counter drugs that can trigger tinnitus, make existing tinnitus worse, or cause a new tinnitus sound to appear. In fact, most drug classes have tinnitus-causing drugs sprinkled throughout. For example, antibiotics, painkillers, anti-anxiety, and anti-depression drugs, antimalarial medications, anti-cancer drugs, and blood pressure-controlling medications – to name a few – can all trigger tinnitus.

Treatment Options for Single-Sided Deafness

Ears come in pairs. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that hearing conditions come in twos as well. When it comes to single-sided deafness (SSD), that’s a good thing. SSD, also referred to as “dead ear,” is a condition in which a person has lost total hearing in one ear. In the other ear, the person may have anywhere from normal hearing to severe hearing loss. Treatment options for single-sided deafness often involve using your “good” ear to help correct the “dead” ear.

Stem Cells and Hearing Loss

Stem cells have an extraordinary power: the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells. Countless research studies have focused on stem cells and the many conditions that could potentially be treated using them, which has led audiologists to wonder about the relationship between stem cells and hearing loss. Do stem cells hold the key to a cure for hearing loss or tinnitus?

The Stigma of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is completely natural, especially as we age. Unfortunately, in our society, there’s also a stigma attached to hearing loss, perpetrated by advertisers, the public, and even those with hearing loss themselves.

Sound Deprivation Leads to Irreversible Hearing Loss

Although some factors that account for hearing loss cannot be avoided, like family history, disease, and the aging process, others are directly related to a person’s choices. For example, noise exposure is one of the leading causes of hearing loss in adults. We’ve known for many years that loud environments endanger the ears, but until recently, we did not know that sound deprivation may also lead to irreversible hearing loss. So if you’ve been putting off a visit to the audiologist to discuss your hearing loss, why wait any longer? Your procrastination could have permanent consequences.

How Hearing Works

If you have never suffered from auditory issues like tinnitus or hearing loss, it is easy to take your hearing for granted. The hearing process is incredibly complex and relies upon numerous, minuscule parts. When your outer ear picks up a sound, an elaborate operation occurs so that the sound can be translated into information by the brain. Do you know how hearing works?

Hearing Protection Tips for Summer Concerts

Summertime is here, and many of our favorite musical artists will travel the country on big summer tours. For music lovers, there are few things more enjoyable than live music. The unfortunate irony is that attending these concerts and listening to loud music without hearing protection can cause hearing loss or tinnitus hence decreasing your ability to hear and enjoy music in the future.

Causes of Hearing Loss

If you’re having trouble hearing, don’t suffer in silence. There are many different causes of hearing loss, and some can be successfully treated with medicine, surgery, or a hearing aid. The issue could be rooted in your inner ear, your middle ear, your outer ear, or even your auditory nerve. Sometimes hearing loss is genetic and unavoidable. Other times it results from an unfortunate accident or frequent exposure to loud noise. Discuss the causes of hearing loss with your audiologist to determine the source of your problem and explore potential solutions.

State-of-the-Art Hearing Aids Connect to the Internet

Dr. Julie recently attended a product release in Orlando introducing Oticon’s groundbreaking Opn™ device. This state-of-the-art hearing aid helps people with hearing loss hear better with less effort and better recall so that users can retain more of what is said. It expertly manages multiple noise and speech sources as well, so users don’t have to work as hard to understand speech. This is especially useful in challenging listening situations like restaurants.

Do Allergies Cause Hearing Loss or Tinnitus?

Spring has sprung! Along with ushering in warmer weather and beautiful blossoms, the season, unfortunately, increases pollen production and allergy symptoms. Although airborne allergens exist throughout the year, we see a dramatic increase in patients who suffer from allergy-related hearing loss and tinnitus in springtime. This may lead you to wonder: Do allergies cause hearing loss or tinnitus? Yes, in fact, allergies can impact hearing.