How to Get Water Out of the Ears
As we head into the hottest month of the year, you’ll be even more tempted to take a dip in the pool or make a trip to the lake. While this can provide hours of cool entertainment, there are some risks involved – like getting water trapped in the ear. While this is usually not…
Strategies for Better Hearing
When you have hearing loss, you encounter listening challenges wherever you turn, whether it’s at work or the comfort of your home. Below are some strategies for better hearing in two common listening environments. At Work Whether you’re telecommuting or returning to office life, workplaces can be challenging to navigate. If you telecommute, before your…
How Hearing Aids Are Fit
Once your audiologist has determined that your type and degree of hearing loss lends itself to treatment with a hearing aid, the selection and fitting process begins. This is important, as hearing aids are not one-size-fits-all devices. Hearing Aid Selection There are a wide variety of styles and brands on the market right now. Your…
Is Your Hearing Loss Temporary?
Temporary hearing loss may be caused by an obstruction or other health condition. While many causes of hearing loss can eventually be resolved and your hearing can be restored to what it once was, it’s essential to see an audiologist or ENT (ear, nose, throat) physician ASAP in order to make sure complications don’t arise…
What Is VNG Testing?
Videonystagmography (VNG) is a test that determines whether you have a vestibular disorder. When there is something wrong with the vestibular system of the inner ear, you’ll experience dizziness, vertigo, imbalance and/or falls. Testing is the first step toward treatment. What Does VNG Measure? When the brain gets conflicting messages from the eyes and the…
Protect Your Hearing in These Three Environments
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hearing loss is the third most common health condition for Americans, and one in four people has some degree of noise induced hearing loss. What Is Noise Induced Hearing Loss? Noise induced hearing loss can be caused by either one-time exposure to a very loud…
What Is Low-Frequency Hearing Loss?
Low-frequency hearing loss is hearing loss characterized by difficulty hearing low-pitch sounds, including men’s voices, musical bass and thunder. It’s sometimes called reverse-slope hearing loss due to the shape it makes on an audiogram, which is a standard chart that audiologists use to measure levels of hearing loss. For most people with low-frequency hearing loss,…
5 Facts About Hearing Aids
Nine out of ten people who are diagnosed with hearing loss in Santa Barbara can benefit from hearing aids, but studies show only about 16 percent actually wear them. There are several oft-cited barriers to care, but most of them are really nothing more than excuses. Hearing aids are sophisticated electronic devices that do a…
Should I Bring Up Hearing Loss Over Thanksgiving?
Giving Thanks for Good Hearing Santa Barbara households will be filled with the scent of roast turkey and fresh-baked pumpkin pies this week. Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together and share what they are thankful for. It also presents an excellent opportunity to address the topic of hearing loss if a loved…
A Simple Surgical Procedure Can Help Those with Protruding Ears
Bullying is an ongoing problem not just in Santa Barbara but across the country, as well. Children are targeted for a wide variety of reasons, including their physical appearance. Kids with protruding ears fare especially poorly on the schoolyard, but a simple surgical procedure can make a world of difference. Overcoming the Stigma of Prominent…
