Hearing aid technology and design is constantly evolving. But every so often, a breakthrough changes everything. In the case of new Augmented Focus™ technology, it’s the clear, organized way sounds are delivered. Typical hearing aids process all sounds the same way, so the conversation in front of you and the background noise that fills the rest of the room compete …
Things People with Hearing Loss Wish You Knew
Hearing loss changes the way we interface with the world, and each person’s experience is unique. The individual nature of hearing loss means that those who do not have loss can feel befuddled with the experience, wondering what it must be like to have this kind of communication impairment. With this gap in understanding, those who do not have hearing …
Investing in Your Health: Treating Hearing Loss
Treating hearing loss has profound direct benefits. It’s difficult to quantify the value of being able to converse easily and clearly with loved ones and community members. How can we measure the improvement of one’s quality of life when treatment for hearing loss makes it possible to experience the richness of the sound world, including birds singing, children laughing, and …
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month
Each May the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month. By devoting one month of the year to the importance of verbal communication, this group can raise awareness of hearing issues and to promote better practices for diagnosis, understanding, and treatment of hearing loss and speech pathology. Each year, they also choose a theme to guide the awareness-raising …
Talking About Hearing Loss: Why Your Disclosure Method Matters
Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. It seems to come so easily to some people to let us know exactly what is going on in their lives, and these openly sharing community members can help us all feel more welcome to share our experiences. Some others feel more hesitant about sharing their own experiences, and it can require …
All About Tinnitus
Have you ever experienced hearing a ringing or phantom sound in your ear? If so, you’ve experienced tinnitus, an incredibly common condition that nonetheless needs to be taken seriously. Tinnitus can be brought on by a variety of causes and it can manifest in different ways, but at the root it always indicates damage to the auditory system. Roughly one …
Veterans and Hearing Loss
Tinnitus and hearing loss are the number one and number two reasons that veterans go to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers seeking support. With this immense need in mind, you might wonder why they seem to have such high rates of these diagnoses and if their levels of tinnitus and hearing loss are greater than the …
Occupational Hearing Hazards
The world we live in is a noisy one! From the moment we wake to an alarm clock, to our morning commute and our time at work, we are faced with all sorts of sounds. While sound is an important sense, allowing us to hear our family, friends, co-workers, as well as releasing dopamine when we hear sounds that cause …
Tips for a Successful Virtual Family Reunion
This year’s holidays will look quite different for many of us. Whereas in the past we might have traveled many miles to meet up with family members for an annual reunion, the current global health crisis makes that impossible for some of ourselves or our family members. When too many people in a family unit are unable to make the …
Understanding Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a pervasive medical condition that over 40 million people experience in the U.S. There are three main types: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form of impaired hearing, accounting for 90% of the hearing loss that people have. It is a permanent health condition that reduces a person’s ability to …