Most of us take our day-to-day experiences with a grain of salt. We don’t expect things to go too smoothly or we are disappointed, so why expect more? This article is about how to create the life you want. It takes planning, steadfast focus and self-reflection. A joyful life does not just happen, it is created! Focus on Being Your Authentic Self Take the time to sit down and look at your future goals. You could divide them into short-term and long-term goals. Now, look at the goals and see … [Read more...] about Are You a Happy Camper?
Dr. Karon Lynn
Treating Hearing Loss in Babies
Hearing loss in children is more common than you may realize. Hearing loss occurs in two to three per 100 babies born in the United States, prompting hospitals to offer hearing screening as part of the newborn package or charge a small fee for the test. I strongly recommend all parents have their baby’s hearing checked prior to discharge. Hearing Test for Newborns The hearing test is quick and painless for the baby. It is administered by either a nurse or other hospital employee trained in … [Read more...] about Treating Hearing Loss in Babies
Hearing in a Noisy Place
Many people say to their audiologist that they are able to hear fine in a quiet room but the minute there is background noise they are not able to hear well. Sometimes it happens while watching a TV program and the background music suddenly gets louder. Difficulty may arise if a conversation is being held in a large room with an echo or reverberation. This comment is true for people who hear normally or people with a hearing loss. The Physiology of Hearing All hearing situations are not … [Read more...] about Hearing in a Noisy Place
Protecting Against Noise: How Hearing is Damaged
The most common cause of permanent hearing loss is noise exposure. That being said, unless you live in a perfectly quiet world, it is likely that you are exposing your hearing organ (cochlea) to excessive vibration. We hear through vibration and vibration is what causes the damage! It is a Catch-22. The hearing organ is fragile. The cochlea is the size of a green pea, curled like a snail and filled with fluid. Inside this tiny, sophisticated organ are rows of nerves that sit on a membrane … [Read more...] about Protecting Against Noise: How Hearing is Damaged
Keeping Your Hearing Aids Safe
The most common call to my office for lost hearing aids is that the individual was in the hospital or rehabilitation facility when the hearing aids were lost. Another common place to lose hearing aids is in a test situation, such as having an MRI, an outpatient procedure or other situation that requires you to remove hearing aids at a facility. You need to wear the hearing aids prior to testing because you want to hear what is being said. Decisions are being made creating an element of stress … [Read more...] about Keeping Your Hearing Aids Safe
Exploring Extended Wear Hearing Aids
Have you seen the ads about the extended wear hearing aids? One of my patients asked me to discuss them in my next month’s column, so here we go! The name of the extended wear hearing aid is Lyric3. The company that initially invented the product was recently purchased by the company Phonak. Now, Phonak is investing in the development of this hearing aid that can be worn full-time without the need to take it out even when you sleep! What Does Extended Wear Mean? An extended wear … [Read more...] about Exploring Extended Wear Hearing Aids
Hearing Loss: The Invisible Wall
The people who visit an audiologist usually go because of a difficulty understanding speech. It is rare to have someone come into the clinic to have an evaluation because they primarily need to hear the sound of their car or to hear the newspaper rattle louder. Speech clarity or word understanding is what people with hearing loss request assistance for. The Social Wall The sounds that we make with our mouth are some of the same “sounds” that are made in the environment. As a … [Read more...] about Hearing Loss: The Invisible Wall
