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 benefit 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
Karon Lynn Au.D.
What to Know Before Seeing Your Doctor About Dizziness
Dizziness can be an extremely frightening symptom to have. It may slowly build up or hit you all at once. Sometimes you may feel a “whoosh” of dizziness that leaves as quickly at it came. Studies have shown that 24% of the population over 72 years of age has dizziness or imbalance. This article will help you understand the different types of sensations you can have and what to jot down before you contact your physician. The more specific awareness you have of your symptoms, the better … [Read more...] about What to Know Before Seeing Your Doctor About Dizziness
Treating Hearing Loss in Children
We all know intuitively that you need hearing to learn traditional speech and language. If a child has a hearing loss, especially one that is not detected, the world is confusing and distorted. Imagine a mom telling her young child that it is bath time. If she does not have a bath towel in her hand or is not walking or pointing toward the bathroom, the little one may not understand what is going on. Or, think about parents sitting in the living room talking about going to the park and going out … [Read more...] about Treating Hearing Loss in Children
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
Variables Regarding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
One of the most frequently seen hearing losses is caused by noise exposure. Noise that is damaging to the delicate system of hearing can be heard from chainsaws, guns, skill saws, heavy equipment, carpentry power tools, landscaping equipment, motorcycles and off-road vehicles. A good rule of thumb is if you need to raise your voice to be heard over a noise, that noise could potentially cause hearing loss. Other factors to consider is the length of time you are exposed to loud sound and the … [Read more...] about Variables Regarding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
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
Exploring New Hearing Aid Technology
A new technology in the hearing aid industry is remote adjustment to the hearing aid. This reduces the number of trips back to the office to have fine tuning completed. An appointment is made with your audiologist to be seen remotely at your house or office. It has been an interesting option to implement during the last few months. Most of the people I have contacted remotely are happy about the process, as they can stay in the comfort of their home or go to the environment causing difficulty … [Read more...] about Exploring New Hearing Aid Technology
Environmental Noise May Cause Health Issues
Most people are not aware of the excessive noise in their daily lives. Noise comes from traffic sounds, trains, airplanes, roadwork, construction sites, even noise from people near you talking and listening to music, etc. Your brain is constantly processing all the sound, deciding what it wants to focus on and what is to be ignored. Even when you sleep, your ears are working, picking up and filtering the sound to different parts of the brain. This constant stimulus causes mental fatigue and … [Read more...] about Environmental Noise May Cause Health Issues
Understanding Tinnitus: Ringing in the Ears
More than 50 million people are bothered by tinnitus and approximately 20 percent of those people are severely affected by it. Tinnitus is a sound that is heard without any external stimulation. It can be high or low-pitched; it may sound like humming, clicking, buzzing, whistling, chirping or roaring. The sound may come and go and sometimes people say the loudness of their tinnitus changes. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease and is not threatening to one’s health. Most tinnitus can … [Read more...] about Understanding Tinnitus: Ringing in the Ears
Understanding Conductive Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is described by type and degree of loss. The type of hearing loss is determined by the location of the dysfunction. The degree of loss is determined by how much power is needed to hear sound. The ear is divided into the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. In this article, I will discuss at the outer and middle sections of the ear as well as any hearing loss that may originate in these areas. Outer Ear Anatomy and Function The outer ear extends from the pinna (the area … [Read more...] about Understanding Conductive Hearing Loss