The CDC identifies hearing loss as the 3rd most common, chronic health condition that people experience in the US – more common than cancer and diabetes. This equals around 1 in 8 people or 13 percent of the entire US. It is a condition that often begins slowly so many are not aware that it is a problem until it … Read More
Check Your Hearing This November for American Diabetes Month
It is more common than you might think. In 2021 there is an estimated 34 million people in the U.S. alone with diabetes. If things don’t change it is estimated that by 2050 1 in 3 people will suffer this condition. An unexpected complication of diabetes, that many don’t consider is hearing loss. There is a 50 percent higher risk … Read More
Know Your Rights with Hearing Loss
Did you know that many laws protect individuals with hearing loss? Legislation protects your rights to employment, communication, and accessibility. If you have hearing loss, here are some of your rights. Americans with Disabilities Act One of the foundational laws that protect people with hearing loss is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This act was first signed into … Read More
October is Protect Your Hearing Month
It’s October, and that means it’s Protect Your Hearing Month! We’re joining audiologists and health professionals around the country to raise awareness about hearing loss and what you can do to protect your hearing. Exposure to loud noise is a common cause of hearing loss. And it’s preventable! Protecting your hearing can reduce your risk of hearing loss. Here’s how. … Read More
How Loud is Too Loud for Kids?
If you grew up before the invention of portable music players, you probably did not spend much time wearing headphones. You might have put a set of hearing into a record player or radio, but those moments of personal pleasure were usually fleeting. Even if you grew up with portable cassettes or CD players, you were unlikely to listen to … Read More
How Smoking & Drinking May Affect Hearing
Taking steps to protect your hearing can help you avoid hearing loss while also improving your overall health. Avoiding loud and excessive noise exposure is the most straightforward way to safeguard your hearing, but other lifestyle behaviors can also help maintain your hearing health, including quitting smoking and moderating your drinking. How do these activities affect our hearing? It’s … Read More
Studies Show Higher Rates of Hearing Loss for People with Diabetes
In the United States, diabetes affects 34.2 million people or one out of every ten people. Even more disturbing is the fact that one in every three Americans, or 88 million people, is prediabetic and may not even realize it! Diabetes is a significant comorbidity that can harm your heart, nerves, feet, kidneys, and eyes, among other parts of your … Read More
A Connection between Hearing Loss, Depression, and Dementia
Hearing is thought by many to occur in the ears, but it actually takes place in the brain. Believe it or not, our sense of hearing is our fastest, even faster than our sense of vision! Our sense of hearing works like this: sound waves are picked up by our outer ears, which then travel down your ear canal. These … Read More
How Hearing Loss Treatment Can Lessen Loneliness
Hearing challenges don’t just affect how we hear, they often have ramifications for many aspects of our quality of life. One common consequence of untreated hearing loss is loneliness, a serious concern that can lead to depression and early mortality. Let’s take a look at how unaddressed hearing loss contributes to loneliness and how treatment can help. What Links Hearing … Read More
Even a Mild Hearing Loss Contributes to Cognitive Decline
In the early stages of hearing loss people often mistakenly dismiss their hearing challenges as “no big deal” or “not bad enough to mind”. Unfortunately, ignoring hearing loss at its earliest stages means missing out on when hearing loss is most treatable. Worse, studies are finding that when left untreated, even mild hearing loss can contribute to significant cognitive problems, … Read More