The history of hearing aids is a convoluted one. How does one even begin to explain this history with so many developments? The best way is to start at the beginning and lay it out in chronological order. The natural hearing aid The ear trumpet was the first hearing aid. It was a tube meant to direct sound …
Connections Between Hearing Loss & Diabetes
Have you been told you have diabetes? According to numerous studies, people with diabetes are twice as likely to experience hearing loss. Diabetes affects 32.4 million individuals in the United States alone and is expected to increase over three decades, making prevention and awareness more crucial than ever. It is estimated that 84 percent of the 88 million people …
Connecting People | May is Better Hearing and Speech Month!
Better Hearing and Speech Month coincides with the arrival of spring. The American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) has dedicated a whole month to increasing awareness about communication impairments, including hearing loss, and enhancing treatment while lobbying to decrease the stigma associated with hearing loss for over 75 years. “Connecting People” is the theme for this year. Helen Keller considered …
Why Pretending to Hear Doesn’t Help
Whether you have normal hearing or not – we’ve all been there. It’s that panicked moment when we can’t hear or understand the conversation, while it seems that everyone else is having no trouble at all. From time to time, it’s okay to smile, nod, and pretend to understand a conversation – especially with strangers in noisy environments such as …
Understanding Your Hearing Aids
There are conditions associated with aging that are irreversible and yet, we still take action to confront them and learn more about how to keep living our lives despite their appearance. For some people, that’s the arrival of arthritis. It’s not a curable condition. And yet, with medication, diet, and physical therapy or exercise management, we can retain mobility and …
Musicians & Hearing Loss
Music is known to be a powerful form of expression. It can change moods, enhance emotions and even heal individuals. Music is also known to help people relieve stress and anxiety. Given how loud bands play, it’s not surprising that many rock stars have hearing loss. Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has had hearing loss for years. In a …
All About Digital Hearing Aids
Did you know that the consumer electronic world has gone fully digital? It’s true. Today, most electronic devices are designed with a computer at their core. For example, even your microwave is essentially an advanced programmable calculator. With the advent of modern technology and the rapid consumer shift to digital, hearing aid manufacturers have also taken steps to remain …
All About Hearing Aid-Compatible Assistive Listening Devices
More than 30 million Americans live with debilitating hearing loss. Of those, only about a quarter of people who have hearing loss will visit an audiologist, acknowledging their hearing loss and seeking solutions. Of course, there are many reasons why people don’t seek treatment, ranging from cost to cultural attitudes regarding hearing health. Another leading factor that dissuades folks from …
Dealing with Noise Pollution in Your Neighborhood
We live in a world where environmental noise is a constant companion for many of us throughout the day and into the night. As a result of the increasingly loud sounds we hear daily, noise pollution poses a serious threat to our health. It’s critical to know when noise pollution is present so you can take precautions to avoid …
Getting to Know Your Hearing Aids
Today there are more options for hearing devices than there have ever been. But just as there aren’t a pair of eyeglasses that would suit all faces, there isn’t a type of hearing aid suitable for all. It might seem at first a bit overwhelming to decide which type of hearing aid is best for your lifestyle and hearing needs. …