Every month could be Better Hearing & Speech Month...and we wanted to take this time to encourage anyone to take the first step with us and get a baseline hearing evaluation if there are concerns for hearing loss.  Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions and on average people wait 7 to 10 years to take action!  With various interventions and treatment options to improve hearing and communication, there's no time like the present to take charge of your hearing!

Every summer our Audiologists and ENTs manage one of the most common ear infections referred to as Swimmer's Ear (Also called Otitis Externa).  Otitis Externa is a bacterial infection usually caused by water that stays in the outer ear canal for an extended period of time, providing a moist environment for bacteria to grow. Anyone can get swimmer's ear, but it is most often seen in children.

We experience a variety of sounds in our environment on a daily basis. Conversations with friends/family, listening to music, watching TV, running common household appliances, and/or listening to the birds outside– are normally at a safe listening level that cannot cause damage to your hearing.

Whether sounds are too loud for a brief time period or too loud for an extended period of time, they can be equally harmful for your hearing. These sounds can cause damage to the inner ear causing potential noise-induced hearing loss.

Alternative Listening Devices (ALDs), are personal technologies that can help you communicate more effectively in difficult situations when your hearing aids aren't quite enough. If you are experiencing difficulties communicating with your hearing aids alone, the first step can be reading some of our tips for communicating with hearing loss. Next, talk to your Audiologist about the large variety of assistive listening devices (ALDs) and assistive listening systems (ALSs) that can better help you in both private and public settings.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL), is an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days. SSHL typically occurs due to underlying issues with the sensory organs of the inner ear. People with SSHL can discover the hearing loss upon waking up in the morning, when they try to use the ear (use a phone), and/or notice an alarming "pop" just before their hearing changes.

People with SSHL may also notice one or more of these symptoms:

• Ear fullness | Pressure
• Dizziness | Vertigo | Disequilibrium
• Tinnitus - Ringing/Roaring/Buzzing in their ear(s) tinnitus
• Distorted Sound Quality to Hearing (broken speaker)
• Hyperacusis (Heightened Sensitivity to Sound)