Over the course of more than 75 years of studying happiness in adults, a Harvard study has revealed the “key” to happiness. The study determined that the strength and depth of the relationships in our lives determines our health and happiness levels. Why am I bringing this up as an audiologist? A key component to relationships is a sense of closeness and honesty between the relationship partners. This requires communication- NOT just presence. Hearing loss can remove us from those we … [Read more...]

Autumn, the smell of pumpkin spice and the sight of brightly colored leaves. But what about the sounds of autumn? Are you missing out on hearing all the sounds of autumn? October is National Audiology Awareness Month. At Broadwater Hearing Care we encourage you to remember how important your hearing is in your daily life. Today, I am going to share about the potential ramifications of leaving hearing loss untreated. Adults with hearing loss develop a significant impairment in their … [Read more...]

There are several reasons why someone with untreated hearing loss doesn’t pursue amplification. One of the reasons is because of the stigmas associated with hearing loss. “I can’t come to terms with the fact that I need hearing aids already.” My confession to you is hearing loss doesn’t discriminate based on your age as much as you’d think. At Broadwater Hearing Care, my goal is to help reduce stigmas associated with hearing loss. Don’t wait... get a baseline hearing test! You only … [Read more...]

Hallie Levine writes in Consumer Reports, '4 Steps to Boost Brainpower' T he isolation and inactivity of the pandemic took a mental toll on some people, both those with demen­tia and those with a healthy brain. “We saw a clear decline in people who ­already had dementia, but the effects were also felt in otherwise healthy older adults without any preexisting cognitive issues,” says dementia specialist Joel Salinas, MD, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York … [Read more...]

Great article in The Hearing Review on September 7, 2021 - A 2018 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed women who followed one of three diets—the alternate Mediterranean diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and the 2010 Alternative Healthy Eating Index—had an approximately 30% lower risk of hearing loss, according to the Consumer Reports article. While all three diets are high in fruit and vegetables, and low in carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated fats, they … [Read more...]

Have you ever seen this warning before? As an audiologist, I am pleased to see that Apple has added this warning. According to the CDC, an estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years have suffered permanent damage to their hearing from excessive exposure to noise. TIP: If you can’t carry on a conversation with your child while their headphones are on, the volume is at an unsafe level! We are here to help if you or a family member is having any difficulties … [Read more...]

So how does sound actually damage your hearing? The fact of the matter is noise induced hearing loss can impact the entire auditory system. Noise induced hearing loss: hearing loss caused by exposure to excessively loud sounds. For common noise exposures that are not “blast/explosive” in nature, the hearing loss is primarily caused by damage in the inner ear cells/nerve fibers. Once these cells are broken, fractured, or damaged, they are unable to efficiently send auditory signals to the … [Read more...]

How would you know if you developed noise induced hearing loss (NIHL)?? Clinically we see that patients with NIHL will notice: → Tinnitus: ringing or noises in the ears → Speech is muffled or unclear: inhibiting their ability to follow conversation and hear in challenging listening environments. Sometimes exposure to impulse or continuous loud noise can result in a temporary hearing loss that disappears after a few days. Recent studies suggest, however, that although the loss of … [Read more...]

Per the CDC, the following information illustrates how long you need to be exposed to common sounds, on average, before they will cause damage to your inner ear. ❗ Gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers are about 80-85 decibels and damage to your hearing can be caused after 2 hours of constant exposure. ❗ Motorcycles are about 95 decibels and damage to your hearing can be caused after about 50 minutes of exposure. ❗ Sporting events such as hockey playoffs or football games can reach … [Read more...]

Did you know that noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) can happen at any age??? People of all ages, including children, young adults, and older individuals can develop NIHL. → A study in 2011 found that at least 10 million adults in the U.S. under the age of 70 had hearing tests that suggested hearing loss in one or both ears as a result of loud noise exposure! → They also estimate that 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years and 17% of adults aged 20–69 years have suffered … [Read more...]