Screening vs. Testing, what’s the difference? We have had several patients confused by marketing pieces received from their managed care insurance plan regarding hearing healthcare. Oftentimes, a “routine hearing exam” is marketed and offered “for free” to participants. This can cause incredible confusion, as what is being offered “for free” …
Hearing Loss and Your Overall Health
Your hearing can be related to many aspects of your overall health, including physical and social well-being. Research has indicated that hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with Type 2 diabetes compared to those without the disease. In addition, adults with pre-diabetes have a 30% higher rate …
Is an order from my primary care doctor required for a hearing test? The answer is YES.
When we schedule a patient that has Medicare as their primary insurance, we always advise that a referral is required from their primary care doctor prior to testing. We are oftentimes met with opposition to this request and patients insist that they do not need a referral. While this is …
Real Ear Measures (REM)
What are Real Ear Measures (REM)? REM is considered a “gold standard” in fitting hearing devices. It is a verification/validation process where an audiologist places a fine probe microphone into the ear canal to measure the sound at the eardrum. These measures include the response of the ear canal acoustics …
Hearing Loss and Balance Disorders
Hearing loss may be a risk factor for another public health concern, falls. Untreated hearing loss increases the chance of falls by 50%. A research study by Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health found that individuals with a 25 dB (classifies as a mild hearing loss) were nearly …
Face Masks, Hearing Loss, and Hearing Aids
Face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) help protect us from the coronavirus, but they add communication challenges for everyone, especially people with hearing impairments. That’s because: Face masks lower the volume of a person’s speech and slightly garble it. Face shields, social distancing and plastic barriers further muffle or reduce sound. Face …
Your Hearing – Use It or Lose It!
By: Dr. Gina Diaz, Clinical Audiologist Hearing loss usually occurs in a slow and progressive manner, which commonly allows a person to “compensate” and/or experience subtle difficulties hearing in the early stages. Even after diagnosis, most individuals wait too long before they invest in treatment options, or they invest in …
Fact Friday from Freedom
Did you know that 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 have a disabling hearing loss? Worldwide, 432,000,000 adults and 34,000,000 children have disabling hearing loss. By the year 2050, it is estimated that over 900,000,000 people will have disabling hearing loss. 60% of childhood hearing loss is …
Hearing Aids and Masks – Helpful Tips
If you wear behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids, you may have noticed that it can be challenging to wear a mask with your hearing aids. We have had several patients advise that they have nearly lost their hearing aids while removing their mask. Here are a few tips to …
