At Pacific Hearing Care, we want to take a moment to acknowledge that September is World Alzheimer’s Month. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, which is a larger group of disorders that impair mental functioning. The relationship between untreated hearing loss and dementia is important to highlight, and it gives us an opportunity to shed light on …
Why are People Ashamed of Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss is incredibly prevalent, with 15% of people age 18 and over in the United States reporting some kind of trouble hearing. As you might imagine, those numbers increase in older ages, with 50% of those age 75 and higher experiencing disabling hearing loss. With a condition that is so common, one might wonder why some people are ashamed …
Does Tinnitus Cause Hearing Loss?
Recall the last time you were in a very loud environment, perhaps a noisy restaurant, a fireworks display, or a live music event. When you returned to the quiet of your home, did you notice a ringing sound that persisted? That high-pitched sound that remains in your ears after exposure to loud sounds tends to go away within a few …
Can Hearing Loss Be Restored?
Innovations in medicine have made the unthinkable possible. Not long ago, one might not have imagined that transplanting new organs into the body would have been performed successfully, but medical professionals have been able to perform these actions with great success. Innovative treatments for serious conditions, such as cancer, have made it possible to live a full and healthy life …
How to Read an Audiogram
Hearing tests come in many shapes and forms. Some involve recognition of human speech or even bursts of air into the ears to test responsiveness. However, the most common form of hearing test is called “pure tone audiometry.” In this exam, a series of tones are played through headphones for the person taking the test. Every time one of these …
Coming to Terms with Your Hearing Loss
Have you recently had a struggle to communicate with a loved one? Of course communication struggles can happen for countless reasons, some of them relational, others having to do with the environment. However, some problems in spoken conversation can’t be attributed to the social situation or the place in which the conversation occurs. It is quite possible that your struggle …
What to Ask During A Hearing Consultation
If you have made an appointment for a hearing consultation, you are on the path to a greatly improved way of life! When you notice or suspect that your hearing may be compromised, the sooner you can get to the hearing specialist for a consultation and examination, the better. Now that you have an appointment lined up, you might be …
Chronic Tinnitus and Links to Anxiety & Depression
Recall the last time you attended a very loud concert, sporting event, nightclub, or even busy restaurant. Do you remember the experience of trying to go to sleep at the end of the night? If the noise at that event was loud enough, you might have had a lingering ringing in your ears after you left, even making it difficult …
Strange Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can take place for a number of reasons. Many people incur hearing loss as part of the natural process of growing older. Without the ability to “blink” our ears, they are inundated with sound from birth through death. These remarkable organs are sensitive to an astonishing range of sound, and it is incredible that they function as acutely …
Staying Safe with Hearing Loss
Staying safe in the home is a top concern as we grow older. Although most of our fears are unfounded, a few basic precautions are just a smart way to consider the possibility of a risky situation. Indeed, though it is a relatively unlikely event, preparing for a fire or other household emergency is a simple step you can take …