Common Conditions
Hearing loss often occurs gradually, with symptoms developing slowly over time. Often, you become so used to your diminished hearing that you don’t realize there is a problem. Signs to look for include: having trouble understanding what others are saying, especially when background noise is present; frequently requesting that people repeat themselves; turning up the volume to levels others find uncomfortable when watching TV or listening to music; staying home rather than participating in social activities; suffering from tinnitus; and experiencing depression.
A variety of factors can cause loss of hearing. Natural aging and noise exposure are the most common; other causes include trauma, impacted earwax, hereditary factors, ear infections, benign tumors and other abnormal growths, ototoxic medications, ruptured eardrum, and certain diseases such as meningitis and Meniere’s disease.
Hearing loss may be categorized as conductive (the result of damage to the outer or middle ear), sensorineural (damage to the inner ear), or mixed (a combination of both types).
Tinnitus is the perception of sound. It is often described as ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, humming, or hissing. The sound can be constant or periodic. The way patients experience tinnitus is highly variable. Tinnitus can be present with or without hearing loss. Noise exposure is one common cause of tinnitus. Therefore, hearing protection can help to prevent tinnitus. Tinnitus can also be caused by ear infections, stress, excessive ear wax, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions.
Some of the conditions that cause tinnitus include:
- Hearing loss
- Noise exposure
- Presbycusis (natural aging)
- Medications
- Head/neck trauma
- Earwax buildup
- Meniere’s disease
- Heart conditions
- Vascular disorders
- Acoustic neuroma
Hearing Loss FAQ Treatments
Hearing tests are simple and pain-free. You will work with one of our audiologists in a sound-treated hearing booth, where they will administer several tests to measure your hearing. Hearing tests can be administered and personalized for all patients of all age groups and health conditions.
Yes! We have a team of audiologists, equipment, and expertise to find the best hearing solutions for you or your family member.
Yes! We offer digital hearing aids, which require careful, expert programing by highly-trained hearing aid specialists. An experienced audiologist from our hearing center will program the device to pick up sounds you need to hear while dampening sounds you don’t need, such as background noise. To aid in your comfort, we provide hearing aids that are discreet, comfortable, and stylish.
Our audiologists fit and dispense hearing aids from all major hearing aid manufacturers including, but not limited to, Widex, Oticon, and Phonak.
An assistive listening device (ALD) refers to any electronic component that helps a person with hearing loss to communicate. Think of an ALD as a personal amplifier. It consists of a microphone that is placed close to (or worn by) the speaker, a transmitter that sends signals to a receiver, which in turn relays the signal to the user’s ear via headphones, hearing aids, or cochlear implants.
There are many hearing devices we offer that incorporate white noise or soothing nature sounds, such as falling rain or ocean waves. Many patients find counseling, education, and stress management beneficial. You can reduce your odds of developing tinnitus through preventive strategies. Wear hearing protection when exposed to excessive noise levels and keep the volume low when listening to music.
Hearing Care Tailored to Your Needs
Hearing issues don’t have to impede your quality of life. You have treatment options. Our audiologists can help you feel comfortable participating in conversations again, just as we did for this recent patient, who was able to discover what true clarity is.