Ent and Allergy Specialists

During the Summer evening of the Fourth of July, you’re most likely going to see fireworks in the sky. Whether you are watching professional fireworks or have purchased your own fireworks, hearing loss is a real risk to yourself and those around you. Babies should never be exposed to fireworks. An infant’s ear canal is much smaller than older children or adults. Therefore, the sound pressure roaring into the ear is much greater. To an infant, a sound that is not that loud to an adult may be 20 decibels louder to an infant. How to Protect Your Hearing Keep Distance from You and the Fireworks. Skip home displays and watch professional displays from a distance Bring earplugs, earmuffs and/or noise cancelling headphones Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) One of the top ways Americans lose their hearing is from noise induced activities. This may be a result from one’s occupation that include construction, airport attendant, nightclub worker, or even a racecar driver. This may cause tinnitus...

  What is more annoying that a constant ringing sound in your ear? It will drive you nuts! Humming, swishing, clicking, or echoing sounds in your ears usually, points to one thing – tinnitus. The most common reason of tinnitus is prolonged exposure to loud sounds, which causes permanent harm to the cells of the cochlea, a small organ in the inner ear. Among those whose jobs put them at risk for tinnitus are pilots, rock musicians, carpenters, street repair workers, and/orlandscapers. While tinnitus itself isn’t an illness, it is a symptom of other conditions, including: Ear infections Hearing loss Wax accumulation in the ear caused by an ear infection, or in rare cases, a benign tumor of the auditory nerve Aging, where the cochlea depreciates over time Exposure to loud noise Damage to the ear Certain medications like aspirin, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants, and sedatives Medication conditions such as anemia, high blood pressure, heart disease, allergies, undera...

As we continue to navigate through these tough times, our health has never been more important, as has our ability to communicate.  Hearing healthcare has reached the forefront over the last few years, whereas social distancing and mask wearing has made it difficult for many to hear and converse. Audiology Awareness Month places a spotlight on hearing health, whereas over 38 million people in America have some degree of hearing loss.  Recent statistics indicate that only 20% of that population seek treatment.  Untreated hearing loss can have significant consequences, including higher instances of depression, anger, isolation, and frustration.  It has also been linked to cognitive decline. This October, more than ever, be proactive.  If you feel that you are having difficulty hearing or understanding family, friends, and loved ones, consider meeting a credentialed hearing healthcare provider.  These providers, known as audiologists, will educate you on how y...

  Custom earmolds are made to explicitly to fit the size and shape of your individual ear, which provides for a more comfortable fit compared to many over-the-counter options. The tighter, more accurate fit provides for a better cap to protect against noise exposure and/or to keep water out of the ear. An audiologist takes imprints of each ear using a silicone material. Earmolds are available in various materials and colors. For children, it is recommended that they use earmolds attached to their hearing aids. Since their ears are continuously growing and changing in size and shape, the audiologist will need to monitor the fit of the earmolds at regular follow-up appointments. Musician molds stream out high levels of noise without changing the sound quality of music. This type of mold is available in a choice of three different filters depending on the amount of sound attenuation that is needed. It is recommended for musicians or frequent concert attendees. Swim molds stop water f...

  There’s good news and bad news about hearing loss. The good news is that your brain is amazingly good at overcoming many obstacles, including things like hearing loss. You may be suffering from a slight decline right now and you are not aware of it, because you’ve found ways to compensate. By coping and adapting, you feel like you are getting by.      So, what’s the bad news? You may be adapting so well that you don’t know what you’re missing. You’re unaware of lost information, lost opportunities, and the lost energy you spend just trying to keep up. Maybe those embarrassing moments when you don’t catch someone’s name or some other important bits of information are growing more frequent. Know what you’re missing In age-related hearing loss, the condition progresses as you get older. Your brain may be good at continuing to adapt but straining to listen tends to diminish the parts of your life that matter most: sharing with friends and family, keeping ahead in your ...