Asking questions about health-related things can be difficult, especially if you think that you should know it already.

Many of my patients first turn to Google to find out the answer to these questions which can only make things worse. For instance, the last time I searched for what aches and a fever could mean, I was given everything from “it’s just a cold” to “you have malaria” which is a bit of a wide range.

There’s so much conflicting information and access to information available now that we thought we’d spend this week talking about 8 common questions we get all the time from patients.

If there’s someone in your life that is dealing with hearing loss, it can be difficult to know how to start the conversation.

In most cases, you likely already can identify that they have hearing loss. You already know there's a problem and if you’re on this blog, you already know what the potential solutions are.

In this post, we will walk you through how to approach this topic in a thoughtful, considerate way that leads to a conversation rather than an argument.

Each May, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) raises awareness about communication disorders for Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM).

In recognition of BHSM, we’ll be talking about lifestyle and diet changes you can make to better support your hearing health.

This post will focus on different diet and lifestyle changes that you can make to prevent hearing loss. 

Using hearing aids for the first time isn’t an instantaneous improvement. 

Getting the most out of them takes two things: time and patience. 

If you’re frustrated with your hearing aids and thinking about getting rid of them, here are 8 reasons why maybe you shouldn’t give up just yet.

While the most common cause of hearing loss is exposure to loud noises, there are some diseases or disorders that can affect the hearing system. 

This is by no means meant to replace talking to a medical professional. However, it can be helpful to be aware of which diseases can affect your hearing should you or someone you know be diagnosed with one of these issues. It’s all the more imperative that they monitor their hearing levels throughout their treatment. 

Before we take a look, we want to remind you as always that if you’re experiencing any symptoms from the following list, please seek medical attention.

They are:

• Chronic ear pain
• Dizziness
• Sudden hearing loss/ has gotten worse over a short period of time
• Hearing loss in only one ear
• Any matter or fluid coming out of the ear

With that covered, let’s begin.

Whether you’re just beginning your hearing care journey or are somewhere along the road, there are many different people you might have met or have yet to meet.

Questions often arise of who should be seen for what sorts of issues. Should you go to an audiologist or an ENT physician? Why might you see a physical therapist for hearing issues?

Read on for today’s post about the different types of medical and healthcare professionals and the roles they will play should you encounter them while caring for your hearing.

"It's not like my glasses,” one of my patients once said to me. “I put my glasses on and I can see.”

This patient was seven years old and despite years of experience, I’ve yet to hear a better way to describe the difficulty that comes with a new pair of hearing aids.

Hearing aids are a huge aid in helping people reduce listening fatigue, reclaim their social life, and reduce the potentially dangerous side effects of hearing loss. At the same time, there is undoubtedly an adjustment period when using your first pair. 

If you’ve just gotten your first pair, read on to get the advice I usually share with first-time patients using hearing aids.

The goal of treating hearing loss is to make things that you do on a daily basis easier and improve your ability to communicate. 

While technology may be the start or a key part of your journey, there are also non-technical aspects to dealing with hearing loss that can make a huge difference in your quality of life.

This post will be focused on the communication strategies that can go a long way in helping you reclaim your quality of life and ability to communicate with less effort.

“What’s going to happen? How much will it cost? Who do I need to talk to?”

The idea of getting a hearing aid can be an overwhelming prospect. 

This week we’re going to explain every single step of the process, from the moment you suspect that you have hearing loss until you walk out of a facility with brand new hearing aids and reclaim your quality of life.

Did you know it’s National Deaf History Month? 

First started in 1997, this annual recognition runs from March 13 through April 15th.

This week, we’ll be talking about National Deaf History Month, what it recognizes, and sharing a few stories of some people whose lives demonstrate the power of perseverance in spite of any disabilities.