If you have hearing loss (or even if you don’t) there is something you should know about: ototoxicity. What is ototoxicity? Ototoxicity refers to substances such as pharmaceutical medications that can cause short or long-term hearing loss as a side effect. Ototoxicity can be a factor in both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These drugs may …
Have you ever experienced a ringing in your ears? Tinnitus is the name for ringing in the ears. Tinnitus can be a brief irritation or it can be an overpowering sound that is unbearable! For some it is described as a “ringing” sound, and for others it sounds like a rushing noise. Yet others say …
How do you typically clean your ears after bathing? Most people tend to use cotton swabs….but did you know swabs can harm you ear drums? Cotton swab injuries are common. The delicate inner ear tissue is easily broken, and if any thin or pointy object is inserted into in the ear canal, the ear drum …
Continue reading “WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN MY EARS WITHOUT SWABS?”
For someone with normal hearing ability, the brain is excellent at homing in on exactly who or what we are trying to hear and deciphering those sounds even in the midst of a great din. Once we begin to experience hearing loss, however, this singling out and understanding someone speaking in the midst of background …
Hearing loss most often comes on gradually as we age, because the most common cause of hearing loss is noise, which cumulatively damages hearing over time. In fact, it usually comes on so gradually that we may not notice it at all until, years later, it gets to a level that interrupts our daily living. …
Continue reading “What is Sudden Hearing Loss, and what do I do if it happens to me?”
Stress is a stranger to no one these days. Our modern times are filled with stress at every turn, and the past 18 months have intensified those stress levels for many people, whether they are concerned for their personal health or society as a whole. We have known for a long time that stress kills, …
Did you know smoking can exacerbate hearing loss? A recent study shows that smokers are up to 70% more susceptible to hearing loss than non-smokers. That’s a big number! The study further found that the more cigarettes that are smoked, the risk of hearing loss increases. How is Hearing Loss Connected with Smoking? It is …
It’s October and this year has flown by! Not only is it the month of pumpkins, fall themes and Halloween, it’s also Audiology Awareness Month! Here at Diablo Hearing Service, that’s kind of a big deal! Audiology Audiology is the science of hearing, but that is not all. We also look at and treat balance …
What does your heart represent? Hearts mean many things to us: our souls, our emotions, our dreams, our desires. Of course, we also have a physical heart that sustains our bodies and circulates our blood. The leading cause of death for both women and men in the U.S. is heart disease. Coronary heart disease tops …
Continue reading “CORRELATION: HEART HEALTH AND HEARING HEALTH”
How could my medications affect my hearing health? It seems unlikely that the medications on which we depend could harm our hearing. But many of the medications and chemicals we are surrounded with can be ototoxic. Medications and chemicals are ototoxic when they can cause hearing loss, either temporarily or permanently. Both over the counter …
