What to Know About Speech-In-Noise Testing
Hearing loss isn’t always as simple as “loud versus soft.” For many people, the real challenge is understanding speech in noisy environments, like restaurants, meetings or family gatherings. That’s where speech-in-noise testing is helpful. This specialized hearing assessment goes beyond the basic hearing test to evaluate how well you understand words when background noise is…
How to Support a Loved One Who Just Got Hearing Aids
Adjusting to hearing aids can be a transition. For many, the journey involves emotional and physical changes, including new sounds, and building confidence in conversations. If someone you care about recently started using hearing aids, your support can make a big difference in their experience. Nearly 28.8 million Americans could benefit from using hearing aids,…
What to Ask Your Hearing Specialist at Your First Appointment
Around 15% of American adults have experienced some form of hearing loss, but not everyone with hearing loss takes action to manage it. If you’ve made an appointment with a hearing specialist, you may be wondering what to talk about. Intentional questions can help give you the information you need to best manage your journey…
Do Hearing Aids Affect Hearing Loss Progression?
When you learn about the clearer communication hearing aids offer, you may be surprised to discover that only about 16% of adults aged 20 to 69 who could benefit from these helpful devices have ever used them. There are a few common reasons people hesitate to try hearing aids, ranging from worries about their appearance…
Should You Wear Your Hearing Aids All the Time?
For most people, it’s essential to wear your hearing aids throughout your waking hours, even in situations where you might think they’re unnecessary. Consistent use ensures that you’re getting the most out of your devices. The only recommended times to remove your hearing aids are: Why Wearing Hearing Aids Consistently Matters Speeds Up Your Adjustment…
Make the Most of Video Conferencing with Hearing Aids
We’re living in a digital age, and video calls are on the rise in the workplace. If you wear hearing aids, the following steps can help make sure your virtual meetings are a success. Be Open About Your Hearing Loss Let people you’re meeting with know you have hearing loss. It’s an important step for…
Traveling for the Holidays with Hearing Aids
As the holiday season approaches, many people are preparing to travel to spend time with loved ones. If you wear hearing aids, you can take the following steps to help ensure that stress over your devices doesn’t detract from this special time of year. Keep Your Hearing Aids Powered Up Having your hearing aids run…
What to Know About the Connection Between Hearing Loss and Balance Issues
Hearing loss can affect more than your ability to hear, it can also affect spatial awareness and balance. Both the ears and the balance system are housed within the inner ear, meaning that damage to one part of this system can affect the other. Understanding this connection is important, especially if you experience both hearing…
How Can Hearing Aids Help You Enjoy the Movies?
Going to the movies with hearing loss can sometimes be challenging. You’re not alone as a hearing aid user, as, according to the CDC, 7.1% of adults over the age of 45 use hearing aids. The good news is that if you have hearing aids, they likely come equipped with advanced features to enhance your…
Tips for Troubleshooting Your Common Hearing Aid Issues
Hearing aids are useful devices for amplifying sound, especially in noisy backgrounds. However, like any technological device, they sometimes encounter issues. Understanding how to troubleshoot problems can help you get the most out of your hearing aids. Here are some tips on what to do for some common hearing aid issues. What to Do If…
How to Safeguard Hearing Aids from Pets
Hearing aids can improve overall quality of life but require maintenance and protection, especially if you share your home with pets, and nearly 28.8 million Americans could benefit from the use of hearing aids. Curious animals can easily damage or misplace hearing aids, leading to repairs or replacements. By implementing a few simple strategies, you…
How Does Hearing Loss Affect Family Life?
Hearing loss can lead to feelings of isolation and confusion as sometimes a person may not realize they’re experiencing hearing loss. At times, it impacts relationships and may even have the ability to impact family life. Currently, 1.5 billion people across the world live with hearing loss; consider how hearing loss may impact your interactions…
How Does Diabetes Affect Your Hearing
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body processes blood sugar. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does produce. Without proper management, diabetes can impact various systems in the body, including hearing. The Connection Between Diabetes and Hearing Loss The blood…
Celebrate Earth Day the Audiology Way
Earth Day takes place on April 22and is a globally recognized event dedicated to environmental protection. Each year, people across the world have come together to support initiatives promoting sustainability and activities that serve the planet. This Earth Day, consider how, as a hearing aid user, you may have a unique opportunity to make a…
Can Vibration Help Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the presence of phantom sounds, ringing or buzzing, in one or both ears that is not actually present. It affects approximately 10% of Americans, approximately 24 million people, and has no cure. Tinnitus sufferers can turn to various options to provide symptom relief, from mindfulness practices to counseling services. A management option being…
Understanding How Temporal Bone Tumors Impact Hearing
Hearing the word “tumor” from a healthcare provider can be daunting, and understandably so. However, learning about temporal bone tumors—including their types and treatments—can significantly alleviate concerns. The temporal bone, located at the skull’s base, is integral to our hearing. It houses crucial components like cranial nerves, vasculature and the middle ear. When a tumor…
What To Know About Somatic Tinnitus
Do you ever experience a ringing or buzzing noise in your ears? If so, you may be familiar with tinnitus, a condition that affects more than 50 million people in the United States. The perception of sound without an external source can be quite bothersome, but understanding its causes and management strategies can help you…
Why Tracking Tinnitus Flare-ups is Helpful
Tinnitus, a condition characterized by the perception of ringing or buzzing sounds in the ears, can be challenging and stressful for those who experience it. While there is currently no known cure for tinnitus, tracking flare-ups and understanding their triggers can play a crucial role in managing this condition effectively. Let’s explore why tracking tinnitus…
What to Know About Presbycusis
Presbycusis is the gradual loss of hearing in both ears, caused by aging. It’s the most common form of hearing loss worldwide, affecting approximately two-thirds of Americans aged 70 or older. Presbycusis impacts the person’s ability to understand high-frequency parts of speech, such as consonant sounds. If you’re struggling to hear your barista repeat your…
Great Ways to Celebrate Audiology Awareness Month
October is Audiology Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to learn and spread the word about all things audiology, including but not limited to: Whether you or a loved one has hearing loss or tinnitus or you’re interested in learning more about how you can learn and get involved, take a look at our…
Why It’s Harder to Understand Children’s Voices as You Age
Spending time with your children, grandchildren or nieces and nephews is a fulfilling and joyous experience that can make you feel like a kid again, too! Whether you’re playing catch in the park or going out for a family dinner at Nucci’s Pizza, you want to cherish the moments you get to spend together. Unfortunately,…
How to Choose Safe Headphones to Prevent Hearing Loss
Headphones are a great way to listen to music or catch up on your favorite podcast, whether you’re doing chores around the house or going for a jog at Morro Bay State Park. However, if you use headphones, it’s important to know how to do so safely to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. What is Noise-Induced…
How Long Does It Take to Get Used To Hearing Aids?
If you have hearing loss, hearing aids can make your life better in so many ways. They can make it easier to understand speech and follow conversations whether at work or out spending quality time with your family at Splash Café. They also can benefit your mental, physical and even cognitive health. In fact, the…
How Can Hearing Aids Help Children Identify Emotions?
When growing communication skills, learning to recognize emotions is vital. Children with hearing loss may struggle to identify speech emotions and instead rely solely on visual cues. Hearing aids can be a great help in teaching children to identify verbal and emotional cues. How Can Hearing Loss Affect Emotional Understanding? A study comparing emotional understanding…
Don’t Let Stigma Stop You From Treating Your Hearing Health
Millions of people with hearing loss resist treating their condition, at least in part, because of the negative social stigma around hearing aids. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, “among adults aged 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three (30…
How To Make the Most of Hearing Aids on Windy Days
Blistering windy days can be a hassle for everyone, particularly if you are a hearing aid user. Let’s look at why wind can cause problems, as well as how to minimize its effects when wearing your hearing aids. How Wind Causes Problems for Hearing Aids When you’re out on a windy day running an errand…
How Hearing Aid Technology Can Help You Feel More Connected At Events
Whether you’re attending the opera, going to the movie theater or going to your place of worship, larger community events can be difficult for those with hearing loss. Thankfully hearing aids and, specifically, hearing aid technology like telecoil and loop systems can make it easier to feel more connected at these events. What Is a…
Four of the Best Reasons To Wear Hearing Aids
There are countless benefits to wearing hearing aids for people with hearing loss! Let’s examine four of the most important ones. Stay Close With Friends and Family One of the most difficult parts of hearing loss is the toll that it can take on your relationships with others. That’s because speech is one of the…
Can Hearing Aids Worsen My Hearing Loss?
There are many reasons people are hesitant to get hearing aids, from fear of appearing “old” to worry that hearing aids can actually worsen hearing loss. Both of these are myths. This post focuses on the latter: hearing aids do not worsen hearing loss. Why Do People Believe This Myth? If you’ve been living with…
Effects of Untreated Hearing Loss on Senior Citizens
According to a study published in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging, “Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit in the elderly, and it is becoming a severe social and health problem.” Below we review how untreated hearing loss can affect senior citizens and how hearing aids can help. Falls Research by Johns Hopkins…
Make The Most of Holiday Gatherings with Hearing Aids
It’s hard to believe it, but we are already in the midst of the holiday season. Many of us are in the process of meal planning, gift shopping, and, most importantly, planning time to get together with our family and friends. However, hearing loss can make these get-togethers more difficult. If you are worried about…
11th Season of Hope Community-Wide Food and Toy Drive
M.K. Larson Audiology has teamed up with KSBY, local food banks, toy agencies, fire departments, the California Highway Patrol and sponsors to put together the largest community-wide food and toy drive on the Central Coast. You can help make this holiday season brighter for those in need by joining us for the 11th annual Season…
Tips for Trick-or-Treating When Your Child Wears Hearing Aids
Halloween is only a couple of weeks away and we are right in the heart of the spooky season. If you have kids, this probably means your time has been spent costume shopping, picking out pumpkins at Brookshire Farms, and planning your trick-or-treating route for Halloween night. If your child wears hearing aids, follow these…
Are My Child’s Hearing Aids Working?
Every parent has many responsibilities when it comes to caring for their child. For parents of children with hearing loss, one of these responsibilities is ensuring their hearing aids are working properly. We review some basics of hearing aid care, how to perform listening checks and some troubleshooting tips below. Basics of Hearing Aid Care…
The Do’s & Don’ts of Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are essential medical devices that connect you to the world around you. Because they’re such an important investment, you’ll want to take care of them properly. Below we review the do’s and don’ts of hearing aid care. Do’s When it comes to your hearing aids, do: Wear them every day. If you’re new…
What Causes Infant Hearing Loss?
While hearing loss is most common among older adults, people of all ages experience the condition, including infants. When present at birth, it’s known as congenital hearing loss. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that almost 6,000 infants born that year were found to have permanent hearing loss. Common Causes…
What Happens at a Follow-Up Audiology Appointment?
While your initial hearing aid appointment is critical to having success with your device, your follow-up audiology appointments are just as important. Why Follow-Up Audiology Appointments Are Important Follow-up appointments are important because they allow you to address any issues that may have come up in the first several months of having hearing aids. The…
How to Protect Your Hearing Aids While Swimming
We’re already halfway through May, and summer is right around the corner. If you’re planning to spend a lot of time at the SLO Swim Center, you want to be sure you know how to best protect your hearing aids while having fun in the water. Moisture Can Damage Hearing Aids Like all electronics, hearing…
Can a Bone-Anchored Hearing Device Help Those with Single-Sided Deafness?
Everyone who has hearing loss experiences it differently, as there are several types and many degrees, from mild to profound. Because of this, there are many treatment options available, and not all are suitable for everyone. One particularly challenging-to-treat form of hearing loss is single-sided deafness. Research shows that bone-anchored hearing devices may be the…
How Oticon’s Research Is Improving Hearing Aids
Oticon has been at the forefront of hearing loss research and hearing aid technology since their inception in 1904. Their newest product, Oticon Opn S is the first hearing aid proven to help the brain organize sounds. With the use of groundbreaking EEG research, independent scientists found that Oticon Opn S can make it easier…
When is a Cochlear Implant Necessary?
A cochlear implant may be necessary if you or your child has moderate to profound hearing loss that is not helped by hearing aids. Difference Between Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids While both devices are designed to improve your hearing, hearing aids and cochlear implants work in very different ways. Hearing aids amplify sounds but…
Hear Your Favorite Birds Again with Hearing Aids
When you’re sitting outside enjoying nature, what are your favorite sounds? For you, it may be a babbling brook or a buzzing bee. However, one survey revealed that, for most, it is the sounds of bird songs. About the Survey The goal of the survey, conducted by the hearing aid manufacturer Widex, was to uncover…
Out of Sight: What to Know About Invisible Hearing Aids
When you think of hearing aids, do you think of the large, clunky devices your grandparents wore or small, sleek devices that are hardly noticeable? You may be surprised to learn that many of today’s hearing aids are so small and discreet, not even your stylist at Moon River Salon would notice them when cutting…
Holiday Sounds to Hear this Year
This holiday season, we at M.K. Larson Audiology want you to enjoy all the wonderful sounds the season has to offer. Left untreated, your hearing loss can cost you precious memories you may not even know you’re missing. Sounds You May Be Missing If you’re putting off treating your hearing loss, know that you could…
Audiology Awareness Month: When Should I See an Audiologist?
Audiologists are experts in the auditory system, which means they are trained to diagnose and treat hearing loss, tinnitus and vestibular (balance) disorders. Audiologists typically hold Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degrees as well as other credentials such as a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and board certification from the…
What Is a Hearing Aid Fitting?
Your doctor recommended hearing aids – now what? Once you have had your hearing tested and your audiologist determined you can benefit from the use of amplification devices, you’ll need to select the best hearing aids for your type and degree of hearing loss. This process is known as a hearing aid fitting. Step One:…
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Tinnitus Cures
Hearing a ringing, buzzing or chirping in the ear that is not present in your environment can be frustrating. When this happens, many opt for over-the-counter treatment options out of desperation. But these unconventional options can be dangerous. Understanding Tinnitus Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying disorder rather than a disease itself. While hearing…
Symptoms of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
The two most common causes of hearing loss are exposure to loud sounds and aging. Since there is nothing anyone can do to prevent the march of time, experts focus their attention on helping patients prevent hearing loss caused but dangerously loud sounds. Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss…
How to Get the Perfect Hearing Aid for Your Lifestyle
If you have hearing loss and are ready to improve your life, such as strengthening communication with loved ones, investing in your health and enjoying shows at Downtown Centre Cinemas like you did years ago, it’s time to invest in a hearing aid. Finding the perfect hearing aid for your lifestyle on your own is…
How to Get a Pair of Hearing Aids
Unfortunately, getting a pair of hearing aids isn’t as easy as walking into Idler’s Home to buy a new appliance. This is because hearing aids are medical devices that are prescribed by medical professionals. Below we provide an overview of how to get a pair of hearing aids. Schedule a Hearing Test Comprehensive hearing tests…
