People love to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. There is actually a scientific reason for this. Alcohol increases activity of dopamine and releases endorphins, producing feelings of joy, pleasure, and euphoria. Similarly smoking tobacco releases dopamine when tobacco reaches the brain. While both these substances can create a lot of joy, the problem with both is that it is temporary …
Are you part of over 30 million people in the U.S. with diabetes? A new study finds that your hearing may be affected as well. Diabetes is a chronic health condition which affects how your body turns food into energy. The American Diabetes Association estimate nearly 11% of the entire U.S. population suffer from diabetes and the number is only expected to …
It is estimated that over 5% of the world’s population, or 430 million people have disabling hearing loss. With advancements in hearing aid technology, there has never been a better time to have hearing loss. Understanding where we’ve been in the past with hearing loss, can give us an idea of how far we’ve actually come. Looking back on the …
Do you ever catch yourself pretending to hear what people say, just to avoid stopping the conversation? You may feel that it is impolite to interrupt people to ask them to repeat themselves and let the conversation continue, not fully understanding what is intended. It is important to unlearn this behavior as it has many unfortunate consequences. For those with …
It is estimated that one in eight people or 30 million people in the United States suffer from hearing loss in both ears. This equates to 13 percent of the population, making it likely that someone you know and care about deals with hearing loss. While hearing loss is an issue that begins in the ears, the consequences are far reaching. Untreated hearing loss …
It’s no secret that excessively loud noise can damage hearing. But not everyone knew that 40 years ago. Anyone with a noisy profession, from construction workers to rock n’ rollers, risked their hearing health every day on the job. The number of older musicians living with hearing loss keeps growing, in part due to all the concerts they performed without …
The world is going digital. Our smartphones easily connect to Bluetooth headphones and our TVs and sound systems all use digital technology. Hearing aid technology is catching up! Now digital hearing aids are the norm. This means you get amazing sound quality along with other great features that make it easier to hear. Analog Hearing Aids Vs. Digital Hearing Aids …
Some of the most meaningful moments of our lives are shared with loved ones. Communication plays a pivotal role in connecting us with our family and friends. But what happens when communication breaks down? Difficulties with communication could signal a hearing loss. Hearing in Noise Do you have a hard time following conversations? Maybe you’ve started asking people to repeat …
As our towns and cities continue to develop and industrialize, we are faced with ever-more noise in our environment. Some of this noise falls well below the threshold necessary to induce hearing loss, yet even this consistently quiet sound can lead to negative mental health effects. Those who are consistently exposed to noise tend to have higher levels of anxiety …
After the social transformations of 2020, many of us are looking forward to the summer of 2021 when we can take part in our favorite summer activities. The COVID-19 pandemic had many of us spending nearly all of our time at home, and the coming months are an opportunity to reconnect with our loved ones and to even meet some …