For 48 million Americans struggling with hearing loss, it can be difficult to follow conversations in noisy environments. Whether you’re at a restaurant, out for a night on the town, or in the workplace, it can be difficult to understand what is being said while having to filter out the background noise; a phenomenon called the “cocktail party effect”. However, this phenomenon doesn’t only affect the hard of hearing. Research has indicated that people with normal hearing can experience this same difficulty with little explanation until now. According to a new study led by researchers at Massac ..read more

When it comes to hearing loss, you may think of it as a black and white issue: you either have hearing loss or you don’t. While it is true that you could be assessed as having normal hearing or hearing loss, hearing loss is more nuanced than you might first expect. Hearing loss is evaluated in degrees. Your degree of hearing loss is assessed using two different measures: how loud something needs to be before you can hear it, and which frequencies are more difficult for you to hear. Many people experience difficulty hearing higher frequencies as they age. However, hearing loss is unique to each ..read more

According to the National Stroke Association, strokes are on the rise in younger populations with the past decade showing a 44 percent increase in hospitalizations due to stroke. This is an alarming statistic, as two-thirds of stroke survivors will leave the hospital with a disability, including hearing loss. This requires a proper screening protocol to ensure that patients who suffer from a stroke can be efficiently screened for hearing loss before hearing impairment can negatively affect a patient’s life or rehabilitation. A new 2020 study has outlined new recommendations to better serve str ..read more

A hearing loss can be detrimental to one’s health in many ways. Psychologically, a hearing loss can lead to social phobia, anxiety, depression, and stress. The physical implications of hearing loss include reduced alertness, a reduction in job performance, headaches, high blood pressure, vertigo, tiredness, tense muscles, and sleeping problems. One detrimental effect of untreated hearing loss that you may have not considered is an increased chance of an accidental injury. One analysis suggests that people who report difficulty hearing are twice as likely to have an accidental injury than those ..read more

Trouble when it comes to balance and falling is a serious concern for older populations in the United States, as falls among those aged 65+ are growing at a rapid rate. This rising number is worrisome as falls can be severely harmful and potentially fatal. According to the CDC, one in every four adults aged 65+ will fall each year, while an older adult will be treated in the emergency room for a fall every 11 seconds. Falls are not only physically harmful either, as many adults will limit their activities and social engagements out of fear of falling, affecting their mental health and quality ..read more

If you ever experience a momentary reduction in your ability to hear after exposure to sound, then you are experiencing listening fatigue. Listening fatigue, also known as auditory fatigue, is a condition that involves the increased effort one exerts to listen and understand due to untreated sensorineural hearing loss. Straining to hear and understand communication causes the brain to expend excessive energy to compensate for a hearing loss. Taxing the brain in this manner leaves a small amount of power for other functions. As you deplete energy trying to hear words and sentences, you soon fin ..read more

We all know that exercise, a good night’s sleep, and a healthy diet are the foundation of a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that eating certain foods may actually lower your risk of hearing loss? Healthcare professionals have been prescribing healthy diets to combat numerous illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and even depression, and it is known to reduce your chances of stroke, heart diseases, and many other ailments, but a new study has found that eating healthy may also reduce the risk of acquired hearing loss. Conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the study had ..read more

If you sleep with a sound machine, the chances are good that you are familiar with the hissing sound of white noise. The masking of sound through the use of fans or noise machines is an effective sleep aid. It is also known to increase productivity in the workplace. It turns out that white noise might even improve your hearing too! Researchers are now applying the concept of white noise to enhance the development of cochlear implants. Their findings indicate that continuous white noise helps people hear pure sounds with more precision. What Is White Noise? White noise is a mixture of all of th ..read more

As the holiday season ends, we’re reminded of all the things we’re thankful for. Not only are we grateful to support our patients with their hearing concerns, but we appreciate the opportunity to help others in need. It’s not just the immediate people around us that can benefit from generosity; you can make a difference in the world no matter where you are. At Anaheim & Brea Hearing Center, we are a proud supporter of a variety of charities and noteworthy causes. This winter, we’ve extended our reach to support the Hearing Health Foundation. We’re committed to the welfare of others and are ..read more

Do you or someone you know use hearing aids? Chances are, the answer to that question is yes. Statistics show that almost 40 million people in the United States live with hearing loss, and almost 30 million of those could benefit from wearing hearing aids. Over the years, hearing aids have evolved from simple amplification devices to something sophisticated, personalized, and more like a small computer. They make hearing with hearing loss more natural than ever before thanks to an ever-growing variety of features and advancing technology. Using them is often as easy as turning them on and putt ..read more