We’ve developed several tools to help the tinnitus patient, who is typically an older adult. We first ask them to complete the Tinnitus Primary Functions Questionnaire. These are 20 questions that my team and I developed and validated to help detail patient experiences. The questions cover four categories: Thoughts and Emotions, Hearing, Sleep, and Concentration.
Don’t Miss a Word: Make the Most of Your Doctor Visits
When a physician or other health care professional verbally provides information that is essential to a patient’s health and wellbeing, every word is valuable. A conversation about a new diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up can be stressful, though, and it may be difficult for the patient to comprehend and process all of the new information.
How Does the New CARES Act Affect You?
The year 2020 has been one of so many questions: When will things return to normal? Do I qualify for the stimulus check? Where did I put my mask? And, how can I be fiscally responsible while still supporting a favorite cause, like hearing and balance science? The good news is that you can do both at the same time, thanks to recent legislation.
A Week to Plan Your Future
Have you considered planning for your future? October 19th-25th is National Estate Planning Awareness Week, a moment when Americans are encouraged to protect the things they love and plan for their futures by creating an estate plan.
Helping Those with Hearing Loss During COVID-19
One group of people that have been hard done by during the pandemic and its repercussions is the hearing loss community. With masks and social distancing becoming recommended or even mandatory in many public places, it can be tricky to communicate with a community that relies on context given by lip-reading.
A Design Fix for Face Masks
My wife Nathalie and I are both artisans, originally from Normandy, France, now living in New Jersey. I design and make furniture and Nathalie works with textiles. When the pandemic started affecting our New York-New Jersey area, we watched as local hospitals were in dire need of PPE (personal protective equipment). We wanted to use our talents to help, so we started making fabric face masks with ties/elastic around the head.
Celebrating Your Future and Your Loved Ones
You may not know this, but August is National Make-a-Will Month. Every year thousands of Americans take advantage of the month of August to protect their loved ones and plan for their futures, all through an important task: writing your will. A will is an essential legal document that everyone should have, no matter your age or the size of your estate.
Earbuds vs. Over-the-Ear Headphones: Which Should You Use?
Avoiding noise-induced trauma is arguably one of the best ways to reduce your chances of hearing loss. However, while everybody knows that explosive noise like construction equipment and jet engines can damage your ears, fewer people are aware of another, more common culprit. I'm speaking about music.
Dealing With a Sudden Loss of Hearing and Five Ways Loved Ones Can Help
I was a high school senior when I got the news that my moderate to severe, bilateral, congenital hearing loss had just got worse (genetic, 60-85 dB loss in both ears). “Discrimination dropped from 82% to 15% in her left ear and 72% to 12% in the right ear...” the audiologist reported, confirming my sudden, significant drop in hearing. Though I could hear the difference, I couldn’t believe it. The words stung more than I could have ever imagined.
The Challenge of Hearing Well in Background Noise
What is important to know is that hearing—and understanding— speech in the presence of background noise is a complex physiological process. Wearing a hearing aid can usually improve the way sounds are presented to the ear, but it cannot change the way your brain processes the signal your ear receives.