Musical Training May Delay Age Related Hearing Loss
A study conducted by neuroscientist Nina Kraus from Northwestern University found that the brain can be trained to overcome some age-related hearing loss. How exactly can this happen you may be wondering? Her study shows that people, whom have played music since childhood, had an advantage when distinguishing one consonant from another. Additionally she discovered that…
Earworms
It’s happened to everyone…you’re minding your own business, flipping through radio stations, when you come across one of “those” songs – it only takes is a couple of notes and — BLAM! — the song is stuck in your head for hours, maybe even days! These tunes that persistently repeat in your head are affectionately known as “earworms” and…
Think Pink
Our audiology team is “thinking pink” during a special three-day campaign, October 16-18, where a portion of all Oticon hearing instrument sales goes toward breast cancer research. This is the fourth year ESHC has participated in the National campaign and we are proud to not only be a part of the hearing instrument event, but also to…
Pain Relievers Increase Risk of Hearing Loss
Pounding headache? Back pain? For many Americans the first thing we do when signs of pain present is reach for a pain-relieving pill, however recent research shows that you might want to think twice before popping a pill as it may be doing more than taking away the pain, it might be damaging your ears…
The Truth Behind Over-the-Counter Sound Amplification
Many of our patients have been asking us about our thoughts on a recent Wall Street Journal article that discussed Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs) sold over-the-counter or online. We wanted to take a moment to share our opinions (and those of other medical professionals) to our blog readers. While the article brought up great…
Stuttering and Hiking: The CALMS way
On September 9th, the Eastside Stuttering Support Group and the Kent Teen Stuttering Group met up for a hike. It was a beautiful day to meet new friends and enjoy the outdoors. I particularly enjoyed this experience because it related well to a course I took recently on assessment and treatment of stuttering in school-age…
Exercises to Enhance Balance
Loss of balance is a common effect of some medical conditions, and the natural process of aging. The good news is that there are exercises you can do to increase your body’s ability to balance. Balance exercises are specific activities that help build muscle strength in your legs as well as improve the functionality of your vestibular…
How does the Vestibular System work?
In order to keep the feeling of balance, our vestibular system works with other sensorimotor systems in the body, such as our visual system (eyes) and skeletal system (bones and joints). The vestibular system also helps us maintain a steady focus on objects even though the position of our body changes. This is accomplished by…
Common Balance Problems
Balance disorders can present themselves in a variety of different ways. Below are a few signs and symptoms of balance disorders: Dizziness symptoms includes: Lightheadedness Movement sensations Spinning Trouble focusing on reading Difficulties maintaining balance Increased fatigue Acute or episodic vertigo Blurred vision with head movement Difficulty walking in the dark Other problems that may…
Diagnosis of Balance Disorders
Did you know that balance disorders are typically under diagnosed and under treated? An estimated 35% of U.S. adults aged 40 years and older experience vestibular dysfunction at some point in their lives…that’s approximately 69 million Americans! It has been estimated that most patients with vestibular problems visit 4-5 doctors before receiving an accurate diagnosis,…