View Post

This November, Test Your Hearing in Honor of American Diabetes Month

In Hearing Health, hearing loss by flywheel

Each November, we set aside time to celebrate American Diabetes Month. This celebration is a great opportunity to remember the efforts of those who research diabetes, provide care to diabetes patients, and those who are triumphantly living with the disease. As we honor this month, we can also shift our attention to devote more resources to these causes, including research, …

View Post

Studies Show Higher Rates of Hearing Loss for People with Diabetes

In Hearing Health, hearing loss by flywheel

When we look at two distinct conditions in the body, there might not be a clear relationship between them. Any individual body has many competing dynamics happening at the same time, making it difficult to understand how one part affects another. However, when we aggregate to the social level, we can see trends that connect one condition to another. Although …

View Post

A Connection between Hearing Loss, Depression, and Dementia

In Hearing Health by flywheel

Public health researchers and policy makers spend a lot of time thinking about risk factors. Although we can’t completely eradicate many public health concerns, there are lifestyle and treatment interventions that can reduce the rates of these health issues at the level of the entire population. Three health problems plague senior populations, specifically: hearing loss, depression, and dementia. A recent …

View Post

How Hearing Loss Treatment Can Lessen Loneliness

In Family and Relationships, Hearing Health, Lifestyle and Leisure by flywheel

  Hearing deeply shapes how we navigate daily life. It is essential for communication which is central to relationships and social engagement. So when hearing is impaired, these areas of life can be significantly impacted. Untreated hearing loss often strains relationships as well as leads to social withdrawal, contributing to depressive symptoms like loneliness. Not only does loneliness affect mental …

View Post

Even a Mild Hearing Loss Contributes to Cognitive Decline

In Hearing Health, hearing loss, Research by Ed Kocher, ACA, BC-HIS

We know that hearing loss can affect how we communicate but the effects ripple much deeper than that. For those who have untreated hearing loss, it’s been uncovered after numerous studies that hearing loss also contributes to cognitive decline. What is Cognitive Decline? While the brain’s functioning peaks in your early 20’s studies show that decline is normal and starts …

View Post

How Quitting Smoking & Lowering Blood Pressure Could Support Healthy Hearing

In Hearing Health, hearing loss, Lifestyle and Leisure, Research by Ed Kocher, ACA, BC-HIS

Hearing health is connected to overall health. This means that different conditions and certain behaviors that affect one’s health can also specifically impact hearing. Though hearing loss is commonly associated with aging, there are several other factors that can cause impaired hearing. This includes smoking and high blood pressure which can both disrupt how sound is absorbed and processed. Quitting …

View Post

How Often Should I Get a Hearing Test?

In Hearing Health, hearing loss, Hearing Loss Treatment, Hearing Testing by Ed Kocher, ACA, BC-HIS

People typically make annual check-up appointments as part of their healthcare routine. This usually includes yearly physicals, vision evaluations, and dental screenings. Hearing health is often missing from these routine check-ins. In a recent study conducted by the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), researchers found that only 2 in 10 adults have had a hearing test in the past 5 years. Whereas …

View Post

Tips to Help Your Hearing Aids Last Longer

In hearing aids by Ed Kocher, ACA, BC-HIS

Hearing aids are an essential item for millions of people who live with hearing loss. Impacting nearly 1 in 6 people, hearing loss reduces the capacity to perceive and process speech as well as sound. Hearing aids transform hearing health by providing the ears and brain with ample support, making it easier to hear and communicate. These devices, which are …

View Post

How does Telemedicine Work?

In Uncategorized by Ed Kocher, ACA, BC-HIS

Virtual appointments with healthcare providers have been invaluable for millions of people during the pandemic. Telemedicine, also referred to as telehealth, refers to utilizing telecommunication technologies to provide healthcare services remotely. Though telemedicine has been around for decades, these services have expanded and been relied on now more than ever before. Offering convenience and reduced exposure to COVID-19, telemedicine is …

View Post

A Campaign to Make Listening Safe for All

In Hearing Health by Ed Kocher, ACA, BC-HIS

!While most people associate hearing loss with old age, it is vital to remember that hearing loss can strike anyone at any age. With increasing traffic, construction, and other noise seemingly continually flooding into our ears, it’s more vital than ever to understand the threats to our ears.   The World Health Organization has launched the “Make Listening Safe Workgroup” …