Firearms and Hearing Loss
Fall means hunting season in Texas, but before you set out to bag that trophy, take heed: firearms can cause instantaneous, irreversible hearing loss if you don’t take precautions. Arming yourself with hearing protection before taking up arms will help prevent hearing loss in Houston. A Single Gunshot Can Do Irreparable Harm How quickly can…
Busting Those Hearing Myths
Hearing loss is a widespread condition that affects 48 million Americans. That means about one in five Houston residents experiences hearing impairment to some degree. Despite its prevalence, many people have false assumptions about hearing loss. Let’s take a look at some of the more common myths and examine their validity. Five Assumptions About Hearing…
Allergies Can Cause Temporary Loss of Hearing
One out of every five people deals with allergies in Houston. They’re more common in the spring and summer months but can occur year-round. Most sufferers are familiar with the usual cold-like symptoms that accompany an allergy attack, but few realize that in some cases, allergies can cause temporary hearing loss. How Allergies Affect the…
Hyperacusis: When Everything Sounds Too Loud
Normally on this blog, we talk about people who have trouble hearing in Houston. But not all hearing disorders involve hearing loss; in some cases, the opposite problem occurs – sounds are too loud! What is Hyperacusis? Though not nearly as common as hearing loss, hyperacusis affects an estimated one in 50,000 people in Texas…
Using Your Smartphone to Diagnose Hearing Loss
If you’ve ever had to take your child to a doctor in Houston to treat an ear infection, you are well aware of the pain and discomfort this common affliction brings. It is the result of fluid buildup in the middle ear, typically diagnosed with a lighted instrument called an otoscope. It turns out this…
Look at Your Ears for Clues to Your Health
Did you know that your ears can often provide important clues about your physical health? Your Houston audiologist might be able to make an educated guess about underlying physical conditions based on their appearance and function. What Can Your Ears Reveal? Obviously, it takes more than a quick glimpse at your ears to diagnose an…
The History of Hearing Aids
Hearing loss is not a new condition. People have been suffering from it for centuries. Up until the 16th century, it was commonly accepted that individuals with hearing loss also suffered from multiple other disabilities; this led to them being heavily discriminated against. It was not until a Spanish monk named Pedro Ponce taught a…
Are Earbuds Damaging Your Hearing?
Headphones are increasingly common in our day-to-day lives. Ask any Houston audiologist and they will tell you about the dangers that go along with their usage. But before you unplug them all together, there are ways to use them safety. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss The use of personal music players with headphones has been linked…