Patient Education

One of the first skills acquired by audiologists is that of inspecting the outer ear (otoscopy). Otoscopy involves using a handheld light (freestanding or wall mounted) especially designed to enable the clinician to see the ear canal and the tympanic membrane. There is a light source and the end of the scope that allows for…

I have had many patients who are concerned about the cleanliness of their ears when I perform a visual inspection of the outer ear canal (otoscopy). Cerumen in small amounts is perfectly normal. Cerumen provides a defense against insects that might wander in, has a pH factor that is not conducive to the growth of…

Tinnitus is a symptom characterized by sounds perceived in the listener’s head that are not generated from outside the body. Often described as ringing, buzzing, chirping, these sounds can be constant or intermittent, loud, soft or somewhere in between and affect 10-15% of the population. Severe debilitating tinnitus is reported in 1-2% of the population…

What is Single Sided Deafness? Sometimes referred to as unilateral hearing loss, single sided deafness is a condition in which an individual experiences hearing loss in only one ear but can hear normally out of the other ear. While most patients with a hearing impairment suffer from bilateral (two-sided) hearing loss, SSD affects approximately 60,000…

For most people who experience hearing loss, the condition comes on gradually over a period of years. In rare cases, an abrupt loss of hearing occurs with little or no warning. This condition is known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). What is Sudden Deafness? Sudden deafness is an unexplained and rapid hearing loss that…

How Can Sounds Hurt Your Ears? Background sound is a constant in our busy lives. Normally, background noises are at safe levels that do not negatively impact our hearing. But repeated exposure to noise above 85 decibels (dB) can cause noise induced hearing loss. The louder the sound, the less amount of time it takes…