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By now you may have heard of new hearing technology that is able to link (“stream”) your iPhone or other smart phone to hearing aids. The idea that a hearing aid user may be able to listen to a mobile phone through hearing aids via a wireless connection is long in coming, but it has become a reality...

Recently a female patient in her early 60s came to our office and reported she felt she had lost virtually all her remaining hearing over the past month. She had a long history of hearing loss, middle-ear disease, Eustachian tube dysfunction and multiple ear surgeries. She is a hearing aid user, but...

Much is known about the deterioration of hearing caused by noise exposure, toxicity and the aging process. Inner-ear or “sensory” hearing loss accounts for the majority of cases seen in hearing centers and reflects the risk factors of the population. Hearing, however, relies on more than the ear. Th...

Much has been written, here and elsewhere, about treatments for tinnitus, the often bothersome perception of phantom sounds. These sounds are reported as ringing, buzzing, hissing, humming or other essentially steady sounds in one or both ears. In our experience the problem is not the noise itself,...

Lately it seems hard to escape the constant flow of pharmaceutical commercials and print ads for a seemingly endless list of maladies. In our own office we see many patients whose medication lists span more than a full page. All of the drugs listed may be necessary and effective, however, do ALL dis...

Seek local professionals who are truly local. Much has been made in the press lately about businesses and jobs leaving or staying in New York State. One can easily argue the pros and cons of remaining in NY, however, it is no secret we have a long-standing tradition of excellence in the Rochester ar...

Screenings vs diagnostic evaluations Hearing centers may occasionally produce marketing materials enticing potential patients or clients with “free hearing screenings”. While the idea of getting some service for free may be appealing, and while quick screenings can be useful at informal occasions...

Many people use “dizziness” and “vertigo” interchangeably. While the group of conditions known as vertigo produce dizziness sensations, not all dizziness is vertigo. Let us examine the difference in these terms. Dizziness essentially refers to a sense of physical disorientation in space or illuso...

Just as our eyes inform us of the position of people or objects in our environment, our ears are also directional. Young children learn to turn their heads towards a sound. Stereo recordings fill our heads with music that stretches from side to side and fills the space in between. It is also not dif...

TreaOften we see patients with hearing loss who refer to themselves as “deaf”. Spouses may also chime in, “See, I told you you were deaf”. While we do not downplay the effects of hearing loss, we always gently correct the speaker when it is not used correctly. Mild or moderate hearing impairment and...