Posts by shockley
What are Otoacoustic Emissions and Why Are They Important?
Many people don’t know that there is a machine out there that can measure your inner ear hair cells. Most importantly your outer hair cells (OHC) in the inner ear known as your cochlear amplifiers. These are the hair cells that help with clarity and very soft sounds, which are usually the first to become…
Read MoreFollowing Best Practices for Hearing Aid Fitting & REM (Real Ear Measurement)
I’m sure many of you have heard horror stories about friends getting hearing devices and pretty quickly saying they don’t work so they eventually put them in a drawer. Hearing stories like this always make me cringe. A great way to greatly reduce this issue is to follow recommended best practices in hearing device fittings.…
Read MoreCustom vs. BTE (Behind the Ear) Hearing Aids
Over the past 10 years there have been significant changes in the types and styles of hearing devices, most notably with the behind the ear style that now 70% of patients prefer to wear. Before then a custom style was usually what patients would get, but issues with hearing their own voice and comfort were…
Read MoreHow Do You Safely Clean Your Ears?
We’ve all heard the saying “Don’t put anything smaller than your elbow inside your ears”. While this saying is meant to be funny, it still is very true. A minimal amount of cerumen in the ears is actually healthy and prevents dirt/debris from entering the ear canal. An excessive amount of cerumen can cause pain…
Read MoreHearing Aids Cleaning & Maintenance Recommendations
Hearing aids are a significant investment, so it’s good practice to learn how to clean and maintain them at home. These sophisticated, tiny marvels of technology operate in conditions that are far from ideal: the inside of your ear canals where they are subjected to earwax and moisture. Regular cleaning you can do yourself combined…
Read MoreOctober is National Audiology Awareness & Hearing Protection Month
Not only is October my favorite month because I love fall, boots and sweater weather, and Halloween, but it also happens to be National Audiology Awareness Month. This is a time where we try to increase public awareness of our profession and the importance of hearing health care. Audiologists are the primary health-care professionals who…
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