You’re feeling dizzy. Do quick movements of your head or bending over increase your dizziness? How about looking up? Does turning over or getting in and out of bed cause things to spin more? According to a standardized test known as the Dizziness Handicap Inventory, answering yes to some or all of these questions is… Read more »
The coronavirus emergency has made life more dangerous and difficult for people worldwide. However, the extraordinary challenges experienced by the hearing impaired and deaf populations have not been addressed adequately to date by the media. Listening is defined as an “active or intentional behavior involving the brain’s ability to decode and process communication.”1 Affecting approximately… Read more »
Hearing loss is invisible. Unlike noticing you need glasses because your vision is blurry, we can’t see hearing loss, but those around us often notice it. It is hidden in the inappropriate response to a question, in the request for someone to repeat what they said, or in the complaint that people need to stop… Read more »
It is estimated that 50 million Americans suffer from a tinnitus disorder, a ringing or buzzing in the ear.1 Most patients describe the perceived noise as a persistent, chronic, annoying and sometimes debilitating buzzing, ringing, static or high-pitched sound in the ear(s) or head. However, current tinnitus research now defines tinnitus as a disorder involving… Read more »
Being able to communicate with ease has been determined to be a critical topic and aspect of healthy aging. Since 2014, a greater emphasis has been placed on hearing health and associated disease risk factors including the following life threatening co-morbidities: Dementia. Dr. Frank R. Lin, M.D., Ph.D., otolaryngologist and investigative researcher at Johns Hopkins… Read more »
Until recently, childhood earaches and infections were primarily treated with a routine course of antibiotics. However, research now shows that childhood earaches can resolve within 10 days time with or without antibiotic use.1 In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics has taken a more conservative stance on how often and when antibiotics are actually necessary… Read more »
“Get your hearing checked!” My friend Pam and I had each heard this from our husbands for several years. But she is only 45 and I just turned 50, so we thought we were way too young to be losing our hearing. It must be them. But when my mom chimed in, I listened. She… Read more »
There are disposable contact lenses for vision problems, so why not a similar fix for hearing loss? Welcome to a new direction in hearing solutions, with the introduction of the Lyric 2 hearing aid. The Lyric 2 is a cylindrical shaped hearing aid that fits into the canal and can be left in place for… Read more »
Dizziness, vertigo and disequilibrium are all signs of vestibular system dysfunction. Vestibular disorders can be caused by peripheral damage (occurring within the inner ear), or by central damage (occurring within areas of the central nervous system responsible for balance and equilibrium). These symptoms do not have to be permanently debilitating and can often be treated… Read more »
Dear Dr. Kato: I’ve had several instances where I get a severe vertigo attack that lasts for two hours. It hits me out of the blue, and the vertigo is very debilitating! I notice that before the spinning sensation starts, my ear feels full and rings, and my hearing gets plugged. These attacks have been… Read more »
Loss of hearing is America’s most prevalent physical ailment. More people suffer from hearing loss than from heart disease, cancer, blindness, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, venereal disease and kidney disease combined. Despite the magnitude of the problem, we pay less attention to hearing loss than to any other major affliction. Perhaps it is because hearing loss… Read more »
Dear Dr. Kato: For the past 3 weeks, I’ve experienced dizziness nearly every morning when I turn over to get out of bed. I feel like I am spinning inside my head, and it is very frightening! If I lie perfectly still, I’m okay. Can you tell me what is causing this? Dear Reader: Dizziness… Read more »
We often think of hearing loss as a problem related to aging. However, hearing loss affects people of all ages, from birth through adulthood. Hearing loss affects two in every 100 children under the age of 18. If their hearing loss is undetected, there will be delay in initiating proper treatment and intervention. This may… Read more »
Why do we have ear wax? Earwax is a normal product of our ears. It is a mixture of cerumen (wax), oil, sweat, and dead skin cells that is produced in the outer 1/3 of the ear canal. Although many consider ear wax to be a nuisance, it serves two important purposes: it lubricates the… Read more »
Family gatherings should be a joyous time of celebration, spent with loved ones, and reconnecting with friends and family. Grandparents delight in seeing their grandchildren. Many of us catch up with those we haven’t seen since last year. However, these gatherings can be less than pleasant for some individuals. Hearing-impaired individuals, for one, have difficulty… Read more »
Medications are often the first line treatment for patients experiencing severe dizziness and vertigo. These medications are essentially “rescue” drugs that can greatly alleviate the symptom of debilitating vertigo. However, these “rescue” drugs are neither always effective nor appropriate for many types of dizziness, and they may have potentially serious side effects and drug interactions.… Read more »
What is sudden sensorineural hearing loss? Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a rapid loss of hearing that occurs overnight, or over a period of up to three days. Usually, only one ear is affected. Patients may experience a feeling of fullness in the ear and tinnitus (or ringing of the involved ear). They may… Read more »
Does it sometimes feel like the world is spinning around you? You’re not alone. Dizziness is a very common symptom, experienced by patients throughout the world. In fact, it is the third most common symptom reported to primary care physicians in the US, according to the National Institutes of Health. Due to a lack of… Read more »
Hearing loss is a major public health issue. It is the third most common chronic illness in the U.S, after arthritis and heart disease. So why does hearing loss often go untreated? In many cases, it occurs gradually, so individuals may not be aware of their hearing loss. This article, the second of a two-part… Read more »
Hearing loss is a major public health issue. After arthritis and heart disease, it is the third most common chronic illness in the U.S. Unfortunately, hearing loss often goes untreated. Why is it that hearing problems often fail to prompt a visit to see a doctor? There are many misconceptions about hearing loss and related… Read more »
