Can Migraines Cause Ear Pain (Otalgia)?

Yes, indeed they can – but I did not know that. Earaches without obvious causes, even after extensive testing, might make physicians suspect migraines. At first, I did not make the connection between often stabbing ear pain and my left-sided silent vestibular migraines. I thought of the otalgia as a separate event and blamed it…

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Tinnitus Awareness Week

In 2024, Tinnitus Awareness Week is observed from February 5 to February 11. This is an important week to become actively involved in spreading the news about this condition. The truth is that nobody likes Tinnitus and everyone of us wishes for it to “just go away.”    The story of Tinnitus is both lengthy…

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Five Strategies to Protect and Preserve Hearing

Hearing connects us to our social and professional worlds. It allows us to enjoy the sounds of speech, nature, and music. Unfortunately, people all too often fail to appreciate this precious sense. They rarely feel motivated to protect and preserve their hearing. They take it for granted until it fades away and they experience the…

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Don’t Let Hearing Loss Increase Holiday Stress

Why might hearing loss support groups feature mental health speakers around the end-of-the-year Holiday Season? It is expected that such specialists will help strengthen the resolve and self-confidence of their members so that they can “survive” the stress of the Holidays. Hearing loss increases Holiday stress because it is a tiring, chronic communication issue. The…

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Smartphone Sound Level Meter Apps Help Protect Hearing

Ever since I got a sound level meter app for my Android phone, I am a lot more confident with decisions regarding sound exposures for my already damaged ears. A click of the button lets me know at once whether I am headed into an overly loud, ear-unfriendly place. And I want to avoid more…

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Hearing Loss Increases Fall Risks

To maintain body equilibrium, the brain coordinates input from the eyes and ears and from sensors located throughout the body in the muscles and bones. While normal hearing supports the brain’s balance function, hearing loss has a destabilizing effect and becomes a safety issue.  According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, even a mild hearing loss can…

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Hearing Loss Denial Delays Getting Help

Many people with hearing loss deny their communication struggles for an average of seven years. They reject the truth and refuse to accept what is often obvious to those round them. Sadly, hearing loss denial delays getting help. It stands in the way of dealing with reality and moving on with life. One could say…

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Auditory Processing Disorder Affects Learning and Communication

Auditory processing Disorder (APD) affects learning and communication at any age. It is NOT caused by hearing loss. Although many APD-related symptoms appear to be similar to those caused by hearing loss, they happen for different reasons. One might say that APD mimics hearing loss.  APD is due to sound processing problems of the brain…

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Hearing Loss as Risk for Dementia

Nerves and brain areas that are not kept active through stimulation and input fall into disuse. They shrink and die off in a process called atrophy. Hearing and its involvement in cognitive functions is no different. Yet, when researchers at Johns Hopkins first published their findings of a link between hearing loss and dementia, it…

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