Posts by Monique Hammond
COVID-19 Related Hearing Loss?
An overlooked but possible COVID-19 complication It is well-known that many viruses are capable of causing hearing damage and hearing loss. The list of culprits, includes viruses that cause measles, mumps, rubella, the CMV virus (CytoMegaloVirus) as well as viruses in the Herpes family. However, as reports of ear and hearing problems are published, the…
Read MoreNoise-induced Hearing Loss and Sound Danger Zones
By now, it is well known that repeated and prolonged exposures to excessively loud sound damage and age ears and hearing permanently and prematurely. This is called Noise-induced Hearing Loss. The damage is cumulative but it is preventable. So, how loud is it? Many people are willing and eager to protect themselves from sound damage but they do…
Read MoreCOVID-19 — Suddenly a Quieter World.
Calm and serenity: A silver lining? Like everybody else, I do not enjoy social distancing. After all, I love doing my Safety and hearing loss presentations in person, with actual people! Feelings of isolation? As a person with hearing loss, I have my share of those already. What I do enjoy about this virus-imposed quarantine…
Read MoreIn COVID-19 Isolation? Keep Hearing Alive
Those with hearing loss know a thing or two about social isolation. Struggling to understand speech stirs up plenty of feelings of being sidelined during conversations or activities with family, friends and coworkers. Now add to that social distancing ─ which hinders speechreading and tests the distance performance of hearing aids ─ and pretty…
Read MoreBaby Sound Sleep Machines
Sleepless nights due to a screaming child are the bane of young parents. So, it was not surprising that the first item on the Must-have list for a family member’s baby shower was a “Baby Sleep Sound Machine.” Generally, these products advertise continuous calming, soothing “white noise” that is meant to help children fall sleep…
Read MoreCOVID-19 – Understanding PPE
Personal Protective Equipment: It’s all about Safety The talk about PPE, such as masks, gloves and topical disinfectants is all the rage nowadays. Until recently the general public had little awareness of the importance of PPE and many might not have known what the letters actually stand for. Since then, we have all gotten a crash…
Read MoreWhy Noise-induced Hearing Loss Should be a Public Health Issue
Permanent but preventable Excessively loud sound prematurely ages the ears. It leads to Noise-induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), which is the second leading cause of hearing loss worldwide, right after aging. It is a major reason why younger and younger people are joining the ranks of those with hearing and communication challenges. The sad part is…
Read MoreHearing Loss: Hear’s to Valentine’s Day!
This year make Valentine’s Day count for those among your friends and loved ones with hearing loss. Remember that their biggest issue is understanding speech in background noise. Yet, just like anybody else, they delight in being told that they are loved and appreciated. Avoid communication glitches Having to ask over and over what was…
Read MoreHow “Invisible” is Hearing Loss?
A notion that feeds denial and hinders acceptance Those with hearing loss look just like everybody else as they stand in a crowd. Damage that leads to this communication challenge is invisible to the eye. Ever smaller and invisible hearing aids help them protect their “secret” and so nobody will ever know. Or so one…
Read MoreSix Tips for Better Hearing in the New Year.
In the interest of quality of life, keep communication and learning alive. Don’t let the music die. How can all of that be done? Prevent hearing loss and preserve existing hearing.!. 1) Get out of denial Hearing no longer what it used to be? Let this be the year to get out of denial. Find out…
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