A Link Between Hearing Loss and Cardiovascular Disease

A Link Between Hearing Loss and Cardiovascular Disease

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Health, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Related Disease, Research

Roughly one out of four deaths in the U.S.—about 659,000 per year—are the result of cardiovascular disease. It is safe to say that heart health is nearly tantamount to overall health, and the means of maintaining heart health are fairly well-understood at this point. Regular exercise (3 sessions per week), a healthy diet high in vegetables and lean meat, and …

Addressing Early Hearing Loss Could Help Prevent Dementia

Addressing Early Hearing Loss Could Help Prevent Dementia

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BABrain Health, Cognitive Health, Hearing Health, Hearing Loss

The link between hearing loss and dementia has been in the news a lot lately. That’s because it’s big news, and it’s starting to change the game in terms of hearing protection and amplification. The World Health Organization (WHO) put hearing loss at the top of a list of twelve modifiable risk factors at play in the development of Alzheimer’s …

Tips for Better Hearing in Noise

Tips for Better Hearing in Noise

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Health, Hearing Loss, Tips & Tricks

Hearing loss is a common problem, affecting about 14% of Americans, especially those over age 60. Many people first realize they have a hearing issue when background noise is present, as background sound makes it harder for even those with normal hearing to understand speech. For those with hearing loss, it can be downright impossible. Those with even mild hearing …

How Hearing Loss May Affect Your Job

How Hearing Loss May Affect Your Job

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Health, Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is an all-too-common problem for Americans, affecting about 14% of the total population. As we age, hearing loss becomes more and more likely, though many people working in high-risk professions are likely to experience problematic hearing loss well before retirement age. For those who begin to experience hearing loss while still in the workforce, it can pose additional …

Hearing Aids Mitigate Cognitive Decline in Older People

Hearing Aids MItigate Cognitive Decline in Older People

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Loss

Cognitive decline is one of the main concerns for those with hearing loss. Studies in the last decade have found that hearing loss is a major predictor of whether a person will experience Alzheimer’s or dementia, and the World Health Organization (WHO) went so far as to name hearing loss the #1 (out of 12) modifiable risk factor in the …

Chronic Tinnitus, Anxiety & Depression

Chronic Tinnitus, Anxiety & Depression

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Health

Have you ever attended a rock concert, sports event, or maybe a fireworks display, and when you left your ears were ringing? Usually, the ringing goes away in a day or two, but some people develop chronic tinnitus, where the sound lingers for years, or even for the rest of their lives.   Tinnitus is a common health concern for …

Link Between Stress and Hearing Loss

Link Between Stress and Hearing Loss

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Loss

Our ears are delicate instruments that can be affected by many environmental and internal factors. Everything from loud noise to poor diet can cause hearing loss, including smoking, too much caffeine, not enough exercise, various chemicals and medications, and perhaps even normal aging. Some audiologists do debate about whether “age-related hearing loss”—or “presbycusis”—is a real condition or a phenomenon that …

Why You Should Talk About Hearing at Your Next Physical

Why You Should Talk about Hearing at Your Next Physical

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Health

There is so much to stay on top of in life. You pay your bills on time, maintain your home appliances, and keep up with work, but there may be something important you are forgetting. Taking care of our bodies is essential to our overall health, happiness, and wellbeing. As humans, our bodies are miraculous and complex. It’s a wonder …

Falls & Accidents are More Likely with Hearing Loss

Falls & Accidents Are More Likely with Hearing Loss

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BAHearing Loss

In a study among people aged 40 to 69, researchers found that a hearing loss of 25 decibels triples the chance of falling. That might seem like quite a bit of decibel loss, but it is quite unnoticeable, it’s about the drop needed to take a person from normal to mild hearing loss, which is notoriously hard to self-diagnose.   …