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How Often Should Adults Get a Hearing Exam in Kitchener

Hearing is something most of us take for granted — until it starts to fade. For many adults in Kitchener, subtle changes in hearing happen gradually, often going unnoticed until they affect daily life. Difficulty following conversations, constantly turning up the TV, or missing important sounds can all be signs that it’s time for a professional hearing exam. Regular hearing exams aren’t just about detecting hearing loss — they’re a proactive step toward protecting your overall health, maintaining connections with family and friends, and ensuring you enjoy life to the fullest. In this article, we’ll explain how often adults should get

How Long Do Hearing Aids Last?

Hearing aids are more than just devices—they are essential tools that help people stay connected to the world around them. Whether it’s enjoying conversations with family, listening to music, or staying safe in everyday life, reliable hearing aids make a real difference. A common question many people have is: how long do hearing aids actually last? Understanding their lifespan can help you plan for maintenance, replacement, and technology upgrades. Typical Lifespan of Hearing Aids On average, hearing aids last between three and seven years. This range can vary based on the type of device, how it’s used, and how well it’s

Hearing Health and New Year’s Resolutions: A Smarter Way to Start the Year

At Ear and Hearing Clinic, we encourage patients to think of hearing care as an essential part of their overall wellness plan. Making hearing health a priority at the start of the year can lead to meaningful improvements in confidence, relationships, and quality of life. Hearing affects nearly every part of our daily living. Clear hearing supports conversations with family, social interactions, workplace communication, and personal safety. When hearing issues go untreated, they can slowly begin to interfere with these areas. Many people experience frustration, fatigue, or withdrawal from activities they once enjoyed. Changes in our hearing often occur gradually, making them easy to ignore. This is why

Signs Your Child May Be Struggling With Hearing Loss

Hearing can play an important role in the way some children access language, participate in activities, and interact with those around them. Yet, hearing loss in children is more common than many parents realize. Spotting the indications early can make a significant difference in your child’s life. This article will walk you through the common signs of hearing loss, explain why early detection is so important, and outline the steps you can take if you have concerns. Why Early Detection Matters Untreated hearing loss can have a ripple effect on a child’s development. It can impact their ability to develop speech

Understanding Why Ear Infections Happen and What Helps Prevent Them

Ear infections are one of the most common health concerns for both children and adults. They can be painful, disruptive, and—if they happen frequently—can even impact long-term hearing health. By understanding why ear infections happen and what steps help prevent them, you can better protect your ears and know when it’s time to reach out to an audiologist for expert care. In this guide, we’ll break down how ear infections develop, what symptoms to look for, and simple ways to reduce the risk for your family. What Ear Infections Are and How They Develop An ear infection occurs when the middle

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RUPTURED EARDRUM

The eardrum, a thin layer of tissue that separates the ear canal from the middle ear, vibrates when sound waves hit it. In turn, those vibrations pass through the bones of the middle ear and are transformed into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. When the eardrum ruptures (due to very loud noises, ear infections, pressure changes between the inside and outside of the eardrum, injury, and foreign objects inserted into the ear), hearing loss, earache, discharge, and/or loud buzzing noises can result. Inspection of the ear with a otoscope can help determine the extent of damage. Fortunately, any

HOW WELL DO YOU HEAR?

Because enjoying music and watching videos on any number of personal electronic devices are such popular pastimes with so many people, they may want to have their hearing checked out. An “audiometry test” utilizes an “audiometer” to introduce sounds into a headphone (one ear at a time), which the wearer uses to hear a variety of sounds at different intervals. The test enables the hearing professional administering it to determine at what level of intensity of a person can hear. If the individual being tested has any hearing loss, the hearing specialist can suggest ways to correct the problem and avoid

NOT ANOTHER CHICKEN JOKE

Sometimes help comes from the unlikeliest sources, in this case, chickens. It seems that, unlike humans, chickens have the ability to restore lost hearing. In fact, all vertebrates (the defining characteristic of which having a vertebral column, or spine), with the notable exception of mammals, have the same ability to restore their own damaged hearing. In the case of chickens, they have supporting cells in their inner ears that can replace “hair cells” that have been damaged by loud noises or other causes. With this in mind, researchers’ goal is to identify the mechanism behind chickens’ ability to repair harmed hair

PREPARE FOR THE WORST

You never know when you are going to find yourself in a situation where exposure to loud noise is going to pose a threat to your hearing. It is generally recommended that you take steps to safeguard your hearing from prolonged exposure to noise levels of 85 decibels and above. For example, lawnmowers and shop tools generally register about 90 decibels, while chainsaws and drills reach 100 decibels, power saws reach 110 decibels, loud rock concerts regularly hit 115 decibels, race cars come in at 130 decibels, and fireworks/jet engine takeoffs measure 150 decibels. Fortunately, it only takes a pair of

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