Hearing Health Blog

People often also use the words deaf and deafness, hard of hearing, and hearing loss to mean the same thing. If you want to have a better understanding for each kind of hearing condition, we wrote this quick guide to clearly describe the differences.

If you live in Alberta and want to know about funding assistance for hearing aids, there is a government program that may be able to help. Learn about the programs available to those in Alberta.

Tinnitus is the perception of sounds within your hearing system and is often explained as a ringing, roaring, buzzing, hissing or humming sound. Similar to how tinnitus varies individual to individual, so does whether or not flying may affect how your tinnitus is perceived.

Looking for a new show or movie to watch? We have rounded up a list of must watch shows and movies that have hearing impaired characters. Check out the list here! 

As we celebrate World Hearing Day on March 3, there are signs that years of effort by the World Health Organization and others to draw attention to the importance of hearing care and the timing couldn’t be better, because certain risks to good hearing remain all around us.

If you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), you may wonder if it can cause hearing loss. Hearing loss is a possible symptom for people who have MS, but it is uncommon. Learn more about the connection between Multiple Sclerosis and hearing loss.

Have you ever wondered if OHIP covers hearing tests in the province of Ontario? In July of 2001, hearing tests were delisted from OHIP. However, we offer free hearing tests at our centres for those over 50. Find out more details about hearing tests in Ontario here.

A common question we get asked is what happens if their hearing aids get wet? While hearing aids are usually resistant, being fully immersed in water can damage your hearing aid. If you happen to get them wet, here are some tips to try to get them in working condition.

Do you experience ringing or whistling in your ears, also known as tinnitus? Learn about how people with tinnitus may find relief with the use of a hearing aids here.

As tax season is nearing, we begin to ask ourselves, is this tax deductible? In short, the answer is yes, hearing aids and assistive listening devices are tax deductible in Canada. Learn more about claiming hearing aids in our latest blog post.

We interviewed Kayla Belanger, the Audiologist at our Tecumseh and Lakeshore hearing centres. We talk about why she became a hearing healthcare professional, why she recommends her clients wear hearing aids throughout the entire day, and her favourite tips for hearing aid wearers.

The Signia Assistant is a feature in the Signia app, which is available for both Apple and Android. Every time you interact with the Assistant, it accommodates your wishes in a matter of seconds and remembers your preferences for later. Learn how to use the Assistant here.

Rechargeable hearing aids are quickly becoming a popular option for many people. There are many benefits to rechargeable hearing aids including they are easier to handle, safer for kids and pets, better for the environment and they have a longer battery life.

A common question that clients ask is if it is safe to wear hearing aids to sleep. While it may sound practical, we advise our clients to not sleep with their hearing aids in their ears. Here we cover several reasons why you shouldn’t sleep with your hearing aids in.

Traveling by plane can be uncomfortable for many people, especially if you already have hearing issues. One of the common reasons is due to air pressure. Want to know how to prevent this? We cover tips and tricks on preventing your ears from blocking during a flight.

We interviewed Sonya Vexler, the Hearing Instrument Specialist at our North York hearing centre. We talk about why she became a hearing healthcare professional, what hearing care programs are available for Ontarians, and her favourite tip for new hearing aid wearers.

Batteries are essential to keeping your hearing aids performing at their best. The time that your hearing aid batteries last will depend on a variety of factors. Things like the type of battery used, the hearing aid model, and if you stream audio with your hearing aids.

The first hearing aid was created in the 17th century. The first electric hearing aid was created in 1898 after the creation of the telephone.

Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when noise causes damage to the sensitive inner ear. Sounds that are louder than 85 decibels (dB) can contribute to noise-induced hearing loss. Here are 5 common things that could contribute to hearing damage due to their volume.

Knowing how to wear hearing aids will help you get the best hearing experience. This includes wearing them so they fit in your ear properly. If your hearing aids aren’t fitting correctly, please contact your hearing healthcare professional for more training.

Have you ever wondered how to protect your hearing during the winter? It is a time of year when the cold makes you bundle up. Many of us forget to protect our ears when we step outside. If you want to protect your hearing during the winter, we have four tips you should follow.

You may be wondering if ear candling is a safe way to clean your ears. We recommend that anyone who is concerned about excessive earwax or how it is affecting their hearing to contact us for help. Our hearing healthcare professionals will do a thorough exam.

Have you ever wondered what is involved in a hearing test? It is an easy and painless way of evaluating your hearing. It will determine if you have hearing loss. If you want more detailed information about what happens during a hearing test, we wrote this quick guide to explain.

Halloween is only a few days away, which means the spooky season is upon us. It is time for well-executed costumes and scary-looking pumpkins, but the creepy sounds of Halloween can truly scare the bejeezus out of us. So, why do some sounds trigger instant fear in us?

Heading off on a vacation soon? Whether you are travelling by plane or car, it’s a good idea to be prepared. For hearing aid users, there are some things you can do to make travelling with hearing aids a breeze. Check out our tips for travelling with hearing aids here.

The flu season is starting and it is time to start considering getting the flu shot for many people. With anything it is best to do your research ahead of time and you might be wondering if the flu shot can cause hearing loss. 

Are you planning to attend a dinner party this upcoming holiday season? We have rounded up some of our favourite tips to help hearing aid wearers improve their listen experience while out for dinner with friends or family.

On average, humans are capable of hearing sounds of 20kHz maximum, but some individuals may be capable of detecting sounds outside of this range under ideal laboratory circumstances. See how we as humans stack up compared to other animals.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound when there is no external source. The most common sounds heard include ringing, buzzing or hissing. Over the years, there have been many myths about tinnitus, and we have broken down six of the most common that you should know.

One of the most common risk factors for hearing loss is exposure to loud noises. There are many workers in certain careers where exposure to loud noise is a part of their jobs. What to know which occupations have a higher risk of hearing loss, we listed seven of the most common.

Learn about the Signia App features available on the Signia app and how to connect your Signia Hearing Aids to the app.

The normal frequency range of a young healthy person’s hearing is about 20 to 20,000 Hz. As we age, we begin to lose our hearing at the upper frequencies, bringing the range to about 20 to 14,000 Hz. Typically, people’s hearing is the most sensitive in the 2000 - 5000 Hz frequency range.

Yes, headphones can damage your hearing. The World Health Organization estimates that around 50% of people ages 12 to 35 are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud sounds through headphones. Luckily, there are things you can do to reduce the risk.

An abrupt whistling sound in your hearing aids can be caused by a number of issues. The usual causes include earwax blockages, broken tubes, or the volume being too high. Luckily, these can be easily fixed either by yourself or at your hearing healthcare provider. 

If you have been diagnosed with a mild hearing loss, early recognition and intervention are important given the consequences of untreated hearing loss. If you start to wear hearing aids while you have mild hearing loss they may help you maintain your quality of life.

Tinnitus can be one of the symptoms of an infection of the outer or middle ear, also known as swimmer’s ear. If not treated quickly, the client can experience severe pain due to pressure in the ear canal, and some clients will hear a ringing (tinnitus) in the affected ear.

Whether you want to watch your favourite sports team win or relax with your newest series addiction, you may be able to listen to your TV through your hearing aids. Learn how to connect your hearing aids to your television here.

Fireworks play a large part in celebrating long weekends during the summer, but explosive sounds like fireworks are more hazardous than other loud noises. Being too close to fireworks can result in noise-induced hearing loss. Learn how you can protect your ears from fireworks.

Most of us have heard that you should not use cotton swabs to clean your ears, though many of us still reach for one for this purpose. Can it damage your hearing? Why shouldn’t you use a cotton swab? And if so, what should we do instead? Learn if cotton swabs can damage your hearing.

Hearing aid manufacturers do not recommend submerging any of their devices in water. Hearing aids are designed to be water-resistant to help protect the sensitive electronic parts from moisture. Learn more about water-resistant hearing aids. 

When dining out with hearing aids it can be frustrating with how noisy the environment can be. Multiple speakers and other distracting background noises can make it difficult to keep up with conversations. Luckily, there are things you can do to make dining out more enjoyable.

Hearing loss can affect people at any age and over the years there have been many myths circulating about hearing loss. Such as hearing loss only affects old people, and that living with hearing loss isn't a big deal. Read our ten hearing loss myths you should stop believing.

We prefer to use both of our eyes - the same goes for our ears. Wearing one hearing aid would be the same as wearing eyeglasses with only one lens in it. When wearing one aid you do not allow the ears to work together with the brain to sort out the sounds.