Judy Huch

I run two private practices in Tucson, Arizona. I have always had a fascination with how things (from toasters to wireless) and people work, and audiology has given me a place to study both. I have been dispensing hearing aids for 20 years. I obtained my first license before I finished graduate school, when I was VERY young, and have owned, leased, contracted, and administrated in the hearing field, and became a landlord, in the past 15 years. I have also had publications in text books and trade journals focusing on patient satisfaction and hearing aid fittings. I hope to learn more through this editorial and blogging experience as well as share some of my journey in private practice. I live in a suburb of Tucson with my patient and understanding husband, Rick (who I must say is a top notch architect who designed and built the best Hearing Centers!) and my two sons, who make my heart swell and give me other wonderful perspectives on life! As do the myriad pets we seem to keep collecting.

Featured image for “Hyperacusis — When Hearing is TOO Sensitive”

Hyperacusis — When Hearing is TOO Sensitive

The typical adult patient in an audiologist’s practice presents with complaints of progressive difficulty hearing in one or more situations, often accompanied by tinnitus that may or may not be bothersome. Often, the audiometric tests confirm hearing loss in both ears that is “cochlear” in origin, meaning that stems from damage to the inner ears. Almost as often, the treatment

Featured image for “Faster Diagnosis of Acoustic Tumor with Physician and Audiologist”

Faster Diagnosis of Acoustic Tumor with Physician and Audiologist

Note from Judy Huch, AuD, Editor: I have the privilege to supervise 4th year Audiology Externs at our offices in Tucson. We are fortunate that most of what we see is routine, but we do have “teaching moments”. Not all of these moments are as health-altering as this case, fortunately, when an Acoustic Neuroma was found. We also want to

Featured image for “Life, Longevity,Cognitive Decline, Hearing Loss… More Connected Than We Used to Think”

Life, Longevity,Cognitive Decline, Hearing Loss… More Connected Than We Used to Think

HHTM Staff: For several years, we’ve been reporting on correlations linking hearing loss and Alzheimers, depression, cognitive decline, social isolation, general health, and Quality of Life (QoL) measures. Correlation does not imply causality, but the data keep coming, forging stronger links between healthy hearing and healthy living. November is also National Alzheimer’s Awareness month and we want to highlight this

Featured image for “Migraine, Hearing Loss, Tinnitus: An Interesting and Unusual Case Study”

Migraine, Hearing Loss, Tinnitus: An Interesting and Unusual Case Study

HHTM Staff: This is a quick post to alert you to a fascinating case study involving one-sided, mild hearing loss; one-sided, extreme tinnitus; and horrible migraine-type headaches. The patient was an adult female. As you’ll see from reading the article, her symptoms were suspected to be related to some sort of trauma — perhaps a chiropractic manipulation. As far as

Noise and Urban Encroachment

HHTM Staff: Last week’s post was supposed to be the absolute final post in this multi-month Noise series. After getting the low-down on electronic earplugs, a new angle arose in the form of legislation to outfit firearms with noise suppressors (aka “silencers”). The rationale for suppressors was ably supported by Knox Williams (President, American Silencer Assoc) last week, but we remained skeptical

Featured image for “Silencing Firearms to Protect Hearing”

Silencing Firearms to Protect Hearing

HHTM Staff: Last month a multi-month Noise series arrived at the practical stage by describing actual products that go in ears to protect hearing in potentially damaging noise situations. Speaking specifically to those who hunt with firearms, Patty Johnson, AuD, described active hearing protectors as an ideal solution that provides: “enhanced awareness, clear communication, and blast protection [while] allowing quiet and

Featured image for “Noise — the Bad Boy of Sports and Audiology”

Noise — the Bad Boy of Sports and Audiology

Noise has been topic of many past posts. we’re tired of it and readers probably are too. So why keep posting about noise? Because noise: is controversial is everywhere annoys and distracts is harmful to overall health damages hearing, starting in childhood brings on tinnitus plays into intellectual elitism may disrupt cognition alerts us to environmental threats and structural problems is

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Noise versus Silence

Noise will continue to be the star at HHTM, in many guises: sounds of a bat, rude cell phone use, and elitist intellectual-profiling. Silence emerged as the white knight of tranquility, civil behavior, superior intellect, and upper class entitlement. It’s an interesting and entertaining juxtaposition of Good and Bad, especially considering our mainly urban lifestyles and love of noisy restaurants. No

Featured image for “Quiet Please!”

Quiet Please!

We are in the midst of posting on noise, but we can’t talk about noise without including Silence. Brains and Ears are a package deal for perceiving, alerting, attending, and processing auditory input from the world around us. Both are necessary, neither alone is sufficient. The Model The neuropsychological top-down model goes like this: too little input to the

Featured image for “The Hunting/Hearing Conundrum”

The Hunting/Hearing Conundrum

This is post #2 for Guest Blogger Patty Johnson, who wrote previously about the complicated relationship between hunting and hearing. In today’s post, Dr. Johnson gives practical information and advice for those who love to hunt but also love to hear. Patty Johnson received her Master’s Degree in Audiology from the University of Iowa and her AuD from Salus