Better Hearing Consumer

Several years ago, I wrote about the dream that many of us with chronic hearing loss have, although we would rather lick paint than admit it. In that dream, our hearing loss disappears and we can hear perfectly, unaided by technology or other people. We imagine how every part of our life would be different in a world where we

What is your biggest complaint about having hearing loss? For many people, it’s the isolation they feel when they don’t hear what others are saying, or when they miss sound cues. What used to be easy is now a challenge. We can’t keep up in conversations. In groups, whether large or small, competing voices dissolve into noise, making even idle

Disclaimer: I have never trained or obtained a degree in the science of hearing healthcare. I do, however, have a lifetime of training as a person with hearing loss and I’ve worked with a lot of hearing care professionals. I’ve got a few hot tips to share.   If you have hearing loss, you most likely spend time on the

Having hearing loss is no cakewalk, but compared to some other conditions, it’s not so bad. It’s not the worst thing that could happen, or is it? It has been a sad week. Who has not been moved by the tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people? The world is shocked at losing a beloved, towering

If you have hearing loss, the above title might make you go, Oh, duh! What kind of person would be delighted to have hearing loss? Actually, I can think of someone – the person who was worried they were developing dementia. Hearing loss is a much easier diagnosis to deal with, don’t you think?  But once you’re over the profound

Some days, hearing loss can drain a lot of our energy. We have to work hard at hearing and understanding. “Hearing” people don’t put any effort into hearing. It just happens. A sound happens – and they hear it, registering it as a cough, a bell, a voice, whatever.  What they do with that knowledge is something else, but the

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade! There’s something catchy-sounding about ‘2020’, don’t you think? And speaking of catchy, that reminds me of my cats – who love to catch mice. And on the very rare occasion a mouse does break in, I find out about it only when I see the true-life game of cat and mouse, a gruesome

Dear Readers: During this holiday season, the editors at Hearing Health & Technology Matters (HHTM) are taking some time off. However, we are not leaving you without anything to read on our blog this week. Instead, we are publishing a special holiday edition filled with what we call our Readers’ Choices. Our Readers’ Choices featured this week are the posts

Dear Readers, This week in the Better Hearing Consumer, I write simply to wish everyone a holiday season that is stress-free and communication-joyful. When our family and friends speak with us in a way that is absolutely, perfectly easy to understand, we should let them know. We don’t have to grovel with gratitude, but we can share our pleasure in

When hearing aids are no longer strong enough, a cochlear implant (CI) can be life changing. For some people, it’s an easy decision to be implanted. For others who may still have some residual hearing, it’s not a slam-dunk next step. What if I get a balance problem or tinnitus? What if it just doesn’t work for me? What if