In June 2022, Mattel, the makers of Barbie, launched new dolls as part of a effort to increase diversity and inclusion. Barbie has been around for 63 years and this is the first time a Barbie with a hearing aid is available. The company worked with an educational audiologist to accurately represent hearing aids on…
Read MoreEveryone produces earwax. It is a healthy and important part of your auditory system, designed to help shift and remove dirt, dust, and bacteria, and to keep the ear free of foreign material. However, a buildup of that same earwax can become a problem, especially for those who wear hearing aids. An earwax impaction can cause…
Read MoreBluetooth technology has been available in hearing aids for a number of years with great success especially with cell phone conversations. Another common struggle reported by many users is difficulty understanding television and their friends/family report it’s very loud. To help with this issue, hearing aid manufacturers have created accessories to connect to the TV…
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At Jacksonville Hearing and Balance Institute, we are pleased to offer the newest technology in regards to hearing healthcare. Hearing technology has vastly improved over the years with advancements including rechargeability and Bluetooth compatibility. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the audiologists at JHBI have started offering remote programming for our hearing aid patients to…
Read MorePhonak recently released a new in-the-ear hearing aid called the Virto Paradise. Virto Paradise is a custom product, made for your ears only. It offers enhanced features, including: Improved sound quality over the previous generation of Phonak hearing aids (Phonak Marvel): This results in less listening effort needed to understand conversations. The Virto Paradise is…
Read MoreMost current hearing aids have the capability to connect to smartphones via Bluetooth for phone calls, streaming, and adjustments to the hearing aids via an app. The feedback from patients has been very positive about how much they enjoy the ability to stream their cell phone calls to the hearing aids and the ability to…
Read MoreLast month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a rule permitting the sale of a new category of Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids that could be sold directly to consumers without an exam. While unregulated OTC hearing aids may work as intended, there is a risk that the devices could be defective or completely…
Read MoreThe holidays are often a joyful time to reconnect with loved ones. However, for those with hearing loss, holiday get-togethers can lead to stress and anxiety due to difficulty understanding conversation. If you notice that you often mishear what people say or rely on lipreading to understand them better, you may have a hearing loss.…
Read MoreThis is a question that we address everyday with our patients and their loved ones! The short answer is that a hearing device should typically be replaced about every five to seven years or so. In reality, however, the answer is a bit more involved. Several factors may determine whether or not it’s time to…
Read MoreThe world of hearing aids has improved yet again! Rechargeable devices have been available to patients with hearing loss for a number of years in the behind-the-ear style with great success. Now, patients have the option of a custom fit hearing aid that is also rechargeable! One of the hearing aid industry’s leading manufacturers, Signia,…
Read MoreAn audiologist is a health care professional who provides patient-centered care in order to identify, diagnose and treat hearing loss and balance disorders using evidence-based practice. An audiologist aims to provide personalized services to minimize the negative impact of hearing loss and ultimately lead to improved quality of life. Audiologists are required to hold a doctorate…
Read MoreWhat is a CROS System? A Contralateral Routing of Sound (CROS) hearing aid is a type of hearing device that is used to treat unilateral hearing loss (single sided hearing loss). It takes sound from the ear with poor hearing sensitivity and transmits the sounds to the better hearing ear. As a result, the CROS…
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