by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Last month a man wrote: I am somewhat hard of hearing. I can never hear my cell phone when it rings, even when it is in my pocket. Do you have a remote little light that would blink when my phone rings? I had written in part: Sorry, I’m not aware […]
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Don’t Make the #$%& Bell Ring!
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. My friend Michele has a hearing loss. She explained: I was in Home Depot yesterday morning. While waiting for the nice man who offered to cut a threaded rod for me, I was standing near the entrance of the tool rental area. Evidently there is a motion sensor that triggers a […]
Can’t Hear Cell Phone Ringing
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady explained: My mother-in-law is hard of hearing and only has a cell phone now. She doesn’t hear it ring all of the time and I am trying to find something that will amplify the ring on the phone, or something that will notify her that it is ringing. Do […]
Buying Hearing Aids—To Shop Around or Not Shop Around
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady asked: If one likes one’s hearing aids perfectly fine, does one really need to try different kinds? I’ve been reading the hearing aid forums, and I feel almost embarrassed that I went to the audiologist, bought very expensive hearing aids, and headed out into the world. I’ve worn contact […]
Drugging People Who Have Musical Ear Syndrome Is Not the Real Answer
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A nurse explained: Recently an elderly friend of my neighbor suddenly began hearing “singing” auditory hallucinations at night. She has had hearing aids for some time and has had a lot of difficulty with them. She has even changed doctors because she was not happy. Could the sudden onset of the […]
Improving Your Speechreading Skills
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man asked: Is there anywhere on the web, or a resource that you could direct me to, where I can learn to improve my lip reading skills? The real secret to becoming better at speechreading (lip reading is the older term) is to always “stare” at the person […]
Does Loud ‘N Clear Live Up to Ads’ Claims?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. August 28, 2009 You don’t want to be taken in by ads that claim you will hear well with the latest hearing device. NewsChannel 5 ( WTVF) recently wrote a story that begins: If you’re having trouble hearing, you might be tempted to buy a new product called the Loud […]
Which Musical Instruments Are Safe for Children with LVAS to Play?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A mother asked: My daughter has bilateral LVAS and is begging to play an instrument. Do you have any advice or experience with what instruments are safe for children with LVAS to play? Some people with LVAS (Large Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome, sometimes called EVAS—Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome) are very sensitive to […]
Automatic T-coils and Cell Phones—A Workaround
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady explained: If someone has an automatic t-coil on their hearing aid, they will have problems hearing on their cell phones if they want to do so in t-coil mode. They will need a magnet glued to the phone’s earpiece in order to activate the automatic t-coil. I don’t have […]
Prozac (Fluoxetine) and Hearing Loss
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A concerned daughter wrote: My dad is 74 years old, in great physical condition, slim and active. Within the past 5 months he has developed a loss of hearing, ringing in his ears and balance impairment. He has been taking Prozac for the past 20 years. He adjusts the dose to […]