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Sinusitis and sinus infections often drag on or come back. Get expert tips for preventing and treating sinus problems.
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Protect Your Ears and Hearing
Get tips to care for your ears and avoid preventable hearing loss.
Tips for Managing Tinnitus
Get expert advice for managing your tinnitus and the related stress.
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Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
I have moderate hearing loss in both ears. I've been fitted with behind the ear hearing aids at three centers with no real improvement in discerning speech (ambient noise comes through loud and clear). Which are best to help me hear normal conversations?
There are many brands of hearing aids and some are clearly more advanced than others. Without seeing your hearing test and taking a thorough history of your listening needs, it is hard to say what would work th... continue reading about I have moderate hearing loss in both ears. I've been fitted with behind the ear hearing aids at three centers with no real improvement in discerning speech (ambient noise comes through loud and clear). Which are best to help me hear normal conversations?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
Is there any research being done to help treat and prevent hearing loss? So many older people I know seem to be dealing with it.
Hearing loss has many causes and affects people at different times in their lives. If we look at hearing loss and aging, it is difficult to isolate hearing loss causes without looking at several factors: geneti... continue reading about Is there any research being done to help treat and prevent hearing loss? So many older people I know seem to be dealing with it.
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Sutter Health
What is "swimmer's ear" and what is the best way to deal with it?
Swimmer's ear is a term commonly used to describe an infection of the ear canal. People who repeatedly wet the ear canal (swimming, surfing, scuba diving) can develop persistent dampness that allows either bact... continue reading about What is "swimmer's ear" and what is the best way to deal with it?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
I have a thumping sound in my left ear. The sound is rapid and irregular, and not synced with my pulse. It started four days ago at night. Today for first time I noticed sounds like tapping gently on a speaker cone. It doesn't seem to affect hearing.
Noises in the ear, whether it be thumping, ringing, buzzing, roaring or any other unusual sound not explained by outside sounds, are called tinnitus. Tinnitus can be constant, intermittent, high or low pitched,... continue reading about I have a thumping sound in my left ear. The sound is rapid and irregular, and not synced with my pulse. It started four days ago at night. Today for first time I noticed sounds like tapping gently on a speaker cone. It doesn't seem to affect hearing.
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
I've been plugged up for months with allergies. I've used decongestants, antihistamines, and sinus rinses but nothing seems to help. Any advice?
It sounds as though you have done all of the 'self-help' measures you can. I would recommending discussing with your primary care physician or seeking an otolaryngology referral to try other medications that ar... continue reading about I've been plugged up for months with allergies. I've used decongestants, antihistamines, and sinus rinses but nothing seems to help. Any advice?
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Sutter Health
Our doctor told my husband that he has a retracting eardrum. What does this mean?
Retracted eardrums are usually an indication that there is negative pressure (a vacuum) behind the eardrums in the middle part of the ear. Some of the symptoms can be: a feeling of fullness or pressure in the e... continue reading about Our doctor told my husband that he has a retracting eardrum. What does this mean?
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Sutter Health
I use ear buds with my MP3 player and wondered what volume of sound is safe. Can loud music cause hearing loss?
When using an MP3 player, the recommendation is to keep the volume at one half the scale, or less. Specifically, on an I-Pod device, I counsel my patients and family members to keep the volume no more than half... continue reading about I use ear buds with my MP3 player and wondered what volume of sound is safe. Can loud music cause hearing loss?
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Sutter Health
I have a seasonal reoccurring rash. Can this be related to allergies?
Usually when someone has a “seasonal” allergy, it means springtime symptoms caused by pollen. Although pollen allergy certainly can cause nasal, eye or asthma symptoms, it rarely would cause a rash ... continue reading about I have a seasonal reoccurring rash. Can this be related to allergies?
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Sutter Health
What would cause a muffled thumping sound in my left ear (almost like hearing a heart beat)? This sound is not in the right ear, only the left. It doesn't happen all the time and there is no hearing loss.
A couple of possible answers come to mind. First, there is a large source of blood flow in your head close to the bottom of your ear canal. The carotid artery is large and can sometimes produce a pounding or he... continue reading about What would cause a muffled thumping sound in my left ear (almost like hearing a heart beat)? This sound is not in the right ear, only the left. It doesn't happen all the time and there is no hearing loss.
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