Hearing loss is not always inevitable for everyone. There are many factors that contribute to hearing loss and aging. The most common is noise exposure over many years. Noise exposure can be as slight as workin... continue reading  about  What can I do to prevent hearing loss as I get older? I have a family history of hearing loss and wonder if I can do anything to avoid it.

One of two problems is going on here. Either you have ear wax blocking your ear canal (a condition called cerumen impaction), or your allergies won't permit your ears to "pop", meaning that your eustachian tube... continue reading  about  I have spring allergies and this year I have a plugged left ear, which I’m attributing to this. I’ve been using the over-the-counter ear wax remedies which have been working a bit for a day or two, and then my ear becomes plugged again. What can I do?

I read several studies that seem to link increased risk of hearing loss to use of NSAIDS (ibuprofen is an NSAID). It is important to understand that there is an increase RISK of hearing loss in both women and m... continue reading  about  I take ibuprofen daily for back problems, but I read recently that sometimes it can cause hearing loss. Is this true, and how much would you need to take to cause this to happen?

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?

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?

Neti pots use normal saline to rinse the nose of excess mucous. Normal saline is water to which salt is added and has the same degree of saltiness as your body's fluids. Saline rinses temporarily relieve nasal ... continue reading  about  A friend uses a neti pot and swears that it has reduced her allergies (sinus congestion and headaches) by 75 percent or more. How does the neti pot work and is it safe?

In cases of sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, especially with vertigo, you should be seen immediately by an ear, nose and throat physician as well as have a complete hearing evaluation. There are many ca... continue reading  about  Three weeks ago I lost hearing in my right ear with severe vertigo. An ER doctor gave me antibiotics which didn't help. I went to ER again. They flushed the ear and my hearing came back, but the vertigo is still present and seems to be getting worse.

Headaches after climax have been described over the years and are felt related to changes in the size of blood vessels after sex. Vertigo is more unusual and might suggest a problem with the inner ear system; a... continue reading  about  For the first time in my life I experience vertigo after climaxing. Why is that?

Hearing loss is often the main culprit with concerns about communication difficulties. Communication is the ability to hear, listen and respond to others appropriately. In order to hear, the auditory system (ou... continue reading  about  It's hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once. I'm a 48-year-old woman who has had no hearing problems in the past. Should I be concerned?