Blogs | Active Audiology - Audiologists Melbourne

Your Hearing Test at Active Audiology: How to Prepare

It’s natural to feel a little nervous about something new. If you’ve never had a hearing test before, you may be wondering what’s involved and what the test results might show. We do our best to put you at ease when you come to Active Audiology. Our friendly audiologists are with you each step of the way as you take the hearing test and decide what to do next. How can I prepare for my hearing test? Preparation helps you get the most out of your hearing test. Before you attend your appointment at Active Audiology, we recommend that you:…

By Vy Tran

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus: What You Need to Know

What is tinnitus? Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a sound when there is no external source for that sound. It is associated with damage to your auditory system. If you have tinnitus, you’ll hear noises, hisses or hums that are generated by your brain rather than by an external source. Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by blood flow problems in your face or neck, muscle movements near your ear, or changes in your ear canal. You may hear your pulse or hear your muscles contracting. Nonpulsatile tinnitus involves your hearing nerves. People often describe the associated noises as coming…

By Vy Tran

Hearing Loss and Dementia: The Link Explained

What comes to mind when you think of healthy ageing? A tai chi class in the park? Volunteering your time and skills in the community? Finally learning French or taking up pottery? New experiences and travel? Physical activity, a healthy diet, making a meaningful contribution to the world and keeping your mind active are all important elements of healthy ageing. But there’s another crucial factor that’s often overlooked. That’s protecting your hearing. Why? Because research shows there’s a strong link between untreated hearing loss and dementia. What is dementia? Dementia is a group of symptoms that can cause progressive memory…

By Vy Tran

Hearing Aids: Your Questions Answered

Have you recently learned that you have hearing loss and may need a hearing aid? It can be a lot to take in. While you may only buy a hearing aid once or twice in life, we’ve helped many, many people to choose a device that improves their hearing and fits with their lifestyle. Here are the answers to the most common questions we’re asked. 1. How do I know if I need a hearing aid? You know you need a hearing aid if a hearing test performed by a qualified independent audiologist shows that you have a type or…

By Vy Tran

6 Reasons Why I Choose Audiology

1. Why Audiology was my choice Growing up I was always passionate about helping people improve their quality of life. From a young age I knew that I wanted to work as a health professional and help those in need with their daily difficulties. Many people don’t realize how important our hearing is until it’s damaged or even worse, lost. Unlike our vision where any difficulties are easily recognized, people with a hearing loss are often not aware they have one. Having a hearing loss is a hidden disease where symptoms are slow and gradual and can vary immensely from…

By Vy Tran

Five Common Traits of People With a Hearing Loss

1. Feeling like everyone mumbles You may find yourself thinking, ‘Why do people mumble so much these days? If only they spoke clearly, I’d be able to hear them’. This is how hearing loss creeps up on you. When hearing deteriorates, we don’t lose all sounds at the same time. It happens gradually over many years. Commonly, the first sounds that become lost are high pitched sounds like a bird chirping or a car indicator. The important high pitched sounds that give speech clarity are the first to disappear. You get the overall message but the speech becomes a little fuzzy…

By Vy Tran

Five Ways to Improve your Hearing

1. Read my lips! Use your vision Hearing loss takes away the clarity of speech making it harder to follow the conversation. It may sound strange but you can enhance what you hear by making the most of what you can see (Helfer, 1997). Did you know that we all naturally lip read? The cues we take from the speaker’s mouth movements are complementary to the words we hear. You can take advantage of this by watching a person’s face when they speak, ensuring the room has good lighting and sitting close to the speaker at meetings. It also helps…

By Vy Tran

Why you are never too old for healthy hearing

Healthy Hearing is Important Part of Ageing Well At Active Audiology, we see people of all ages, including a large number over the age of 65. We understand that healthy hearing means being able to enjoy conversation, to get the punchline of a joke, and stay connected with friends and family. We know that as we age, hearing loss becomes more common. A recent Australian report found that around 60% of men and 50% of women between 60-69 have a hearing loss (HCIA, 2017). With hearing loss being so common, its effects so life changing, why is it so often…

By Vy Tran

What can you do NOW to reduce the risk of dementia?

Many of us think about a loved one or a friend suffering from dementia and can clearly picture how tough it can be. Not only is it very difficult on the person with dementia, it can also be very stressful and emotionally challenging for the family members and carers around. Dementia is a complex disorder which often occurs as a result of brain disease or injury. It can affect an individual’s memory, personality and thinking processes. The exact cause of dementia is still unknown and whilst an effective cure does not exist at this stage, 12 risk factors have been…

By Vy Tran

Expert Advice on Getting Used to Hearing Aids

The experience of using hearing aids for the first time can be confusing. This is especially true if your hearing loss occurs gradually over several years. You may find the first use uncomfortable with sounds appearing louder than you expected. Moreover, there are sounds that you have not heard over a long time and your brain may take time to interpret these sounds and adjust to the change. While the experience can be overwhelming, make sure that you do not allow it to put you off. Getting used to the feeling of having a device in your ears will take…