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Frequent Questions

FAQs about Balance and Dizziness

In this video, we discuss some of the most common reasons people get dizzy and what the advantages are to a comprehensive balance evaluation.

Is it possible to get used to my ringing ears?

Dr. Tom Goyne explains how you can learn to "tune out" tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or chirping sounds in your ears) through a natural process called habituation. Just like how you stop noticing your shoes on your feet or glasses frames in your vision, your brain can learn to ignore tinnitus sounds over time.

The video covers:

-What habituation means and why it's the main goal for tinnitus treatment
-Real-life examples of how we naturally habituate to everyday sensations
-Treatment options including Lenire (FDA-approved bimodal stimulation device)
-How modern treatments can speed up the habituation process

‍Key takeaway: While tinnitus may not go away completely, most people can learn to stop being bothered or distracted by it with the right approach and tools.

‍Duration: 5 minutes

Introduction to Auditory Processing Disorders (Diagnosis and Treatment)

A synopsis of auditory processing disorders from an audiologist's perspective in a format that is digestible for non-audiologists.

What results are patients seeing with Lenire tinnitus treatment?

Real Patient Results: Success Stories from Lenire Tinnitus Treatment

‍Dr. Tom Goyne shares actual feedback from patients who have used the Lenire device for tinnitus treatment over the past 6 months. This video provides real-world evidence of how the FDA-approved bimodal stimulation device is helping people regain control of their lives.

‍What you'll hear:
-Patient testimonials after completing 12-week Lenire treatment
-Progress reports from patients currently in treatmentHow Lenire accelerates the habituation process compared to traditional methods
-Improvements in sleep, concentration, and overall quality of life

‍Sample patient feedback includes:

‍"I'm not paying as much attention to it - it fades to the background"

"I am more present, have less brain fog, and my listening comprehension has improved"

"I'm easily coping with my tinnitus now where I wasn't functional before"

"I'm getting to sleep much faster"

‍Key insight: While Lenire is often combined with other strategies, patients are experiencing faster and more consistent results than with traditional tinnitus management approaches alone.

‍Duration: 5 minutes

What is auditory processing disorder and how is it treated?

Understanding Auditory Processing: When Your Brain Struggles with What Your Ears Hear

Dr. Tom Goyne provides a comprehensive explanation of auditory processing disorder (APD) - a condition where the brain has difficulty interpreting sounds that the ears hear normally. This detailed overview covers everything from basic concepts to treatment options.

What you'll learn:

-How auditory processing works: "What the brain does with what the ears hear"
-Why processing speech is so complex (we hear ~150,000 speech sounds daily)

The four main types of auditory processing issues:

-Decoding - identifying speech sounds quickly and accurately
-Auditory working memory - processing speech while ignoring background noise
-Auditory organization - keeping sounds organized as they come in
-Auditory integration - comparing sounds from both ears to locate sources

Testing and treatment covered:
-How audiologists test for APD using speech-based assessments
-Auditory training therapy - 12-week program with nearly universal success rates
-Alternative solutions including hearing aids and environmental modifications
-Why auditory training improvements are permanent (no maintenance needed)

Key takeaway: Auditory processing issues are treatable, not something you have to live with. Professional auditory training can significantly improve speech understanding and quality of life.

‍Duration: 21 minutes

When should I get my balance tested?

‍Dr. Tom Goyne explains key warning signs that indicate you should have your balance professionally evaluated. Balance problems aren't something you need to "put up with" - there are solutions available once the root cause is identified.

‍You should consider balance testing if you experience:

-Spinning or movement sensations - Feeling like you or your surroundings are moving, spinning, or floating (especially with head movements or rolling over in bed)
-Hearing loss in one ear - Even chronic, long-term hearing differences between ears can put you at risk for falls without you realizing it
-Recent falls or fear of falling - If you've had an accidental fall or developed anxiety about falling
-Avoiding activities due to unsteadiness - When balance concerns start limiting your social life, exercise, or daily activities
-History of concussion - Head injuries can affect both brain and ear balance systems, requiring different treatments

‍What balance testing accomplishes:

-Identifies which part of your balance system needs attention (ears, eyes, brain, or limbs)
-Determines the right specialist for treatment (audiologist, neurologist, physical therapist, etc.)
-Saves time and money by avoiding multiple doctor visits

‍Key message: Balance issues have hundreds of possible causes, but professional testing can pinpoint the specific problem and get you the right treatment faster.

‍Duration: 9 minutes

The Relationship Between ADHD and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

Auditory processing deficits can be either a symptom of ADHD that can be treated, or something entirely independent that can be treated. In this video, we describe the relationship between the two conditions and treatment options.

Why is speech on TV so hard to understand?

Why Today's TV Is Harder to Understand - Even with Normal Hearing

‍Dr. Tom Goyne explains why even people with normal hearing or well-fitted hearing aids struggle to follow TV dialogue today. Using a vintage TV as a visual aid, he breaks down the technical and design changes that make modern television more challenging to understand.

‍Four key reasons modern TV is harder to follow:

-Smaller, misdirected speakers - Old TVs had large speakers facing viewers; today's TVs have tiny speakers underneath or behind the screen that don't project sound toward you
-Increased viewing distance - Larger, high-definition screens mean we sit much farther from the audio source than we used to
-Open-concept home design - Modern homes with fewer walls, less carpet, and more hard surfaces create poor acoustics and allow competing sounds from other rooms
-Complex soundtracks - Today's shows layer in background sounds (ocean waves, wind, birds, ambient noise) that make dialogue harder to distinguish

‍The bottom line: TV dialogue has become one of the most difficult listening situations, even for audiologists to address. It's now common for people with normal hearing to use closed captioning.

‍When to seek help: If you need the TV louder than others in your household, or still struggle to follow dialogue even at higher volumes, consider a hearing test or auditory processing evaluation.

‍Duration: 8 minutes

Three Reasons You May Not Like the Sound of Your New Hearing Aids (And What to Do About It!)

Improper configuration, auditory deprivation, and the distortion inherent to the most common type of hearing loss could be reasons a person does not like the sound of their hearing aids. In the video, we explain more in depth and offer solutions.

How can auditory training help children with hearing aids?

Auditory Training for Children: The Underrated Tool That Boosts Hearing Aid Success

‍Dr. Tom Goyne explains why auditory training is a highly underrated but powerful tool for children with hearing loss. While modern hearing aids are amazing, they have limitations that auditory training can help overcome.

‍Why even great hearing aids need help:

Physical limitations - Tiny microphones and speakers can't amplify high frequencies (4000-6000 Hz) adequately

‍Sensorineural hearing loss effects - Causes distortion and reduced resolution, making similar sounds (S, SH, TH, F) harder to distinguish

‍Competing noise challenges - Difficulty separating speech from background noise, especially other voices

‍What auditory training does:

Phonemic training - Teaches the brain to quickly and accurately distinguish speech sounds

‍Speech-in-noise practice - Systematically improves ability to understand speech with background noise

‍Auditory memory work - Helps the brain better remember what it hears

‍Why it works especially well for children:

Neuroplasticity advantage - Young brains (ages 5-12) learn and rewire more easily than adults

‍Convenient delivery - Sessions conducted over video from home, fitting busy family schedules

‍Research-backed results - Extensive studies show effectiveness for both children and adults

‍Key insight: Children with hearing loss need better-than-average auditory processing skills to compensate for what hearing aids can't fully restore.

‍Duration: 12 minutes

Hearing Aids, Hearing Healthcare and Health Insurance

As is often the case with health insurance, there are some important details to be aware of when making decisions about insurance and your healthcare. In this video, we try and unpack some of those details and what it might mean for you and your hearing.

Can Acid Reflux Cause Tinnitus?

A very common condition may be causing or contributing to your tinnitus!

DISCLAIMER: Before changing your diet or your medications, please consult with your physician.

Tinnitus: Five Misconceptions & Myths

Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the causes and treatment options for tinnitus. In this video, Dr. Alex Taylor and Dr. Tom Goyne, audiologists with Aberdeen Audiology, set the record straight.

Most Frequently Asked Questions: Tinnitus

Is it "tin-uh-tus" or "tin-eye-tus"? What causes tinnitus? Are there medications that can make it go away? Why does tinnitus fluctuate or have good days and bad days?

An Introduction to Treatments and Strategies for Tinnitus

In this video Dr. Alexandra Taylor, audiologist and tinnitus specialist at Aberdeen Audiology, discusses with Dr. Tom Goyne her unique (but effective and evidence-based) strategies for managing tinnitus.

Can Audiologists Can Help with Long Covid-Related "Brain Fog"?

As we continue to learn more and more about the long-term effects of covid-19, one symptom that people deal with is a decline in their auditory processing skills. Audiologists are well-equipped to help people with those issues.

Can Audiologists Can Help People with Concussions and Head Injuries?

People with concussions or head injuries often experience issues with auditory processing, balance, and tinnitus. An audiologist is extremely capable of addressing all three of those issues.

What are the Benefits of Auditory Training in Addition to Hearing Aids?

There is a significant benefit auditory training can bring to your ability to hear and understand speech in difficult listening situations.

How Does Your Hearing Affects Your Memory?

Did you know there are implications for your memory, both in the short-term and the long-term if your hearing is even slightly less than normal? Here, we explain the relationship and discuss why it's beneficial to make sure you are hearing as well as you can as soon as you can.

Did You Know You Can TRY Hearing Aids Before Buying Them? Learn How

A lot of people don't realize it's possible to try amplification before committing to purchasing and using hearing aids on a long-term basis. In this video, we give you some tips on how to approach trying them before buying them.

Why an audiologist asks about your medications and what it means for your hearing or balance?

There are four primary reasons a doctor of audiology will ask about the medications you take. Trust us, we aren't being nosy! It helps us determine the best way to help your hearing and balance now and in the future.

The piece of information that is just as valuable to an audiologist as a hearing test

A good audiologist asks the right questions, but what can be really helpful and encourage better outcomes is for a patient to think and reflect on something before visiting an audiologist. Watch the video to find out more.

What are Best Practices & why are they important?

Many industries have best practice guidelines. Take surgeons for example. Surgeons must wash their hands before performing a procedure to reduce the risk of spreading infection. There are documented best practices for properly performing this procedure.

The Hearing Industry also has Best Practice Guidelines when it comes to fitting hearing aids to ensure that providers understand what they must do to ensure maximum benefit with hearing treatment.

The American Academy of Audiology formed a Task Force of some of the hearing industries most educated and highly respected Audiologists to develop Best Practice Guidelines for the Audiologic Management of Adult Hearing Impairment.

What are Real Ear Measurements (REMs)?

Real Ear Measures, or Real Ear Verification, is the only way to ensure your hearing aids are fit appropriately. Real Ear Measurement is the gold standard method of verifying these hearing aid prescriptions. With this process, your hearing care provider will place probe microphone tubes inside of your ear canals along with the hearing aids that they are programming. These microphone tubes will record the level of amplification coming out of the hearing aids. By playing a known calibrated signal from a loud speaker in front of you, we can measure to see if the amplification coming out of the hearing aids is meeting your prescriptive targets.

Once I have hearing aids, is follow-up care necessary?

There are 4 main reasons why you should be seeing your hearing care professional no less than 2 times per year.

1) Most people produce significant amounts of earwax and this earwax can block your ear canals and stop sound from your hearing aids which can limit your benefit.

2) Hearing aids are precision medical devices that are not intended to go for long periods of time without maintenance and proper cleaning.

3) Your hearing aids will eventually malfunction. Your hearing care professional can perform Electroacoustic Analysis (EAA) to ensure that your devices are performing up to specs.

4) Your hearing can change. - Just because your hearing loss was at one level last year, doesn't mean that it hasn't changed since then. If your prescription has changed, then your hearing aids need to be reprogrammed.

When should I get new hearing aids? How long do they last?

You can't determine how long hearing aids will work based on how many years you've had them. However, you can make a logical decision on when the time is right to get new aids based on the following 5 KEY FACTORS:

1. Are your hearing aids capable of handling your hearing loss? - Hearing losses can change. Whether this is gradual or sudden, if you don't have a hearing aid capable of providing you will the level of amplification you need, you will need new hearing aids.

2. Will Insurance cover the cost? - Despite popular belief, more insurances are covering a portion of hearing aid costs. Some cover a significant portion of new hearing aids every few years.

3. Warranty & Repair costs - Most hearing aids come with a 1-3 year warranty. You can continue to extend the warranty, but this can get expensive. However, paying repair costs can be expensive if you are out of warranty. The last thing you want to do is pay high warranty & repair costs for old hearing aids when you could put that towards a new set.

4. Technology Improvements - Technology is continuously improving. When there is a new feature that will have a massive improvement on your ability to hear, it makes sense to consider it. When the made for iPhone technology was introduced, it dramatically improved hearing on the phone and music. When the Oticon OPN came out, it changed how well people could hear in background noise. To maximize the benefits of new technology, you need to make sure you have real ear measures performed.

5. Are you still in a service plan? - If you pre-paid for service in a "bundled" model of care, you don't want to purchase new hearing aids until you've exhausted your service plan. For instance, if you paid $8,000 for hearing aids and are promised 5 years of service, you shouldn't purchase new hearing aids sooner than 5 years. To avoid this issue, purchase your hearing aids "un-bundled" so you never over pay for service costs.