Capital Hearing Wellness Center

01/27/2026

👂 Could It Be Hearing Loss? Early Signs to Watch For

Here are some of the most common early signs of hearing loss the subtle ones people often brush off at first

🪧Early warning signs 🛑
✔️Trouble understanding speech especially in noise like restaurants or group conversations
✔️“I can hear you, I just can’t understand you” feeling
✔️Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
✔️Thinking others are mumbling
✔️Turning the TV or phone volume up higher than others prefer
✔️Difficulty hearing children’s or women’s voices
✔️Missing soft sounds like doorbells birds or turn signals
✔️Feeling mentally exhausted after conversations

🔍 Subtle clues people don’t expect
-Avoiding social situations because they feel frustrating or tiring
-Ringing or buzzing in the ears tinnitus
-Trouble hearing on the phone
-Feeling disconnected in conversations
-Increased irritability or withdrawal

🎧 Why early detection matters 👂🏼
Untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation loneliness increased cognitive load and brain fatigue higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia and balance issues and falls.

👩‍⚕️ When to get checked ✅
If any of these sound familiar especially if they’ve been creeping in over months or years it’s time for a baseline hearing evaluation. Earlier care leads to easier adaptation and better long term outcomes.

01/26/2026

❄️ Snow outside? Your ears are working overtime. 👂

Cold weather doesn’t just affect your hands and joints it can impact your hearing, too. And while clearing snow from the driveway, farm, or store lot, your ears may be exposed to dangerously loud noise.

Snowblowers, tractors, plows, and other winter equipment can reach 85–100+ decibels. That's enough to cause permanent hearing damage with repeated exposure.

Winter hearing tips:
• Wear hearing protection when running snowblowers, tractors, or plows
• Choose earmuffs or properly fitted earplugs (bonus: they keep ears warm!)
• Protect your ears even if it’s “just for a few minutes”
• Take breaks to reduce noise exposure

Cold, quiet winter days can also make tinnitus feel louder, especially after noise exposure.

Protect your ears now, your future hearing (and brain) will thank you.

❄️👂

Call now to connect with business.

01/24/2026

01/22/2026

Living with tinnitus? There is support that can help you feel less overwhelmed.

Tinnitus, the ringing, buzzing or noise you hear in your ears can affect sleep, focus, mood, and everyday life. While there’s no cure yet, the way we respond to tinnitus can make a big difference in how much it bothers us.

That’s where Oto comes in. Oto is a guided tinnitus program built on science and compassion that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to help retrain your brain’s reaction to tinnitus.

📱 How it works:
• Short, guided audio sessions that take about 10 minutes a day from your phone or device.
• Practical tools based on CBT to reduce stress, shift your focus, and change how your brain responds to tinnitus.
• Education and relaxation techniques that fit easily into your routine.

This program can be a valuable part of your tinnitus care especially when paired with professional support from an audiologist or hearing care provider.

If you’d like help getting started with Oto or want to explore whether it’s right for you, we’re here to support you!

01/20/2026

Already have hearing aids but still have questions?

If your hearing aids aren’t as comfortable, clear, or helpful as you expected, you’re not alone. Small adjustments, proper settings, and expert guidance can make a big difference.

A hearing care provider can help you:
✔️ Fine tune your current hearing aids
✔️ Fix comfort or sound issues
✔️ Answer your questions clearly and honestly
✔️ Get more out of the technology you already have

You don’t need new hearing aids to get better hearing support.

Schedule a visit and get the answers you’ve been missing.
📞(207) 803-3277

Because better hearing comes from better care.

01/11/2026

New Year. New You. Better Health Starts with Hearing.

Did you make a promise to yourself to take better care of your health this year?

Many people focus on diet, exercise, and sleep but forget about hearing and brain health.

Untreated hearing loss and tinnitus don’t just affect your ears. They can impact:

🧠Memory and concentration

😴Sleep and energy

👣Balance and fall risk

🧘‍♂️Stress and overall quality of life

This year, choose to invest in you.

Whether you’re noticing ringing in your ears, difficulty hearing in noise, or just want answers, we’re here to help.

12/18/2025

🧠👂 Hearing Loss & Loneliness: A Hidden Connection

Hearing loss doesn’t just affect hearing it affects connection.

When conversations become hard, many people begin to withdraw from social situations, leading to loneliness and isolation. Over time, this isolation is linked to depression, cognitive decline, and increased dementia risk.

For many, isolation isn’t a choice it’s a consequence of untreated hearing loss.

Treating hearing loss can help people reconnect, stay engaged, and protect brain health.

Hearing is health. Connection matters.

12/17/2025

Did You Know? Kidney Disease & Hearing Loss Are Closely Connected 🩺👂

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hearing loss frequently occur together. The kidneys and the inner ear share similar structures and blood supply, making the auditory system especially vulnerable when kidney function is impaired.

Research shows that individuals with kidney disease are at a higher risk for hearing loss due to:
• Reduced blood flow to the inner ear
• Electrolyte and fluid imbalances
• Ototoxic medications sometimes used in treatment
• Shared risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension

Hearing loss in patients with kidney disease is often gradual and can go unnoticed yet it may impact communication, safety, cognitive health, and overall quality of life.

Why hearing screening matters:
Early identification of hearing changes allows for timely intervention, improved treatment outcomes, and better support for long-term health management.

If you or a loved one has kidney disease, a comprehensive hearing evaluation should be part of routine care.

📞 Schedule your hearing assessment today because whole-body health includes hearing health. (207) 803-3277

12/16/2025

Did You Know? Heart Health & Hearing Health Are Connected ❤️👂

Cardiovascular disease and hearing loss often go hand in hand. The inner ear relies on a rich blood supply to function properly—when blood flow is reduced by conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes, hearing can be affected.

Research shows that people with cardiovascular disease are more likely to experience hearing loss, and untreated hearing loss is also linked to higher risks of cognitive decline and reduced quality of life.

The good news?
Protecting your heart may help protect your hearing.

✔️ Manage blood pressure and cholesterol
✔️ Stay physically active
✔️ Don’t ignore changes in hearing
✔️ Schedule regular hearing evaluations

Your heart and your hearing deserve the same level of care. Early detection and treatment can make a meaningful difference.

📞 See if your heart health is affecting your hearing today!

12/12/2025

🧠 Your ears may be one of the earliest windows into your brain’s future.

Even slight age-related hearing loss in midlife appears to signal a substantially higher risk of later dementia, as shown in a large Framingham Heart Study analysis of 2,178 adults followed for up to 15 years. Participants with at least mild hearing loss were 71% more likely to develop dementia than peers with normal hearing, and even those with “slight” loss showed more white matter damage on MRI and smaller overall brain volume, key structural markers linked to neurodegeneration.

Cognitive testing revealed a particular decline in executive functions such as planning and attention, rather than memory alone, suggesting that hearing loss may sap higher-order processing over time.​

The risk was especially pronounced in people carrying the APOE4 gene variant, a genetic factor already known to raise Alzheimer’s susceptibility, where hearing loss more than amplified dementia vulnerability.

Crucially, individuals with hearing loss who used hearing aids showed a lower risk of developing dementia, hinting that restoring auditory input might lessen cognitive load, preserve social engagement, and slow downstream brain changes. Because many adults are unaware of mild impairment, the study underscores the need to integrate routine hearing assessments into midlife primary care as a practical, modifiable lever for brain health.​

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

📄 RESEARCH PAPER

📌 Justin S. Golub et al., “Hearing Loss, Brain Structure, Cognition, and Dementia Risk in the Framingham Heart Study,” JAMA Network Open (2025)

12/12/2025

The holidays are full of laughter, stories, and togetherness... don’t miss a single word.

If you’ve been struggling to hear conversations in groups or around background noise, now is the perfect time to take action.

Many people don’t realize they’re experiencing hearing loss because it happens gradually.
Here are some common signs:

👂 Signs of Hearing Loss

Difficulty hearing in restaurants or at family gatherings

Feeling like people are mumbling

Needing to turn the TV up louder than others prefer

Frequently asking others to repeat themselves

Struggling to hear children’s or women’s voices

Feeling tired or mentally drained after conversations

Missing the punchline, the details, or the soft moments in conversation

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone and you don’t need to wait.

🎁 Start treatment for as little as $349

✨ Clearer conversations
✨ Better connection with loved ones
✨ Improved cognitive and listening effort
✨ More joyful moments this holiday season

Give yourself the gift of better hearing.
Schedule today at capitalhearing.com or hearwellmaine.com
Capital Hearing Wellness Center part of
Hearing Wellness Centers of Maine

12/01/2025