Audiological and Speech Associates Punxsutawney

06/04/2025

🧠𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐳𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡! More than 55 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.🧠

🧠Hearing loss can contribute to dementia and Alzheimer’s in many ways. Social isolation, depression, and lack of stimulation in the auditory processing portions of the brain may all contribute to cognitive decline and poor memory. As your cognition declines, it can be more difficult to understand what people are saying, especially in background noise.🧠

☝️According to the CDC, there are healthy habits that can reduce overall cognitive decline. One of these healthy habits is to stay engaged as you get older! We all know that hearing loss can lead to social isolation, so the ability to hear is an important aspect of staying engaged.🤗

If you or a loved one has concern of hearing loss, please contact our office today to schedule a hearing test! ⌨️📞

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

05/22/2025

03/24/2025

Don’t do it. 🙅

Cotton swabs can push earwax deeper into the ear, causing impaction and preventing the eardrum from vibrating properly. People who use cotton swabs to clean their ears usually end up making earwax worse, not better.

Learn how to safely clean your ears: https://brnw.ch/21wRwdJ.

01/03/2025

🎇𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓, "𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒔"🎇

🤔Did you know...🤔

More than 22 million people in the United States have never tried hearing aids as a solution to their hearing loss. In one research investigation, close to 3,000 individuals with self-reported hearing loss were polled regarding their reluctance to try hearing aids. Here are some of the reasons why they have decline to pursue them.

😔𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬😔

Some people reject hearing aids because they are concerned with the stigma of hearing loss or are in a state of denial, and thus try to hide it from others. It’s unfortunate, but many people lose confidence in themselves simply because they have hearing loss. They believe others will think they’re getting older, less competent, less attractive, and so on. They may also be embarrassed due to the fact that we live in a youth-oriented, airbrushed society where physical perfection is stressed as an important human attribute.
🦻🏻
Cosmetics no longer need to be a barrier to obtaining amplification. Since the 1990s, technological advances have permitted the hearing aid industry to develop hearing aids, like completely-in-the-canal (CIC) devices, which are essentially invisible. Based on your hearing needs and the physical characteristics of your ears, you might be a candidate for these devices. If you are not, in-the-canal (ITC) devices, which are only slightly larger, are available to fit many hearing losses.
🦻🏻
It is likely that once you begin hearing through amplification, your quality of life will be enhanced and cosmetics will be of less concern to you. Research shows that people who have come to enjoy their hearing aids rate even the largest hearings aids as cosmetically appealing as smaller, in-the-ear models. Some hearing aids even come in bright colors- dispelling the myth that they are something to be ashamed of or hide!

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

12/18/2024

All of us at ASA would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas! We hope you enjoy this holiday season by creating memories and taking time to relax and unwind.
🎄🎅
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒𝐭𝐡, 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕𝐭𝐡.
🎄🎅
If you have an urgent concern, please leave us a message at 814-938-7565 and we will return your call once we are back in the office!

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

07/16/2024

💧𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐲💧

Damage to your hearing aids can be incurred from high heat or cold, which may adversely affect a hearing aid’s performance. Much of this damage is caused by the changes in temperature, which causes a condensation of moisture within the aid, rather than the temperature itself.

Anything wet, high humidity, perspiration, condensation, or accidental immersion in a bath or pool can cause damage to a hearing aid and prevent it from functioning properly.

You should never leave your hearing aid(s) near a radiator or AC, in a sunny window, or in the glove box of a hot car. Also, do not try and dry the hearing aid by using a hair dryer, oven or any other external heat source.

If you live in an area subject to high humidity or regularly engage in perspiration-inducing activities, consider buying some sort of DRI-AID kit. This is a small, inexpensive kit consisting of silica (desiccating) crystals in a jar. At night, after removing the battery, place the hearing aid down in the jar.

Protecting your hearing aids from moisture and humidity will prolong the life of the hearing aid and keep your hearing aids out of the repair shop and in your ears where they can do their job.

Source: Healthy Hearing

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

02/06/2024

All of us at ASA would like to congratulate Trevor Todd for accepting an offer to join the IUP Hawks Golf Team! Way to go Trevor! 🏌️‍♂️🎉

01/09/2024

There’s a lot of information out there about different types of “hearing aids''🦻. From a patient’s perspective, we can understand how it can be overwhelming and confusing as you’re looking to invest in good hearing technology. 🤔

Ever since over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids hit the shelves in 2022, we’ve been getting some good questions from people like you! Outlined below are some of the differences in hearing devices you may see advertised:

Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAP)
🔺Electronic devices intended for situational listening, providing amplification of environmental sounds for adults with normal hearing (think: bird watching, hunting, etc.).
🔺PSAPs are NOT intended for the treatment of hearing loss. 🔇

Over-the-Counter (OTC)
🔺A new class of hearing aids that is now available without prescription or professional intervention.
🔺These devices are intended for individuals 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
🔺OTC hearing aids are NOT recommended and are NOT effective for those individuals with a severe hearing loss.

Prescription Hearing Aids
🔺Medical devices that are prescribed and dispensed by licensed professionals.👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️(this is what we do here at ASA!)
🔺Explicitly designed as a treatment for hearing loss for both adults and children.👶👧👨👵🧓
🔺These devices are effective for degrees of hearing loss that vary anywhere from mild to severe.👍🦻

⚠️ PSAPS, OTCs, and prescription hearing aids may all look similar, but what they provide the patient from an auditory standpoint is quite different. ⚠️

If you are interested in learning more about what is the best fit for you, please call our office. We’re happy to help you make the most informed decision for your hearing!

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

09/07/2023

Ask us about Genesis AI when you come in for your next appointment!!!

Happy ! We’re proud to announce that Genesis AI is a TWICE VIP winner in the Aging-in-Place technology category. Hearing is tied to our overall social and physical well-being, but Genesis AI takes better hearing to the next level with additional wellness monitoring and fall alert technology. Thank you to everyone who voted for Starkey in this awards competition!


TWICE

08/14/2023

🌧️What happens if my hearing aids get caught in the rain?

💧This is another common question we receive often! Thankfully, getting caught in the rain shouldn’t cause too much damage to your hearing aids.

💧We usually tell our patients that rain is generally harmless. If you are running errands and get caught in a little rain while walking to your car…no problem.

💧BUT, if you know you’re going to willingly sit in the rain for an extended period of time (ex: kid’s sporting event/concert/etc.), it might be worthwhile removing them. Essentially, the longer water exposure the hearing aids have, the more likely they will experience moisture damage.

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

08/10/2023

🚿What happens if I wear my hearing aids in the shower?

☝️As audiologists, we know our patients' hearing aids are really comfortable when they’ve completely forgotten to take them off before showering!

💦In all honesty, this happens to more people than you think. And the good news is, it usually isn’t a big problem. A quick splash on your hearing aids shouldn’t yield too much trouble. However, if you take an entire shower…you might want to give us a call!📞

Have you ever accidentally worn your hearing aids in the shower!?

https://www.asahearingaids.com/

07/25/2023

A common question we are asked is, “why does noise cause damage to your hearing?”🤔

If that’s something you’ve wondered too, here’s our answer:

🔊Sound waves travel down your ear canal to the eardrum.
🥁The eardrum vibrates and sends the vibration wave through the three little bones in the middle ear space.
🌀The vibrations then move from the bones to the fluid of the inner ear and cause the inner ear fluid to ripple and form a traveling wave.
〰️The hair cells in the inner ear move as the inner ear fluid moves.

💥So why does loud noise cause damage? Louder noise means more intense vibrations of the eardrum and middle ear bones, stronger movement of the inner ear fluid, and the possibility of damage to those tiny hair cells!💥

https://www.asahearingaids.com/