Athens Oconee Audiology

12/11/2025

One of the amazing gifts of hearing is the ability to tell different pitches (or frequencies) apart!👂✨

Think about it:

🔔 The high-pitched jingle of sleigh bells vs. the deep “Ho Ho Ho” of Santa’s laugh
⛄️ The delicate chime of a snow globe vs footsteps stomping through fresh snow
🎄Tiny ornaments clinking as you hang them on the tree vs the rumble of a holiday train set around the tree

🧠 Our brains help us distinguish all these sounds, letting us fully enjoy every festive moment.
If you’ve noticed it’s harder to pick out these details, consider scheduling a hearing check before the end of the year!

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from our Athens Oconee Audiology family to yours!

11/25/2025

11/21/2025

🔔 Stress makes tinnitus worse.
🔔 Tinnitus makes stress worse.
😩 And around and around we go…

♻️ The cycle is real, but you don’t have to stay stuck in it. Sometimes, the first step of scheduling a hearing test can help you find answers to give you peace of mind. From there, we can talk about treatment strategies and relief options.

💬 If stress and tinnitus are wearing you down, contact us today, we’re here to help you break the cycle.

11/19/2025

👓 Ever grabbed a pair of reading glasses off the rack? They might work fine for menus and quick fixes, but they’re not the same as prescription lenses tailored to your eyes.

🦻 Hearing works the same way!

📣 OTC (over-the-counter) hearing aids are:
One-size-fits-most
Designed for mild hearing loss
Limited in customization
Included little to no help with setup, troubleshooting, or follow up care

🦻 Prescription-fit hearing aids are:
Customized for your exact hearing loss
Professionally programmed and fine tuned
Include ongoing support, adjustments, and follow-up care
Designed for long-term hearing health, not just a quick fix

✨ OTC devices can be a starting point, but for many people, they don’t go far enough. Hearing is too important to leave to guesswork!

If you’ve been wondering which option is right for you, we would be happy to walk you through it.

11/17/2025

New research has shown people with tinnitus do much better when they feel supported, and not just by their clinicians!

👂 Having others who understand or also experience tinnitus helps reduce emotional distress, anxiety, and improves coping.

⬇️ Learning strategies, sharing experiences, and being heard makes a big difference.

👥 Social support seems to boost outcomes: people report feeling less isolated, more confident, and better able to manage the day-to-day “buzz”.

🌐 If you have tinnitus, consider joining a support group or an online community, you don’t have to face it alone!

🤝 We're not just focused on devices, but coping strategies and ways to connect with others who are going through the same journey. Because when you combine good audiologic care AND social connection, the whole experience changes. What used to feel overwhelming can start feeling manageable.

11/14/2025

🎗️ World Diabetes Day 🎗️

Most people know diabetes can affect the eyes, the heart, and the kidneys… but did you know it can also affect your ears? 👂

Research shows that people with diabetes are twice as likely to experience hearing loss. Why? Changes in blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear, making it harder to pick up sound.

🩺That’s why caring for your overall health also means caring for your hearing health. ✨

👂Today is a great reminder: if you’re living with diabetes, add a hearing check to your wellness routine

11/12/2025

👂 Let’s talk about tinnitus.

Tinnitus is the formal term for hearing sounds in your ears that aren’t actually in your environment. It can sound different for each person:
🔔 ringing
🐝 buzzing
🌊 roaring
🎵 humming
🐞 crickets

For some, it’s constant. For others, it comes and goes. Some can ignore it. But for many, it’s bothersome and impossible to tune out.

At Athens Oconee Audiology, we are here to help you find coping strategies, treatment options to help with management of your symptoms, and work together to help you reconnect to your daily life.

If tinnitus has been getting in the way of your daily life, you don’t have to just live with it. Schedule an appointment today, and we’ll work together to make it more manageable.

11/11/2025

This Veterans Day, we honor those who have served and sacrificed to protect our country. Your strength, courage, and selflessness continue to inspire us every day.

11/01/2025

We are filled with gratitude and joy as we celebrate 19 wonderful years of Athens Oconee Audiology!

To our amazing patients, you are truly the heart of what we do. Thank you for trusting us with your hearing care and allowing us to be part of your stories.

We also want to thank our incredible team. Your compassion, dedication, and teamwork keep our practice running smoothly and make every patient's experience special.

As we look ahead, we are excited to continue growing and providing the highest level of care for our community. Thank you all for 19 amazing years. We look forward to many more to come!

10/31/2025

“Hearing aids make me look old…”

🦻 Today’s hearing aids? They’re sleek, discreet, and smart. You can hear with style and confidence, which looks good on everyone. And so does understanding every word!

Want to see the new styles? Contact us to schedule an appointment today!

10/30/2025

In honor of National Audiologist Awareness Month, we are highlighting each of our own incredible audiologists at AOA! 🦻

For today’s audiologist spotlight, we have Robin Barnes Hardin! She is the owner of Athens Oconee Audiology and has over 44 years of experience in the field of audiology. During her career, she has worked at the highly recognized Veterans Administration Medical Center in Atlanta, the University of Georgia Speech and Hearing Clinic, and the Atlanta Ear Clinic, a neurotology practice. In May 2009, she was one of 25 audiologists in the world to be invited to participate in the Ida Institute in Denmark. The Id Institute’s mission is to foster a better understanding of the human dynamics associated with hearing loss. In this time, she has come to understand that hearing loss is more than a matter of improving patients' hearing; it is a matter of improving quality of life and individual well being!

Contact us today to schedule your own appointment with Robin Barnes Hardin! 👂👏