Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation when a person feels that they or the objects around them are moving. A person with vertigo may also experience dizziness, tilting, swaying or being pulled in one direction. These symptoms may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating or difficulty walking. Vertigo can be caused by problems with the brain or the ear. BPPV episodes typically last no longer than a minute and can occur sporadically with long periods between episodes.

BPPV is caused by a mechanical problem in the inner ear, which is a part of the vestibular system that helps maintain balance. When calcium carbonate crystals that are normally embedded in the utricle part of the inner ear become dislodged, they can migrate into the ear canals and clump together. This interferes with the fluid in the canals that helps sense head motion and false balance signals are sent to the brain.

The cause for the crystals to break loose of their normal positioning and migrate is unknown; however, trauma to the head may be a factor as well as inner ear disorders, migraines and ear surgery. Aging can also be a factor if the patient is older than 50. BPPV is uncomfortable and puts people at greater risk for injuries from falling.

Medical care is recommended for any unexplained dizziness or vertigo that persists for longer than a week. A doctor will likely look for signs and symptoms of dizziness prompted by eye or head movements, dizziness with specific eye movements when lying down, involuntary movements of the eyes and the inability to control eye movements. If these signs are difficult to determine, more tests may be needed such as electronystagmography or videonystagmography and MRI. Treatment most often includes the canalith repositioning procedure or Epley maneuvers.

In order to determine the appropriate treatment plan for you, your otolaryngologist and audiologist will need to evaluate and diagnose your symptoms. Contact our office at 337-266-9820 to schedule an appointment.

Repositioning head maneuvers, also called canalith repositioning procedure or Epley maneuvers, are used to treat patients diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Epley maneuvers are a series of head position changes that move the canaliths from the canal back to the utricle. This rehabilitation can provide relief from BPPV in only a few sessions.

BPPV is caused by a mechanical problem in the inner ear, which is a part of the vestibular system that helps maintain balance. When calcium carbonate crystals that are normally embedded in the utricle part of the inner ear become dislodged, they can migrate into the canals and clump together. This interferes with the fluid in the canals that helps sense head motion and false balance signals are sent to the brain.

The Epley maneuvers are used to remove the crystals from the canals. The Epley maneuvers involve sequential movements of your head into four positions and maintaining each position for 30 seconds. If your BPPV is not resolved after one or two sessions, you can complete the Brandt-Daroff exercises at home. These exercises are performed in three sets per day for two weeks and involve lying down and sitting up. A physical therapist will show you how to safely complete these.

Canalith repositioning is ineffective in rare cases. Nearly 80 percent of people who undergo canalith repositioning experience relief in vertigo symptoms. Options for these patients include vestibular rehabilitation, home exercises, canal plugging surgery and medication.

In order to determine the appropriate treatment plan for you, your otolaryngologist and audiologist will need to evaluate and diagnose your symptoms. Contact our office at 337-266-9820 to schedule an appointment.

Vertigo is a balance disorder. It is the sensation that occurs when a person feels they or the objects around them are spinning. A person with vertigo may also experience dizziness, tilting, swaying or being pulled in one direction. These symptoms may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating or difficulty walking. Vertigo can be caused by problems with the brain or the ear.

When the cause is inner ear related, the most common causes of vertigo are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere’s disease and vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. Meniere’s disease is an inner ear condition causing a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles clump in the canals of the inner ear. These clumps cause the inner ear to send false information to the brain about head and body movements in relation to gravity. Labyrinthitis is typically the result of an infection that causes inflammation in the inner ear around nerves that help the body sense balance. Causes of vertigo not related to the ear can be caused by stroke, migraines and head or neck injuries.

Treatment for vertigo will be cause-based and may include diet, medicine, physical therapy or a surgical procedure. Many times, vertigo will go away without any treatment. This is because the brain will adapt to inner ear changes. However, working with a physician to diagnose the cause of vertigo is important to preventing future episodes.

In order to determine the appropriate treatment plan for your vertigo, your otolaryngologist and audiologist will need to evaluate and diagnose your symptoms. Contact our office at 337-266-9820 to schedule an appointment.

Determining which hearing aid is right for you is a process; there are a number of different factors that need to be taken into consideration when making your decision. The easiest way to work through this process is to break it down into steps, making each decision before moving on to the next.

The first step is determining which listening lifestyle you belong in. There are three: quiet, active and dynamic.

Those that fall into the private lifestyle spend most of their time at home with minimal background noise. This lifestyle requires the lowest level of technology and additional features.

Active level patients require flexibility, often moving between different environments with varying levels of background noise. Those with this lifestyle require a mid-range level of technology and additional features.

Those in the dynamic lifestyle are in the most complicated group. They are exposed to many different environments with varying levels of background noise. Their hearing aid must be powerful enough to easily switch between settings. This style also requires the highest level of technology and most additional features.

The next decision you will have to make is which style to get. There are six major styles.

Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) is the smallest and most discrete style. The device fits entirely within the ear canal, making it practically invisible. Because of its size, the device cannot contain any additional features and must use the smallest batteries, which have the shortest battery life.

In-the-canal (ITC) is just slightly larger than the CIC. This device sits half within the ear canal and half outside of it. It can contain a few additional features and a slightly larger battery.

In-the-ear (ITE) is more visible than the ITC, sitting in the outer part of the ear. There are two styles, one that takes up the whole outer ear and one that takes up only the lower part. Since this device is no longer protected by the ear canal it will pick up unwanted noises, such as the wind. It is able to contain even more additional features and a larger battery.

Behind-the-ear (BTE) contains two pieces, one that sits within the ear canal and one that sits behind the ear. The two pieces are connected with tubing. This is the largest style of hearing aid so it may contain the most number of additional features and uses the largest battery.

Receive-in-canal (RIC) is similar to the BTE except instead of being connected with tubing the two pieces are joined by a thin wire. This style is less visible than the BTE and can contain the same number of additional features and has an identical battery size.

Open fit is the final style of hearing aid. Like the RIC, this style has two parts connected with a thin wire. The part that usually takes up the whole canal is redesigned to only take up half. This allows low-frequency sounds to enter the ear naturally while high-frequency sounds are still processed through the hearing aid.

Once you have decided on the right style of hearing aid for you, your audiologist will complete a series of hearing tests to ensure the device is programmed for your specific degree of hearing loss.

If you would like more information on the hearing aid process or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our office at 337-266-9820.

Hearings aids are complex electronics that require care to keep them running.

Daily cleaning is the most important thing you can do for your hearing aids. While in your ear, earwax and other debris become trapped in the small holes of the device. A clean, dry cloth or soft-bristled toothbrush can be used in addition to a wax pick to clean the device.

Even with daily cleaning, issues can still arise with the device. Follow these troubleshooting tips before bringing the device in for diagnostic testing.

Does your hearing aid seem weak or dead? Make sure the device is on and the volume is up. Check the battery with a battery tester to make sure it is charged; if unsure, replace the battery. Examine the device for any buildup of earwax or debris and if you are using a BTE or RIC model, check that the connection between the two pieces is secure.

Does the hearing aid sound distorted? If using a BTE, check the tubing for any moisture, cracks or holes. Replace the battery as the one in the device may be weak or defective.

Does the hearing aid whistle? Check the volume control to see if it has been turned up too high. Make sure the device is inserted into the ear correctly and confirm that the microphone is not covered by an object such as your hair or a scarf.

If you have run through all these checks and your hearing aid is still not working, contact our office at 337-266-9820 to schedule an appointment. Our audiologist will examine the device and run a series of diagnostic tests in order to identify the problem. Most repairs can be completed in the office.

The batteries used in hearing aids are different from the traditional mercury batteries most of us are used to. Hearing aid batteries are zinc air batteries. They use air as a source of power and therefore are sold individually packaged. Only remove them from their packaging when you are going to use them; store them unopened at room temperature.

How long a battery lasts in your hearing aid is completely dependent on your level of hearing loss (the more severe your hearing loss the more amplification you need), how often you wear the device and how many additional features you use with the device. A simple way to figure out how long a battery will last is to keep track of the date you put each battery from a new package in and take it out. Once the package is used up add up the number of days and divide by the number of batteries in the package.

While there are a number of battery sizes, there are four major ones used in most models: 10, 312, 13 and 675. The larger the battery, the longer it lasts. In order to make buying replacement batteries as easy as possible, each size is also associated with a color. Number 10, the smallest battery, is colored yellow. This battery is used in CIC style hearing aids. Number 312 batteries are colored brown and used in some BTE, RIC and ITC models. The orange colored number 13 is used with some BTE and ITE devices. The largest battery, number 675, is colored blue and is used primarily in BTE models.

Your audiologist will review everything you need to know about your hearing aid, including which type of battery it uses, before you leave the office. If you think of any questions once you are home, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 337-266-9820.

Contact us at 337-266-9820 to find out more about hearing aid financing.

Hearings aids are complex electronics that require care to keep them running.

Daily cleaning is the most important thing you can do for your hearing aids. While in your ear, earwax and other debris become trapped in the small holes of the device. A clean, dry cloth or soft-bristled toothbrush can be used in addition to a wax pick to clean the device.

Even with daily cleaning, issues can still arise with the device. Follow these troubleshooting tips before bringing the device in for diagnostic testing.

Does your hearing aid seem weak or dead? Make sure the device is on and the volume is up. Check the battery with a battery tester to make sure it is charged; if unsure, replace the battery. Examine the device for any buildup of earwax or debris and if you are using a BTE or RIC model, check that the connection between the two pieces is secure.

Does the hearing aid sound distorted? If using a BTE, check the tubing for any moisture, cracks or holes. Replace the battery as the one in the device may be weak or defective.

Does the hearing aid whistle? Check the volume control to see if it has been turned up too high. Make sure the device is inserted into the ear correctly and confirm that the microphone is not covered by an object such as your hair or a scarf.

If you have run through all these checks and your hearing aid is still not working, contact our office at 337-266-9820 to schedule an appointment. Our audiologist will examine the device and run a series of diagnostic tests in order to identify the problem. Most repairs can be completed in the office.

There are six main styles of hearing aids. Each balances visual aesthetic with additional features and battery life. The larger the style, the more visible it is but the device can contain more additional features and a bigger battery.

Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) is the smallest hearing aid. This device sits completely in the ear canal making it practically invisible. Since the device is protected by the ear canal it is less likely than the larger devices to pick up extraneous background noises, such as wind. Due to the device’s small size it cannot contain any additional features. It also has the smallest battery, which leads to the shortest battery life. This style works for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.

In-the-canal (ITC) sits partly within the ear canal and partly outside of it. This style is slightly larger and more visible than the CIC. It can contain a few additional features and is able to use a larger battery. This style works for those with moderate hearing loss.

In-the-ear (ITE) sits within the outer ear. There are two versions, one that takes up the whole outer ear, called a full shell, and one that only takes up the bottom half of the outer ear, called a half shell. This style is able to fit even more additional features and a larger battery than the ITC model. This style works for those with mild to severe hearing loss.

Behind-the-ear (BTE) is the largest style of hearing aid. This style has two parts: one sits within the ear canal and one sits on the back of the ear. The two parts are connected with tubing. This is the most visible and largest model, which means this style contains the largest number of additional features and the biggest battery. This style works for all types of hearing loss and is especially popular with children and the elderly.

Receiver-in-canal (RIC) is similar to the BTE except instead of connecting the two parts with tubing they are connected with a thin wire. This leads to a less visible model with the same number of additional features and length of battery life. This style works for all types of hearing loss.

The final style is open fit. This is similar to the RIC; it contains two pieces connected with a thin wire. Instead of a plug that takes up the whole ear canal, this style uses a smaller piece. Low-frequency sounds are able to enter the ear naturally while high-frequency sounds must still be processed by the hearing aid. This style works for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Choosing the style that works best for your type and degree of hearing loss can be overwhelming. Fortunately, our experienced audiologist will be there to help you through the process. Contact our office at 337-266-9820 to schedule an appointment.

Traveling with a hearing aid can be worry-free as long as you plan accordingly.

Planning a vacation for those with hearing loss has never been as easy as it is now. Reservations, tickets and even car services can be ordered online, meaning you do not have to make any phone calls. Purchasing a map of your destination and reviewing it before you leave may help prevent you from having to ask for directions while traveling. We always recommend letting the staff members at your hotel and on the airline know about your hearing impairment. This will ensure that any updates can be written down or presented to you in person; this way you do not have to rely on overhead announcements. Many places, such as airlines and restaurants, have a text message update system that you can sign up for.

If you are traveling by air, there are a few points to keep in mind. You should not have to remove your hearing aids when going through security; simply let the TSA agent know you are wearing them. If for some reason you must remove them, the X-ray machine used for security will not harm the devices. Hearing aids do not count as traditional electronic devices and therefore do not need to be turned off during takeoff and landing. Some do find flying without their hearing aids more comfortable. Always inform a member of your cabin crew that you are hearing impaired. This ensures if any announcement is made over the overhead system your flight attendant can repeat the message to you in person.

If you are driving to your destination, we have some helpful tips to keep in mind. Before taking off make sure all the mirrors are positioned correctly; some even go so far as to purchase an extended rearview mirror to see more of the road. While driving keep the radio low (or even better, turned off) and the windows closed when driving on the highway. This ensures you are able to hear another car’s horn.

The most important piece of advice we can offer is to pack extra supplies. Always make sure you have an ample supply of batteries and tubing or wires. You never know when you will need to change these out and you should never assume that the neighborhood store will carry just what you need.

If you have any additional questions about how to travel well with hearing aids, contact our office at 337-266-9820.