Below you will find answers to some of the most common questions we are asked:

On this page:

• What is an audiologist?
• How do I know if I have hearing loss?
• What are the causes of hearing loss?
• What does dizziness have to do with the ears?
• How loud must a sound be to be considered dangerously loud?

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What is an audiologist?

An audiologist is a specialist in the diagnosis and non-medical treatment of hearing and balance problems. Audiologists obtain either a Master's or Doctoral level degree, and then complete a training fellowship prior to entering practice. Both service providers at Central Maine Audiology hold Doctorate degrees and are certified through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and American Academy of Audiology.

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How do I know if I have hearing loss?

Some symptoms of hearing loss include: problems hearing in crowds, difficulty with female or children's voices, thinking people mumble, having to ask people to repeat, turning the television up louder than other people do, and family members telling you that you have a hearing problem. Take our hearing quiz today. Click here to learn more about noise induced hearing loss.

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What are the causes of hearing loss?

There are several causes. The main ones include: excessive noise, aging, genetics, infections to the head or ear, and reaction to drugs or cancer treatment. Hearing loss can occur at any time, at any age. In fact, most people with hearing loss (65%) are younger than age 65! There are six million people in the U.S. ages 18-44 with hearing loss, and around 1.5 million are school age.

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What does dizziness have to do with the ears?

Balance is regulated by the body's vestibular or balance system, located in the inner ear. The vestibular system works with the eyes, bones and joints, and brain to regulate the body's position. Balance problems occur when one or more of these are not functioning correctly.

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How loud must a sound be to be considered dangerously loud?

These include live music concerts, motorboats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, power tools, hunting, or ipods at excessive levels. In general, if you are standing three feet away from someone and cannot hear what they are saying, the noise level could be damaging your hearing. Use earplugs, earmuffs, or other protection devices when exposed to excessive levels of sound.

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