October 23, 2025

Insights for Your Hearing Health

Get trusted tips, insights, and hearing health updates from your hearing care team.

Whether you’re exploring solutions for the first time or a long-time hearing aid user, our experts at Rivanna Hearing Center are here to offer advice and resources to support your journey.

Hearing Loss That Runs in the Family: Genetic Risks Explained

Hearing loss can run in families, though you may not be as susceptible as your relatives. At Rivanna Hearing Center on Spotnap Road in Charlottesville, audiologist C. Dawn Kershner, Au.D., and hearing instrument specialist Eve Floro, HIS, consider your family history as part of your hearing care, helping you understand how genetics may affect your

What Shortens Hearing Aid Battery Life, and How Can You Extend It?

Hearing aid batteries usually last anywhere from three days to several weeks, depending mainly on usage and battery type. If yours seem to land on the short end of that range, a few simple changes or a quick professional check can often help. At Rivanna Hearing Center on Spotnap Road in Charlottesville, audiologist C. Dawn

Ear Stuffed Up but Wax-Free? Clogged Ear Causes and Relief Steps

A stuffed-up ear can make familiar voices sound dull and distant, and it’s frustrating when earwax turns out not to be the culprit. At Rivanna Hearing Center on Spotnap Road in Charlottesville, VA, audiologist C. Dawn Kershner, Au.D., and hearing instrument specialist Eve Floro, HIS, help patients understand what may be causing ear fullness and

A woman with blonde hair wearing a gray sweater touches her ear with one finger while looking to the side, sitting indoors in a softly lit room.

Why Do My Hearing Aids Whistle, and How Do I Stop It?

An abrupt high-pitched squeal from a hearing aid can be jarring and disruptive to daily life if the underlying source goes unaddressed. Our practice can identify whether the sound comes from the fit, earwax, device settings, worn parts, or a technical problem. Discover what produces hearing aid feedback and which home-care techniques can resolve simple

A person with curly hair wearing a black hat adjusts a hearing aid behind their ear, using their left hand.

What Makes Hearing in Restaurants Difficult? Practical Audiology Solutions

Tracking speech in busy dining venues can feel exhausting when environmental noise drowns out your hearing. Our audiology clinic conducts specialized testing to evaluate hearing in both quiet sound booths and noisy simulations to isolate the underlying cause. Once the diagnostic etiology of your difficult hearing is established, we implement personalized clinical and technological strategies.

A younger woman talks to an older woman on a couch. The older woman looks away with a serious expression, while the younger woman gestures as she speaks, appearing frustrated or upset.

The Emotional Toll of Untreated Hearing Loss: Depression, Anxiety, and Isolation

Hearing loss affects more than just the ability to hear clearly, it shapes how people communicate, connect with others, and engage with everyday life. While the physical side of hearing loss tends to get the most attention, the emotional and psychological effects are just as significant, if not more overlooked. Left untreated, hearing loss can

Is Your Automobile Damaging Your Auditory Health? Car Noise and Hearing Loss Risk

You truly cherish the time spent in your vehicle. You wouldn’t trade the freedom you feel when you’re driving for anything, but could your car be damaging your hearing? Below, we explore the primary pathways of vehicle-related hearing loss alongside effortless preventative adjustments to protect your physical baseline. Convertibles Like most of the vehicles on

White Noise in Your Ears? Here’s What It Could Mean

What’s that strange noise that kind of sounds like white noise, or wind in your ears? Why does this sound remain entirely imperceptible to the people around you? You are not inventing these symptoms; the sensation is entirely real. Thankfully, this specific issue is distinct from “phantom ring syndrome,” a sensory misfire tied to device

Dispelling the Shame Associated with Hearing Aids Through Modern Devices

Hearing loss commonly begins so gradually that it’s simple to ignore the problem. Some people are reluctant to get help, even if they notice conversations becoming muffled or find social interaction taxing. Often, it’s not about the hearing aids themselves but what they represent. Despite its commonality, many people continue to connect hearing aids with

Pinpointing the Ideal Level of Hearing Protection

Your hearing health can be greatly affected by long-term noise exposure, especially in environments where noise intensity is greater than safe limits. You must defend your ears; this is necessary for not just preventing hearing loss—it also helps you keep focus in noisy conditions. So, how do you find the ideal level of hearing protection

Talking About Hearing Difficulties During the Thanksgiving Holiday

At its core, Thanksgiving revolves around eating together, loved ones, and talking. Yet, if a loved one suffers from hearing loss, they may feel apart at the dinner table, even though they are surrounded by caring people. A holiday gathering, even though it’s a celebration, provides a perfectly supportive space to initiate a dialogue about

Simplify Your Routine with Bluetooth Hearing Aids: Clarity and Connection

The modern life runs on connection — to people, to knowledge, and to sound. Older hearing aids, which often just increase volume instead of enhancing clarity, make it tough for people with hearing loss to remain engaged in this connected world. Bluetooth hearing aids are revolutionizing this experience. They deliver easier communication and a more