Coastal Audiology & Hearing Aid Center

It’s World Hearing Day! This year’s theme is Hearing Care for All! Every year on March 3rd, we celebrate World Hearing Day. This year marks the launch of the World Report on Hearing, presenting a global call for action to address hearing loss and ear diseases across the life course. #worldhearingday #hearingacrossthelifespan #worldhearingday2021

We rarely discuss specific products because our philosophy is that the magic is not in the widget. However, yesterday, an exciting product by Signia launched. The Signia Active and Active Pro. An earbud-style rechargeable, fully-functioning hearing aid available in three colors and two technology levels. We see this as a great solution for someone who doesn’t mind wearing earbuds but isn’t quite ready for the look of traditional hearings aids. Want to learn more? We’d love to tell you more about it. Call us, (912) 748-9494. #signiaactive #signiaactivepro #rechargeable #streaming #tinnitushelp #signiaxperience #earbuds

We are almost a year into two weeks to stop the spread! We hear everyday how weary you are over mask-wearing. We get it. Masks interfere with communication. They remove facial cues and lip-reading from the conversation. They muffle speech by 10-20 decibels. If you’re struggling to hear with your hearing aids or thinking you need to have your hearing tested, we can help. Slight programming adjustments may help you hear those with masks better. A hearing test can determine if your communication struggles have a more significant cause. We can help! Call us today to schedule your evaluation (912) 748-9494 or schedule online, coastalaudiology.com

Consider this - a cochlear implant is a tool, like a pencil. A pencil is a tool that creates endless possibilities. You might use it to draw, answer multiple c...hoice questions, fill in the blanks, write an essay, or even a novel. Similarly, a cochlear implant is a tool that creates opportunities for listening and speaking. Each individual, child or adult, uses it with different goals and desired outcomes in mind. Some might use it for sound awareness paired with communication using a visual language, while others might rely solely on the auditory access through a cochlear implant for spoken communication, and everything in between. Endless possibilities - all these are good, acceptable, and appropriate use of this amazing tool. Check out our blog post and share your thoughts. https://www.listeningtogether.com/2021/02/24/ci-is-a-tool/ #cochlearimplant #Hearing #hearingloss #listening #deaf #hardofhearing #CochlearImplantDay #awareness #empowerment

It’s Valentine’s Day! The day of love! But are you missing out on the sweet nothings you’re special one is whispering? We can help. Stop missing out on the conversation and do something about your hearing loss. We can help. You deserve to hear well! Call us to schedule your hearing test (912) 748-9494. After your exam, we’ll let you try hearing aids for a week with no obligation so you can hear what you’ve been missing. #happyvalentinesday #hearwelllivewell #poolerhearingcenter #theoriginalcoastal #poolerga #hearingloss

Today we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his pursuit of peace and equality. #mlkjr #mlkday #ihaveadream #love

Life is made up of moments. Every experience and interaction shapes us. Untreated hearing loss can c #hearingloss #poolerhearingcenter #hearingaids #tinnitus #apd

Each day in our office, people tell us I can hear fine I just can’t understand... For most people, this is a sign of high-frequency (pitch) hearing loss. Many years ago, people with high-frequency hearing loss were told they couldn’t be helped with hearing aids. TIMES HAVE CHANGED! Let us help you. You deserve to hear well! Call to schedule your hearing evaluation today, (912) 749-9494. #hearingloss #highfrequencyhearingloss #snhl #betterhearingbeginshere #betterhearingonthehorizon #poolerhearingcenter

One of the most common complaintsthe television! We can help! Call to schedule your hearing & communication evaluation and take a pair of hearing aids to demo in your home for a week. Help is available! Will you accept it? (912) 748-9494

It’s Christmas Eve! We will be in the office this morning until noon delivering last minute orders, repairs, and Christmas gifts. We have worked diligently to get every order and repair we’ve received back into the hands of our patients ahead of the holidays. Should you need us, we will be in the office until 12 pm. Next week we will be checking messages so we may address any emergencies. We will resume normal hours Monday January 4th. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Do you make resolutions? If not, do you have any traditions that help you kick off the new year? Some people may choose a word for the year and focus on that word or phrase. Need help picking a word? What are some words you see below you can focus on in 2021? Health? Flourish? Present? Best self? We can help! #wordoftheyear #whatsyourword #newyear

On this day... In 1888, famous painter Vincent Van Gogh cut off his own ear. Originally thought to be brought on by delirium from syphilis and/or schizophrenia, new research indicates Van Gogh may have been suffering from alcohol withdrawal. Sadly, he later ended his own life just two years later in 1890. #vangogh #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #ear #onthisday

Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2021 is the best one yet! See you next week! #happynewyear #2021 #betterhearingbetterliving #theoriginalcoastal #poolerhearingcenter

It’s Christmas week! We are open! While appointments are limited, we have supplies and last minute Christmas gifts. Our business hours are normal today and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and we will be open 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Christmas Eve (Thursday)

We know face masks interfere with communication. We hear the exasperation in your voice and see the frustration in your face (well, the part of your face we can still see!) Since May, we have cared for those of you who knew you had a hearing loss but didn’t know just how bad it was until everyone around you was wearing a face mask and you could no longer rely on visual cues to make sense of the conversation. Never mind the 10-20 decibel reduction in sound when face masks are worn! If this sounds like you, we can help! Call us to schedule your hearing test. Afterwards, we’ll discuss a plan of care to help you communicate better and with less frustration. Call us today or schedule online, (912) 748-9494 or coastalaudiology.com #facemask #poorcommunication #hearingloss #theoriginalcoastal

Our office will be closed Tuesday, November 3rd for Election Day. It is so important to vote. Despite record turn-out for early voting, lines are expected to be long. Please don’t let that keep you from securing your vote and making your voice heard. We’ll be in the office Monday by appointment only and Wed-Fri normal hours. #vote #electionday #yourvoteyourvoice

Being in Pooler is really wonderful because I get to work with people I’ve known my whole life." Read more about Dr. Dawn Hostetler-MacMillan & Coastal Audiology here: https://poolermagazine.com/coastal-audiology/ #PoolerGa

Happy Halloween! When was your last hearing test? Hearing IS healthcare! Just like you get your eyes checked and your teeth cleaned, you need periodic hearing exams. You can schedule online now at coastalaudiology.com or call (912) 748-9494. We can’t wait to see you! #carveoutsometimeforahearingtest #hearingishealthcare #poolerga #helpinggeorgiahear #poolerhearingcenter

Fun Friday! Take a screen shot/save the image below and draw and Jack-o-lantern face with your eyes closed. Post your results in the comments below! #funfriday #jackolantern #itsmorefunwhenyouplayalong #theoriginalcoastal #poolerhearingcenter #helpinggeorgiahear

With less than two weeks until Christmas and less than three weeks until 2021 (can I get a Hallelujah?!! ) next week is the time to pick up those hearing aid supplies and Christmas gifts! Please see our holiday hours here. We will be taking some much-needed days away to spend with friends and loved ones and encourage you to do the same. Peace & love -Dr MacMillan

This is the last week to donate to our community sock drive for Sock-tober! Donations may be dropped off at our office in Peacock Plaza, 410 SW US HWY 80 in Pooler. Thank you for helping treat the feet of those who are homeless in our community! #socktober #sockdrive #givingbacktothecommunity

Happy National Pumpkin Day! Did you know today is National Pumpkin Day? Did you know pumpkins can be good for your hearing? Pumpkins are much more than trendy decorations for your doorstepthey’re also an effective way to add hearing healthy nutrients to your diet. Vitamin A - This nutrient supports your immune system, and pumpkin has 200% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). A healthy immune system helps keep infection-causing bacteria at bay -- including the ...kind that causes ear infections. Although most ear infections heal on their own, they can be painful and cause temporary hearing loss. Vitamin C - Antioxidant vitamin C protects you against free radicals. These naturally occurring little villains of the atom world scavenge the body in search of electrons to pair with, causing damage to cells, protein and DNA along the way. Antioxidants like vitamin C help prevent the assault, protecting the delicate cellular structure of the inner ear. Folate - A water-soluble member of the vitamin B family, folate plays a big role in cellular metabolism, the nervous system and vascular function -- all which are important to the auditory system. Research published in the December 2010 issue of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery suggests high frequency hearing loss may be related to low levels of folic acid. #nationalpumpkinday #eatingforhealth #poolerhearingcenter #protectyourhearing #poolerga See more

Untreated hearing loss increases your risk of falls by 50%

Are there alternatives to wearing hearing aids? As much as I know most people don’t like a question being answered with a question, let’s address this in reverse. Is there a reason you don’t want to wear hearing aids? Is it how you perceive they look? How much you’ve heard they can cost? Is it because you’ve heard secondhand ‘hearing aids don’t work’ even though you’ve never tried them yourself? I get it; no one wants to wear something extra to help them perform a functio...n. Glasses, leg braces, dentures. But most do because they enjoy doing whatever the device helps them dosee, walk, eat. Hearing aids are no different and in addition to helping you hearing and understand the world around you, wearing hearing aids has been proven to: help reduce the risk of developing dementia (treating hearing loss is the single greatest modifiable risk factor in the prevention of dementia (The Lancet, 2017) reduce the risk of falls (which can cause death and often does as a result of a fall) reduce medical management misunderstandings such as medication errors and instructions. And that’s just a few of the reasons. Hearing is healthcare. If hearing aids are the recommended treatment from your Audiologist, you can trust that they have made that decision after careful testing, interview, and counseling. But if you’re still apprehensive, discuss your concerns with them. Audiologists are THE professionals for the evaluation and treatment of hearing loss. Not ENT physicians, not hearing aid dispensers/hearing instrument specialistsAUDIOLOGISTS are the professional recognized by the American Speech-Language Association and the American Academy of Audiology as the ones qualified to evaluate and treat hearing and balance disorders. There are alternatives to hearing aids, but they come with significant downsides as compared to hearing aids. 1. Amplified telephones (Telephones that make conversations louder and are now-often captioned) 2. TV Listening Device (headsets for wear while watching television) 3. Public assistive listening devices (Walkman-style headset to use in places such as churches & theaters) 4. Communication Strategies (Going somewhere quiet, using a white board to write things down, speaking in well-lit areas, etc) As you can see from this list, there are alternatives, but they have significant limitations on where they can be used, size, and overall functional limitations. If you have concerns about wearing hearing aids, talk to your Audiologist. They can help you work through your concerns, resulting in the best options for you and your individual hearing needs and goals. Coastal Audiology’s mission includes comprehensive but individualized hearing healthcare services across the lifespan. #hearingishealthcare #poolerhearingcenter #helpinggeorgiahear #hearingaids

Today, Friday Oct 23, 2020 we will be closing at 12 p.m. so Dr MacMillan can attend a continuing education session. We will resume normal business hours next Monday, Oct 26, 2020. Have a great weekend!

About a 1/4 of the size of a grain of rice, a hearing aid wax guard is a small plastic screen that is attached to the hearing aids. It rests in the sound outlet, which is in the part of the hearing aid that sits in the ear canal. The sole purpose of the wax guard is to block off the sound outlet and to block bits of earwax, dust, debris and moisture for working their way inside the device. Using a wax guard is a preventative measure, which can help to: *Improve hearing *Preve...nt blockages *Protect your hearing aids from dust, dirt and moisture *Reduce the risk of malfunction and damage *Prolong the lifespan of your hearing aids Hearing aid wearers will frequently report their hearing aids aren’t working when it is merely just a clogged wax guard (as in the photo in the graphic) We review the basics of changing a wax guard at each fitting and while frequently forgotten, it’s one of the most important things and Audiologist will tell you at your fitting. Most manufacturer’s wax guards are different and your device will require you to use the one made for your device as they are mostly not interchangeable. We carry wax guards for nearly every make and model in our office. Have questions, just ask! We’re happy to help! #earwaxwednesday #waxwednesday #cerustop #prowax #nowax #prowaxminifit #hearclear #waxshield #waxguardwednesday #hearingaid #poolerhearingcenter #theoriginalcoastal #poolerga #helpinggeorgiahear See more

Auditory Processing Disorder is frequently mistaken for ADD/ADHD because symptoms can be similar to an attention problem. It is also possible for APD and ADD/ADHD to co-exist. Quite often individuals with APD have problems focusing because they are unable to filter out background noise or they may be putting forth so much mental energy to decode a message and keep up with ongoing speech that they shut down and zone out. Since individuals with APD tend to mishear speech sounds..., it can lead to persistent speech production errors or cause the child to say what often for clarification. Contact us at (912) 748-9494 to discuss any concerns you may have to ensure your child receives the correct treatment. APD can also effect adults so if you are experiencing symptoms such as trouble deciding which direction sounds are coming from, difficulty hearing in noise, and trouble with multi-step oral directions, call to discuss next steps. (912) 748-9494 #APD #auditoryprocessingdisorder See more

Happy Friday! How about a little Friday fun? Drop your answer in the comments! #funfriday #letskickofftheweekend

Happy Wednesday! Some of our friends and followers who don’t live locally have asked about sending socks to our office for our Socktober sock drive to help our local residents who are homeless. We have made an Amazon wish list to share so those that wish can send them to us directly: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3HWIP9CCR3VXD You are not limited to what’s on the list! This just makes it easier to click and send. Thank you for your support of our October Socktober sock drive! #socktober #sockdrive #givebacktothecommunity

"I wish I would've done something about my hearing loss sooner" is a frequent statement we hear at Coastal Audiology. What and where do you want to hear better? We'd love to help you listen with less effort, understand the server, hear the conversations at dinner, and more. Call us to schedule your hearing test and listening test drive, (912) 748-9494

From Dr. MacMillan: Recently, I fit hearing aids on a patient who needed them for at least 15 years. Fifteen years!! This individual was a caretaker for a spouse for almost a decade before they passed. When we evaluated them last year, they were ready to finally do something. Only to change their mind once they got home and learned their pet needed a surgery that was $4,500. Sadly, this story isn’t unique. I see patients every month that have a similar tale. I’m always curi...ous why someone waits so long to do something about their hearing loss. My kid needed braces. My dog needed surgery. My daughter was getting married. I get it! I’m a wife and a mom. We own a business. I love my pets. I have a mother that I’m a part-time caretaker for. The car breaks. Time gets away. Money is tight. Everything else gets added to your to-do list but yourself! Research indicates the average wait is about 7 years. For this particular person, they waited twice that. This truly breaks my heart. I think about all the things they missed out on because their health and well-being took a backseat to everything else going on in their life. On this Saturday morning, (also World Mental Health day!) commit to taking care of YOU for a change. If you’ve been needing a hearing test, make an appointment. If you’ve needed hearing aids, let’s meet up and discuss how to make that happen. And if you’ve been carrying around the broken hearing aid that needs to be repaired, drop by so we can get it working again. Self-care is important. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Love your people well. But don’t forget yourself in the process! #selfcaresaturday #takecareofyourself #hearingloss #audiologyawarenessmonth #poolerhearingcenter #worldmentalhealthday