Rivanna Hearing Center

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Rivanna Hearing Center

Rivanna Hearing Center: Your best choice for hearing aids in Charlottesville VA!

02/04/2026

💊 Did you know that over 200 medications list hearing loss or tinnitus as a possible side effect? This includes some prescriptions and even common over-the-counter meds like aspirin or acetaminophen.

But don’t panic, taking them doesn’t mean you will develop hearing issues. If you do notice ringing or changes in hearing after starting a new medication, don’t stop taking it; talk to your prescribing doctor first. 👂🩺

We’re here to help you monitor your hearing health and work with your care team if anything changes.

02/03/2026

Hearing ringing, buzzing, humming, or rushing sounds in your ears? 👂 You’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone. About 10% of U.S. adults (over 25 million people) experience tinnitus, and millions find it disruptive to daily life.

Tinnitus is commonly linked to hearing loss, but stress, anxiety, noise exposure, and head injuries can also play a role.

If the sounds in your ears are bothering you, we’re here to help you understand what’s going on. 💙

02/02/2026

Anyone else remember falling asleep to the hum of one of these fans?

Turns out, that soothing sound may have been doing more than keeping you cool. It can also be a helpful tool for managing tinnitus!

Sound masking uses background noise, such as a fan, sound machine, or app, to give the brain something else to focus on besides the ringing or buzzing.
It’s especially helpful at bedtime or in quiet environments if you have trouble falling asleep.

Which one are you? Old-school or high-tech?

Have you used sound masking? Tell us what’s worked for you in the comments!

01/31/2026

Let’s talk tech, but in simple terms. A telecoil (or t-coil) is a small copper wire built into some hearing aids. It lets your hearing aids connect directly to certain sound systems, like a built-in Bluetooth for public places.

Think of it like this: instead of your hearing aids picking up all the surrounding noise, the telecoil connects directly to a sound source, like a microphone in a theater or a speaker at an airport gate.

Not all hearing aids come with a telecoil, so it’s always worth checking!

01/30/2026

When you leave our office, you won’t just get a “yes or no” answer about your hearing… you can take home a copy of your hearing test, called an audiogram.

An audiogram is a simple graph that shows how well you hear different pitches, from low (like a drum) to high (like a bird). On your chart, you’ll see “O” symbols for your right ear and “X” symbols for your left ear. We’ll walk you through exactly what those marks mean and how they relate to the sounds you hear every day, like speech, music, and background noise.

Think of it like a printed prescription for glasses, but for your ears. In Virginia, your audiogram is typically considered current for about six months, and it becomes the baseline we compare future tests to, so we can track any changes in your hearing over time.

This report belongs to you. You can file it neatly in your home health folder… or let it live on the floor of your car with the reusable grocery bags, we won’t judge.

01/29/2026

“I know I need help hearing, but I’m worried about the cost.”

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. At Rivanna Hearing Center, we offer CareCredit and a payment plan so you can spread the cost of hearing care over time, not all at once.

01/28/2026

In my experience, it’s not always easy for our patients to understand an audiogram without a detailed explanation… there’s a lot we test for!

As an audiologist, I’m trained not only to measure your hearing, but also to understand AND explain your results to you. And more importantly, I know when your results signal that something else might be going on…

Because sometimes hearing loss isn’t “just hearing loss.” It can be a red flag for a medical issue that requires timely attention.

👂 My role as an audiologist goes far beyond tuning a device. If a red flag appears on your hearing test, it is my professional duty to refer you to the appropriate physician before making any long-term recommendations. Your safety and health always come first!

When it comes to your hearing health, the interpretation of your results is just as important as the test itself. That’s why it’s critical that the person reviewing your audiogram has the highest level of training.

At Rivanna Hearing Center, you can trust that every test is interpreted with the highest level of clinical expertise!

01/27/2026

If you haven’t looked at hearing aids in a while, you might be surprised by how sleek they’ve become!

Traditional hearing aids often used tubing to deliver sound into the ear. These still work well for some people, but today, most hearing aids use a thin wire, and the speaker sits right inside your ear canal.

This style is called receiver-in-canal (RIC), and it’s become super popular for many reasons:

Better sound
Smaller, more discreet
More natural listening experience

In fact, 70% of hearing aids fit in the U.S. today are RIC style! (Source: MarkeTrak 2022)

Have you seen these newer styles around town?

01/26/2026

🌱 Let’s be honest… change is HARD, especially when it comes to something as personal as your hearing.

I hear this all the time:
“I know I need help… I just don’t know if I’m ready.”
“It feels like such a big step.”
“What if everything sounds too loud?”

And you know what? Those feelings are completely normal.

Hearing help isn’t just about a device. It's a change in routine, in confidence, in daily life. And big changes take courage.

But here’s the part I love reminding my patients of:
✨ You don’t have to do it alone. We are here to help.
✨ You get to take it one small step at a time. We schedule follow-up visits.
✨ Your brain is AMAZING at adjusting…sometimes it just needs a little practice.

Sometimes the hardest step… is also the one that changes everything.

🌟If you’re ready (or even curious), please reach out to us. We’re here to help!

01/25/2026

One of the most common questions we get is: "Should I go with rechargeable hearing aids or traditional batteries?"

Here’s a quick breakdown:

✅ Rechargeable hearing aids
Just place them in a charger overnight, no more fumbling with tiny batteries
Great for people with arthritis or dexterity concerns
Environmentally friendly and convenient
Most models hold a full day’s charge

🔁 Battery-powered hearing aids
Still a solid option, especially for those who travel often or don’t want to rely on charging
Batteries typically last 3–10 days, depending on use and size.

Which one is more popular? Well, rechargeable hearing aids now make up over half of all hearing aids sold in the U.S. So they are definitely becoming more popular! (Source: Hearing Industries Association, 2022).

Not sure what’s best for your lifestyle? We’ll walk you through your options during your visit.

01/24/2026

We get this question a lot: “Do hearing aids actually help prevent cognitive decline?”

The answer, more and more, is yes, especially if they’re used early.

In fact, a major 2023 study found that using hearing aids was linked to a 48% lower risk of developing dementia in adults with hearing loss. (Source: Lin et al., Lancet Commission, 2023)

That’s a powerful reason to start thinking about hearing health! Can you think of anyone that has been putting off their hearing test?

01/23/2026

During the cooler months of the year, it’s no secret that I see a spike in illnesses: flu, colds, RSV, COVID… you name it. And with illness season comes the usual suspects: boogers, coughs, and sometimes… ear woes. 👎

At Rivanna Hearing Center, I consistently see an increase in middle ear fluid during the winter months, especially here in the Charlottesville area. Sometimes the fluid behind the middle ear isn’t always easy to see either! This is why one of the most critical (and quickest!) tests we can perform for our patients is called tympanometry.

👂 Tympanometry is a quick, painless that measures how well your eardrum and middle ear system are functioning.

Why does this matter? Because middle ear issues are worth keeping an eye on. Fluid in the middle ear that isn’t infected can sometimes last up to 6-12 weeks!

Address

182 Spotnap Road
Charlottesville, VA
22911

Telephone

(434) 244-3277

Website

https://www.rivannahearingcenter.com/

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