Best California Audiologists

Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the perception of abnormal ear or head noises. Tinnitus is unpleasant enough itself, and is sometimes a symptom of other problems, including Hearing Loss , tumors, and narrowing of the blood vessels. Noises may be high pitched and “ringing,” or sound more like a clicking. Some tinnitus is pulsatile, which means it may be caused by the flow of blood that accompanies each heart beat, and this happens in cases of narrowing of the blood vessels.

Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. These disorders are caused by faulty development of or damage to motor areas in the brain that disrupts the brain's ability to control movement and posture.

Acoustic Neuroma
An acoustic neuroma is a low-grade tumor. It is on the eighth cranial nerve leading from the brainstem to the ear. This nerve is involved in hearing and maintaining equilibrium. Acoustic neuromas grow relatively slowly. Even though it is a low-grade tumor, this condition can cause serious problems.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder is a chronic behavioral disorder of childhood onset (by age seven). ADHD affects children, adolescents, and adults. It is characterized by behavior that is hyperactive, impulsive, or inattentive. There are several different types of ADHD. Some children are primarily inattentive and don't display signs of hyperactivity. Others, however, are hyperactive and/or impulsive. The rest exhibit a mixture of these symptoms.

Autism
These pages are addressed to the parents of a child who has autism.

Autism is a severe and complex brain disorder that first presents in children who are age three and younger. People with autism have difficulty communicating and forming relationships. They may appear intensely preoccupied by specific, often unusual, interests and activities, and engage in repetitive behaviors. People with autism also show signs of altered sensory input, such as overreacting to particular sounds. They have underdeveloped communication skills, and half of people with autism never learn to speak.

Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease is a gradually progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. There are four characteristic problems caused by Parkinson's disease, including tremor at rest, balance problems, stiffness, and slowness of movement.

Multiple Sclerosis MS
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling disease of the central nervous system. The disease causes inflammation, destruction, and scarring of the nerve sheath (called myelin) that covers nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. There can also be damage to the underlying nerve itself (called the axon). As a result, electrical signals from the brain are slowed or blocked from reaching the eyes, muscles, and other parts of the body.

Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a decrease in the ability to hear. It can vary from mild to total loss of hearing and occur in one or both ears. There are three parts of the ear. Problems that contribute to hearing loss can occur in one or more of these parts.

Ruptured Eardrum
Tympanic membrane perforation, or a ruptured eardrum, is a hole in the eardrum (tympanic membrane).

The eardrum is a very thin membrane made of tissue that separates the middle ear from the ear canal. The eardrum aids in hearing and in preventing bacteria and other foreign matter from entering the middle ear.

Auditory Neuropathy
Auditory neuropathy (AN) occurs when the nerve system of the inner ear fails to process sounds coming from the outer ear. AN can affect any age group, from babies to adults.