EVALUATE. CARE. PROTECT. EDUCATE.
We help our patients optimize the soundtracks of their lives. Dr. Laura Sinnott, Audiologist, founded Sound Culture for the purpose of promoting the sense of hearing. It is time for sound to take center stage. It starts with realizing that your ears are delicate, and they take a beating when they're exposed to loud sound, even if it’s sound we love. If cared for properly, however, they may perform exquisitely for years on end.
Listening is everything.
Evaluate
Hearing evaluations include a full case history, otoscopy, and a measurement of your pure tone thresholds up to 16 kHz. It’s crucial to conduct regular hearing evaluations in order to identify gradual changes. The purpose is to:
-
Diagnose hearing disorders
-
Obtain hearing thresholds profile (audiogram)
-
Provide realistic recommendations
-
Make appropriate referrals (ENT, psychotherapist, dermatologists, vestibular specialists)
Care
Audiology is a challenging field because there aren't any magic pills that will make your hearing concerns vanish. However, there are many treatment and strategies that can help! Care includes:
-
Tailored treatment plans
-
Hearing enhancement devices from OTC hearing aids to hearables
-
Education
-
Mindfulness meditation techniques
-
Vetted hearing disorder management tools
Protect
Hearing loss is not the only auditory issue we face. Tinnitus is actually more prevalent, and then there's sound intolerance, distortion, fear of loud sound and more. Some causes of hearing disorders, like genetics, cannot be prevented, but others, like loud sound exposure, can be mitigated if we are armed with the right tools such as:
-
Hearing preservation programs
-
Custom hearing protection (earplugs)
-
Earplug ear/brain training guidance
-
Earplug verification
-
Custom in-ear monitors
-
On-site sound assessments
Educate
Our ears detect vibration (sound), but our brains interpret and make meaning of sound. When we understand our auditory system deeply, it becomes impossible not to treat it with respect. Once we know when we’re at risk for a hearing disorder, we can better decide what to do about it. Consider:
-
Lectures and workshops for small and large groups, all ages
-
Topics: the auditory system, sound measurements, hearing disorder prevention, more
-
Visiting lecturer
-
Articles for trade, industry, university or union publications
-
Interviews, podcasts, content production
Appointments
Laura has limited availability at this time (2023) but do reach out via the contact form below for questions.
About Dr. Laura Sinnott
A long time audio engineer for film, Laura career-expanded into hearing health as an audiologist. She ran the hearing clinic at Sensaphonics, a Chicago-based institution that has served musicians for over 30 years. Now based in Central New York, she sees patients in her Utica, NY office, through telehealth via the Tuned platform, and provides traveling, concierge audiology services for musicians, media professionals, and music lovers. Laura holds a Doctorate of Audiology degree from CUNY, a Master’s in Music Technology from NYU and a Bachelor’s in Music Industry Studies from CU Denver. She is also Head of Devices at Tuned.
For Laura, the nuances of sound are the heart of communication. When we speak to each other, it’s more than the words — it’s the intonation, the pauses, the listening — it’s the full orchestra supporting the communications dance.
When Laura discovered that audiology included counseling, becoming an audiologist became a no-brainer as it would call upon mindfulness, empathy, and relationship-building skills. She embarked on her doctorate degree (CUNY) and is now a licensed audiologist. When she is not helping patients protect and preserve their hearing, she can be found eating croissants or pondering the technical brilliance of how a laser can read grooves on a CD and convert them to music.