Category: Hearing Aids

Dr. Mary L. Frintner, owner and audiologist at Burbank Audiology Center, has been selected as a finalist in the 2022 Oticon Focus on People Awards, a national competition recognizing individuals who are helping to change perceptions of what it means to live with hearing loss.

You can cast Your Vote Online at Oticon.com/FOP now through Nov. 4! If she wins, Dr. Frintner will donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

How the Contest Works

Leading hearing solutions manufacturer Oticon, Inc. created the national awards program to honor hearing impaired students, adults and advocacy volunteers who drive awareness and understanding that can change attitudes and open doors of opportunity for all people with hearing loss.

Dr. Frintner is one of three finalists in the Practitioner category, recognizing hearing care experts who share a passion for making the world a better place for people with hearing loss through their professional, volunteer, cultural and civic endeavors.

The total number of votes each finalist receives will help determine who will be the first, second and third place winners in each category.

About Dr. Frintner

In 30-plus years of practicing audiology, Dr. Frintner has strongly advocated for children who experience hearing loss. That passion extends to the care they receive in her practice, Burbank Audiology Center, and beyond – through a program she established called “Listen through Literacy.”

Many of her patients are children from low-income households. To encourage families to read to their children to develop a love of reading and build literacy, all children that come to her practice can choose a book to take home. Dr. Frintner recently fitted 10-year-old Lev and his nine-year-old sister Vlada, refugees from war-torn Ukraine, with hearing aids and provided them with books, backpacks, lunch bags and all the school supplies they need to be ready to learn.

Voting for Dr. Frintner is open now through Nov. 4 at Oticon.com/FOP.  Winners will be announced in early 2023.


Like most hearing aid users, you probably wear your devices a majority of the day, seven days a week. With this much constant use, it’s not surprising that hearing aids can experience some wear and tear. Below are the most common hearing aid problems and how to fix them.

Moisture BuildupVarious hearing aids in a hand

Much like other electronic devices, hearing aids are not waterproof and can be damaged when exposed to water. Living in a humid climate and spending time around the ocean, pools and lakes can put your hearing aids at risk of moisture buildup, which can cause damage to the circuitry within the device.

If you are experiencing poor sound quality or your hearing aids stop working, this may be a sign of moisture buildup. Your audiologist can open the devices and remove the excess water. If there has been additional damage done to the electronic components within the device, it may need to be sent to the manufacture for repairs or additional examination.

Broken Tubing

Tubing can become damaged over time through no fault of your own. Debris can get caught, the plastic can be overstretched or it can be punctured or cracked. Any damage to the tubing can lead to an issue with sound clarity.

Your audiologists can help you replace the tubing in no time at all.

Damaged Microphone

The microphone is responsible for picking up sounds from the environment so they can be converted into electrical signals. Debris or earwax can block sounds from entering the microphone, or the microphone itself can be damaged.

Your audiologist will assess what is wrong with the microphone and clean it, repair it or replace the entire piece.

Prevent Hearing Aid Damage

The best method of repair is to prevent the damage from happening.

Moisture can be controlled by opening the battery door overnight to help the device dry out. You can also invest in a dehumidifier.

Cleaning your hearing aid and using a wax guard can prevent the tubbing and microphone from getting blocked up.

You audiologist can help you put together a cleaning protocol and provide you with a list of cleaning tools to purchase.

Contact the experts at Burbank Audiology today to learn more tips for taking care of your hearing aids.

Learn More About Hearing Aids


Wearing hearing aids is not like putting on a pair of glasses. Hearing aids do not replicate how you used to hear; they amplify sounds to a level your damaged ears can hear. Everyday sounds you have not heard in years, background noise and even your voice may seem different than you remember. Many get frustrated and give up. The audiologists at Burbank Audiology put together a list of tips to help you get used to your new hearing aids.

Start Home

Doctor fitting a senior female patient with a hearing aid

You’ll want to start off wearing your hearing aids at home or in other quiet environments. This gives you an opportunity to get used to hearing just a few sounds at a time.

Your voice will sound funny at first. A good way to get used to this is to read out loud or talk to your pets.

Your friends and family can also help you when you’re first starting out. Having one-on-one conversations is a great way to get your brain used to distinguishing important sounds from background noise. In addition, they can also help hold you accountable and make sure you are wearing your hearing aids when you should be.

While home, try giving yourself homework. Standing in the living room or kitchen, try to identify the source of sounds, such as the hum of an air conditioner or the tick of a wall clock.

Increase Gradually

When you first leave Burbank Audiology with your hearing aids, you’ll be instructed to start wearing them only a few hours a day. Slowly over the next few weeks, you should increase the amount of time you wear your hearing aids each day. This helps your brain relearn how to process the new sounds.

Attend the Follow-Up

Two weeks after your initial fitting, you will have a follow-up visit with your audiologist. They will review your progress and discuss any situations you experienced challenges. From there they will fine-tune and adjust your hearing aid to better fit your degree of hearing loss.

They will also adjust your hearing aids to make sure they sit comfortably in your ears. While the hearing aids may cause some slight tenderness at first, you should not experience any pain.

Getting used to your new hearing aids is a process. The hearing experts at Burbank Audiology understand this. To learn more about the hearing aid process or to schedule an appointment, contact our office today.