Why You Should Treat Your Hearing Loss This Year
Hearing loss is common. In fact, “Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing,” reports the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. If you suspect you may have hearing loss but haven’t yet scheduled a hearing test, below we review five reasons why you should seek…
Facts About Seniors & Hearing Loss for Audiology Awareness Month
Hearing loss in seniors or hearing loss caused by advancing age is known by audiologists as presbycusis. According to an article published in the National Library of Medicine, presbycusis “is the most common cause of hearing loss worldwide and is estimated to affect approximately two-thirds of Americans aged 70 or older.” In honor of Audiology…
Tips for the Trail: How to Hike with Hearing Aids
What are the benefits of hiking? Some might say exercise while others might say a breath of fresh air. Turns out, there are many benefits, both immediate such as “decreased blood pressure, decreased stress levels, enhanced immune system functioning, and restored attention,” and long-term like “weight loss, decreased depression, and overall wellness,” one study reports….
Study of the Cochlea Could Lead to Hearing Aid Improvements
Many people mistakenly believe that hearing aids correct hearing loss the way glasses correct vision loss, but sadly this is not the case… yet. Researchers are currently working on ways to improve hearing aids so that they can better address the cocktail party problem. The cocktail party problem refers to how people with hearing loss…
How to Prepare Your Hearing for Fall
Fall brings with it a host of changes. You’ll feel the crispness in the air and notice the leaves changing color at Knowlton Park. You also might notice a change in your hearing, particularly if you have new hearing aids. Below we’ll discuss some of the ways your hearing health needs might change this season,…
Difficulty Hearing Speech in Noise Connected to Dementia
If you only have difficulty hearing speech and following conversations in noisy settings, like when hanging out with friends at Airline Brewing Company, you may think your hearing isn’t that bad and you don’t need to seek treatment. However, recent research shows that trouble hearing speech in noise is linked to an increased risk of…
Unilateral Hearing Loss
What is Single Sided Deafness? Sometimes referred to as unilateral hearing loss, single sided deafness is a condition in which an individual experiences hearing loss in only one ear but can hear normally out of the other ear. While the majority of patients with a hearing impairment suffer from bilateral (two-sided) hearing loss, SSD is…
Research Links High Blood Sugar And Hearing Loss To Poor Memory In Older Latino Americans
Hearing loss and diabetes are major public health problems, with Latinos at higher risk than other demographic groups. In a new study published December 17, 2020 in the online issue of JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine with colleagues elsewhere, report that hearing loss and high…
Study Investigates Treatment For Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
The purpose of this case study is to support best practices in treating sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), particularly the importance of immediate audiological evaluation and treatment of suspected SSNH to ensure an optimal outcome. SSNHL is most commonly defined as a hearing loss of 30 dB or greater at three consecutive frequencies that occur…
Purifying Common Antibiotic Could Reduce Hearing Loss Risk
Scientists have discovered a simple method of reformulating gentamicin, a commonly used and highly effective antibiotic, that could reduce the risk it poses of causing deafness. A Stanford Medicine-led study has found that a subtype of popular antibiotic could pose a smaller risk of hearing loss yet still be powerful at fighting off bacterial infections….
Scientists Develop New Gene Therapy For Deafness
Delivering healthy genetic material into the inner ear cells of mice with a genetic defect that causes deafness enables the cells to function normally, according to a new study from Tel Aviv University (TAU). The novel treatment prevented the gradual deterioration of hearing in these mice. It could lead to a breakthrough in treating children…
Untreated Hearing Loss Can Lead To Safety Risks
Untreated hearing loss can give rise to a number of problems, including depression and anxiety. The first step to addressing those concerns is as simple as taking a hearing test. Reduced hearing loss means reduced sensory input, or the feeling that the walls are closing in on a person. This leads to symptoms that can…
New Smartwatch Alerts Hearing Impaired To Nearby Sounds
A new smartwatch app alerts users who are deaf or hard of hearing of nearby sounds, such as microwave beeps or car horns. “The main motivation [for the app] came from my own experience, and conversations that my colleagues and I have had with deaf and hard of hearing people over several years,” says Dhruv…
Coronavirus Linked To Sudden Hearing Loss
As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic evolves, the virus’s symptoms continue to expand across the human body. Caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the coronavirus infection causes many severe complications in some people, especially those at a higher risk of developing a serious illness. Many complications have been reported, including heart…