Better Hearing Blog
Making Friends with Anemones
“Hair cells” are sensory cells located in the inner ear that get their name from their hair-like projections, called “stereocilia.” Hair cells play a critical role in enabling us to...
Hyperacusis: Those Hypersensitive to Sounds
The term “hyperacusis” is used to describe people who find the sounds of everyday life to be intrusively loud, uncomfortable, and even painful. It is conservatively estimated that...
Custom Molded to Your Ear
Just as eyeglass frames with prescription lenses must be properly fitted to the wearer’s face, a hearing instrument’s earmold must fit perfectly in the listener’s ear. To get the fit...
Doing a Disservice
About one-third of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and nearly half of individuals age 75 and older have hearing loss; however, only about 20 percent of those who could benefit...
Use It or Lose It!
We are all familiar with the “use it or lose it” dictum that says if you do not exercise, you will lose muscle mass. As it turns out, this warning applies to areas of the body other...
Airport Noise and Health Problems
With airports multiplying and expanding, the International Civil Aviation Organization estimates that the number of take-offs and landings will double over the next 20 years. While...
The Military’s Smart Earplugs
If there is an institution that recognizes the importance of earplugs, it is the U.S. Army. Over the past couple of years, Army soldiers have been introduced to the military’s newest...
Dizzying Ménière’s disease
Ménière’s disease, which is named after the 19th-century French physician who discovered the condition, is characterized by intermittent and abrupt attacks of vertigo (a spinning...
Get With the Program
As we go through our days at home, at work, and at play, we subject our ears to a number of different listening environments. We might have a quiet conversation over coffee in the...