Jun 20, 2017
Only 30 percent of hearing-impaired adults aged 70 years and older who could benefit from wearing a hearing instrument have ever worn one. Even fewer adults between ages 20 and 69 years who could benefit have ever worn one. If these individuals and others need more...
Jun 13, 2017
While “sensorineural hearing loss” is caused by inner-ear hair-cell damage or problems with nerve pathways that lead from the inner ear to the brain, “conductive hearing loss” is related to problems conducting sound waves from the outer ear to the middle ear. While...
Jun 6, 2017
Hearing loss can compromise cognitive ability because the brain must put added effort into understanding speech. Thus, it makes sense that new research indicates that providing individuals with hearing instruments not only helps them hear better, but it also boosts...
May 30, 2017
Today’s digital hearing instruments use “algorithms” (which are sets of step-by-step instructions that are used to accomplish a task) to analyze and categorize incoming sounds. In effect, these sophisticated algorithms can intercept sounds, code them, and cleanse them...
May 23, 2017
Regular readers of this column know that one of the best ways to avoid hearing loss is to reduce exposure to loud noise. Now, new research suggests that prolonged use of certain painkillers is also linked to hearing loss in women. While the magnitude of the hearing...
May 16, 2017
The inner ear contains delicate “hair cells” that are responsible for converting sound-induced vibrations into electrical impulses that are recognizable to the brain. These hair cells resemble blades of grass on a lawn. When subjected to loud noise, however, these...
