Nov 16, 2016
“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 hear because they sense sound waves and convert them to electrical signals that are...
Nov 9, 2016
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 about two percent of the population suffers from this problem. A minority of this...
Nov 2, 2016
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 that will literally place the sound of the hearing instrument in the ear, a hearing...
Oct 26, 2016
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 from a hearing instrument actually use one. Instead, many people either ignore their...
Oct 19, 2016
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 than musculature. A study involving mostly seniors found that those living with...
Oct 12, 2016
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 previous research has demonstrated that exposure to aircraft noise on a regular basis...
