This Quick Self-Test Will Help You Determine If You Have Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is not only a problem related to older adults. With exposure to high volume noises in the streets or in music concerts, it can affect anyone. However, if you have it, sometimes it is difficult to admit. Check this quick test and find out. Click here for more information.
Latest Research On Drugs For Treatment Of Hearing Loss And Tinnitus
Several companies are researching new ways to reverse hearing loss. One of them is working on a drug, and the procedure to deliver it in the inner ear. Other is working on a sustained release medication, and another is researching on the damage certain antibiotics do in the inner ear in order to protect it. More info click here.
Earwax Can Help Diagnose Certain Health Conditions
Ear wax can reveal certain health conditions related to hearing. However, first of all, we want to insist on NOT using Q-Tips for removing earwax, because it can affect the eardrums. That said, watery and green earwax is associated with excess sweating, but watery and dark yellow can be a sign of infection, together with a strong odor. Additional info click here.
Exercise Improves Overall Health And Also Prevents Hearing Loss
We all agree that exercise is great for maintaining good health. However, it also improves hearing. A study showed that, when exercising, the hair cells and capillaries in the cochlea were lost at a much slower rate than in the case of not exercising. Click here for more info.
One-Sided Hearing Loss Affects Understanding Conversations In Noisy Environments
The Brain Uses Both Sides Of The Brain To Process Speech
Most of us are familiar with hearing loss as a condition that affects both ears. However, there is also one-sided hearing loss. In can be caused by excessively high sound, head injury and blood interruption to the inner ear, among others. Also, hearing with only one ear makes difficult understanding speech, because the brain does a better job separating background noise from speech when using both sides of the brain. Fortunately, there is a technology that can help. More info click here.
Electro-Acupuncture Treatment For Tinnitus Increases Circulation In The Hearing System
A study in China has shown improvement in tinnitus patients by the use of electro-acupuncture. While traditional acupuncture had 65% effectiveness, electro-acupuncture has 90% effectiveness. According to the researchers, it reduces tinnitus, benefits the ears and increases conduction n the auditory nerve. This is because the electrical pulses create rhythmic contractions of the muscles in the ear region. This promotes circulation and nutrient delivery to the hearing system. Click here for more info.
People With Unilateral Deafness Will Benefit From These Glasses
They Use Bone Conduction
A startup has designed smart glasses that not only provide a better vision but also enhance hearing for single-sided deafness, also called unilateral deafness. The glasses have a microphone that detects the sound and a microprocessor converts it to vibrations sent via bone conduction to the side of the impaired ear. It is less intrusive than a hearing aid. Click here for more info.
There Are Different Types Of Hearing Loss
There are two types of hearing loss. The first one is related to the tympanum and the bones that conduct sound in the middle ear, and any disease or condition that affects it. The second is called sensorineural hearing loss and is related to the inner ear and complications with the auditory nerve. More info click here.
Blocking A Brain Chemical May Reverse The Aging Of The Brain, Improving Hearing
Researchers Use Drugs Or Genetic Tools
One of the consequences of old age is gradual hearing loss, and the assumption was that, as the brain ages, its ability to distinguish sounds declines. However, researchers have discovered that the levels of the chemical adenosine, which is responsible for sensory processing, increase in older mice. They have found a way to decrease this level using drugs of genetic tools, thus, reversing an old brain. By blocking adenosine, the number of neurons that respond to sound increases. This process, called neuroplasticity, can be used to stroke or tinnitus patients. Additional information click here.
OTC Hearing Aids Will Be Less Expensive And Communicate With A Smartphone
Hearing aids are still expensive for the majority of hearing loss patients. However, a new breed of devices is on its way, which will be sold over-the-counter at a cheaper price, and can communicate with smartphones or tablets, and auto adjust themselves. Click here for more information.
In People Born Deaf, The Brain Reassigns The Auditory Area For Other Activities
A recent research has shown that, in the case of congenital deafness, the human brain compensates the condition by rewiring itself. This means that people born deaf do not have their auditory cortexes unused since the brain rewires itself and dedicates it to other activities. More info click here.
A Huge Percentage Of The Aging Population Will Have Hearing Problems
However, Hearing Aid Technology Is Also Becoming More Affordable
According to specialists, the number of aging adults with hearing loss that is expected to increase dramatically. One-third of the people of 65 to 74 years have hearing loss, and this condition also occurs in nearly half of people older than 75. However, there are advances in the technology of hearing aids. These devices might be similar to prosthetics – they wonk feel right at first because the sounds will be different. The mind must get accustomed to the new sounds. Also, hearing aids not only allow people to hear the world around them but also communicate with each other. Another advantage is that hearing aids are becoming less expensive. Additional details click here.
Which Headphones Reduce The Risk Of Hearing Loss?
Are earbuds worse than over-the-ear headphones? The only important factor is volume, and a loud sound may cause a hearing injury. Listening to music at a high volume for a long time can lead to nerve damage. So the best is to use medium or low volume, which works better with noise-isolating headphones. More Information click here.
Diabetes Increases Risk Of Hearing Loss
Diabetes cases have increased due to the modern diet, lack of sleep and physical activity, and poor lifestyle choices, leading to insulin resistance. Also, other conditions related to diabetes, such as poor control of blood sugar, hypertension and blood lipids, can cause a blockage in the tiny blood vessels in the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss. More Information click here.
This Mobile App Allows Conversations No Matter The Background Noise
It Amplifies The Sound, But Also Filters The Surrounding Noise, Providing Speech Clarity
This free app allows making the sound clear on a conversation, which amplifies the sound but also takes care of background noise. Sound does not feel metallic or unnatural and does not require weeks of training. Users can have speech clarity in one-to-one or group conversations, no matter the level of background noise. More Information click here.
Usual Myths On Hearing Loss
Many people think that hearing loss is most usual in the elder adults. However, the majority of people with hearing loss have less than 65 years. Also, not all doctors are aware of hearing loss. Only 13% of the doctors routinely screen for it. Additional information click here.
There Are Different Types Of Hearing Loss
There are two types of hearing loss. The first one is related to the tympanum and the bones that conduct sound in the middle ear, and any disease or condition that affects it. The second is called sensorineural hearing loss and is related to the inner ear and complications with the auditory nerve. More info click here.
Early Hearing Loss Can Be Detected By This Innovative Test
Hearing loss is progressive. This means that it is difficult to detect at an early stage, or that the patient has not perceived any change in the hearing capacity. However, there is now a test that will detect hearing loss when there is normal hearing, or slightly less than normal. It is based on how the brain processes sound with both ears and listen in noisy environments. Additional details click here.
Learning To Choose A Hearing Aid
Actual Devices Are Smaller And Can Have Functions For Background Noise Reduction
A hearing aid can help relieve the consequences of hearing loss, especially when it is age-related, which appears gradually, and affects the quality of living of the person, and its ability to communicate. However, there is a wide variety of hearing aids, and it can be difficult to select one without the help of a specialist. The actual devices are not bulky but hide behind the ear. They have also digital internal electronics, which sets the difference in operation, and price, allowing clear conversations. Also, modern hearing aids can interface with smartphones via Bluetooth, allowing them to get access to more functions, and listening to streaming devices, such as TVs, radio, or portable players. It may also have directional microphones to orient the conversation to the person in front of the user. More details click here.
Exposure To Certain Sounds Can Affect The Human Body
Effects Are Tinnitus, Fatigue, Heart Palpitations, And Headaches
The possibility of a health condition being caused by sound has been reviewed in the case of US diplomats in Cuba and China. High volume can cause stress, headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and even hypertension. However, there are sounds that can be outside the human audible range, which is from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Sounds over 20,000 Hz. Are called ultrasound and can be heard by dogs and bats. They are used also by doctors for ultrasound imaging. However, the emitting device must be pressed against the subject and is not effective at a certain range. Infrasound is below 20Hz. and has different effects. It is caused by things like earthquakes, lightning, ocean waves, and even some animals like elephants, whales, rhinos, hippos, among others, which use it to communicate with each other. Some effects on humans are headaches, dizziness, annoyance, fatigue, tinnitus, and heart palpitations. There can be also exposure to infrasound at a high volume, such when being in a ship’s engine room, or near a wind turbine. Additional information click here.
Promising Research On Drugs That Could Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
It Could Inhibit Hair Cell Damage In The Inner Ear
Loud noises are one of the most common causes of hearing loss due to the damage to hair cells in the inner ear. These cells cannot be regenerated, leading to permanent hearing loss. There are drugs that also damage these cells, such as the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. In this case, even though the treatment prevents patients from dying of cancer, the side effect affects seriously their wellbeing. Researchers have been working on a drug this prevents this medication-induced hearing loss. They have discovered a drug that not only inhibits hair cell damage from chemotherapy drugs but also damage from excessive noise, which looks very promising. Additional information click here.
Researchers Have Discovered A Way To Replace Damaged Hair Cells In The Inner Ear
One of the types of hearing loss involves the hair cells in the inner ear, which detect the vibrations and transmit them to the nerves. Once these hair cells are damaged, they cannot repair themselves or regenerate. For this reason, it is said that hearing loss is permanent. However, researchers have found a way to replace these damaged hair cells via a molecule that activates the regeneration process. Click here for more information.
OTC Hearing Aids Will Be Less Expensive And Communicate With A Smartphone
Hearing aids are still expensive for the majority of hearing loss patients. However, a new breed of devices is on its way, which will be sold over-the-counter at a cheaper price, and can communicate with smartphones or tablets, and auto adjust themselves. Click here for more information.
Accelerated Hearing Loss Can Be A Symptom Of Cardiovascular Disease In Seniors
It Affects Word Recognition At A Rate Comparable To 3 Years Of Normal Hearing Decline
Cardiovascular disease is related to accelerated hearing loss in seniors. According to specialists, treating cardiovascular disease can lower down the progression of hearing loss. Also, hearing loss can be a symptom of underlying heart disease. Hearing loss is also related to a lower quality of life. Studies have shown that age-related hearing loss is 1.18 decibels per year, but in the case of patients with coronary artery disease, it is 1.90 decibels per year. This can be caused by circulatory problems in the tiny blood vessels in the cochlea, restricting the nutritive supply to the inner ear, and disrupting the electrolyte balance in the fluid inside the cochlea. Coronary artery disease was also associated with loosening word recognition comparable to 3 years of normal age-related hearing decline. Additional info click here.
Children’s Headphones May Not Be Restricting High Volume Sounds
Children are wearing earphones at a very young age, and the manufacturers assure they are safe and won’t result in ear loss. However, a study has shown that 50% of the tested sets did not restrict the volume. Also, when used in Bluetooth mode the headphones made a better job restricting high volume, than in cable mode. Additional details click here.
Mindfulness Has Better Results Than Traditional Relaxation Technique For Treating Tinnitus
The Traditional Technique Teaches The Patient To Fight Tinnitus, While Mindfulness Teaches To Accept The Condition
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has proven more effective in reducing stress, insomnia and hearing issues such as tinnitus, than traditional techniques based on relaxation. Tinnitus can result in emotional stress, insomnia, concentration problems, and hearing issues. A study compared both techniques and found that both treatments led to a decrease in psychological distress, tinnitus severity, anxiety and depression for patients. However, according to researchers, MBCT treatment led to significantly greater reductions in tinnitus severity, and this improvement lasted for longer. The main difference is that the traditional technique based on relaxation is oriented to fight tinnitus or to push it away, while MBCT teaches the patient to accept tinnitus, stopping the battle with the condition. Additional details click here.
Researchers Are Working On Brain Implants For People With Deafness Or Blindness
It Will Stimulate Specific Neurons With Tiny Electrodes.
Current research is working on implants that will let people that suffer from blindness or deafness, to receive sensory information with the links from the brain to computers. The object is to stimulate specific neurons with tiny electrodes that will allow restoring speech for deaf or mute people. Another project seeks to interface with the visual cortex, creating a picture in the case of people with impaired vision. More Information click here.
Craniosacral Therapy For Tinnitus Treatment
It Can Also Be Used To Treat Anxiety, Insomnia, Headaches, And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
There are professional activities that have greater exposure to loud noises, such as musicians, and DJs. This is how one of them dealt with this condition. In noise-induced hearing loss, the hair cells in the cochlea become damaged, the sensory information sensory sent to the brain is incomplete. Therefore, the ear tries to find the missing information – analogous to a phantom limb – which results in the communication of a ringing sensation back to the brain. This worsens when there is chronic stress, which prepares the body for a dangerous situation. Among the effects is a hypersensitivity of the nervous system, in which the brain amplifies the nervous impulses that come through the senses, including the tinnitus noise. Craniosacral therapy looks for any tensions, imbalances, restrictions or disturbances, calming the central nervous system, which is directly linked to the cranial nerves of the ears and reducing the chronic stress, resulting in the decrease of tinnitus symptoms. It can be used also to treat anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and chronic fatigue syndrome, among others. Additional info click here.
Hearing Loss Increases The Disposition To Personal Injuries
Poor Hearing Prevents Receiving Warnings About An Imminent Danger
In elder age, hearing loss is accepted as normal, the same as eyesight decline, or loss of muscle mass. Most people believe that they might just require to increase the TV’s volume level and perhaps lose some conversations, but there is a greater risk. Hearing also warns of any imminent danger, therefore, hearing loss increases the possibility of injuries. This worsens in leisure activities, because individuals do not consider the potential risk of these activities, and are not aware of the severity of their hearing loss. More Information click here.
Sound-Based Therapy For Tinnitus Gets Approved For Distribution
A new treatment has been approved for tinnitus. It consists of a sound therapy especially customized for each patient. It provides an option for patients who were unable to access clinical treatment options due to high costs. More Information click here.
Certain Sounds Cause An Extremely Negative Reaction To People
It Can Produce Anger, Anxiety, And Even Hypertension And Higher Heart Rate
There is a condition in which people react negatively to certain sounds. It is called misophonia, in which people overreact to determinate sounds, such as slurping drinks, tapping the fingers, or keyboard clicks, among others. Their reaction is disproportionate, and people are aware that they cannot control it. According to specialists, this aversion develops in childhood and gets worse over time. The reaction includes emotional responses, such as anger and anxiety, and also physiological responses, like hypertension and higher heart rate. It can also be caused by other conditions, such as tinnitus, OCD, or eating disorders. Consequences on sufferers include avoiding social situations and broken relationships. Additional info click here.
New Treatment Based On Colored Light Reduces The Symptoms Of Migraine And Tinnitus
A new treatment based on colored lenses helps treat migraines and is also being used on patients with tinnitus. It consists of tiny lamps of a different color, and the patient can control the intensity of them. The initial study was made for patients with a migraine, which reduced the intensity of the pain. A number of them had also tinnitus, and also observed a reduction in the symptoms. The different colors distract the sensory area of the brain, reducing the tinnitus symptoms. Click here for more information.
Sudden Hearing Loss May Be Caused By Poor Blood Irrigation In The Hearing Organs
If Not Treated Immediately, It Can Become Permanent
Hearing loss usually happens gradually as one age. However, there are cases in which it occurs suddenly. If not treated immediately, or misdiagnosed, hearing loss may become permanent. According to specialists, the first step is getting an audiogram. In some cases, blood is not flowing correctly to the ear. More Information click here.
Children’s Headphones May Not Be Restricting High Volume Sounds
Children are wearing earphones at a very young age, and the manufacturers assure they are safe and won’t result in ear loss. However, a study has shown that 50% of the tested sets did not restrict the volume. Also, when used in Bluetooth mode the headphones made a better job restricting high volume, than in cable mode. Additional details click here.
Aging Causes These Changes In Sight And Hearing
As we age, a series of changes occur, in which the senses begin to degrade. In the case of vision, the muscles get weaker resulting in focusing problems, and other conditions appear, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. In the case of the ear, earwax accumulates more easily, the eardrum gets stiffer, and the neural system changes the sound process. More Information click here.
These Earplugs Will Protect You From Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Or Tinnitus
They Channel The Loud Music Through A Hollow Passage, Reducing The Sound By 20 Db
There are places we go in which usually the music is too loud. Clubs, bars, gyms, rock concerts, even spinning or dance classes. Frequent exposure to loud music might lead to hearing loss or tinnitus, so one solution is to use earplugs. However, there are usually uncomfortable, bulky, and in some cases ugly. There are also earbuds with an external microphone that filter the music when it reaches harmful levels, but they are expensive. On the other hand, people wish to protect their ears, but also enjoy the club atmosphere or the rock concert. There are not earplugs that channel the sound through a hollow passage before it reaches the ears, reducing the sounds by 20 dB. These have no electronics, are stylish, and comfortable. Additional info click here.
High Volume On Headphones Might Result In Permanent Hearing Damage
We see kids and adults going everywhere with headphones or earbuds. The problem is that most are unaware that the volume intensity might cause hearing damage. One suggestion is to limit at 85 dB, which is the volume intensity of snowblower, lawnmower, a food blender, and average city traffic. Additional details click here.
These Foods Will Help Fight Hearing Loss Caused By Inflammation
In most cases, hearing loss caused by old age is related to an inflammation of the hair cells in the inner ear. These hair cells, when damaged, cannot regenerate, making hearing loss irreversible. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent inflammation which can be done by ingesting certain foods. For example, red wine has an antioxidant that can reduce cholesterol and lower inflammation. Dark chocolate can lower inflammation and improve the immune system. Click here for more information.
Trouble Hearing Conversations? This Might Be The Cause
Some older people have trouble listening to a conversation in noisy environments. However, audiology tests show no signs of hearing loss. According to a recent study, the reason might be an imbalance in neural processes in the brain. Additional details click here.
White Noise Can Help Ease The Symptoms Of Tinnitus
It Can Distract Sufferers From Listening To Tinnitus Sounds
White noise can calm the brain when it is busy thinking of all the pending issues and generating stress. Mentally thinking about the to-do lists and the pending matters is known as the internal monologue. If it gets out of control, it can be a source of stress, affecting other conditions related to stress and anxiety, such as tinnitus. Anxiety and depression can be controlled via mindful meditation but can be had to learn. On the other hand, there is an alternate technique, that is based on white noise. White noise is a sound that contains every frequency within the range of human hearing in equal quantities. Therefore, it is hard to focus on white noise, and it is not distracting. The classic example is TV or radio static. It can also mask annoying background sounds and even distract sufferers from the symptoms of tinnitus. It also helps when running, because, the brain goes to the default mode when it is at rest, starting the internal monologue. Check all the benefits of white noise. Additional information click here.
Otitis Media Can Have Serious Health Implications
It Is The Infection Of The Middle Ear And Can Cause Brain Abscess And Meningitis, Resulting In Headaches And Hearing Loss
Middle ear infection, also called otitis media, is treated with antibiotics. However, there are other serious health implications, such as hearing loss, meningitis, facial paralysis, and brain abscess. Otitis media is caused by an accumulation of pus and mucus behind the eardrum, as a result of a cold, allergy or an upper respiratory infection. It is common in children up to four years. If poorly treated, it can lead to a brain abscess, which the infection can lead to the accumulation of pus in the brain, which also caused headaches, nausea, and neurologic problems. Another serious outcome is bacterial meningitis, which also causes a severe headache, and the infection of the mastoid bone located behind the ear, which is called acute mastoiditis. A rare, but possible outcome is a hearing loss since the infection is affecting the inner ear. More details click here.
Understanding Speech In Noisy Environments
Hearing aids are oriented to amplify the sounds and frequencies of the human voice, allowing the wearer to understand a conversation. However, this can be difficult in a noisy environment. Researchers have developed a method to predict intelligibility in noisy backgrounds, which might assist the development of hearing aids. More info click here.
Living In A Big City Can Expose Your Body To Noise Pollution
Extended Exposure Can Affect Your Mental And Physical Health
In a big city, most people dot realize the noise pollution created by car horns, construction noises and loud music among others. These noises can be nonstop and we tend not to pay attention to them. However, according to specialists, extended exposure to these continuous noises can have a negative effect on mental and physical health. These include heart damage, heart damage and hearing loss, caused by the stress reaction to these loud sounds, which can end in chronic anxiety. This can be avoided with fewer notifications from the phone, noise-canceling headphones, or just escaping to a silent out-of-town place. Click here for more information.
Difficulty Of Conversations In Noisy Environments In Age-Related Hearing Loss
The Brain Cannot Filter The Background Noise As Irrelevant
One of the signs of age-related hearing loss is the difficulty of filtering background noise from a conversation. This means that it gets more difficult to understand what the other person is saying in a noisy environment. Recent studies have shown that in younger people, the brain can establish a pattern on the background noise and filters it as irrelevant. In older adults, the brain cannot differentiate it, but the cause is not clear and the reason might be the decline in the hearing ability. More Information click here.
Babies With Hearing Loss Treated At 6 Months Age
However, If Treated Later, They May Fail To Obtain A Wide Vocabulary
Hearing loss in babies can be diagnosed at 3 months, and receive treatment at 6 months. The sooner they receive the treatment, the better because they get a wider vocabulary than those that are treated later due to the malleability of the brain at an early age. However, a study revealed that in many cases children fail to obtain the treatment due to family transportation problems or funding for hearing aids, which are not always covered by insurance. More details click here.
Unusual Causes And Facts About Tinnitus
Some Causes Might Be Medications, TMJ Disorders, Head And Neck Injury
Tinnitus is a constant sound, which might present itself as ringing, humming, hissing or clicking, among others, caused by a neurologic disorder. It can have a series of causes, such as hearing loss related to age, excessive noise, middle-ear obstruction, (like excess earwax), TMJ disorder, or neck trauma. Other causes are medications, head injury and blood pressure. Also, tinnitus may be originated or worsened by smoking, gunfire or working in a loud environment without protection, and can even affect musicians and music lovers. Check more facts about tinnitus. More Information click here.
New Gene Therapy For Hearing And Balance Disorders
It Will Help People With Hereditary Hearing Loss
New research might be helpful for people with the Usher syndrome, a genetic condition that includes partial or total hearing loss, dizziness and vision loss that worsens over time. It is caused by abnormalities in the inner ear. Hearing loss and dizziness are among the main disabilities, and can be severe and debilitating. The research consists of a treatment based on gene therapy on mice, which restored their balance an improved their hearing. It will help people with hereditary hearing loss. More Information click here.
Unusual Hearing Condition Causes Strong Dislike For Certain Sounds
There is a condition in which hearing certain sounds can induce a strong dislike or even an anxiety episode. It is called misophonia, and it can be triggered by sounds like breathing or eating. It generates a response in the brain and results in a sensation of anxiety or frustration. Click here for more info.
Unusual Causes And Facts About Tinnitus
Some Causes Might Be Medications, TMJ Disorders, Head And Neck Injury
Tinnitus is a constant sound, which might present itself as ringing, humming, hissing or clicking, among others, caused by a neurologic disorder. It can have a series of causes, such as hearing loss related to age, excessive noise, middle-ear obstruction, (like excess earwax), TMJ disorder, or neck trauma. Other causes are medications, head injury and blood pressure. Also, tinnitus may be originated or worsened by smoking, gunfire or working in a loud environment without protection, and can even affect musicians and music lovers. Check more facts about tinnitus. More Information click here.
Latest Research On Drugs For Treatment Of Hearing Loss And Tinnitus
Several companies are researching new ways to reverse hearing loss. One of them is working on a drug, and the procedure to deliver it in the inner ear. Other is working on a sustained release medication, and another is researching on the damage certain antibiotics do in the inner ear in order to protect it. More info click here.
Promising Research On Drugs That Could Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
It Could Inhibit Hair Cell Damage In The Inner Ear
Loud noises are one of the most common causes of hearing loss due to the damage to hair cells in the inner ear. These cells cannot be regenerated, leading to permanent hearing loss. There are drugs that also damage these cells, such as the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. In this case, even though the treatment prevents patients from dying of cancer, the side effect affects seriously their wellbeing. Researchers have been working on a drug this prevents this medication-induced hearing loss. They have discovered a drug that not only inhibits hair cell damage from chemotherapy drugs but also damage from excessive noise, which looks very promising. Additional information click here.
Snoring Related To Skull Thinning And Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak
Symptoms Are A Strong Headache, Neck Pain, Tinnitus, And Even Coma
Researchers have found a correlation between snoring and a thinner skull. The thinning is up to 1.23 mm, however, a skull erosion of 1mm can cause a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (sCSF-L). This allows the liquid that serves as a cushion to the brain and spinal cord to flow away by the eroded area. The result can be life-threatening, including coma, stroke, and symptoms of dementia. This serious condition is also associated with obesity. The causes are not clear. The main symptom is a headache that gets more severe when upright and lying down. Other symptoms are neck pain, light or sound sensitivity, tinnitus, hearing changes, among others. More info click here.
Tinnitus Can Also Occur In Younger People
Tinnitus usually appears between 60 and 69 years, but it can show at any age. A study has shown that students aged 11 to 17 are also having a high incidence of tinnitus, caused by listening to loud music at parties at raves, but headphone usage at high volume was less frequent. Additional information click here.
The Ear Can Help Diagnose Several Health Conditions
It Can Even Inform If There Are Kidney Problems Or Heart Disease
The ears can provide a diagnosis over your health. If it is dipping out earwax, there could be some infection or ear disease. The same condition applies if the ears are itchy of if the earwax smells bad – just take note that earwax is odorless in a healthy ear. It can also inform about other organs. If the ear has an unusual shape or if it has a bump on the inner side of the ears, there could be a kidney problem. Also, if there is a diagonal crease in the earlobe, called the Frank Sign, there could be heart disease. Additional details click here.
What Are Cochlear Implants And How Do They Work?
One of the treatments for hearing loss is the insertion of cochlear implants. They are small, electronic devices placed surgically under the skin. It stimulates the nerve endings of a deaf person of with severe hearing loss. Click here for more information.
Snoring Related To Skull Thinning And Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak
Symptoms Are A Strong Headache, Neck Pain, Tinnitus, And Even Coma
Researchers have found a correlation between snoring and a thinner skull. The thinning is up to 1.23 mm, however, a skull erosion of 1mm can cause a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (sCSF-L). This allows the liquid that serves as a cushion to the brain and spinal cord to flow away by the eroded area. The result can be life-threatening, including coma, stroke, and symptoms of dementia. This serious condition is also associated with obesity. The causes are not clear. The main symptom is a headache that gets more severe when upright and lying down. Other symptoms are neck pain, light or sound sensitivity, tinnitus, hearing changes, among others. More info click here.
Some Drugs Can Have Dizziness As A Side Effect
Others Do Not Have It But Cause Dizziness Or Vertigo When Combined With Other Meds
Many drugs have side effects. One of them is dizziness or vertigo. The sense of balance is not only composed of the organs in the inner ears, but also the eyes, which determine body position and movement, and the sensory nerves that communicate with the brain. The meds that can have dizziness as a side effect are antibiotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and diuretics, among others. This side effect may cause falls, bone fractures and contusions, which can be very dangerous for older adults. There are also medications that, even as they do not warn dizziness or vertigo as a side effect, these can be caused by interactions with other medications. Click here for more info.
Aging Population Has A Lower Tolerance To Sound
They Find Annoying Noisy Restaurants And Public Places
Some people note that restaurants and other public places are turning up the volume of the music. However, the cause may be a greater sensitivity to noise, as a result of age. One of the consequences of the aging process is a lower tolerance to sound. This is caused by a condition called presbycusis, which distorts certain sounds due to hearing deterioration. This lowers the perception of high frequencies and increases low frequencies. Additional information click here.
A Ruptured Air Balloon Can Sound Louder Than A Shotgun
Balloons are associated with birthdays and celebrations. However, the sound of a balloon bursting can be louder than a shogun and can be a cause of hearing loss. While the maximum sound that one can a person can be exposed without risking hearing loss is 140 decibels, a ruptured balloon due to overinflating can reach 168 decibels. Additional information click here.
Identifying The Symptoms Of Meniere’s Disease
It Is A Disorder Of The Inner Ear Which, If Untreated, Can Lead To Permanent Hearing Loss
Dizziness or light-headedness is not a serious condition. However, it can be a sign of a more serious health issue. One of them is Meniere’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear which can also cause vertigo, tinnitus, ear pressure deep inside the ear and hearing loss. Among the symptoms are dizziness, nausea, tinnitus in the form of ringing, buzzing or roaring sounds, and sudden hearing loss. These symptoms can happen all at once and can last up to two to three hours. It can happen in one or two ears, and if left untreated, could result in permanent hearing loss. More info click here.
Trouble Hearing Conversations? This Might Be The Cause
Some older people have trouble listening to a conversation in noisy environments. However, audiology tests show no signs of hearing loss. According to a recent study, the reason might be an imbalance in neural processes in the brain. Additional details click here.
Affordable, Less Expensive OTC Hearing Aids Will Be Available Shortly
However, Since Hearing Is A Complicated Process, Specialists Believe That Patients’ Expectations Won’t Be Met
Hearing loss is gradual, and when the patient realizes he cannot hear so well, it is the moment to get an appointment with the audiologist and buy a hearing aid, which is somewhat costly. However, in the short term, less expensive OTC hearing aids will be available. There are actually personal amplification devices, but are not regulated, nor fitted to the patient, which are mainly purchased by people with a mild hearing loss, and don’t consider that they require yet investing in a personalized device. However, OTC hearing aids will be available at a much lower cost, making it affordable for more people. The problem is that they can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription and monitoring, which has several concerns. The ears are close to the brain, so they require special care. Also, the hearing process involves ears and the brain, because specialists determine how the brain is processing sound. Therefore, there is a risk that the OTC hearing aid buyers will be disappointed because their expectations will not be met. Click here for more information.
Firearm Suppressors Are A Better Choice To Reduce Ear Damage Caused By Gunfire
Gunfire has a sound intensity from 140 to 170 decibels, enough to cause permanent hearing loss. People believe that foam earplugs are enough to protect the ears, but doctors are recommending firearm suppressors. Foam plugs reduce the blast sound by 20 to 30 decibels, while suppressors reduce it by 30 decibels and also protect from the impulse pressure. Additional information click here.
New Gene Therapy For Hearing And Balance Disorders
It Will Help People With Hereditary Hearing Loss
New research might be helpful for people with the Usher syndrome, a genetic condition that includes partial or total hearing loss, dizziness and vision loss that worsens over time. It is caused by abnormalities in the inner ear. Hearing loss and dizziness are among the main disabilities, and can be severe and debilitating. The research consists of a treatment based on gene therapy on mice, which restored their balance an improved their hearing. It will help people with hereditary hearing loss. More Information click here.
Swimmers Ear Can Be Prevented By Draining The Water Trapped In The Ear Canal
It Is An Infection That Can Be Avoided By Removing The Excess Earwax
Swimmer’s ear occurs when water remains in the ear canal after swimming. This is caused by an earwax buildup, which prevents the water from flowing out. The water inside the ear promotes a moist environment which allows the growth of bacteria, resulting in an infection. This condition is called otitis externa, and its symptoms are painful and itchy. Trying to remove the earwax with a cotton tip is not recommended because it can move the earwax inside the canal, and increase the risk of injury in the delicate skin tissue of the ear canal, which has already been affected by the infection. This condition can be prevented by tilting the head sideways to force the water to drain out. Also, even that there are eardrops that will help the earwax to flow out, it is better to visit a specialist to remove the excess earwax. More Information click here.
Aging Causes These Changes In Sight And Hearing
As we age, a series of changes occur, in which the senses begin to degrade. In the case of vision, the muscles get weaker resulting in focusing problems, and other conditions appear, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. In the case of the ear, earwax accumulates more easily, the eardrum gets stiffer, and the neural system changes the sound process. More Information click here.
Aging Population Has A Lower Tolerance To Sound
They Find Annoying Noisy Restaurants And Public Places
Some people note that restaurants and other public places are turning up the volume of the music. However, the cause may be a greater sensitivity to noise, as a result of age. One of the consequences of the aging process is a lower tolerance to sound. This is caused by a condition called presbycusis, which distorts certain sounds due to hearing deterioration. This lowers the perception of high frequencies and increases low frequencies. Additional information click here.
Tinnitus Or Ringing In Ears Can Be The Sign Of Serious Damage
Exposure to loud sounds is usually the cause of tinnitus. In some cases, it can last hours or even days. But if the exposure to high volume sounds continues, the sounds produced by tinnitus may become permanent. This can be a sign of damage to the auditory nerves or the hair cells. More details click here.
Unusual Effects Of Stress On Sleeping, Hearing And Hair Growth
Stress leads to sweating, hypertension and a racing heart. But there are also little-known effects. One of them is hair loss, in which stress forces hair follicles into resting, or contributes to hair pulling. Another one is vivid or bad dreams, and in some cases, sleep paralysis. Diarrhea and IBS can be also caused by stress, and also muffled hearing. Additional information click here.
New Hearing Loss Treatments With Gels And Gene Therapy
Hearing loss and certain types of tinnitus were considered as irreversible. Now pharmaceutical companies are testing treatments to cure it via gels and gene therapy. Hearing loss occurs when the hair cells located in the cochlea or the nerves associated with them are damaged. Gels are injected through the eardrum to reach these cells. More info click here.
Iphone-Compatible Cochlear Implant Restores Hearing
It Is Controlled By A Smartphone App And Allows Hearing Music Or Conversations
New cochlear implant connects via Bluetooth with an iPhone to restore hearing. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sounds, cochlear implants send sound directly to the auditory nerve. They are also implanted in the patient’s body, requiring surgery for its removal. This allows the use of an iPhone to listen to music or a conversation. The implant is controlled by an all that sets the volume and the type of hearing they require, based on the environmental sound. Apple has been offering Bluetooth licenses free of charge to several hearing aid and implant manufacturers. Click here for more info.
Dementia Can Be Caused By Untreated Hearing Loss
Untreated hearing loss can affect other parts of the body. According to experts, the hearing process is 10 percent ear and 90 percent brain. In hearing loss, the brain does not get enough input and it starts to shut down the areas that deal with hearing, like muscle atrophy. This will eventually result in dementia. More info click here.
Sudden Hearing Loss May Be Caused By Poor Blood Irrigation In The Hearing Organs
If Not Treated Immediately, It Can Become Permanent
Hearing loss usually happens gradually as one age. However, there are cases in which it occurs suddenly. If not treated immediately, or misdiagnosed, hearing loss may become permanent. According to specialists, the first step is getting an audiogram. In some cases, blood is not flowing correctly to the ear. More Information click here.
What Are The Types Of Hearing Loss?
People must be aware if one family member begins showing signs of hearing loss. In order to understand more this condition, let’s review the types of hearing conditions. The conductive type is related to the outer ear, ear canal or middle ear. An example is earwax blockage, a perforated eardrum, among others. These can be corrected surgically. The sensorineural type is related to the inner ear or auditory nerve. These can include balance problems and tend to be permanent. Check all the types. More Information click here.
Some Drugs Can Have Dizziness As A Side Effect
Others Do Not Have It But Cause Dizziness Or Vertigo When Combined With Other Meds
Many drugs have side effects. One of them is dizziness or vertigo. The sense of balance is not only composed of the organs in the inner ears, but also the eyes, which determine body position and movement, and the sensory nerves that communicate with the brain. The meds that can have dizziness as a side effect are antibiotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and diuretics, among others. This side effect may cause falls, bone fractures and contusions, which can be very dangerous for older adults. There are also medications that, even as they do not warn dizziness or vertigo as a side effect, these can be caused by interactions with other medications. Click here for more info.
Tinnitus Could Be A Side Effect Of Taking Painkillers
One of the causes of tinnitus is the use of painkillers. In fact, one side effect of several types of pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, is ringing in the ears. Adding it to acetaminophen or an NSAID — a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, increased the risk of having hearing loss. More info click here.
Learning To Choose A Hearing Aid
Actual Devices Are Smaller And Can Have Functions For Background Noise Reduction
A hearing aid can help relieve the consequences of hearing loss, especially when it is age-related, which appears gradually, and affects the quality of living of the person, and its ability to communicate. However, there is a wide variety of hearing aids, and it can be difficult to select one without the help of a specialist. The actual devices are not bulky but hide behind the ear. They have also digital internal electronics, which sets the difference in operation, and price, allowing clear conversations. Also, modern hearing aids can interface with smartphones via Bluetooth, allowing them to get access to more functions, and listening to streaming devices, such as TVs, radio, or portable players. It may also have directional microphones to orient the conversation to the person in front of the user. More details click here.
White Noise Can Help Ease The Symptoms Of Tinnitus
It Can Distract Sufferers From Listening To Tinnitus Sounds
White noise can calm the brain when it is busy thinking of all the pending issues and generating stress. Mentally thinking about the to-do lists and the pending matters is known as the internal monologue. If it gets out of control, it can be a source of stress, affecting other conditions related to stress and anxiety, such as tinnitus. Anxiety and depression can be controlled via mindful meditation but can be had to learn. On the other hand, there is an alternate technique, that is based on white noise. White noise is a sound that contains every frequency within the range of human hearing in equal quantities. Therefore, it is hard to focus on white noise, and it is not distracting. The classic example is TV or radio static. It can also mask annoying background sounds and even distract sufferers from the symptoms of tinnitus. It also helps when running, because, the brain goes to the default mode when it is at rest, starting the internal monologue. Check all the benefits of white noise. Additional information click here.
These Drugs Can Have Side Effects Altering Your Vision, Hearing Or Taste
There are meds that can have undesirable side effects. These can affect the hearing in the form of hearing loss and tinnitus, vision – blurred vision, double vision, and eye pain, and taste, altering or diminishing it. These can be painkillers, antibiotics, and other common drugs. Check the full list. Click here for more info.
These Nutrients Will Help You Promote Your Hearing Capacity
Avoiding prolonged loud noises and taking care of ear infections is a way to prevent hearing loss. However, there are nutrients that will also help. Some of them are vitamins C and E, which help control free radicals, stimulating the ears’ capacity. Also folic acid, which has antioxidants, is present in some green vegetables and eggs. Check the full list. Additional details click here.
There Are Different Types Of Hearing Loss
There are two types of hearing loss. The first one is related to the tympanum and the bones that conduct sound in the middle ear, and any disease or condition that affects it. The second is called sensorineural hearing loss and is related to the inner ear and complications with the auditory nerve. More info click here.
The Ear Can Help Diagnose Several Health Conditions
It Can Even Inform If There Are Kidney Problems Or Heart Disease
The ears can provide a diagnosis over your health. If it is dipping out earwax, there could be some infection or ear disease. The same condition applies if the ears are itchy of if the earwax smells bad – just take note that earwax is odorless in a healthy ear. It can also inform about other organs. If the ear has an unusual shape or if it has a bump on the inner side of the ears, there could be a kidney problem. Also, if there is a diagonal crease in the earlobe, called the Frank Sign, there could be heart disease. Additional details click here.
What Is Hidden Hearing Loss?
Exposure To Loud Noises Can Affect The Ability To Recognize Words Over A Noisy Background
Exposure to loud sounds can affect the circuits between the sensory hair cells in the inner ear and the areas which deliver information to the brain. This type of damage is difficult to detect via conventional tests and is called hidden hearing loss. Researchers measured hearing and speech abilities before and after attending a venue with loud music, such as clubs or music festivals. They found that hearing loss was temporary. However, when conducting speech recognition tests with background noise, participants were less able to recognize the speech. More Information click here.
New Tinnitus Treatment Based On Music Therapy
There is a new treatment for tinnitus based on music therapy, which retrains the brain to accept a “new normal” that includes the humming sound. It uses tone sequencing to adjust to the internal sound and lessen the sensitivity to the frequency. More info click here.
