Although scientists have been working on bionic outer ears for some time, a new version created by Princeton researchers may offer a suitable and functional replacement for those who were born earless due to birth defects or have lost an ear due to cancer or trauma---in time.
The April/May 2013 issue of AARP The Magazine includes an excellent article on the four most common hearing problems, the causes and potential treatments. Check it out if you or someone you love has trouble hearing in noisy restaurants, have a feeling of fullness in the ears, have a sudden hearing loss or are having nausea or balance problems accompanied by trouble hearing.
Auditory neuropathy is a hearing disorder in which sound enters the inner ear normally, but the transmission of signals from the inner ear to the brain is impaired. People with auditory neuropathy may have normal hearing, or a hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. Treatments may include hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other technologies.
Two studies by researcher Dr. Frank Lin Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have found a relationship between hearing loss and dementia.
Multiple studies have shown that hearing aids can help restore some degree of hearing and improve quality of life in most patients with hearing loss. Still, it is important to have reasonable expectations of what hearing aids can—and cannot---do. Here is a brief summary of what I tell my patients to expect when they are considering the purchase of a hearing aid.
A new study published in the January 9 issue of the scholarly journal Neuron shows hope that treating damaged hair cells of the inner ear might someday help people with noise-induced hearing loss.
Many times, family members will notice a hearing loss before their loved one recognizes they have it. The New York Times ran a story on this reality in 2012 that is really quite timeless. It highlights the risks of waiting too long to do anything about hearing loss as well as the link of hearing loss with dementia.
The world of medicine lost a true giant this month when Dr. William F. House passed away. Dr. House pioneered many of the treatments we take for granted today in the treatment of ear and skull base diseases.
If you or a loved one has hearing loss but never looked into a hearing aid as a solution, you are not alone. It is estimated that 22 million people with hearing loss have delayed seeking a remedy to their hearing problem. In one study, nearly 3,000 individuals with self-reported hearing loss were asked about their reluctance to try hearing aids. Here are some of the reasons why they declined to pursue them.
A new study has scientists theorizing that the electrical charges naturally present in the ear may eventually be used to power low-voltage hearing devices in the future.