ECHOES FROM ANCIENT CAVES
Recent research may provide new insights into humans’ closest extinct relative, the Neanderthals. One of the many ways that Neanderthal anatomy differed from our own came to light after a fossilized ear bone from a young Neanderthal child was discovered. The findings included a skull, jaw, vertebrae, ribs, and hand phalanges. But what was most […]
HOW HEARING AFFECTS THE BRAIN
Hearing loss has the potential to affect health and well-being in ways some might never have imagined. A recent study indicated that older individuals with hearing loss have accelerated loss of brain tissue as well as a higher risk of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, and poor physical and mental health. The study tracked 126 participants for […]
MAKING A HIGH PITCH
Unlike children and teenagers, many adults are unable to hear high-pitched sounds. This is due to age as well as accumulated exposure to loud noise, which takes its toll on the ear’s hearing mechanism. This inability to hear high frequencies certainly places many adults at a disadvantage; however, some have found a way to make […]
ARE YOU LOSING YOUR HAIR?
As we age, hair loss becomes a distinct certainty for many men and women. As much as hair loss is largely a cosmetic concern, there is another type of age-related hair loss that poses a more significant issue. Inside of the inner ear are tiny hairs that pick-up sound waves and convert them into nerve […]
DEPRESSION TIED TO HEARING LOSS
Hearing loss can lead to more than missed snippets of conversation that leave hearing-impaired individuals at a loss for words. According to an analysis of the hearing ability and psychological states over 18,000 adults, hearing-impaired people are more likely to suffer from depression than those with excellent hearing and even those who are completely deaf. […]
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE INSTRUMENTS
People with active lifestyles that include running, swimming, and hitting a golf ball or tennis ball may want to know if there are hearing instruments that they can wear while in the water or on the court, field, or course. The answer is “yes.” Consumers need only inquire about the International Protection Rating (IPR) of […]
CAN YOU SLEEP THROUGH ANYTHING?
We have all heard it said about some people that “noise doesn’t bother them, they can sleep through anything.” Well, yes and no. The fact is that, even though a person may not be awakened by loud noise, it still registers in the brain. Our evolutionary response to loud noise is one of fear and […]
HEARING YOUR OWN PULSE
To understand “pulsatile tinnitus,” it is helpful to know the difference between the two main types of hearing loss: “conductive” and “sensorineural.” Conductive loss is due to problems involving the ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear; sensorineural loss involves problems of the inner ear. With this in mind, people suffering from a condition causing conductive […]
THE BENEFITS OF TWO HEARING AIDS
Those with hearing loss in both ears benefit most from wearing a hearing aid in each ear. Being fitted with “binaural” hearing instruments provides the listener with a better ability to locate sounds. This increased “localizing” capability occurs by being able to differentiate between the spatial location of the desired speaker and undesired noise. When […]
PAINKILLERS LINKED TO HEARING LOSS
As you probably already know, over-the-counter pain-killing medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen come with their share of potential side effects, some of which may be quite serious. One recent example of this type of side effect comes from a study that uncovered an association between hearing loss and the long-term use of acetaminophen and […]
