Category Archives: Hearing Health

Hearing loss in older adults and accelerated brain tissue loss are linked, according to study findings. The brain naturally shrinks with age, but the study findings suggest that this shrinkage is accelerated in older adults with hearing loss. The researchers used information from an ongoing longitudinal study to compare aging brain changes over time in ...click here to read more

Tinnitus is a hearing condition in which a patient hears constant ringing, buzzing, or humming even when no sound is present. For some, tinnitus may only be noticeable at night or in quiet environments, as the ringing isn’t as noticeable when the noise is present. Because of this constant ringing, tinnitus can impede on getting ...click here to read more

Sensorineural hearing loss can be divided into two parts: sensory and neural. Sensorineural hearing loss is brought on by inner ear or audio nerve dysfunction. The sensory component can stem from damage to the organ of Corti or the hair cells’ inability to stimulate the hearing nerves. The neural component stems from severe damage to ...click here to read more

Tinnitus treatment retraining the brain may work to alleviate the ringing symptoms. Professor Michael Merzenich at UB San Francisco, not involved in the study, commented, “This work is the most clearheaded documentation to this point of what’s actually happening in the brain’s cortex in ways that account for the ongoing genesis of sound. As soon ...click here to read more

Tinnitus patients now have the option to cope with phantom noise using internet-based self-help therapy. A German-Swedish study had participants with moderate to severe tinnitus try out various forms of therapy over the course of 10 weeks. One group was on internet-based self-help therapy, the other was going through group therapy, and the third one ...click here to read more

Hearing problems and vision impairment in seniors reduce active participation in events and activities. It is important for older adults to stay socially active as it helps improve quality of life and overall health outcomes, but their ability to engage in social activities can be hindered with presence of hearing or vision problems. Researcher of ...click here to read more

Hearing difficulties in older people linked to changes in the attention processes in the brain. Researchers recorded the alpha waves in the brain of 20- to 30-year-olds and 60- to 70-year-olds while they performed a hearing task. The participants listened to two spoken numbers and had to press a button if the second number said ...click here to read more

Labyrinthitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the inner ear. It affects the labyrinth, which is a delicate structure within the ear. Symptoms of labyrinthitis include dizziness, hearing loss, and vertigo. Symptoms can range in severity and may be accompanied by pain in the ear, tinnitus, fluid or pus leakage, nausea, fever, changes in ...click here to read more

Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disorder that leads to attacks of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss (which can progress into permanent), tinnitus, and the feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears. Meniere’s disease mainly affects one ear rather than both. The onset of Meniere’s disease usually takes place between the ages of 20 and ...click here to read more

Most people may recall experiencing ear popping when swallowing at least once in their lifetime. Although not a serious problem, it definitely can be an annoying one. Generally, ear popping is your ears’ way of trying to relieve pressure. Although there are some serious causes for ear popping – such as damage to the inner ...click here to read more

Tinnitus – ringing in the ear – can be addressed with the use of hearing aids. Tinnitus is more common among people with hearing impairment, compared to those with normal hearing, with rates between 70 and 85 percent among those with hearing problems, compared to only 10 to 15 percent for those with normal hearing. ...click here to read more

Meniere’s disease may be caused by fluid buildup in the inner ear along with risk factors for vascular disease in the brain, such as migraine, sleep apnea, and atherosclerosis. Meniere’s disease affects roughly three to five million Americans and causes repetitive violent attacks of dizziness, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. Until now, its ...click here to read more

Doctors worry that the steady onslaught of booming music, especially through earbuds, can damage the hearing of a generation wired for sound. However, the affected will not realize it right away – not until hearing loss takes over years later. Thanks to the smartphone revolution that has taken the entire world by storm, more than ...click here to read more

Hyperacusis is an increased sensitivity to ordinary sounds which can cause significant distress to one’s day-to-day life. Hyperacusis can vary greatly. For example, some patients may find loud noises intolerable, while others develop a fear of certain noises. Some may even experience pain in response to hearing certain noises. Hyperacusis can affect anyone, but it ...click here to read more