Could Purifying Antibiotics Be the Key to Curbing Ototoxicity?
Ototoxicity—damage to the inner ear hearing system caused by certain medications—is a massive problem amongst the hearing community. This damage can be permanent and can lead to tinnitus, dizziness and, yes, hearing loss. If people experience these problems, ototoxic medications can make symptoms worse. The American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association (ASHA) has labeled over 200 chemicals and medications…
Did You Know May is Better Hearing & Speech Month?
May is Better Hearing & Speech Month, an annual occasion designed to raise awareness of hearing loss and speech problems. Originally created in 1927 by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in 1986, President Reagan issued a formal proclamation designating May as the official month to heighten public awareness around hearing loss and speech disorders. Better Hearing & Speech…
A History of Deafness ‘Cures’
For as long as people have suffered from hearing loss, others have been searching for a cure. Over thousands of years, this has proven to be an exercise in futility. Jaipreet Virdi, assistant professor of history at the University of Delaware, explains why Hearing Happiness: Deafness Cures in History in her new book.[1] Virdi is…
Hearing Focused Now Provides Telehealth Services!
Far greater than just a social distancing tool, telehealth is changing the way we’re able to care for you and your family. In these unprecedented times of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, many health care workers are turning to telehealth—the convergence of telecommunication (phone calls, video chats, text messages) and health—primarily to suppress the spread of…
Poor Heart Health May Lead to Hearing Loss
If you don’t watch what you eat and fail to exercise regularly, poor cardiovascular health is only one risk you’ll face. New evidence shows a link between poor heart health and hearing loss. The reason for this surprising correlation? The inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow, so obstructions in the arteries and veins—symptoms…
The Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis & Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is not an isolated problem. As with most issues with your body, if something goes wrong with your hearing, it can affect both your mental and physical health. From loneliness and depression to an increased risk of falling, to more serious issues such as cognitive decline and dementia—your hearing plays a big role…
The Era of Remote Hearing Care
Even before the coronavirus pandemic changed our way of life, telehealth offered a convenient solution for people living in remote areas where access to health care was a challenge. For those with hearing loss, remote programming capabilities for hearing devices were one of the first advances to gain popularity. Some hearing device manufacturers are taking…
New Study Reveals Hearing Aids Slow Cognitive Decline
A new study published this year in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society further supports existing evidence that wearing hearing aids can help slow cognitive decline in elderly patients. There are generally two schools of thought when it comes to the relationship between hearing and cognition: The common cause hypothesis states that hearing loss and cognitive decline both involve age-related problems, such as tissue degeneration…
Masks & The Hard of Hearing
For the roughly 48 million Americans with hearing loss, communication is challenging enough under the best of circumstances. The global coronavirus pandemic has created additional unexpected obstacles. Many hard of hearing individuals rely on lip reading in order to communicate with others. With the CDC recommending people wear face masks to help slow the spread…