Archive for December, 2014

Research scientists in the United Kingdom have discovered details about insect hearing that may help advance hearing technology and other devices for humans. According to a paper published in the December 17, 2014 issue of the Journal of Comparative Physiology, Dr Fernando Montealegre-Z, from the School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, and Dr Daniel Robert from the University of Bristol, explain how the development of hearing in katydids may have wider implications for further research and technological development.

For their study, the researchers were particularly interested in the acoustic production and hearing mechanisms of cicadas, crickets, katydids, and grasshoppers. “Some insects, like katydids, have biophysical mechanisms for auditory processing that are remarkably equivalent to those of mammals,” said Montealegre-Z, PhD. “Located on their front legs, katydid ears are small, yet capable of performing several of the tasks usually associated with mammalian hearing. These tasks include air-to-liquid impedance conversion, signal amplification, and frequency analysis.”

A cochlear organ for frequency selectivity was thought to be unique to hearing in mammals until Dr Montealegre-Z and his research team discovered a similar mechanism for frequency analysis in the ears of bushcrickets in South American rainforests two years ago. Scientists believe the discovery of this previously unidentified cochlear organ in some insects could pave the way for technological advancements in bio-inspired acoustic sensors, including medical imaging devices, and hearing aids.

Hearing aids appear to improve balance in older adults with hearing loss, say researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. According to their study, published in the October 2014 online issue of The Laryngoscope, the research team found that patients with hearing aids in both ears performed better on standard balance tests when their hearing aids were turned on, as compared with when they were off.

The study was relatively small, but demonstrated that sound information, separate from the balance system of the inner ear, contributes to maintaining the body’s stability. The study lends support to the idea that improving hearing through hearing aids or cochlear implants may help reduce the risk of falls in older adults.

“We don’t think it’s just that wearing hearing aids makes the person more alert,” said senior author Timothy E. Hullar, MD, professor of otolaryngology at the School of Medicine. “The participants appeared to be using the sound information coming through their hearing aids as auditory reference points or landmarks to help maintain balance. It’s a bit like using your eyes to tell where you are in space. If we turn out the lights, people sway a little bit—more than they would if they could see. This study suggests that opening your ears also gives you information about balance.”

In one test, subjects’ eyes were covered as they stood with their feet together on a thick foam pad. In a second, more difficult task, patients stood on the floor with one foot in front of the other, heel to toe, also with no visual cues for balance. Those having more difficulty with balance in these tests performed better when their hearing aids were on. Hullar concludes that the research team intends to undertake a much larger study, and is actively seeking funding to do so.

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I’m so glad I went to Columbia Hearing Center to get my first set of hearing aids. Jason and Nathan always patiently took time to explain which hearing aids would be best for me, taught me how to put them in my ears and how to take care of them. They tested the hearing aids carefully to make sure they fit correctly and were helping me to hear as well as possible.

My thanks to them, not only for my hearing aids, but also for answering all my questions so thoroughly and cheerfully!

Thank you! For helping me to hear better. You are very caring and professional.

Each year, the Minneapolis, MN. not-for-profit organization, Sight and Hearing Association (SHA), checks some of the most popular toys to determine whether or not they are loud enough to cause hearing loss. People with the SHA work their way through toy aisles to find toys that seem to be too loud. When they identify a toy they feel may be too loud, they take it to their offices for testing. They measure sound at two increments.  One directly on the speaker and another 10 inches from the speaker; a realistic distance many children will be when playing with a toy. Some of the tested found toys to be as loud as 114dB which is comparable to a live rock concert.

The National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety has set a limit of only 85dB for no longer than 8 hours before hearing loss can occur. When you consider that hearing loss can be cumulative, even toys with lower decibel ranges can cause hearing loss. How many hours on average do your kids play with their favorite toys?
Consequently, you may wonder why toy makers are not more stringently regulated. The answer is a poorly thought out safety standard. Toys must meet the requirement set by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). The standard states that the sound pressure level by a given toy can’t exceed 85 dB at 50 cm (around 20 inches). The problem is that most kids will hold their toy much closer than 50cm, and they will do so for hours on end. This is to say that although a toy has met the standard set by the ASTM, it still may be unsafe for your child.

  If you feel you may have a toy that is too loud and you cannot simply turn the volume down, I’ve found that covering the speaker with tape is very effective. For a list of toys this year that have already been found to be too loud, please visit our website.

Owners who claim their pets understand everything they say may be right, according to recent study findings from the UK. Researchers at the University of Sussex, School of Psychology show that dogs actually process speech in a similar way to humans.

According to the study, published in the November 26, 2014, edition of Current Biology, mammal communication researchers tested more than 250 dogs to see how they responded to a set of spoken commands. They found that, like humans, dogs use different parts of the brain to process the verbal components of a familiar sentence and the emotion or intonation of the speaker.

“Humans mainly use the left hemisphere of their brain to process the verbal content of speech, and the right hemisphere to process the characteristics of the voice, whether it’s familiar, male or female and its emotional content”, says Researchers Victoria Ratcliffe. The authors report that previous studies have shown that other mammals also have hemispheric biases when processing their own species’ vocalizations, but no one had ever looked at whether biases existed in domesticated animals in response to the different components of human speech.

The results showed that when the speech was meaningful for the dogs (a familiar command), but the voice features such as gender or intonation had been attenuated or removed, the dogs tended to use the left hemisphere of their brain. In addition, if the command did not have gender or intonation features removed, but was in a foreign language, or if the phonemes were put into the wrong order, then the sound ceased to be meaningful to the dog, and the reverse bias was observed. The study suggests that dogs pay attention to the verbal content of human speech and perceive it in a way that broadly parallels human perception.

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According to a report from the National Hearing Test Project, scientists have developed a phone based hearing test, called the National Hearing Test, to help people take the first step in managing their hearing health. The phone based National Hearing Test is administered by a company called Communication Disorders Technology, in partnership with Indiana University and the VU Medical Center of Amsterdam. The National Hearing Test was created in an effort to help overcome some of the obstacles that appear to prevent people from getting tested for hearing loss, including cost, making an appointment, and driving to a care facility for an initial screening.

The National Hearing Test Project reports that nearly 40,000 people have taken the test thus far, and hopes that this number increases to 100,000 by the end of 2014. The test can be taken at any time by purchasing an access code for $5 at www.nationalhearingtest.org, then calling the toll-free National Hearing Test line at (866) 223-7575.

The phone based National Hearing Test reportedly assesses a person’s hearing in ten minutes as either “normal,” “slightly below normal” or “substantially below normal” for each ear. While a test taker listens on the phone, the test presents a series of sounds that must be identified against a background of noise that may replicate challenging listening situations, such as hearing speech in noise during family dinners, large gatherings, or movies.

Test creators say the test is scientifically validated and can be taken at home, at the office, or in any quiet place with a landline phone. Test results are available immediately at the end of the test, and it is promised that there is no sales pitch afterwards. If a test taker’s hearing is assessed as “below normal,” the National Hearing Test will suggest follow up with a certified hearing professional of choice.

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Finding the right hearing aids is a bit like finding the right pair of running shoes. Although a friend might recommend a certain brand or model of shoe, you might find that it doesn’t work very well for you. Even if you wear the same size, the running shoe that works for one person is not guaranteed to work for another. Hearing aids are very similar; the fitting is completely personal.

A review of a particular brand or model of hearing aid may not be useful because two people may have the same hearing loss but different preferences for a hearing aid. A better way to find a suitable hearing aid for you is to directly compare different pairs of hearing aids. Ask your hearing health professional for a demonstration of a couple of different brands.

Hearing aid comfort is related to both physical and acoustic qualities. Demonstration hearing aids will not be custom-fit for your ear canal, but they can be programmed for your hearing loss. It will usually only takes a few minutes for the hearing care professional to hook the hearing aids to the computer and program them for you to try. They may even do this before you arrive for your hearing aid consultation appointment. If it’s your first pair of hearing aids, it may be difficult to figure out how to distinguish between the options. Everything will sound louder and you’ll be hearing things that you haven’t heard in awhile.

Patient satisfaction with hearing aids is related to the quality of the hearing healthcare experience.

Look for a professional in your area who will listen carefully to your needs, preferences and previous experience so that they can help you find the best hearing solution for you. If you don’t have a friend that can provide a personal recommendation, online consumer reviews can help you compare the clinics in your area.

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The holiday season is fast approaching and that means more social activities and time spent with friends and family. But, for those people who have an untreated hearing loss, these social gatherings may be stressful. It can be really difficult, and isolating, to be in a social situation when you can’t hear what is being said around you.

Unfortunately, if you’ve been putting off getting hearing aids or know someone who has, you’re not alone. It takes most people upwards of seven to ten years to finally get help for their hearing loss. That’s a lot of missed family gatherings and social events, or at least not enjoyed as much as you could have.

But, if you have untreated hearing loss, missing out on social activities is only the beginning. Research shows you are also at risk for other serious issues due to not being able to hear such as depression, isolation, fatigue, and an increased chance of developing dementia.

The holiday season is quickly approaching. It’s a time of celebration and time spent with friends and family. Don’t miss out again this year. There’s still plenty of time to address your hearing issues before the holiday season.   Many hearing offices offer free trials over holiday season since it is a great opportunity to show how the newer models of hearing aids help to focus on speech and reduce background noises.

It is important to visit a hearing professional you are comfortable with and can trust as some “free” trials turn out to not be so free, or there can be a lot of pressure to keep hearing aids that you may not be terribly pleased with. We also recommend trying at least a couple of models as they are not all the same, and they are certainly not one size fits all.