http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/hearing_loss/ Learn about hearing and hearing loss -- causes, prevention, symptoms and treatment options. Read medical research on tinnitus, ear infections, ear tumors and new treatment options for children and adults. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/hearing_loss/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521151739.htm Seventy-two percent of teenagers participating in a study experienced reduced hearing ability following exposure to a pop rock performance by a popular female singer. Mon, 21 May 2012 15:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521151739.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122322.htm Regenerating sensory hair cells could form the basis for treating age- or trauma-related hearing loss. One way to do this could be with gene therapy that drives new sensory hair cells to grow. Researchers have shown that introducing a gene called Atoh1 into the cochleae of young mice can induce the formation of extra sensory hair cells. Fri, 11 May 2012 12:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122322.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510100044.htm Research into hearing loss after exposure to loud noises could lead to the first drug treatments to prevent the development of tinnitus. Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510100044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508220120.htm Researchers have gained important new insights into how our sense of hearing works. Their findings promise new avenues for scientists to understand what goes wrong when people experience deafness. Tue, 08 May 2012 22:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508220120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501183021.htm New research shows that hearing and touch have a common genetic basis. In patients with Usher syndrome, a hereditary form of deafness accompanied by impaired vision, researchers have discovered a gene mutation that is also causative for the patients' impaired touch sensitivity. Tue, 01 May 2012 18:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501183021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430101038.htm Cochlear implants have restored basic hearing to some 220,000 deaf people, yet a microphone and related electronics must be worn outside the head, raising reliability issues, preventing patients from swimming and creating social stigma. Now, engineers have developed a tiny prototype microphone that can be implanted in the middle ear to avoid such problems. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430101038.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427095957.htm The genetics responsible for frequency-specific hearing loss have remained elusive until recently, when genetic loci were found that affected high-frequency hearing. Now, a study reports, for the first time, genetic loci with effects that are limited to specific portions of the hearing frequency map, particularly those that are most affected in aging-related hearing loss. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427095957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120421203911.htm Cochlear implantation provides an effective and safe way of restoring hearing in patients with far advanced otosclerosis, a hereditary condition that can lead to severe hearing loss. Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120421203911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419090548.htm Insomnia can have a negative effect on tinnitus, worsening the functional and emotional toll of chronic ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking in the head and ears, according to a new study. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:05:05 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419090548.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120320115043.htm A new clinical trial is to test whether a pocket-sized device that uses sound simulation to reboot faulty ‘wiring’ in the brain could cure people with the debilitating hearing disorder tinnitus. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120320115043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308174651.htm The hair cells of the inner ear have a previously unknown "root" extension that may allow them to communicate with nerve cells and the brain to regulate sensitivity to sound vibrations and head position, researchers have discovered. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308174651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308132829.htm In both animals and humans, vocal signals used for communication contain a wide array of different sounds that are determined by the vibrational frequencies of vocal cords. Knowing how the brain sorts out these different frequencies -- which are called frequency-modulated sweeps—is believed to be essential to understanding many hearing-related behaviors, like speech. Now, a pair of biologists has identified how and where the brain processes this type of sound signal. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308132829.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221124713.htm A new study finds a strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used to listen to a cell phone, with more than 70 percent of participants holding their cell phone up to the ear on the same side as their dominant hand. Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221124713.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120217115611.htm Scientists have discovered the molecular pathway by which maternally inherited deafness appears to occur: Mitochondrial DNA mutations trigger a signaling cascade, resulting in programmed cell death. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120217115611.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185125.htm Though an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven uses a hearing aid, according to a new study. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133437.htm A new study shows that Kineret (anakinra), a medication approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is effective in stopping the progression of organ damage in people with neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease. This rare and debilitating genetic disorder causes persistent inflammation and ongoing tissue damage. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133437.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133352.htm Cochlear implants may be a safe, effective option for some organ transplant patients who've lost their hearing as an unfortunate consequence of their transplant-related drug regime, researchers report. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133352.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201092301.htm A new study finds new evidence that touch-sensing nerve cells may fuel tinnitus. Future treatments may target these cells. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201092301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130172402.htm Age-related delays in neural timing are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training, according to the first study to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience impacts the aging process. Measuring automatic brain responses of younger and older musicians and non-musicians to speech sounds, researchers found older musicians not only outperformed older non-musicians, they also encoded sound stimuli as quickly and accurately as younger non-musicians. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130172402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116112610.htm Scientists announce a revolutionary surgical technique for perforations of the eardrum. The 20-minute procedure in outpatient clinic without general anesthetic may replace long and costly day surgery. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116112610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115140055.htm From tracking activities within bacteria to creating images of molecules that make up human hair, several experiments have already demonstrated the unique abilities of the revolutionary imaging technique called multi-isotope imaging mass spectometry, or MIMS. MIMS can produce high-resolution, quantitative three-dimensional images of stable isotope tags within subcellular compartments in tissue sections or cells. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115140055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103185250.htm Researchers have identified a gene that is required for proper development of the mouse inner ear. In humans, this gene, known as FGF20, is located in a portion of the genome that has been associated with inherited deafness in otherwise healthy families. Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:52:52 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103185250.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111228134852.htm Today's ubiquitous MP3 players permit users to listen to crystal-clear tunes at high volume for hours on end -- a marked improvement on the days of the Walkman. But according to new research, these advances have also turned personal listening devices into a serious health hazard, with teenagers as the most at-risk group. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111228134852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219135021.htm Gene therapy may someday in the future replace the use of implants in deaf people. The carrier for this gene medicine may be derived from shrimp shells. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219135021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216174444.htm While Road Rippers Lightning Rods, Let's Rock Elmo and the I Am T-Pain musical microphone might be sought-after gifts this holiday season, parents should ensure that their children don't risk permanent hearing damage by misusing them. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:44:44 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216174444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105744.htm People with a certain form of inherited hearing loss have increased sensitivity to low frequency vibration, according to a new study. The research findings reveal previously unknown relationships between hearing loss and touch sensitivity. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105744.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121132409.htm Researchers have identified two proteins that may be the key components of the long-sought after mechanotransduction channel in the inner ear -- the place where the mechanical stimulation of sound waves is transformed into electrical signals that the brain recognizes as sound. A gene-therapy trial based on this research will attempt to restore hearing in deaf mice. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121132409.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111027132506.htm A mother cradled her slumbering infant in her arms in a testing center in Guam as she watched an audiologist in Colorado conduct a diagnostic test to determine whether or not her baby has a hearing loss. The remote test was held on Oct. 19 and marked the first technology-enabled distance diagnostic testing for hearing loss on very young infants on the island. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111027132506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003080417.htm Every year millions of babies and toddlers receive general anesthesia for procedures ranging from hernia repair to ear surgery. Now, researchers have found a link among children undergoing multiple surgeries requiring general anesthesia before age 2 and learning disabilities later in childhood. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003080417.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914073203.htm Precise diagnosis of disease and developmental syndromes often depends on understanding the genetics underlying them. Most cases of early onset hearing loss are genetic in origin but there are many different forms. Heretofore, it has been difficult to identify the gene responsible for the hearing loss of each affected child, because the critical mutations differ among countries and populations. New research has identified six critical mutations in Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Arab families. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 07:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914073203.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913091557.htm A study led by Canadian researchers has found the first evidence that lifelong musicians experience less age-related hearing problems than non-musicians. While hearing studies have already shown that trained musicians have highly developed auditory abilities compared to non-musicians, this is the first study to examine hearing abilities in musicians and non-musicians across the age spectrum -- from 18 to 91 years of age. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913091557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912144247.htm People with tinnitus -- a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears -- can take heart from a new study by neuroscientists that points to several new strategies for alleviating the problem. In experiments on rats, researchers have shown that tinnitus results from decreased inhibition in the auditory cortex. Thus, training that boosts inhibition or drugs that increase the levels of inhibitory neurotransmitter may alleviate the symptoms. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912144247.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831115946.htm A new study shows that declines in hearing ability may accelerate gray mater atrophy in auditory areas of the brain and increase the listening effort necessary for older adults to successfully comprehend speech. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831115946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815143945.htm Scientists have discovered a new role for a protein that is mutated in Usher syndrome, one of the most common forms of deaf-blindness in humans. The findings may help explain why this mutation causes the most severe form of the condition. Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815143945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802113612.htm A revolutionary biodegradable pellet which slowly releases antibiotics into the middle ear could transform the lives of thousands of children who suffer from glue ear. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802113612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175559.htm Motorcycle helmets, while protecting bikers' brains, may also be contributing to hearing loss. Scientists mapped the airflow and noise patterns to find out why. Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175559.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718164032.htm Exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with increased risk of hearing loss among adolescents, according to a new report. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718164032.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718164026.htm Researchers report in a new study that exposure to tobacco smoke nearly doubles the risk of hearing loss among adolescents. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718164026.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110707121958.htm Hearing has a key role in the acquisition of speech, but 2 of every 1000 children are born with a hearing impairment. Early diagnosis and treatment can help these children learn to speak. New research explores whether screening of newborns reliably detects hearing defects, the benefits of early diagnosis, and the potential risks of newborn hearing screening. Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110707121958.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623085638.htm Researchers from the UK are investigating how to help deaf people, who have received a cochlear implant, to get more enjoyment from music. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623085638.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622145906.htm Neuroscientists have defined, for the first time, three different processing stages that a human brain needs to identify sounds such as speech -- and discovered that they are the same as ones identified in non-human primates. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622145906.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615062241.htm A new system alerts racers about the race start through visual signals -- enabling reaction time equal to other participants. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615062241.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613093514.htm New software "hearing dummies" are part of cutting-edge research that promises to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairments. The work could also be used in the long-term to develop a radical new type of hearing aid that can be customized using the hearing dummy to meet the different needs of individual patients. If the procedures gain clinical acceptance, a device could reach the market within four years. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613093514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110601171620.htm People who are deaf benefit from better vision due to the fact their retinas develop differently, researchers in the UK have shown. Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110601171620.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110601171608.htm Swabbing a newborn's mouth for saliva can be used to quickly and effectively screen for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, a leading cause of hearing loss in children. Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110601171608.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110530080401.htm Excessive noise is not the only thing that causes damage to hearing. In many cases, genetic factors are responsible for the loss of hearing at a young age. Researchers have discovered a previously unknown genetic cause of progressive hearing impairment: the disease is caused by mutations of the SMPX (small muscle protein) gene, which is located on the X chromosome. It was not previously known that this gene, which is active in the skeletal muscle and heart, also plays a role in hearing. The discovery will make it easier to diagnose progressive hearing impairment and may also provide a starting point for the development of new treatment methods. Mon, 30 May 2011 08:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110530080401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110527101231.htm How can someone with perfectly normal hearing become deaf to the world around them when their mind is on something else? New research suggests that focusing heavily on a task results in the experience of deafness to perfectly audible sounds. Fri, 27 May 2011 10:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110527101231.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524162007.htm Treating idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss with injections of steroids directly into the ear appears to result in recovery of hearing that is not less than recovery obtained with the standard therapy of oral corticosteroids and may be a preferable treatment for some patients to avoid the potential adverse effects of oral steroids, according to a new study. Tue, 24 May 2011 16:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524162007.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516175342.htm In most children with chronic otitis media, biofilms laden with Haemophilus influenzae cling to the adenoids, while among a similar population suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, that pathogen is usually absent, according to new research. Mon, 16 May 2011 17:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516175342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516075920.htm Researchers have engineered a new mouse that that can be used for research on degenerative disease. Mon, 16 May 2011 07:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516075920.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513064347.htm Engineers investigating "listener fatigue"-- the discomfort and pain some people experience while using in-ear headphones, hearing aids, and other devices that seal the ear canal from external sound -- have found not only what they believe is the cause, but also a potential solution. Fri, 13 May 2011 06:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513064347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511170931.htm A growing body of research finds musical training gives students learning advantages in the classroom. Now a study finds musical training can benefit Grandma, too, by offsetting some of the deleterious effects of aging. Wed, 11 May 2011 17:09:09 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511170931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510175204.htm The part of the brain that uses hearing to determine sound location is reorganized in deaf animals to locate visual targets, according to a new study. Tue, 10 May 2011 17:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510175204.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510121411.htm Lowering the cost of hearing aids isn't enough to motivate adults with mild hearing loss to purchase a device at a younger age or before their hearing worsens. Simply lowering the cost of hearing aids -- even by as much as 40 percent -- does not improve hearing aid purchase for patients with partial insurance coverage or those who would need to cover the entire cost out of pocket, a new study suggests. Tue, 10 May 2011 12:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510121411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428151309.htm A new study shows a direct association between cotton swab use and ruptured eardrum. The study also shows that in most cases the rupture heals on its own and surgery is only necessary for the most severe cases. Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428151309.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110418152322.htm Tinnitus, a relentless ringing in the ears known to disable soldiers exposed to blasts, unwary listeners of too-loud music and millions more, is the result of under-inhibition of key neural pathways in the brain's auditory center, say scientists. The discovery could lead to effective treatment for a condition that currently has no cure. Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110418152322.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110328092508.htm Scientists have used invisible infrared light to make rat heart cells contract and toadfish inner-ear cells send signals to the brain. The discovery someday might improve cochlear implants for deafness and lead to devices to restore vision, maintain balance and treat movement disorders like Parkinson's. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110328092508.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321161912.htm Children with chronic inflammation of the middle ear can experience changes in their sense of taste, and these changes may be related to childhood obesity, according to a new study. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321161912.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321161910.htm Although universal newborn hearing screening programs appear to identify children with hearing loss at a younger age, nearly one-third of pediatric cochlear implant recipients pass newborn screening only to be diagnosed later in infancy or early childhood, according to a new study. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321161910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110318204805.htm Scientists are exploring the molecules and tissues necessary for normal inner ear development in two different species that are model organisms for developmental biological studies: the African clawed frog and the zebrafish. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110318204805.htm