Also known as presbycusis, age-related hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions encountered in old age. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, roughly a third of people aged 64-74 have hearing loss, and nearly half of people older than 75 experience some form of hearing impairment. Although the precise mechanisms that cause presbycusis have been studied extensively, one question has always eluded scientists. 

We know that age-related hearing loss tends to run in families. There's a genetic component to it, meaning that if either or both of your parents started to lose their hearing as they aged, there's a very good chance that you'll lose yours, as well. The one kernel of knowledge that has consistently escaped us is what genes are directly associated with the condition.

This is about more than

It's difficult for most people to imagine living in an area like Yemen or Ukraine, even with all five senses intact. But if these regions are dangerous for those with healthy hearing, they're doubly so for anyone experiencing hearing loss. Hearing-impaired individuals in conflict zones are especially vulnerable—especially without any form of warning system.

"Sometimes, we'd see people running around frantically, and we wouldn't know what was going on, "recalls Olga Svridenko, a deaf Ukrainian refugee who fled to Romania and eventually France with her family. "My husband and I realized our family had to leave because we couldn't hear the air raid sirens—[we were alerted by a text message]." 

Imagine not

For 12-year-old B.G., it was a day just like any other. He was watching Netflix on his phone with his Apple AirPods set to low volume. Then his phone received an Amber Alert, which completely disregarded his settings. 

As reported by USA Today, the alert was so loud that it not only ruptured the boy's right eardrum but also permanently damaged his cochlea. In addition to having to wear a hearing aid, the boy now suffers from frequent bouts of dizziness and vertigo. Now 14 years old, he will require clinical attention for the rest of his life. 

The parents seek $75,000 in damages from the Cupertino tech giant, alleging that the AirPods are defective for multiple reasons: 

• No warnings or instructions on how to change the volume of certain sounds.
• A lack of proper equalization

Are you or a loved one experiencing hearing loss? It can be a harrowing experience at the best of times. And worse still, it's isolating—especially now, hearing impairment can make it incredibly difficult to maintain our connections with the people who matter most. 

When it comes to navigating this trying time, it's imperative that you maintain a strong support network. We're not simply talking about friends and loved ones, though they do themselves play an incredibly important part. Rather, we're talking about people who understand what you're going through.

Other individuals who have experienced or are experiencing hearing loss and to whom you can relate. Because hearing loss, whether or not it's untreated, can easily exacerbate other conditions such as depression and cognitive decline. Hearing loss support groups can help address this problem, connecting you with a community of like-minded people who can help you navigate what may well be one of the most challenging e

Have you ever stopped to think about your level of exposure to dangerously loud noises on a day-to-day basis? It probably happens a lot more often than you'd think. It's not uncommon for us to be startled by a loud noise, only to almost immediately forget it happened.

One might even go so far as to say that it's routine—enough so that we don't even realize the cumulative damage it's causing until we start experiencing the first symptoms of hearing loss. Making matters worse is the fact that the environments in which the majority of us now live are increasingly urban and filled with potentially harmful noise pollution. From cars and traffic to construction work, exposure to harmful noise is unpleasantly commonplace.

It's almost ironic, given that noise has been recognized as a public health concern since at least 1968. To make matters worse is the fact that since then, very little has actually been done to address the risk. And, like it or not, there is a risk.

A s

We've known for some time that instances of hearing loss are becoming more common. The world we live in isn't particularly hearing-friendly. Most of us spend our days being exposed to noise levels that, over time, have the very real potential to damage our ears permanently.

As it turns out, the problem might be worse than we initially thought. A recent global survey by YouGov has revealed that in the United States, the number of people with hearing loss aged 20 or older is expected to almost double by 2060. And there's every indication that this trend may even continue afterward.

That's not the only thing the study revealed. In spite of the fact that nearly one in two respondents indicated that hearing loss would negatively impact or already had negatively impacted their quality of life, very few of them prioritized hearing health. This is despite the

Once again, we're nearing the end of Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM). This year's theme was Connecting People—and we hope that in spite of the fact that the pandemic is still ongoing in many regions, you had the opportunity to do just that. With that said, now seems as good a time as any to take a look back.

Way back.

Specifically back to the origins of BHSM. It makes for a very interesting story, after all. And it's always good to understand the origins of such an important annual event. 

So, with that said, how did BHSM get its start? 

National Hearing Week and The American Academy of Speech Correction (1925-1978) 
Today, BHSM is hosted annually by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), an organization of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, a

Is Conductive Hearing Loss Reversible?

At a high level, hearing loss can be categorized as either conductive or sensorineural. Today, we're going to discuss the former—namely, how it can be treated and reversed. Because although there are many types of permanent hearing impairment, conductive hearing loss generally isn't one of them.

To understand why you must first understand a bit about what conductive hearing loss is and how it works.

As one of the less common types of hearing impairment, conductive hearing loss is nevertheless uncomfortable. But what can you do about it? And is it permanent?

 

What is Conductive Hearing Loss?

How Your Hearing Aid Can Help With Your Tinnitus Symptoms

It happens whenever there isn't enough background noise.

Maybe it's a dull roar, like you're standing inside a wind tunnel. Maybe it's a high-pitched ringing sound, obnoxious enough that you can hardly focus. Or maybe it's a clicking, buzzing, or whooshing sound.

Suffering from tinnitus? As it turns out, if you use hearing aids, a solution for this aggravating condition might be closer than you'd think.

However it manifests, tinnitus can be an absolute nightmare to deal with. Although the condition is not itself harmful, it can still be incredibly debilitating. To put it another way, there's nothing quite

Cochlear Implants: What They Are, How They Work, Who Needs Them

Hearing aids maybe some of the most common hearing assistance devices, but they are far from the only option. In certain cases, a specialist may recommend a cochlear implant. These complex, surgically-implanted medical devices differ from hearing aids in a number of crucial ways, starting with how they function.

In some cases, cochlear implants may be suggested as an alternative to hearing aids. Before you consider getting them, it's important that you understand them.

 

How Does a Cochlear Implant Work?

Arguably the best way to explain the functionality of