Hearing Loss News and Research

Latest Hearing Loss News and Research

New technology can help people with hearing loss better understand speech

Future hearing aid users will be able to target their listening more accurately thanks to new Danish technology. A researcher from Aalborg University uses machine learning to teach a computer programme how to remove unwanted noise and enhance speech.

30 Jul 2018

Virtual reality may improve empathy and understanding for older adults with dementia

Virtual reality technology gives high school students greater insight into what it's like to be Alfred -- a 74-year-old African American man with suspected mild cognitive impairment, plus age-related vision and hearing loss, or Beatriz, a middle-aged Latina, as she progresses through the continuum of Alzheimer's disease.

23 Jul 2018

Scientists provide clear picture of mysterious component of the inner ear

A few years ago, Ian Swinburne, HMS research fellow in systems biology, noticed something odd while conducting a time-lapse microscopy study of the inner ear of zebrafish. A tiny structure in the inner ear was pulsing like clockwork, inflating and deflating over and over.

29 Jun 2018

Hearing partially restored in deaf lab mice using novel therapy

A small molecule of a drug has been successfully used to treat an inherited form of hearing loss in laboratory mice.

28 Jun 2018

Many female preschool teachers suffer from hearing-related problems

Seven out of ten female preschool teachers suffer from sound-induced auditory fatigue, one out of two has difficulty understanding speech and four out of ten become hypersensitive to sound. This is a considerably higher share than among women in general and also higher than in occupational groups exposed to noise, according to research at Sahlgrenska Academy, Sweden.

25 Jun 2018

Preventative measures to protect hearing during summer outdoor activities

For many, summer means the sweet sounds of live concerts, fireworks, lawnmowers and splashing water. To optimize the fun summer sounds, here are some preventative measures to protect your hearing during these outdoor activities.

14 Jun 2018

Study: Subtle hearing deficits can change the brains of young people

Cranking up your headphones or scrambling for a front-row spot at rock shows could be damaging more than your hearing.

23 May 2018

Antibacterial substance found in toothpaste may fight against life-threatening lung disease

Michigan State University researchers have found that when triclosan, a substance that reduces or prevents bacteria from growing, is combined with an antibiotic called tobramycin, it kills the cells that protect the CF bacteria, known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by up to 99.9 percent.

17 May 2018

California’s deadly STD epidemic sets record

Diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases hit a record high in California last year — with sometimes deadly consequences, according to preliminary state data released this week.

17 May 2018

Musician Huey Lewis's struggle shines spotlight on Ménière's disease

The recent news revealing musician Huey Lewis's struggles with Ménière's disease has shined a spotlight on the neurological disorder. The symptoms, which include unpredictable bouts of dizziness, hearing loss and ringing in the ears, may get progressively worse over time and can greatly interfere with work, driving and daily activities.

16 May 2018

Healthy diet linked to lower risk of acquired hearing loss in women

Hearing loss affects approximately 48 million Americans. Some evidence suggests that diet may influence risk of hearing loss. Previous studies have looked at how specific nutrients affect risk, but the relation of overall diet and risk of developing hearing loss was unclear.

11 May 2018

New research finds simple solution to minimize noise-induced hearing loss

It's well known that exposure to extremely loud noises - whether it's an explosion, a firecracker or even a concert - can lead to permanent hearing loss. But knowing how to treat noise-induced hearing loss, which affects about 15 percent of Americans, has largely remained a mystery.

8 May 2018

A new method for assessing auditory fitness in public safety occupations

Hearing is an important part of fitness-for-duty assessments of police officers and other public safety professionals - but standard hearing tests don't give a true picture of whether these professionals can hear and communicate in the specific "noise environments" where they must work.

28 Apr 2018

Hearing aids may hold potential to cut older adults’ hospital or ER visits

Hearing aids cost thousands of dollars, and insurance almost never covers them. But they may hold the potential to cut older adults' visits to the hospital or emergency room, according to a new study.

26 Apr 2018

Meningitis in Newborns: What to Look Out For

Claire is Evidence & Policy Manager at the UK and international charity Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF). She discusses the signs and symptoms of meningitis in newborns, and the aims for the recent diagnostic eTool developed by the MRF.

24 Apr 2018

Middle ear infection can lead to deadly neurological complications

While antibiotics have greatly reduced the dangers of ear infections, serious neurological complications, including hearing loss, facial paralysis, meningitis and brain abscess still occur, according to an article in the journal Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports.

16 Apr 2018