General

From the chronicles

The effects of noise on health

I was so excited. A camping trip! A dear friend’s company, good food, and a campsite next to a lake. What the online map didn’t show, though, was a set of train tracks located on the other side of the lake. All night long the trains passed. As a deaf camper, I saw the lights […]

This is Chanty, my hearing ear dog

Do you know why you should not ask to pet a hearing ear dog? Sounds are very transient. While you pet her, Chanty is distracted. Even if it is a very short delay, Chanty may not be able to identify the location of a sound if the sound is no longer there. Then she doesn’t […]

Why hearing screening is important in children

In Canada and the U.S., the newborn hearing screening process has screened almost all births each year. So why do children need a hearing screening? After reviewing the medical records of 326 children who had hearing loss, a study found that not all children with hearing loss were detected by newborn hearing screening. First, not […]

Study shows gamers risk hearing loss

A survey of video gamers aged 18–35-years old found that more than three-quarters regularly engage in activities that can be detrimental to hearing, including 52% who use headphones for long periods or at loud volumes. Up to a third were aware of are already experiencing hearing loss. However, when informed of their risk for hearing […]

Multi-tasking affects balance in young adults with hearing loss

A research study looked at the effect of multi-tasking on young adults with hearing aids (HA). Subjects had to maintain balance under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions. In the DT condition, there was a visual cognitive task (Backward Digit Recall) while standing on a force plate. (A force plate is an instrument that detects and […]

The effect of cauliflower ear on hearing

Cauliflower ear is a deformity of the ear caused by a hit – or repeated hits – to the ear. This leads to small pools of blood (hematomas) that clot and block the flow of blood and nutrients. It’s also called subperichondrial hematoma, wrestler’s ear, and boxer’s ear. Left untreated, this type of injury can lead […]

Are conversations affected by hearing loss?

What happens in a conversation between a younger adult with normal hearing, and an older adult with hearing loss? And what if the conversation is taking place in a relatively easy situation—in a quiet place, and a one-to-one interaction? A research study found that it depends—on whether the older adult is wearing hearing aids. The […]

Second chances through cochlear implant technology

There are risks involved in getting a cochlear implant. Inserting a cochlear implant destroys any residual hearing in the operated ear. Thus, one cannot go back to wearing a hearing aid if it doesn’t work out. The standard surgical risks of a cochlear implant are all quite rare. These include bleeding, infection, device malfunction, facial […]

Did you know that whales have earwax?

Guess how long a plug of wax would be from a whale’s ear?! Answer in the Comments of the YouTube video and I will let you know if you are right! Related post: Why you shouldn’t use Q-Tips for itchy ears

Radio as speedometer?

We all need a favourable signal-to-noise ratio to hear well in noise. But did you know that it is particularly important for children? Children don’t hear as well as adults do when there is background noise in the listening environment. In a typical, noisy classroom, the signal-to-noise ratio will vary from + 5 to – 7 […]