More Hearing News
Hearing Loss Hits 1 in 5 Teens
Reprinted from USA Today, August 17, 2010 by Liz Szabo
One in five American teenagers now suffers from some type of hearing loss, an increase of 31% since the mid-'90s, new research shows.
Most cases of hearing loss are slight, affecting only one ear and involving mostly high-frequency sounds, according to a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association. Many teens may not even notice the hearing change. About one in 20 have "mild or worsening" hearing loss, which can make them struggle to follow conversations or teachers at school.
"It's very concerning," says study author Josef Shargorodsky, an otolaryngology/head and neck surgery resident at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.
Blackhawks Anthem at the United Center Fuels Hearing Loss
When the jacked-up crowd claps and screams over the national anthem -- a Blackhawks tradition since 1985 -- the sound level reaches at least 110 decibels, high enough to create hearing loss in less than a minute.
A typical conversation occurs at 60 dB. That's harmless. But listening to music on headphones at the standard volume -- 100 dB -- can cause permanent damage after just 15 minutes per day. Rock concerts are on par with Blackhawks games and can reach 110 dB.
Everyone is born with 35,000 to 40,000 outer hair cells in the ear. When the microscopic, hair-shaped cells are damaged by loud noise, age, over-the-counter or prescription medications, our ability to hear is hampered. The more noise exposure, the more outer hair cells get killed, the greater the loss.
Hockey players and hockey fans alike should wear ear plugs to protect their hearing.
Let's go Blackhawks!
Source: Chicago Tribune
Senseless Deprivation: Monitoring vision and hearing keep elderly engaged in the world around them
As people age, the senses through which they come to know the world often deteriorate, altering what they can see and hear.
In turn, that changes how older people function and interact with others, sometimes with unfortunate consequences.
Seniors may withdraw from friends and family, becoming isolated and depressed, because they can't understand what people are saying to them.
They may be unable to see clearly at night upon awakening, and trip and fall on their way to the bathroom.
Teens Risk Deafness Playing iPods at 'Jet Engine Volume'
Young adults are risking deafness by listening to iPods at the same volume as jet engines, a top professor warned in a report by The Sun April 21, 2010.
Hearing expert Professor Peter Rabinowitz said three-quarters of people under the age of 30 play their iPods at a damaging 85 decibels and above.
But users of MP3 players often wear headphones that fit snugly in the ear and this could boost levels even higher to up to 120 decibels — equivalent to a plane taking off.
Super Bowl Champion Sets Example for Parents and Protects His Child's Hearing
(Reston, VA – Feb. 12, 2010) "Audiologists everywhere cheered when Drew Brees, the quarterback of the Super Bowl 2010 Champion New Orleans Saints, set an example for parents concerned about protecting their children's hearing in loud environments," said Kris English, PhD, president of the American Academy of Audiology.
At the end of the Saints' 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 44 last weekend, Brees lifted his one-year-old son, Baylen, up in the air in celebration. Baylen was seen wearing a set of noise-reducing earphones in order to protect his young ears from the noise of the crowd in the stadium.