Hearing loss is the world’s fourth-leading cause of years lived with disability. The condition may worsen an array of mental, physical, and social complications. As over 90% of hearing loss is age-related, its burden is notably growing amid aging populations. Hearing ability is integrally tied with communication, and hearing loss leads to communication barriers. This in turn increases stress and…

Deafness in early childhood is known to lead to lasting changes in how sounds are processed in the brain, but new research published today in  eLife  shows that even mild-to-moderate levels of hearing loss in young children can lead to similar changes. Researchers say that the findings may have implications for how babies are screened for hearing loss and how…

Millions of workers are exposed to hearing hazards every year, and even though OSHA regulations and NIOSH recommendations in the U.S. specify hearing protection, occupational hearing loss is still the number one reported worker illness in manufacturing. Moreover, noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and irreversible, but avoidable with the help of proper hearing protection and other measures. Here we will explore some…

Hearing loss in middle age is associated with higher odds of cognitive decline and dementia in later years, suggests a large study in Taiwan. Researchers tracked more than 16,000 men and women and found that a new diagnosis of hearing loss between ages 45 and 65 more than doubled the odds of a dementia diagnosis in the next dozen years…

For people with hearing loss, using a hearing aid is associated with a reduced risk of three common health problems of aging—dementia, depression, and falls—according to a new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.  This study adds to the growing body of research that links hearing loss to memory issues and dementia. “Cognitive decline is much higher among people with…

More than 50 million Americans struggle with tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears that ranges from mildly annoying to severely debilitating, and no cure exists. Existing treatments help some people, but none seems to work for everyone. Hearing loss affects about 500 million people, and is a major risk factor for the condition. In their new study, researchers found inflammation in…

Using genetic tools in mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have identified a pair of proteins that precisely control when sound-detecting cells, known as hair cells, are born in the mammalian inner ear. The proteins, described in a report published June 12 in  eLife , may hold a key to future therapies to restore hearing in people with…

Delta flight attendants who speak sign language will soon have the option to wear a pin to help better inform signing passengers they share a common language. According to the airline, this makes them the first U.S. airline to officially offer sign language as part of their customer experience. Delta employees who speak American Sign Language, or any of the more…

We’re constantly being reminded to protect our hearing when traveling to festivals and concerts. Despite the warnings, many of us continue on, taking the ability to listen to music clearly for granted. Today, many older adults are experiencing some sort of hearing loss, usually due to very loud music. To take a closer look, the  Harris Poll  took a survey…

The two most common types of hearing loss are caused by aging and exposure to excessive noise. In both cases, the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that are responsible for sending sound signals to the brain are progressively affected.  When the hairs or nerve cells become damaged or missing, the electrical brain signals are not transmitted effectively and sounds are…