Hearing Loss

CES 2018: Emerging Health Devices

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) convened in Las Vegas, January 9-12, 2018. Roughly 4,000 exhibitors presented their latest technology and services to nearly 200,000 attendees from 150 countries in what has become the world’s largest electronics trade show. Participants were able to experience self-driving cars, 8K televisions, “smart” home accessories, biometric sensors, and, of course, hearables.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Hearing difficulty (HD) and tinnitus in the presence of normal audiometric thresholds represent a clinical challenge. So-called, hidden hearing loss (HHL) has captured significant interest from clinicians and researchers in attempts to understand factors that contribute to this phenomenon. Etiologies ranging from cochlear synaptopathy to central auditory processing deficits have been suggested. Most audiologists have come across these patients with complaints of hearing problems (particularly in noise) but normal hearing.

Real-Ear Measures

Real-ear measures (REM) are recommended in hearing aid fitting. However, reports suggest that only approximately 30 percent of audiologists routinely perform REM. Rationale (or excuses) for not performing REM are numerous, but little peer-reviewed research has been conducted to support or refute the use of REM in regards to benefit in speech understanding and subjective quality of fitting.

In the Service of Others: An Interview with Kamal Elliot, AuD By Bre Myers, AuD, PhD

Kamal Elliot, AuD, is a person to be admired. Her desire and dedication to providing the best quality of care led her on journeys into private practice ownership as well as multiple international and local humanitarian missions. She has served on state and national audiology organization boards. Recently, I was fortunate to catch up with Dr. Elliot.

Hearing Aids for Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss in Adults

A recent systematic review concluded that hearing aid use in older adults with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss was beneficial in improving everyday situations, general health-related quality of life and improve listening ability with little evidence of harm.

Global Hearing Health Care: New Perspectives

A recent paper by Wilson et al (2017) addressed the growing global burden of disease (GBD), which indicates an increasing—and now alarmingly high—burden of hearing loss worldwide. According to the authors, hearing loss is the fourth leading contributor to years lived with disability (YLD) worldwide in 2015, up from the 11th-leading cause in 2010.

The Risk of Hearing Loss for Dementia

A new meta-analysis published by the Lancet Commission focused on the rising rates of dementia globally. Currently, an estimated 47 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, with that number expected to triple by 2050. The global cost of dementia in 2015 was estimated to $818 billion, with nearly 85 percent of that total attributed to family and social costs, rather than medical care.

Brain Health and Hearing

A recent commission from "The Lancet" focused on dementia. In this review, the authors outline nine potentially modifiable health and lifestyle factors from different phases of life that, if eliminated, might prevent or at least delay dementia. The authors stress that dementia, much like hearing loss, is not an inevitable consequence of aging, rather it is multifaceted and potentially 1/3 of cases preventable.

EHDI and Vocabulary

Until recently, no studies have examined vocabulary outcomes of children with hearing loss that have met all three components of the EHDI guidelines:

How Often Is Hearing Loss Considered?

As audiologists, we know firsthand the impact that hearing loss has on communication. Before we begin speaking, we look at our patients and provide an unobstructed view of our face. As soon as patients walk into our office, we adjust the volume, pitch, and tempo of our speech to ensure that they can hear and understand us. We hope that other health-care providers, including physicians, are also attuned to their patients’ hearing needs particularly when helping older adults where a prevalence of hearing loss is high.