Hearing loss is declining, according to a study published on December 15 by researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. This is good news. But before you put back in those earbuds and conclude that all those reports of an “epidemic” of hearing loss were wildly exaggerated, read a little closer. The study of almost … Continue reading Good News About Hearing Loss, With Qualifications
What Do Consumers Want? Try Asking a Consumer.
If you asked consumers what is most important when buying a hearing aid, would they say price or sound quality? Hearing Tracker, a respected independent online resource for consumers, and USB Evidence Labs recently surveyed more than 360 audiologists about what brands and features consumers ask for most when buying a hearing aid. Not surprisingly, … Continue reading What Do Consumers Want? Try Asking a Consumer.
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Breaking a Logjam on Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
Cheaper and More Accessible Hearing Aids Could Also Help Reduce Stigma This essay originally ran on Bloomberg View, December 12, 2016. HEALTH CARE In the uncertainty over the future of U.S. health care, there is one ray of hope for a group of people who need more options, not fewer. People with hearing loss usually pay … Continue reading Breaking a Logjam on Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
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Affordable Hearing Aids Just Got a Giant Step Closer
Buying hearing aids could soon become as easy as buying reading glasses. In a surprise announcement yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that, effective immediately, it would no longer require adults to get a medical evaluation before buying most hearing aids. The agency is also considering creating a category of over-the-counter hearing aids to encourage … Continue reading Affordable Hearing Aids Just Got a Giant Step Closer
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The Day I Lost My Hearing
Every year I observe the day I went deaf. My life changed that day. At first it seemed nothing but negative, a catastrophe. Now I see that it gave me an opportunity, a door that opened onto a new world. I remember the day because it was a holiday -- Halloween. My hearing had been in a … Continue reading The Day I Lost My Hearing
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Washington University-based Company Launches Auditory Training Website — Hearing News Watch
Good news for those of us who believe auditory training is essential for learning to hear with a hearing aid or cochlear implant. Audiologists have touted the virtues of auditory training, but for decades numerous attempts at popularizing these programs have been plagued with low patient uptake. A St. Louis company, using an NIH grant, … Continue reading Washington University-based Company Launches Auditory Training Website — Hearing News Watch
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Deaf and Dizzy: Is It Méniere’s?
Many people with hearing loss also have tinnitus. Some have vertigo. When all three conditions are present, the cause may be Ménière's disease, first identified by French physician Prosper Ménière in 1861. I emphasize "may" because Ménière's is notoriously difficult to diagnose. There is no definitive test for Ménière's. It's a clinical diagnosis, based on symptoms. … Continue reading Deaf and Dizzy: Is It Méniere’s?
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Movie Captioning: ADA Issues Final Ruling
Advance Copy: Movie Captioning and Audio Description Final Rule On November 21, 2016, Attorney General Loretta Lynch signed a Final Rule revising the Justice Department’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) title III regulation to further clarify a public accommodation’s obligation to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services for people with disabilities. The Final Rule requires … Continue reading Movie Captioning: ADA Issues Final Ruling
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How to Let 911 Know You Can’t Hear
A few months ago, I wrote a post about emergency preparedness for people with hearing loss: Emergency Preparedness for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Tips for Coping with Natural and Man-Made Disasters This week I received some additional valuable information from Matthew Puvogel, the Ready Outreach Coordinator for the City's Office of Emergency Management, who was … Continue reading How to Let 911 Know You Can’t Hear
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Holiday Hearing – You Can Do It!
This post first appeared on Nov 2, 2015. It seemed worth reposting as we head into the holidays. I love the five weeks that begin with Thanksgiving and end with New Year’s, but part of me says, Bah, Humbug. That’s the part that knows I’ll struggle to follow along at family dinners, holiday parties, concerts and … Continue reading Holiday Hearing – You Can Do It!
Katherine Bouton: Smart Hearing 