One attempt to standardize the diagnosis and treatment is the implementation of degrees of hearing loss. Audiologists break hearing loss into five degrees: mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe and profound. Patients are categorized into a degree by the softest sound they are able to hear.

If the softest sound a patient can hear is above 71 decibels but below 90 decibels, he is categorized as having severe hearing loss. While this diagnosis might be helpful in fitting a hearing aid and combating the affects of hearing loss, the boundaries are clearly somewhat arbitrary. Rather than iron-clad prescriptions, these designations should be looked at more as guidelines. A sufferer of severe hearing loss might have hearing closer to a sufferer of “moderately severe hearing loss” than another person with severe hearing loss.

Other than in legal contexts, where severe hearing loss is converted into a percentage to ensure equal treatment in the eyes of the law, the degree to which hearing loss occurs is more of a suggestion than a fact. If you feel like you might be suffering from hearing loss, visit a hearing center to determine the best course of treatment.

Such is the case with this new information from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

An international team of researchers has found a gene linked with a rare form of progressive deafness in males. The particular form of deafness is known as DFN2, which manifests itself in boys from ages 5-15. Throughout their lives, they will experience hearing loss that can range all the way to profound. Mothers, who carry the defective gene, may experience mild hearing loss much later in life.

The ability to analyze this gene yields exciting benefits, and not only for boys with hearing loss, it is also a step forward in the fight against all hearing loss–audiologists hope to learn more about the exact mechanisms of acquired hearing loss and how to treat it.

Acquired hearing loss is an unfortunate side effect to many powerful drugs: chemotherapy, HIV and AIDS medication all carry this as a potential collateral malady. With this research, an important step was taken in not only diagnosing and treating hearing loss, but also preventing it.

Cardiovascular disease is a well-known factor in hearing loss: an Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS) found that sufferers of cardiovascular disease were 54 percent more likely to also suffer from hearing loss. There are other connections between heart health and healthy hearing: cardiovascular disease is highly impacted by your lifestyle.

Lifestyles likely to result in CVD also put one at a greater risk for high blood pressure and diabetes: two more bodily anomalies linked to hearing loss. Luckily, there are preventative measures you can take.

Regular exercise and proper diet have been proven effective in combating heart disease. Regular visits to your cardiologist and audiologist can also make sure you’re functioning in top condition.

Protecting your child’s hearing is as important as protecting the rest of her well-being. With Christmas right around the corner, here are some toys to avoid if you want to ensure that your child’s auditory health.

1. Fisher Price Learning Letters Mailbox

2. Sesame Street Help Along Sing a Song

3. Black & Decker Junior Chainsaw

4. LeapFrog Fridge Farm

5. Transformers PowerBots Megatron Action Figure

6. Road Rippers Turbo Wheelie Corvette

7. First Act Discovery Rockin’ Rhythm Guitar

8. Learn & Groove Counting Maracas

9. VTech Learn and Discover Driver

10. Road Rippers Rush & Rescue Ambulance

All of these toys produce sounds about 90Db, a level which has been linked to hearing loss. Because hearing loss is culmulative and the direct causes are difficult to pinpoint, these toys are all freely available.
If you do purchase these toys, know that they carry an increased risk of hearing loss for your children. To minimize this risk, try taking out the batteries, putting tape over the speakers, or making your child wear ear muffs while playing with them.

Specifically, men eating foods higher in folate.

That’s the conclusion come to by American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) according to research presented at their annual San Diego expo. They found that men over 60 with diets high in folate intake were 20 percent less likely to suffer from hearing loss, the most common sensory disorder in the United States.

High folate foods include leafy vegetables, asparagus, dried beans and peas, sunflower seeds, baker’s yeast and fortified cereal products. These foods are all high in folic acid, otherwise known as B-9. Deficiencies in folic acid have been linked to heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Hearing isn’t all about what goes into your ears. Sometimes, it’s about what goes into your mouth.

But could the car you drive be at fault?

Yes, research presented at American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, in San Diego, CA. The research indicated that people who enjoy driving in “convertible” cars, with the top lowered, risk noise-induced hearing loss.

The study measured noise levels at 10 mph intervals from 50-70mph. Drivers at these speeds were exposed to noise levels ranging from 88-99 decibels. Heavy exposure to noise levels of >85db have been linked to noise-induced hearing loss. Rolling up the windows (even with the top down) lowered the noise volume to a safer 82db.

The authors praised motorcycle drivers, who also experience a high amount of driving noise, for their willingness to take precautions.

Many times, hearing loss is symptomatic of another illness–diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic and potentially fatal illness characterized by excessive blood sugar. Nearly a quarter of the 23.6 million Americans with diabetes are unaware of their condition. This is because many of the symptoms of diabetes, such as excessive thirst, fatigue, and weight loss are often ignored or attributed to other factors.

Those symptoms can include hearing loss, suggests a study carried out by the National Institute of Health. Hearing tests on more than 5,000 patients concluded that diabetics were twice as likely to exhibit signs of hearing loss as their nondiabetic peers, and over 67 percent of the diabetics tested reported hearing loss in the higher frequencies.

Studies have suggested that the disease may effect nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear, leading to hearing loss.  While they are not conclusive, the strong correlative link indicates that those who suffer from diabetes should get their hearing checked regularly.

We’ve written before about conductive hearing loss, which is treatable, and sensorineural hearing loss, which is not.

What happens when you have both?

The result is a condition known as “mixed hearing loss.”

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sounds are not properly conducted from the outer ear drum to the ear canal and ossicles (tiny bones of the middle ear).  This can be caused by foreign object, an excess of wax, infection or malformation. Generally, some faint hearing is retained.

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or the nerve pathways from there to the brain. It is irreversible. Causes include trauma, viruses, prolonged noise exposure, and, of course, aging.

Sometimes both types of hearing loss occur in conjunction. This condition is known as “mixed hearing loss.” In mixed hearing loss, there is damage to the outer ear or canal and the inner ear or nerve pathways. The conductive hearing loss may still respond to treatment.

No poems about how clogged and greasy thine lover’s ear is. No movies about how fascinating and dynamic it is. There is not a single-hour long television drama where the primary plot is driven by anything having remotely to do with earwax.

So what’s good about it?

Plenty good, it turns out. Earwax, the common name for the yellowish liquid secreted by the cerumen glands, assists in cleaning and lubrication, protects the ear canal, and can also serve as a flypaper like buffer system to keep out insects, dirt and debris. Like most secretions it serves a useful, if not sexy function in maintaining proper body function.

But what if you have too much?

Hearing loss problems can be the result. Not only can an excess of hearing loss block the aural cavity and cause conductive hearing loss, it is the culprit in an estimated 70% of hearing aid malfunctions.  Luckily for sufferers of conductive hearing loss for whom this is the primary issue, there are treatments available. Jaw movement can loosen wax, so chewing gum or talking can help. Wax can be softened with olive oil or syringed with warm water. One common practice which is actually counterproductive is use of a cotton  swab: while they remove a small portion of wax that happens to adhere to the swab, they actually push 95% of wax further into the ear canal.

Because of this, and earwax’s function in ear health, in 2008 the American Academy of Otolaryngology issued new guidelines advising against removing earwax unless it is causing health issues. If you are suffering hearing loss from too much earwax, you may want to consult a doctor to determine the best course of action.

Can individuals with hearing aids use mobile phones normally?

For those without hearing loss, using mobile phones poses little problem. You simply hold your phone into your ear and let the sound flow naturally. For those with impaired hearing, however, mobile phones can add simply another layer to the hearing difficulty.

Enter Click’nTalk. An easy, convenient accessory from Phonak that clicks directly onto the end of your mobile phone, instant transmitting it into a wireless transmitter. Using the Phonak HiBAN (Hearing instrument Body Area Network) link, the device digitizes the sound and send it to both receivers simultaneously, ensuring rich, full sound. Furthermore, because the sound is now digital, you can reap all the benefits your digital hearing aid provides over an analog one.

No charging. No programming. Click’nTalk is a sleek and innovative solution to cell-phone difficulties.