Researchers are looking at ways to apply new signal processing strategies to the design of hearing aids. Signal processing is the method used to modify normal sound waves into amplified sound that is the best possible match to the remaining hearing for a hearing aid user. NIDCD-funded researchers also are studying how hearing aids can […]
Movement of fluid in the semicircular canals signals the brain about the direction and speed of head rotation. In other words, it lets the brain know if you are nodding your head up and down or looking right to left. Each semicircular canal has a bulbous end that contains hair cells. Rotation of the head […]
Discover how to clear the way for better hearing. Hearing begins when soundwaves enter the outer ear (the visible portion of the ear located on the outside of the head) and are channeled down the auditory canal, a tube-like passageway lined with tiny hairs and small glands that produce ear wax. […]
Whether you wear hearing instruments, are just acquiring devices, or simply wish to improve your listening skills, LACE – Listening and Communication Enhancement – training will help you get the most out of the sounds of life. Because it is a computerized, internet-based program, we can track your results and discuss them with you. Hearing […]
Benjamin Franklin got it right when he said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Just as you would take preventative measures to protect yourself from heart disease or diabetes, it pays to protect yourself from occupational hearing loss and hearing problems caused by exposure to loud music, power motors, and sport […]
There are a variety of good reasons why Central Auditory Processing Disorder, abbreviated CAPD, is challenging to diagnose correctly. The problem is not because the child cannot hear words and phrases being directed at them, but because their brains lack the ability to process and interpret the words and understand their meaning, which means that […]
Could excessively noisy environments at work be damaging your hearing? Hearing loss has many root causes, but the most prevalent continues to be noise-induced hearing loss. If you work in one of the following high-noise occupations, you have reason to be concerned about your hearing.The Centers for Disease Control reports that 30 million workers are […]
The eardrum is required for hearing because it detects sound waves and transmits the vibrations to the brain, but it also functions as a shield to isolate the inner ear and keep infection free. Your inner ear is basically a safe, sterile environment when your eardrum is undamaged, but if it has been punctured or […]
To begin with an attempt at weak humor, the “speech banana” is not related to the old skit, “Speak up…I can’t hear you…I’ve got a banana in my ear.” The thing that the “speech banana” represents is a distinct pattern found in the results of an audiogram, which is a graphical representation of an individual’s […]
America has a strong history of gun usage, based to some extent on the movies and TV we grew up with, which showed us pictures of policemen and cowboys shooting guns pretty much all the time. These images appear to have created a lasting impression, because millions of people still enjoy firing guns, either at […]
