According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), a hearing aid device is a small electronic piece of equipment worn in or behind your ear that increases the level of sound. The Mayo Clinic reports that all...
According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, a leading organization representing U.S. citizens with hearing loss, 17 percent of American adults have some degree of hearing loss. Those with significant or complete hearing loss made...
Financial status should not be a barrier to receiving the benefit of hearing aids. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, "Only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wear one."...
Children can be born with a hearing problem or they can develop one during childhood. The American Hearing Aid Associates explains that children who are exposed to certain medications may be at risk for losing their hearing; low birth weight...
Most of us take our hearing for granted unless we begin to lose it. Losing your hearing can be frustrating and even dangerous. Hearing makes it possible for us to pay attention to loved ones, enjoy the dialog in movies and heed warning sirens. If...
The external, middle and inner ear, the hearing or auditory nerves, and the brain all contribute to the process of hearing. Abnormalities in any of these structures can lead to impaired hearing. Some types of hearing loss are reversible,...
Vitamins are essential for ear health and in the prevention and treatment of impaired hearing conditions. Infections, injury and loud noises are common causes of hearing impairment. If left untreated, these conditions can worsen and cause...
According to Colorado Otolaryngology Associates, a sudden sensorineural hearing loss is characterized as a change in hearing of 30 decibals over three continuous frequencies. Sudden hearing loss can be mild or profound and generally occurs over...
About three of every 1,000 people are born with hearing problems, according to KidsHealth, a part of the Nemours Foundation. However, adolescents with hearing problems may have acquired them in childhood and some adolescents are at risk for...
Sharp pains that feel as though they are shooting through the ear can be caused by pressure in the sinuses and ear, or by an ear infection. Ringing sounds can also indicate infection or an ear trauma due to loud noise. Make sure to see your own...
Hearing aids help children who suffer from mild to severe hearing loss. According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), hearing is a necessary component for your child's speech development.
Magnesium is one of the body's macro nutrients, meaning that you need more of it than you do trace minerals like manganese, copper or iron. Although true magnesium deficiencies are rare in developing countries, most people do not get enough of the...
Ringing in the ear is a medical condition referred to as tinnitus. The ringing associated with tinnitus ranges in volume between individuals. Tinnitus can cause minor irritation or be so severe that it can interfere with hearing and cause sleeping...
Ear infections occur most commonly in the inner ear. Also referred to as otitis media, these infections affect infants and children more often than adults because of the shape of their growing bodies. The eustachian tubes, which connect the ear to...
Glue ear, formally known as otitis media with effusion (OME) is a normally painless condition in which sticky fluid gathers in the middle (inner) ear behind the eardrum. In most cases, the condition clears up on its own. However, the "British...
Tinnitus is a ringing in your ears, although tinnitus can also be a clicking or hissing noise in your ears, notes MedlinePlus. There are several common causes of tinnitus, including long-term exposure to loud sounds, medication-related side...
Hearing problems are common in people of all ages. According to the Family Doctor website, the causes of hearing problems are varied. Some problems, such as excessive earwax, can be simply resolved with mineral oil or water flushing. Other...
Fluid in the middle ear is a common ailment, especially among young children. Fluid accumulation occurs when the middle ear drainage pathway, the eustachian tube, is obstructed. Otitis media with effusion is the medical term for middle ear fluid....
As medical technology advances, lifespans are increasing. But that means the average person's likelihood of developing diseases of aging is also growing. Some purported life extension techniques, such as caloric restriction, carry the promise of...
The ability to hear is one of your most vital biological functions. Hearing loss is a common condition, as hearing tends to deteriorate with age. A recent study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found that hearing loss is on the...
Acoustic neuromas are a type of tumor that arise from Schwann cells. Schwann cells are designed to cover and protect nerves in the body. Typically an acoustic neuroma will develop on the vestibular nerve, which runs into the ear. Acoustic...
Grommets are tiny tubes that are inserted in a child's ears to treat a common aliment called "glue ears." This health problem is due to trapped fluid in the middle ear that can result in infection and hearing loss. The fluid that generally drains...
The human ear consists of the external, middle and inner ear. The middle ear is an air-filled space with three tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear, the site of the hearing nerves. The middle ear connects to the nasal cavity...
A certain amount of earwax (cerumen) is nature's way of protecting your ear canal by locking in dirt and retarding the growth of bacteria. Although the reason is unclear, some people develop earwax blockage when an excess amount of wax accumulates...
Drugs sometimes have side effects that linger for days or weeks after discontinuation. Vancomycin, a potent antibiotic, has long-term side effects that persist and may require medical or drug intervention for resolution; some effects may be...
Meniere's syndrome is a condition affecting the inner ear. Symptoms of the syndrome, named after a French physician who first described it, include hearing loss, pain, dizziness and ringing in the ear. The cause of the condition is unknown,...
Language and speech development can be impaired by hearing loss, especially in the first three years of life, according to the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center. Onset of a hearing problem in older children may result in poor academic...
Temporary hearing loss can occur when we're exposed to sudden loud noises, such explosions or firearm blasts. The ear has an affinity for recovery, following what is known as the "temporary threshold shift," but sometimes hearing loss can be...
Ear infections can occur as several different types: otitis externa, acute and chronic otits media, and inner ear infections, all of which may occur in adults and children. Adults and children have many symptoms in common, although sometimes the...