How Are Animals Helping Scientists Improve Hearing Aids?
Next time you shiver when you see a spider at Heller Nature Center, take comfort in the fact that they may one day make your hearing aids stronger. Spider Silk for Hearing Aids? Studies have shown that spider silk may be an ideal material to create better directional microphones in hearing aids. This could improve…
6 Active Listening Techniques for People with Hearing Loss
When you go on a hike on Heller Nature Center, you probably feel worn out afterward. For people with hearing loss, this feeling is common after a long conversation where you’re straining to hear and understand what is said. This phenomenon is known as listening fatigue. Below we review six active listening techniques to help…
Acoustic Neuromas
What Is an Acoustic Neuroma? An acoustic neuroma is a benign growth of the auditory nerve. Although it is slow-growing and non-malignant, it can be problematic because it can potentially impact hearing, balance, tinnitus, and/or facial function. These growths are rare, occurring in only 1 out of 100,000 people per year. An acoustic neuroma (also…
Ear Infection
What Causes Ear Infections? Middle ear infection (otitis media) often occurs after a cold or with an infection of the upper airway. The Eustachian tube aerates the middle ear to prevent fluid from collecting. The Eustachian tube is a channel from the back of the throat to the ear allowing air to fill the middle…
Cholesteatoma
What is a Cholesteatoma? A Cholesteatoma is a growth of skin cells commonly occurring behind the ear drum that can cause damage to the ear drum, erode the middle ear bones and in some cases, impact the inner ear. Untreated cholesteatomas can lead to more serious problems including: chronic ear infections, permanent hearing loss, and…
Eardrum Perforation
What Does an Eardrum Do? The eardrum has two main roles: Hearing. Your eardrum vibrates from sound waves striking it. In turn, structures in your middle and inner ear translate sound waves into nerve impulses. Protection. Your eardrum acts as a barrier to protect your middle ear from water, bacteria, and foreign substances. What is…
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Eustachian tubes are the narrow passageways that run between the middle ear and upper throat. Their purpose is to equalize pressure and drain fluid from your middle ear. The Eustachian tubes typically remain closed until you chew, swallow or yawn. These tubes can sometimes become blocked, a condition that is called Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). What Are…
What is Sudden Hearing Loss?
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a medical emergency defined as an individual experiencing at least 30 dB of sensorineural hearing loss occurring over 3 days or less. It typically occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways to the brain. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a…
Widex TV Play
Read below for instructions on how to use your Widex TV Play with your Moment Hearing Aids! Ensure your iPhone is updated with the latest operating system – iOS 14.4.2 (As of 4/14/2021) If your iPhone Apps do not update automatically, ensure that your Widex Moment App has been updated through the App store. Open…
What is Unilateral Hearing Loss?
What is Single Sided Deafness? Sometimes referred to as unilateral hearing loss, single sided deafness is a condition in which an individual experiences hearing loss in only one ear but can hear normally out of the other ear. While most patients with a hearing impairment suffer from bilateral (two-sided) hearing loss, SSD affects approximately 60,000…