B 8/9 -- Ashton Kutcher 'Lucky to Be Alive' After Battle With Vasculitis

• By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• August 9, 2022
• Full Page

Actor Ashton Kutcher is opening up about dealing with a rare condition called vasculitis that for a time left him seriously disabled.

In an episode of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge,” airing Aug. 14 on National Geographic channel, Kutcher, 44, reveals ...

Voices in Your Head: Wearing Headphones Changes Listening

• February 25, 2022
• Full Page

Headphones have a much greater impact on listeners than external speakers because they put voices "inside your head," a new study explains.

"Headphones produce a phenomenon called in-head localization, which makes the speaker sound as if they're inside your head," said s...

Could OTC Painkillers Raise Your Odds for Tinnitus?

• February 11, 2022
• Full Page

Frequent use of common, over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin and Tylenol isn't risk-free, with new research suggesting it may increase your risk of tinnitus, or "ringing in the ears."

A study of more than 69,000 women found that, in addition to aspirin and Tylen...

More U.S. Women Are Retaining Their Hearing as They Age

• Cara Murez
• December 29, 2021
• Full Page

Hearing loss can happen with advancing age, but fewer American women appear to be affected now than in the past.

Researchers who studied hearing loss between 2008 and 20...

Cochlear Implants a Big Help to Deaf Children With Autism

• Cara Murez
• December 29, 2021
• Full Page

Having autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can make communication a challenge, and some of these children are also deaf, making social interactions even more daunting.

But new research suggests that cochlear implants can go a long way toward helping these kids understand spee...

Could Cochlear Implants Cause Harm to Hearing Over Time?

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• December 8, 2021
• Full Page

People who get cochlear implants to treat severe hearing loss may develop new bone growth in the ear -- and it may lessen any hearing they have left, a new study hints.

The researchers found that among 100-plus adults with cochlear implants, two-thirds showed evidence of...

Black Americans Less Likely to Lose Hearing as They Age

• Robert Preidt
• December 3, 2021
• Full Page

Older Black Americans are much more likely to have good hearing than white Americans, and the difference is especially notable among men, a new study shows.

“We found that among males, non-Hispanic Black Americans have a prevalence of hearing loss that is similar to no...

Assistance Dogs Bring Big Boost to Deaf People

• Robert Preidt
• December 2, 2021
• Full Page

Hearing dogs make a huge difference in deaf people's lives, a new British study shows.

The dogs are trained to alert deaf people to everyday sounds such as doorbells, human voices, baby monitors and alarm clocks, as well as safety-related sounds such as smoke and intrude...

Coronavirus May Infect, Harm the Inner Ear

• Robert Preidt
• October 29, 2021
• Full Page

By now, it would seem that there is almost no part of the body that the new coronavirus does not strike, but new research adds one more: COVID-19 may be able to infect the inner ear and affect hearing and balance.

There have been reports of COVID-19 patients with symptom...

FDA Eases Access to Cheaper Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• October 19, 2021
• Full Page

Affordable over-the-counter hearing aids could soon bring relief to millions of Americans suffering from hearing loss, under a landmark proposal announced Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The proposal would create a category of hearing aids that could be...

Could Cheaper, Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Finally Be Here?

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• September 9, 2021
• Full Page

Until now, folks suffering from hearing loss typically have had to fork out thousands of dollars for a device that could be adjusted only by a professional audiologist.

No wonder that only one-quarter of the nearly 29 million U.S. adults who could benefit from a hearing ...

Another Fireworks Hazard: Loss of Hearing

• July 2, 2021
• Full Page

Add hearing loss to the many dangers posed by fireworks.

More than 40 million Americans have some type of hearing loss, and about 10 million of those cases can be attributed to noise, according to the American Academy of Audiology.

Noise from fireworks can reach 1...

Osteoporosis Might Also Raise a Woman's Odds for Hearing Loss

• Cara Murez
• May 26, 2021
• Full Page

It's a connection most women may not be aware of, but a new study suggests osteoporosis may raise your risk of hearing loss, and the drugs often used to treat thinning bones won't lower that risk.

According to researcher Dr. Sharon Curhan, data from her team's new study ...

What Works Best to Ease Recurrent Ear Infections in Kids?

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• May 13, 2021
• Full Page

Frequent middle-ear infections are the nemesis of many parents and young children. Now a new study suggests that a common treatment -- "ear tubes" -- may not prevent future bouts.

Middle-ear infections (or acute otitis media) are second only to the common cold in creatin...

Is Your Spin Class Music Way Too Loud?

• Robert Preidt
• April 12, 2021
• Full Page

Turning down the music at your fitness classes won't affect the intensity of your workout, researchers say.

It's common for fitness instructors to crank up the volume -- sometimes to levels loud enough to damage hearing -- because they think it will help students work ha...

Diminished Hearing, Vision Together Could Be Risk Factor for Dementia

• April 7, 2021
• Full Page

A combination of hearing and vision loss is tied to an increased risk of mental decline and dementia, but having just one of those impairments isn't connected with a higher risk, a new South Korean study finds.

It's not clear why a diminishing of both senses, but not ju...

Most Older Americans Need Hearing Checks, But Many Aren't Getting Them

• Robert Preidt
• March 8, 2021
• Full Page

Even though research has shown that at least 50% of older adults suffer some degree of hearing loss, a new study finds that most aren't getting their hearing checked.

A national survey of more than 2,000 adults, aged 50 to 80, found that 80% said their primary care docto...

As Mask-Wearing Prevails, People Are Adapting to Understanding Speech

• Robert Preidt
• February 8, 2021
• Full Page

As face masks have become the norm during the coronavirus pandemic, people have learned to communicate more clearly with their mouth covered, new research finds.

For the study, researchers asked participants to record sentences in three speech styles -- casual, clear and...

Targeted Microwaves Probably Caused U.S. Embassy Illnesses: Scientists

• Robert Preidt
• December 7, 2020
• Full Page

Targeted microwaves were the likely cause of mysterious illnesses that afflicted staff and their families at U.S. embassies in Cuba and China, according to a U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report.

Symptoms included ear pain, intense head ...

COVID Can Make Your Ears Ring

• Cara Murez
• November 6, 2020
• Full Page

Tinnitus, a common hearing problem, may be worsened by COVID-19 or possibly even triggered by the new coronavirus, new research indicates.

Moreover, people with tinnitus are further struggling because of lifestyle changes forced by the pandemic, the study found.

Ti...

For Kids With Hearing Issues, Early Intervention Crucial to School Readiness

• Amy Norton
• September 28, 2020
• Full Page

When babies with hearing impairments get help very early in life, they are more likely to be "kindergarten-ready" when the time comes, a new study finds.

In the United States, all states have government-funded "early intervention" programs designed to assist parents ...

Hearing Persists at End of Life, Brain Waves of Hospice Patients Show

• Robert Preidt
• August 26, 2020
• Full Page

Even if they appear unresponsive, dying people may still be able to hear.

That's the takeaway from a Canadian analysis of hospice patients in Vancouver.

Researchers compared electroencephalography (EEG) data -- a measure of electrical activity in the brain ...

Say What? Like Animals, People Perk Up Their Ears to Hear

• Robert Preidt
• August 4, 2020
• Full Page

Like many other animals, people can move their ears to focus on a specific sound, researchers say.

However, this movement of ears is subtle and the ability to do it hasn't been known until now.

By measuring electrical signals in ear muscles as volunteers tr...

Another Side Effect of COVID-19 -- Lasting Hearing Problems?

• Steven Reinberg
• July 31, 2020
• Full Page

The aftereffects of COVID-19 are numerous, and now British researchers report that many patients recovering from infection with the new coronavirus have lingering hearing problems.

For the study, 120 U.K. patients who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 took part in a...

Face Masks Making Things Tough for the Deaf

• Robert Preidt
• July 21, 2020
• Full Page

As the debate over face masks continues, few may realize how the coverings make it hard for the 48 million Americans with hearing loss to communicate with others.

Masks can muffle sound, making it more difficult to understand speech and higher-pitched voices; prevent...

Masks, Video Calls: Pandemic Is Hampering Communication for Those With Hearing Problems

• Serena McNiff
• July 17, 2020
• Full Page

Face masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but they have a huge downside for people with hearing problems: They muffle sound and prevent lip-reading.

But that's only one of several ways that pandemic-related safety precautions are making communication more chal...

More Clues to the Genes Behind Hearing Loss

• Robert Preidt
• July 16, 2020
• Full Page

Dutch researchers have identified a common genetic variant as a cause of deafness, and say it could be a good target for gene therapy.

Deafness in adults is known to be inherited but, unlike childhood deafness, the genetic causes aren't clear.

To date, 118 ...

Experts Warn of 'Sound Cannon' Hearing Loss at Protest Marches

• Steven Reinberg
• June 15, 2020
• Full Page

As Americans take to the streets to protest police brutality, they may face ear-blasting "sound cannons" that can harm their hearing.

Sound cannons, or long-range acoustic devices (LRADs), were developed for the military, and now some police departments use them as w...

AHA News: Traffic Noise Might Increase Diabetes, Blood Pressure Risks

• March 9, 2020
• Full Page

Navigating through congested road traffic is enough to make even the most laid-back people lose their cool. As it turns out, just the sound of road noise may increase the risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes.

That was the finding of researchers who co...

A Stroke at 30,000 Feet? For One Lucky Passenger, It Wasn't

• E.J. Mundell
• January 27, 2020
• Full Page

A flight attendant on a recent commercial flight sent out the message: "Is there a doctor on board?"

An otherwise young, fit male passenger had suddenly lost the ability to move the muscles on the right side of his face, including the ability to close his right eye. ...

How Are Your Newborn's Ears Working? Early Hearing Test Is a Must

• Len Canter
• January 1, 2020
• Full Page

When you have a baby, it seems like you visit the doctor all the time for checks on weight and length and to get needed vaccinations. But are you as aware of the guidelines regarding hearing checks for your little one?

Following them is extremely important to his or...

Ring in the New Year Without Ringing in Your Ears

• Steven Reinberg
• December 31, 2019
• Full Page

Ringing in the new year shouldn't be a deafening experience, so protect your hearing, experts advise.

Loud music, fireworks, party horns, kazoos and other noisemakers can all help usher in 2020 with a blast, but can also cause ringing in your ears or even permanent ...

Routine Ear Wax 'Flush' Leaves Woman's Face Paralyzed

• E.J. Mundell
• December 19, 2019
• Full Page

In what doctors say is an extremely rare occurrence, a woman in her 70s went to her doctor to have impacted ear wax removed and wound up with permanent paralysis in her face.

The case report was described by British physicians in the Dec. 19 online edition of JAM...