Hearing impairment is something that is difficult to handle by anybody, much more by children. Single-sided deafness, also known as profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, is a hearing impairment affecting only one ear. Although the patient thinks he or she can hear, he or she is basically impaired and is missing some details of what s going on the environment.

In children, the incidence of single-side deafness is between 0.1 and 3%. This impairment is often associated with learning difficulties, poor school performance, behavioural problems, and inability to deal with noisy conditions.

Traditional treatment for single-sided deafness is the use of external hearing aids which help impaired children hear and perform better in school. However, they can also be a source of annoyance and embarrassment outside the school environment and can interfere with a child’s physical activities.

Researchers at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock have been testing a new hearing aid, a surgically implanted device that is anchored to the skull bone. Bone-anchored hearing aids are implanted behind the ear and transmit sound into the ear using conductive technology.

In the study, 23 children aged 6 to 19 have received one of two types of implant. Surgical implantation was performed in two stages six months apart. The recipients were closely followed up for effectiveness and complications.

The results showed improved hearing, performance, and compliance after surgical implantation.

Some complications were reported, including skin reactions and loss of fixtures and were more common among the older patients (teens) and than the younger ones.

According to the researchers

“In conclusion, the treatment of children and teenagers with profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been frustrating owing to the known disability associated with this condition and to a lack of acceptance and benefit of traditional amplification techniques. These findings are helpful in counseling children 5 years and older and their families regarding treatment options for single-sided deafness.”

Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) are becoming more and more popular. Last year, a bone-anchored hearing aid was introduced which even allowed direct plug in of an MP3 player or a mobile! Currently, the main barrier to widespread use of BAHAs is the price which goes up to several thousands. However, the implants can supposedly last for 15 years.

In conclusion, the use of bone-anchored hearing devices has a great potential as a long-lasting hearing aid for children with hearing impairment. Instead of feeling embarrassed about having such an aid, some kids might find it even “cool” to have such a high-tech gadget.

Only people who have suffered from this disorder can describe what it really “sounds” like. Descriptions range from soft hissing, to an annoying buzzing, to a downright loud roar of pneumatic drill. The worst thing is that your doctor doesn’t hear what you hear and you start questioning your sanity. Are you simply imagining things?

No, you are not. It is called tinnitus. According to the US National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Tinnitus is a symptom associated with many forms of hearing loss. It can also be a symptom of other health problems… Some cases are so severe that it interferes with a person’s daily activities. People with severe cases of tinnitus may find it difficult to hear, work, or even sleep.

Tinnitus approximately affects 25 million people in the US alone.  It can occur in one (unilateral) or both ears (bilateral).

What causes tinnitus?

• Hearing loss. Research studies have found a strong association between different kinds of hearing loss and tinnitus.
• Loud noise. Long-term exposure to loud noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. This has been observed in young people who routinely listen to loud music.
• Medications. Tinnitus is a common side effect of certain medications. The NIDCD estimates that more than 200 medicines can cause tinnitus.
• Other health problems. Allergies, brain tumours, cardiovascular problems as well as problems of the jaws, and neck can cause tinnitus.

A recent research by researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital reports the development of a non-invasive imaging technique can actually diagnose tinnitus.

The perceived sounds originate from certain areas of the brain and there used to be no way of pinpointing the specific location of tinnitus in the brain. However, the new imaging technique called magnetoencephalography (MEG), can more or less pinpoint the site of perception of tinnitus in the brain. Once the area is identified, doctors can target the area with electrical or chemical therapies to lessen symptoms.

According to study co-author Dr. Susan M. Bowyer, bioscientific senior researcher, Department of Neurology at Henry Ford Hospital.

“Since MEG can detect brain activity occurring at each instant in time, we are able to detect brain activity involved in the network or flow of information across the brain over a 10-minute time interval. Using MEG, we can actually see the areas in the brain that are generating the patient’s tinnitus, which allows us to target it and treat it.”

Other imaging techniques such as PET and fMRI have been used to try to unravel the puzzle of tinnitus. However, they only provided a general location of the tinnitus but wasn’t specific enough for targeted therapies.

MEG, by comparison, measures the very small magnetic fields generated by intracellular electrical currents in the neurons of the brain. It is used in presurgical mapping of the brain before epilepsy treatment or surgery to remove brain tumours. Only about 20 hospitals and clinics n the U.S. are equipped with a MEG scanner

According to Dr. Michael Seidman, director of the Otolaryngology Research Laboratory and co-director of the Tinnitus Center at Henry Ford

“With PET and fMRI, most of the auditory cortex of the brain lights up with activity during imaging. MEG, however, is a much more sophisticated machine and it can identify a specific tone or topic point, so only a small area in the brain lights up. It’s like having the lights on in only the city of Detroit, compared to having the lights on in the entire state of Michigan.”

For the study, Dr. Seidman and his colleagues collected MEG results from 17 patients with tinnitus and 10 patients without tinnitus. MEG data were collected for 10 minutes, and then digitally filtered. Study participants wore ear plugs to eliminate outside sounds, and kept their eyes open and fixated on one point on the ceiling in the room during testing.

Using a MEG scan, the researchers detected multiple small active areas in the brain of patients without tinnitus. However, none of these areas were found to be really coherent during the 10-minute MEG scan.

In contrast, patients with unilateral tinnitus showed the greatest amount of brain activity in the auditory cortex on the opposite site of the brain from their perceived tinnitus. For those with bilateral tinnitus, MEG imaging showed activity in both hemispheres of the brain, with greater activity appearing in the opposite side of the brain where the perception of tinnitus is strongest. The imaging technique has the great potential for more specific targeting that will help in alleviating the symptoms.

Current treatments for tinnitus are

• Hearing aids. Many people with tinnitus also have a hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid makes it easier for some people to hear the sounds they need to hear by making them louder. The better you hear other people talking or the music you like, the less you notice your tinnitus.
• Maskers. Maskers are small electronic devices that use sound to make tinnitus less noticeable. Maskers do not make tinnitus go away, but they make the ringing or roaring seem softer. For some people, maskers hide their tinnitus so well that they can barely hear it. Some people sleep better when they use maskers. Listening to static at a low volume on the radio or using bedside maskers can help. These are devices you can put by your bed instead of behind your ear. They can help you ignore your tinnitus and fall asleep.
• Medicine or drug therapy. Some medicines may ease tinnitus. If your doctor prescribes medicine to treat your tinnitus, he or she can tell you whether the medicine has any side effects.
• Tinnitus retraining therapy. This treatment uses a combination of counseling and maskers. Otolaryngologists and audiologists help you learn how to deal with your tinnitus better. You may also use maskers to make your tinnitus less noticeable. After a while, some people learn how to avoid thinking about their tinnitus. It takes time for this treatment to work, but it can be very helpful.
• Counseling. People with tinnitus may become depressed. Talking with a counselor or people in tinnitus support groups may be helpful.
• Relaxing. Learning how to relax is very helpful if the noise in your ears frustrates you. Stress makes tinnitus seem worse. By relaxing, you have a chance to rest and better deal with the sound.

A cochlear implant is a device that is surgically implanted in the inner ear in order to allow children with hearing impairment to perceive sounds. It does not restore hearing as such; it only helps in restoring auditory perception. In other words, what people with cochlear implants perceive and what we hear may not be completely the same.

A study by researchers at the University of Montreal looked at the benefits of cochlear implants and how they affect the long-term language skill development of recipient children. According to researcher Louise Duchesne, professor at the Université de Montréal‘s School of Speech Therapy and Audiology

“We don’t really know what hearing impaired children really hear with the implants. The only testimony we have comes from adults who describe the speech of the children as comparable to Donald Duck. The implant doesn’t provide the finesse of natural hearing, and even adults who once had perfect hearing, must once again learn to decode sounds and speech.”

The research study looked at hearing-impaired children who received cochlear implants before the age of two and have had the implant for two to six years. Language performance was assessed using tests that measure “vocabulary comprehension, expressed vocabulary, the understanding of concepts and sentences with subtleties like passive form and nouns in plural form.”

The results showed that the benefits of the cochlear implants vary from child to child. The results showed that

• Four out of fourteen study participants  had excellent language test results with ”level of comprehension of words, concepts and sentences was even higher than the average of children without hearing problems.”
• Ten children performed poorly, with language difficulties.
• Three children had major problems in all aspects of language.

The differences observed were not associated with gender, the brand of implant, medical background, impairment severity, and education. It is noted that children with cochlear implants regardless how the severe the hearing problems were before the implant, have the same “morphosyntactic problems”, which a difficulty in hearing certain words, especially pronouns and articles which we tend to say rather quickly.

Thus, the study concludes that cochlear implants do not give the same results depending on individual child and do not guarantee linguistic success in all those who receive them. Prof. Duchesne recommends that parents and therapist shouldn’t fully rely on cochlear implants in the development of language skills in children with hearing impairment. Parents should redo speech therapy exercises at home to help children process the information. Regular assessment should be performed to determine the child’s progress.

Cochlear implants have been a subject of controversy. We will be tackling the pros and cons of cochlear implants in a later post.

I remember once seeing this sticker on a loud speaker in a snack bar: “If it’s too loud, then you’re too old.”

Am I too old? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I can simply discern what is loud from the norm. Many people nowadays can’t tell anymore because their ears may be damaged.  In fact, 90% of men aged 60 or older have some form of hearing problems.

“Hearing loss is so prevalent that it has become the norm”

according to Dr. Roland Eavey who together with his team at Vanderbilt University conducted the 2002 MTV.com survey That study revealed that adolescents and young people consciously exposed themselves for loud music as a form of entertainment. At that time, the main exposure is from attending concnerts and going to discos or clubs. Nowadays it is the MP3 player.

The results of the 2^nd MTV.com survey conducted in 2007 is out and the prognosis does not look good. Here are some figures to ponder upon:

• About 2,500 people participated in the survey and of these, almost 50% of these experienced symptoms such as tinnitus after exposure to loud music.
• 32% of respondents think hearing loss is a big problem (vs. 8% in the 1^st survey)
• 75% of respondents owned an MP3 player.
• 24% of respondent used their music player for more than 15 hours a week.
• Almost 50% use 75 to 100% of the volume capacity of their player.
• 89% turn up their player’s sound if external sounds such as traffic noise compete with the music loudness.

What about awareness?

Awareness of the risks of loud music has improved since the last survey but is still low.

Interestingly, the survey respondents believe that the most informative source of information about prevention of hearing loss is the media whereas health care professionals are the least likely source of information.

 However, those who are fond of loud music, young or old, would turn down the sound or use ear protection if told by a health care professionals of the risks. In other words, health care providers have a big capacity to alter behaviour that can prevent hearing loss.

According to Eavey

“Since our last study we have learned that enough people still are not yet aware, but that more are becoming aware, especially through the help of the media…We have learned that the audience does use public health behaviours like sunscreen, designated drivers and seatbelts and that the health care community is the least likely source of informing patients about hearing loss, so we have an excellent opportunity to start educating patients.”

He is urging his fellow health care providers to help spread the word and the key messages are:

• Hearing loss due to loud music is preventable.
• Hearing loss is usually permanent and irreversible.
• Even hearing aids might not be able to help.

Considering the potential role of the media in hearing loss prevention, I think it is commendable that MTV.com is supporting such studies. Now that’s what I call corporate social respnosibility.

Photo credit: stock.xchng

Rod Stewart, Franka Potente, Diane Kruger and most recently Laura Pausini, these are just some of the many celebrities who are ambassadors of the “Hear the World“, featured in an exhibition of photography at the Saatchi Gallery in London last month. No less known is the photographer himself, no other than the Canadian musician Bryan Adams. Yes, Bryan, aside from being a hitmaker, is a talented photographer as well and is the official photo man of the Hear the World Initiative. His subject? His colleagues, from Placido Domingo to Amy Winehouse, from Annie Lennox to Mick Jagger, all posing with a hand cupping the ear, highlighting the importance of the hearing organ.

The exhibition is part of the Hear the World initiative, a project of the not-for-profit organization Hear the World Foundation, supported by the Swiss-based hearing aid manufacturer Phonak. It covers a wide range of activities – “from the education about the topic of hearing and hearing loss to the respective prevention measures such as offering hearing protection at events with high noise levels.”

The ambassadors contribute in anyway they can, through their art, be it in the form of music, acting or pictures to promote the importance of our sense of hearing and prevention of hearing loss.

The Bryan Adams photographs were exhibited in a Zurich exhibition last year. They are available for purchase ( www.hear-the-world.com/exhibition) and proceeds from the sale of the pictures will benefit the Hear the World Foundation. The goals of the Hear the World initiative are:

• providing information, on a global basis, on the subject of hearing and hearing loss, thus contributing to the prevention of hearing defects and a better handling of hearing loss.
• supporting groups, public institutions and private persons – through technology and financial assistance – who work towards the improvement of the quality of life and environment of people with hearing defects and the prevention of hearing defects.
• supporting selected individuals with hearing problems and their environment.
• supporting scientific studies and research projects on healthy and impaired hearing and on the handling and effects of hearing problems.
• general activities in the interests of the further development and well-being of people with hearing problems, in particular the integration of people with a hearing loss into the world of the hearing, the promotion of understanding in society for the importance of good hearing and to counter discrimination against the hard of hearing in society.

According to Dr. Valentin Chapero, CEO of Phonak and President of the Foundation Board of Hear the World.

“Hearing is quality of life, and people should be more aware of this. If we succeed in raising this awareness through Hear the World, my goal is achieved.”

Our sense of hearing is one of the most important of our senses and hearing impairment can have a detrimental effect on our way of life. Here some figures to ponder upon:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2005, 278 million people worldwide have moderate to severe hearing impairment in both ears.
• 80% of hearing-impaired people live in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).
• 50% of cases of hearing impairment is avoidable through prevention, early diagnosis, and management.
• In the US alone, more than 5 million children have a language, speech or hearing disorder.
• In LMIC, less than 1 in 40 people who need a hearing aid can afford one.

Hearing and speech problems most often go together. These disorders may be due to birth and genetic defects, illnesses or injuries. The earlier hearing disorders occur in a child’s life, the higher are their impact in the child’s development, especially language and speech development as well as gross motoric skills and balance. Later on, it can affect the child’s social and learning skills. Like in most disorders, the key to successful resolution is early detection and intervention. Since 1927, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has observed the Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM) every May. The month is focused on raising awareness of speech and hearing disorders, especially among parents. Many parents are not adept in identifying such kind of disorders in their children, much more knowing what to do once they observe a problem. BHSM “provide parents with information about communication disorders to help ensure that they do not seriously affect their children’s ability to learn, socialize with others, and be successful in school.”

According to ASHA, some signs of speech and language disorders in children are:

• Stuttering 
• Articulation problems (“wabbit” instead of “rabbit”) 
• Language disorders such as the slow development of vocabulary, concepts, and grammar. 
• Voice disorders (nasal, breathy, or horse voice and speech that is too high or low)

As mother of twin boys who were born premature and brought up bilingually, I am always on alert whether my children’s language skills are developing normally on not.

The most common signs of hearing disorders in children are (source ASHA):

• Inconsistently responding to sound 
• Delayed language and speech development 
• Unclear speech 
• Sound is turned up on electronic equipment (radio, TV, cd player, etc.) 
• Does not follow directions 
• Often says “Huh?” 
• Does not respond when called 
• Frequently misunderstands what is said and wants things repeated

Normally, the pediatrician or the family doctor should check children right from infancy for hearing problems. It is also recommended that starting the age of 5 or at the latest, right before school entry, children should undergo a general physical exam which should include eye tests but also hearing and speech screenings.

The professionals who can help:

• An Ears, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist (also called otolaryngologist) is specialized in disorders of these organs. However, only a small fraction of his or her work has something to do with the ears of hearing.
• An otologists (sometimes called neurotologists) is usually an ENT who has taken additional training or studies to specialized mainly with the ear and hearing disorders.
• An audiologist is non-medical professional who is specialized in the non-medical management of hearing and balance disorders. He or she is not a doctor but can conduct hearing screenings and perform rehabilitation therapies and refer patients to a medical specialist
• A speech-language pathologist can conduct evaluations and diagnosis of speech and language disorders as well as conduct therapies and rehabilitation problems.

By Peter Rodrick

If you are looking for earache remedies then you are at the right place because in next 15-20 minutes I will tell you how to get relief from earache with some simple but useful earache home remedies

But if the condition is severe then contact your doctor immediately. Do not waste time on internet. Remember always health is wealth

What is Earache?

Earache is very common problem for both children and adults. An earache is pain caused by an infection of the ear. The medical term for an ear infection is otitis

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can all cause ear infections. The buildup of pressure in the eustachian tube is one of the major causes of earache. Tonsillitis and sinus infections also result in earache, especially among children

Home Remedies for Earache

1. One of the well liked home remedy for earache is to grind a few Holy basil leaves and extract some juice. Put 2 drops inside the ear.

2. Boil some cloves of Garlic in water. Crush them and add a pinch of salt. Enfold this poultice in a flannel and place on the aching ear.

3. Pour some garlic juice in the aching ear. Its antibiotic characteristics help to reduce the pain.

4. If your earache has rises in elevation then just chew gum. This will contract the muscles and open the eustachian tube.

5. Another fine home remedy for earache is to put few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the aching ear.

6. Put two drops of holy basil leaves juice in the painful ear.

7. Take out the juice of the tender leaves of a mango and make it a little warm. Put four drops in both ear as this helps in the treatment of earaches. One of the fine home remedies for earache.

8. Put some seeds of the fenugreek in any kind of oil; mustard and linseed oils are the finest. Then warm this to some extent. After that, cool and then filter the oil and put it in each ear. About four to five drops of the oil in each ear will helps in eliminating the pain completely.

9. Add half a clove of garlic in a teaspoonful of sesame oil and heat it on a flame till it becomes a little hot. Put four drops of the oil in the one ear and stay on this side for ten minutes. Then turn over and put the oil in the second ear also. Stay on this side too for ten minutes.

10. Mix drops each of garlic oil, grapefruit seed extract, and eucalyptus essential oil. Put in ears with a dropper several times daily.

For more valuable information visit natural and home remedies for earache at Herbal home remedies and natural treatments

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Rodrick

By John Currie

Often we are not even aware of the dangers in today’s noisy world and we don’t even know what causes ringing ears? Did you know that loud music playing on your Ipod can be causing damage to the inner ear if the volume is too loud, even if you frequently attend nightclubs or noisy pubs the constant noise could be causing your tinnitus. Exposure to noise is responsible for up to 85% of ringing in the ears cases that we have dealt with since 1999.

It is a vicious cycle because tinnitus causes stress and anxiety and is also worsened by stress and anxiety. Worrying over the tinnitus can cause it to become worse. Lack of sleep due to ringing in the ears leads to fatigue which makes the ringing worse. These are just some of the mental and emotional side effects of tinnitus and ringing in the ears.

To sum it up, any condition that involves hearing problems is likely to exhibit a symptom of ringing in the ears. Any difficulty in hearing will lead to ringing in the ears because of the absence of sound waves being recognized by the brain. This momentary obliteration of sound waves can cause an erratic action on the part of the brain since it has gotten used to interpreting the sound it receives on a regular basis.

Simple steps to stop your ears ringing:

First learn all you can about this terrible ailment and then get natural tinnitus treatment remedies to eliminate your symptoms.

Without the regular sound waves that it has to interpret, the brain will try so hard and in the process it short circuits itself, which is then the abnormal sound or so called ringing in the ears that a person with tinnitus can hear. This explains why the ringing noise in the ears is something that can be heard only by the person having it because it is something that happens internally. There are no external factors which causes it hence a person having tinnitus must not expect that other people can hear the noise they are hearing.

When combined with the frustration and depression that comes with not being able to live how you want, tinnitus takes a huge emotional toll on even the strongest person.

Many are so haunted by the sounds of ringing ears that it affects every aspect of their daily lives leading them to seclusion, paranoia, insomnia, depression and for many, even suicidal thoughts or attempts.

If you need to know more about what causes ringing ears and what your best treatment options make sure download this FREE 130pg tinnitus self help guide check it out is is a great read.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Currie

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