Category: Hearing Aids

A recent study has indicated that individuals with untreated hearing loss may be more at risk of dementia when compared to those without hearing loss. The study, published in The Lancet Public Health journal on April 13, is the largest of its kind, comprising 437,704 individuals, and is the most compelling evidence to date of this connection. However, there is some hope. The findings also suggest that early detection of hearing loss and treatment with hearing aids can eliminate this increased risk to improve longevity.

What medications can cause hearing loss or tinnitus? Quite a few. Believe it or not, but more than 600 medications can cause tinnitus, hearing loss, or balance problems. These ototoxic drugs include over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

On August 16th, the FDA announced rules for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, promising sweeping changes for hearing healthcare and purportedly creating a new class of more affordable and accessible types of hearing aids. Now, retailers can sell OTC hearing aids directly to consumers with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss without seeing an audiologist.

Currently, about 10 million Americans have hearing aids or a related hearing device. Hearing aids are remarkably useful for treating hearing loss, especially since there is no cure for sensorineural hearing loss.

In certain cases, hearing aids have been shown to help reduce tinnitus. According to a study conducted by Sergei Kochkin (Ph.D.) and Richard Tyler (Ph.D.), 60% of 230 surveyed patients experienced some relief from their tinnitus through the use of hearing aids alone. These devices are most effective when used in conjunction with Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) to assist in the management and control of tinnitus. In this article, we will cover how the use of hearing aids can help manage tinnitus.

There is no denying that over the past few decades, the technologies we use in our everyday lives has been rapidly changing. Many of these changes revolve around the use of smartphones, smart homes, and other “smart” systems, but developments in industries such as audiology have often gone overlooked by the general public.