4MyEars

Here is a link to a very interesting radio interview from NPR.  Dr. Alicia Quesnal of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary talks about hearing loss in patients that were victims of the Boston tragedy.

Stay safe, have fun, and protect those ears!

From the Hearing Review.

Many third person documentaries have been produced about cochlear implant recipients. Now, an Oxford University student in the United Kingdom has produced a first person documentary that shares her experience of hearing the world through a cochlear device.

The video was made by cochlear implant recipient Helen Willis, who starts by briefly explaining the technical aspects of an Advanced Bionics’ cochlear device. But that’s only a small part of the video’s 9 minute length.

Most of the video shares Ms Willis’ life with the implant, which she received after contracting meningitis as a child.

According to a new study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), women who took ibuprofen or acetaminophen two or more days per week had an increased risk of hearing loss. However, there was no association between aspirin use and hearing loss.

The study, recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that the more often a woman took ibuprofen and acetaminophen, the higher her risk for hearing loss. Also, the link between these medicines and hearing loss tended to be greater in women younger than 50 years old, especially for those who took ibuprofen 6 or more days per week.

May is national “Better Hearing Month”. We believe that hearing health and education is important at all ages.  In honor of this, Miracle-Ear reached out to the local school districts to participate in a coloring contest.   We would like to thank all of the participating schools, we received over 120 entries!

All entries received a prize.  As well as, eight 3rd place winners were awarded a free ice cream from Dairy Queen.  Six 2nd place winners received a free bowling at West Park Lane Bowling Alley.   The winner of first place received a new Nintendo 3DS!

Noisy toys and MP3 players may cause noise-induced hearing loss in children. But you can do something to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.

The incidence of noise-induced hearing loss among American children is on the rise.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders in the US, the number of Americans aged 3 and older with hearing loss has more than doubled since 1971. Recent data indicates that over 12% of children between the ages of 6-19 and over 15% of children between the ages of 12-19 have noise-induced hearing loss.

Even mild hearing loss triples the risk of difficulties maintaining gait and balance, a study shows.

A link between hearing loss and falling was found by American researchers. The study indicates that having even a minor hearing impairment can increase the risk of a fall.

“People with impaired hearing have poor awareness of their overall environment, and that makes them more likely to trip and fall,” says Dr. Frank Lin, an Otologist and epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.

Have you had your hearing checked recently? Stop by our offices today for a FREE hearing test!

And while you are contemplating when you should stop by, read this inspiring article about a boy with hearing loss who defied odds and won a scholastic reading award!

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/hearing-impaired-bronx-boy-12-kids-nation-win-scholastic-system-reading-award-scholarship-article-1.1066589?localLinksEnabled=false

May is Better Hearing Month across the nation and that means we here at Miracle-Ear in Southeast Missouri are gearing up for an exciting month of educating school children about how they can keep their hearing safe.  We are kicking off our campaign with a coloring contest, open to children under the age of 10.  This contest will highlight the benefits of practicing healthy hearing in a fun and exciting setting!

Where’s the one place you should never kiss a baby — or anyone else? The ear, according to a professor of audiology at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

An innocent kiss right on the ear opening creates strong suction that tugs on the delicate eardrum, resulting in a recently recognized condition known as “cochlear ear-kiss injury.” Such a kiss can lead not only to permanent hearing loss, but a host of other troubling ear symptoms including ringing, sensitivity to sound, distortion and aural fullness.