Fashionable Ear Protection?
Today's youth seemed to be oblivious to the affects of loud noise on their hearing. Perhaps it is "uncool" to rock responsibility? Well one young entrepreneurial is hoping to change that. Lesley Sutcliffe created Earshots Jewelry, which combines the prevention of hearing loss with dangly earrings in order to make a fashion statement. The end result? Protecting your hearing in style!
This product is targeted for anyone who subjects themselves to loud sounds on a regular basis, such as concert goers, race car fans, concert performers, gun enthusiasts, and club regulars just to name a few.
If you are one who wants to save your hearing for later in life and do it with style, check out Earshots Jewelry.
A Child's Kiss Deafens Mother
A New York woman who lost her hearing after her daughter gave her a kiss on her ear two years ago says she is getting some of her hearing back. Gail Schwartzman of Hicksville, NY reports her daughter gave her an affectionate kiss and the suction created from the kiss displaced her eardrum and paralyzed the three middle ear bones behind the ear drum.
The mother has regained some hearing, but continues to also suffer from tinnitus - ringing in the ears.
According to the article reported by United Press International, Hofstra University hearing expert Levi Reiter, who is set to publish a report on Schwartzman's situation this summer, said the incident should serve as a warning to anyone with a penchant for extremely affectionate kissing.
Big Brown's Jockey Brings Awareness to Usher Syndrome
If Big Brown's Jockey, Kent Desormeaux, had won the Triple Crown he would have dedicated his win to his son Jacob who suffers from Usher's Syndrome. Although he did not win the Triple Crown, Desormeaux was still able to bring awareness to the rare disorder his son was born with.
Jacob, age 9, was born deaf and was diagnosed with User Syndrome within the first year of his life. Doctors have told the Desormeaux family that Jacob will eventually lose his eyesight by the time he is an adult.
Usher Syndrome, although rare, is the most common syndrome to affect both eyesight and hearing. The major symptoms of Usher Syndrome are hearing loss and an eye disorder called retinitis pigmentosa, or RP.
Recently the National Eye Institute and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) joined forces to create an online resource devoted to Usher Syndrome, http://www.ushersyndrome.nih.gov/. This website serves as a resource for both parents and scientists, and also provides basics facts on Usher's Syndrome.
For more information on Usher's Syndrome you may also visit NIDCD's website.
Restaurants Prove Difficult
A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle reported the chronicle has been including a "noise" rating with their restaurant reviews because so many readers were complaining of background noise at restaurants. Now their reviews contain noise ratings - one bell being pleasantly quiet, at less than 65 decibels, up to the too-noisy-for-normal-conversation "bomb" at 80-plus decibels. Readers are reporting difficulty finding restaurants with below 75 decibels of sound.
According to a recent study conducted by UC Berkeley and Berkeley's Starkey Hearing Research Center, when background conversations reach 65 decibels and higher, people have trouble retaining information when someone is talking to them in a group setting, such as a restaurant. For persons with hearing loss, this amount of background noise can greatly affect their ability to hold conversations.
So before you go out to eat, check out the local restaurant reviews to see if "noise" is a factor in their rating. The following are a few tips for quieter eating:
-- Go at off hours, when there are fewer crowds.
-- Ask to be seated where seating is less dense.
-- Find alcoves or corners shielded by walls.
-- Avoid sitting near tables with large parties, where conversations are likely to be louder.
-- Avoid tables near the kitchen or bar, where background noise is typically higher.
Hybrid Cars Unsafe Due to Low Vehicle Noise
It's a noisy world we live in and although we aim to protect ourselves from environmental noise, some people actually want to protect themselves from too little noise. An article recently published in the Tennessean reported there has been a congressional bill introduced in order to examine if hybrid cars should be made more audible for pedestrians, especially the blind, due to safety concerns.
The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008 proposes a two-year study determining the most practical way for hybrid and electrical vehicles (EVs) - cars that are functionally silent at slow speeds - to provide non-visual cues for pedestrians. The solution probably will establish a minimal sound level for hybrids and EVs sold after 2010.
Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Common in Returning Vets
According to a recent article on Healthy Hearing (http://www.healthyhearing.com/), since the Iraq war began in 2003 nearly 70,000 soldiers are currently collecting disability for tinnitus, and more than 58,000 are on disability for hearing loss, making hearing damage the number one disability produced by this war.
Researchers are hopeful they are close to developing better hearing protection for soldiers in combat. The University of Illinois, for example, is working on what they call a "smart" combat helmet. Also recently reported the Pentagon plans to pay $50M towards tinnitus research.