by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Humans are not the only creatures that use “hearing aids” in order to hear better. You may be surprised to learn that some animals do too. In Costa Rica, the Spix’s disk-winged bats (Thyroptera tricolor), named for suction-cuplike discs on their wings and feet, use leaves to funnel sound in a […]
Latest Tinnitus Research Findings
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. There is a lot of ongoing tinnitus research. Some of the findings are not new, but reinforce what we already knew about tinnitus. For example, a study about the efficacy of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy revealed that success rates strongly correlated to two things. First, the length of the treatment—meaning longer treatment […]
Safer Alternatives to Tranquilizers and Antidepressants
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. As many of you know, I am not a fan of taking prescription drugs, especially when there are safer alternatives, and almost always, there are safer alternatives. These safer alternatives will not only save your ears from the ototoxic side effects of the drugs, but they can also save your life. […]
Microtia—Small, Deformed or Absent External Ears
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Some “kids”–I kid you not–are born with small, deformed or absent external ears. The fancy medical name for this is “microtia”. Microtia is composed of two Latin words—micro—small or tiny, and otia—from oto—ear. So literally, microtia is “tiny ears”. If there isn’t even the nub of an external ear present, the […]
Sleep Apnea and Hearing Loss
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Who would have thought that hearing loss would be tied to sleep apnea? Yet that is exactly what researchers recently discovered. Sleep apnea (AP-nee-ah) is a disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds […]
Yes, You Can Loop Your Bed
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Donna contacted me about how to help her mother-in-law, Lois, better hear her TV. I explained about the wonders of loop systems. Then her husband Sam phoned me to ask how to best loop her bedroom. As we talked, I explained there were three ways he could hook the loop up […]