by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained: My hearing is not what it used to be. I don’t use hearing aids or anything else now. I have an Ameriphone XL-40 amplified desk phone. I’m looking for a way to make it hands free [headset with microphone] at a reasonable price. Any ideas? I was once […]
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Tinnitus Prevalent Among Young Adults
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Here’s a shocking statistic—75% of 18 to 30 year-olds who go to nightclubs and concerts may experience tinnitus, according to an article published in a recent edition of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. That’s a lot of people flirting with disaster to their ears. You see, in such situations tinnitus is […]
Is Amitriptyline Ototoxic?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man asked: Could you tell me if my sleeping pills, Amitriptyline, are ototoxic? I’ve become very concerned because my hearing loss was caused by prescription medicines after treatment for prostate cancer. The otolaryngologist kept on insisting it was coincidence, but then I did find out that the medicines, in fact, […]
What Is a Mixed Hearing Loss?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man asked: When an audiologist says you have a ‘mixed’ hearing loss, what exactly does he mean? Hearing loss basically comes in 4 “flavors”. First, there are conductive losses. Conductive losses comprise about 10% of all hearing losses. They are typically mechanical hearing losses in the outer and middle ear […]
Cochlear Implant or Stem Cell Therapy—Which?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man wrote: I read your article ‘Hair cell regeneration—looking beyond the hype’ which was very encouraging. Currently, my hearing has been severe to profound since age 13. I’m 48 now, but I’ve worn a hearing aid since I was three. I am now in the process of undergoing a cochlear […]
Effective Ways to Hear Questions from the Audience if You Are the Speaker
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady explained: I have severe hearing loss and am looking for an assistive device that might help me in meetings and conferences, especially when I am the presenter. I’ve really cut back on doing these things because I can’t hear the speaker, or when I’m presenting—those in the audience who […]
Residual Inhibition Can Temporarily Eliminate Tinnitus
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man wrote: I have tinnitus. Tonight I was surfing the web and found a site that played pure tones at various frequencies when you clicked on the corresponding buttons. To my surprise, most of my high-pitched tinnitus went away for a while after listening to the higher-frequency sounds! Does this […]
Are Diabetes Medications Ototoxic in the Long Term?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man asked: I take Glyburide and Glucophage for Diabetes Type II. Is there any evidence that prolonged use of Glyburide or Glucophage XL is ototoxic? I have no information indicating that Glucophage is ototoxic, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that drug. Glyburide can be mildly ototoxic. It has […]
Hearing Loss Support Groups—both On-line and Face-to-Face
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained: I am interested in finding information about face-to-face support groups for those of us who are hard of hearing. Do you have any insight on finding such a group? I have searched briefly on the web and called the local self-help center but have not found anything. If […]
Sources of Financial Assistance for Purchasing Hearing Aids
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. © Feb, 2010, Updated Nov, 2020 A question I get asked is: Where can I get financial help for purchasing hearing aids? They are so expensive, and I can’t afford them, but need them. Can you help me? There are a number of sources of help, but ferreting them out is […]