Person-centric practice within a hearing wellbeing programme

This Australian team describe their development process of a hearing wellbeing programme beginning in August 2020, with a wide variety of stakeholders being involved. Primarily, they report, they aimed to overcome the challenge of providing engaging social and emotional support...

Case study suggesting mtDNA mutation as a tinnitus factor: ND1:m.3394T>C

Konadath et al report a genetic case study of a 24-year-old female experiencing reduced hearing sensitivity and tinnitus along with a blocked sensation in her right ear, sudden onset one year prior with no other otological complaints. Standard audiometry along...

Sound levels in our daily public places

Hearing conservation and noise safety are significant public health issues globally. Drinkwater’s article describes a wide variety of initiatives which contribute to healthier sound levels in public spaces and daily environments. One of particular interest is hearing assistive technology (HAT)...

Audiological decision-making in a complex bimodal case of adult congenital atresia

The authors describe a clinical case of a 65-year-old man with left congenital atresia who, as an adult, developed hearing loss in his right (better) ear and subsequently began seeking audiological intervention for hearing difficulties. Their client’s unique case history...

Tinnitus without hearing loss – inflammation?

Inflammation can have a profound impact on multiple systems. Certainly in recent years, autoimmune conditions are on the rise and the impact on audiovestibular symptoms have been documented. Given the rates in the population, the impact of inflammation on the...

Where is it?

Humans’ ability to process sound is a multi-faceted phenomenon. It is a marvel which likely changes through our ageing process and is influenced by a myriad of factors. This paper examines the particulars of the dimensions of sound processing –...

Systemic steroids for sensorineural hearing loss

This Japanese retrospective study looked at whether the dosage of prednisolone affects the response rate in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The authors included a total of 159 patients over a 14-year period who were treated with 200mg/day...

Not to be underestimated

Equipment may differ, formulas and hearing aids alter, but I am in agreement with what this article points out: the test box can be considered a vastly under-used and under-appreciated piece of equipment. It can provide an alternative verification for...

Are we now safe at work?

Fifty years is a long time, yet the years pass in a blink of an eye. Where are we in comparison to where we were then, in terms of the occupational protection from noise exposure and ototoxicity, other than being...

All present and correct

You have ear protection, but are you using it properly? What are the risks over time? The design of standard earplugs has changed a lot in a decade. Earplug attenuation did reduce over time but still remained safe, however the...

Lost and sound: exploring hyperbaric oxygen therapy for refractory SSNHL

Can hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) offer a breakthrough for patients with refractory sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL)? SSNHL is defined as acute hearing loss of ≥30 decibels in three consecutive frequencies within three days. Typically, it’s treated with two weeks...

The right ear advantage in noise

Relatively little is known about the right ear advantage, particularly in noise. The speech-in-noise performances were assessed in a group of 37 participants with normal hearing via a Matrix Test. Participants were tested binaurally, in a right-ear condition and a...