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Birmingham 2020 – think big, think BACO

When Richard Irving and Ann-Louise McDermott made their successful bid to host BACO 2020 in Birmingham, they knew it had far more going for it than the International Conference Centre! Lucy Dalton tells us a little more about the attractions...

What do animal models tell us about tinnitus and hyperacusis?

Do animals have tinnitus? The obvious question to ask is: do animals have tinnitus? It is known that tinnitus is a conscious percept and as such affected by attention and not audible during sleep. For it to be demonstrated that...

Thyroid dysfunction and Meniere’s disease: is there a relationship?

The set of symptoms described as Meniere’s disease may have several causative factors. Timothy Hain and Patthida Maroongroge look for a relationship in the literature between Meniere’s disease and hypothyroidism. Meniere’s disease (MD) affects around two in 1000 people and...

Diagnosing and managing somatic tinnitus

Interactions between auditory and somatosensory pathways can lead to interesting tinnitus experiences which can be very bothersome. Dr Sarah Michiels describes her pioneering work in this area, and the possibilities of physiotherapy based therapy. Background Somatic (also called somatosensory) tinnitus...

Cochlear implantation in children with congenital single-sided deafness

To date, there has been very limited data supporting the effectiveness of early provision of a cochlear implant to the deaf ear in infants with congenital single-sided deafness. In this article, the authors share their pioneering work with this special...

Using the Ling-Madell-Hewitt (LMH) Test Battery

Why change a classic? Because of new knowledge and improved technology, of course! Drs Hewitt and Madell present an update to Daniel Ling’s classic speech test. One of Daniel Ling’s legacies is the Ling Six Sound Test which presents six...

Assessment of genetic disorders: congenital sensorineural hearing loss

Severe or profound sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI) is a common birth defect, affecting approximately 1 in 1000 newborns [1]. SNHI may result from environmental causes or have a genetic basis. The genetic causes can be further subdivided into non-syndromic (isolated...

The Brain’s Connectome – a symphony inside our brains and how hearing loss disturbs the music

Understand us; where do we begin? In this article the authors’ introduce a project that may uncover that our personalities and traits are a product of the interconnected wiring within our brain. The team discusses the Human Connectome Project and...

When everyday sounds are unbearable: understanding pain and loudness hyperacusis

Everyday sounds can feel unbearably loud or physically painful for people with hyperacusis, a complex disorder that may require tailored, cautious care. Hyperacusis is a disorder in which everyday sounds are experienced as uncomfortable or intolerable. For some people, sounds...

Dementia assessments for people with deafness, deafblindness or visual impairment in Scotland

How is the medical community doing with assessing cognitive decline in those with a sensory impairment? The ALLIANCE Scottish Sensory Hub was tasked with finding out. Background There is growing evidence of a connection between dementia and sensory loss. However,...