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Untangling the emotional and physiological aspects of hyperacusis

In hyperacusis, the physiological and the emotional aspects can become deeply entwined. Dr Sarah Theodoroff draws us into her perspectives on this important aspect of the condition. Background Sounds and Emotions The basic act of hearing sounds triggers an emotional...

Collaborating with patients on research priorities in hyperacusis: the James Lind Alliance project

An innovative and inclusive approach to the identification and prioritisation of research questions is to place the views of patients at the heart of the process, and in partnership with clinicians. The application of this to hyperacusis is described by...

Wilde and the foundations of medical epidemiology

William Wilde (father of Oscar) was renowned as an otologist, but less well known for his work in epidemiology. The bedrock of the modern discipline of public health is good data collection, and we hear from our good friend, Ray...

The effects of leisure noise exposure on young people’s hearing

There is growing concern regarding the effects of leisure noise exposure on young people’s auditory system. Information provided by healthcare professionals should be evidence-based; Hannah Keppler discusses some recent findings about hearing in young people. Excessive noise exposure can lead...

Conspiring together: tinnitus and hearing loss

In this special feature, Nic Wray of the British Tinnitus Association and Zheng Yen Ng of The Ear Foundation present the results of their report into managing tinnitus for people with hearing loss. In September 2015, the British Tinnitus Association...

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...

Paediatric auditory brainstem implant: overview and outcomes

Auditory brainstem implants were first used in adults with NF2. They have more recently become a technology option for children but what is the evidence to support this choice? This article discusses the evidence so far. Auditory brainstem implant is...

Screening for hearing loss in primary care

Hearing impairment is one physical disability that is increasing in prevalence in society in general, and in older adults in particular. Approximately 34 to 36 million Americans report suffering from some degree of hearing impairment with the number rising to...

Hearing aid microphone considerations for binaural hearing: When to select natural or aggressive directional microphone technology?

Should I use omni-directional or fixed directionality? Does it make a difference if I’m fitting a unilateral hearing loss? Mark Laureyns discusses the current evidence on directional microphones and provides practical advice on the systems and when to employ them....

In conversation with Reza Rahbar

Reza Rahbar is professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School and associate otolaryngologist-in-chief at Boston Children’s Hospital. He initiated and leads IPOG, the International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group. I met up with him to ask more about it. Reza Rahbar DMD,...

Screening for hearing aid fittings – an approach for primary care

Introduction The communication difficulties related to hearing loss can lead to ‘depression, social withdrawal and problems with employment and access to information sources’ [1]. Furthermore, unmanaged hearing loss is associated with dementia, a poorer quality of life, depression, anxiety and...

On the influence of sex on tinnitus burden and its phenotypes

One important aspect of the new paradigm in tinnitus research is to question basic assumptions. What associations does the sex of a person have with their experience of and reaction to tinnitus? Chris Cederroth raises the question and tells us...