This adjustable elastic was designed for those with special needs, such as those with autism and wearers of hearing aids. The principal is simple: One strap goes around the neck, the other one around the head. The problem was the bottom elastic—it gets caught in the hearing aids and the elastic turns into a slingshot.
The Things I Miss
I formally learned of my mild to moderately-severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at age 49. The ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor’s verdict was unexpected. Almost 13 years later, I wear hearing aids vigilantly, but there’s still so much that I miss about having typical hearing.
COVID-19 and Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Vertigo
Over the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, case reports and studies have suggested a link between the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 and hearing loss and related conditions.
Finding a “New Normal” After Sudden Single-Sided Deafness
Michael Goldsmith realized he had lost his hearing in his left ear when he woke up from his medically induced coma in March 2020. His account demonstrates the learning process and journey to a cochlear implant when sudden deafness occurs as just one part of a more complex medical situation.
Doing My Part to Break Sound Barriers
In September 2020, I conducted my own fundraiser for Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) online. I don’t live with a hearing and balance condition and do not have any family members affected. Rather, I became inspired to help after a very memorable elementary school experience.
Keep It With You
Like many of you, this past 12 months have been an almost overwhelming avalanche of change, stress, and “new normals.” While COVID-19 has been a universal experience for all, it has also changed our individual needs and behaviors patterns in both large and small ways.
Aging Actively
Aging actively is more than a phrase. It’s about extending healthy life expectancy and quality of life for all people as they age. We all know that connecting to one another and our physical world is absolutely vital in preserving our wellbeing, so as we think of our five senses, many would agree that hearing plays an important role in maintaining our quality of life.
Hearing Aid History: Ear Trumpets, European Royalty, & Earbuds
Hearing aid history is filled with inventions, from the ear trumpet in the 17th century to the high-tech hearing aids and amplifiers (Personal Sound Amplification Products, or PSAPs) we have today. As the author Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.” Although this isn’t quite true, some people benefit so much from their hearing aid or amplifier that it can feel like magic.
A Medical Mystery
I am an 87-year-old retired otolaryngologist–head & neck surgeon. I am writing this to present a medical mystery. In 2016 I began to experience several health issues at the same time. I developed double vision, which was corrected using glasses, and after an extensive trip across the country to visit family and friends, an old knee problem flared up. Since my knee failed to respond to a routine cortisone injection, it was recommended that my hip be replaced.
How Billy the Marlin Went to Bat for Inclusion
Billy the Marlin certainly did his part practicing social distancing during the 2020 MLB season. Not only did the Marlins’ popular, long-beaked mascot stay clear of those around him during games, he also helped raise awareness for the hearing impaired.