There has been a lot of news lately—in the hearing health space—that we want to highlight, from dementia research to ways to alleviate motion sickness and improve speech comprehension.

The brain may help regulate the ear’s sensitivity to sound and compensate for hearing loss by sending signals to the cochlea, a structure in the inner ear. This discovery could pave the way for new treatments for challenging hearing disorders such as hyperacusis and tinnitus.

After the marriage he confided to my mom that he had developed a mild to moderate sound intolerance from frequent loud exposures in his construction job, from bulldozers, claw hammers, jackhammers, etc.

While significant challenges remain, ongoing efforts in genetic research, immunology, and clinical trials offer hope for better management and potential cures for Ménière’s disease in the future.

Sound hypersensitivity disorders are conditions that disrupt a person’s ability to participate in normal daily activities due to physical discomfort, emotional distress, or excessive fear triggered by everyday sounds.

To cope, I use meditation to try to keep myself grounded, forget about yesterday, forget about tomorrow, and try to live each moment, the best I can. So when my head hits the pillow each night, the day was a success. 

The VA Hearing Disability Calculator is designed to help veterans determine their potential VA disability rating for hearing loss.

The complicated nature of composing when I have hearing damage forms the back story for "Mt. Mundane," making it a deeply reflective journey that symbolizes the challenge of coming to terms with the permanent, ceaseless tinnitus that is my reality.

This has been a big challenge for me, due to my pain hyperacusis and tinnitus, but now I feel very happy to have been able to compose for and participate in performances once again.

To the younger military generation I would say wear your hearing protection. And please, if you do have tinnitus symptoms seek help from an audiologist trained in tinnitus treatments.

Independence Day is a celebration of our country’s birthday, and we’re so grateful for the service of our active members of the military and veterans—who are, as we know, disproportionately affected by hearing loss and tinnitus. But now evidence is emerging of additional, severe brain injuries affecting service members.

These experiences highlight the need for patients, especially women, to advocate for accurate diagnoses.