Ear & Head

  Listening to loud music at a concert or nightclub for extended periods of time can leave your ears ringing. Research published in JAMA Otolaryngology suggests wearing earplugs to loud events can reduce or prevent temporary hearing loss and tinnitus. Cases of acquired hearing loss are on the rise, with rates among adolescents up by 31% since 1988, according to the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The trend may be related to exposure to recreational noise through attending concerts, festivals, nightclubs and

  Researchers have linked symptoms of cochlear synaptopathy, a “hidden” condition linked to the generation of tinnitus and hyperacusis, to difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments in college-age adults who regularly expose their ears to loud noises but who otherwise have normal hearing sensitivity, according to a new study from Massachusetts Eye and Ear. Although all 34 participants passed a standard audiogram—indicating no hearing loss—those who self-reported that they did not regularly use hearing protection when exposed to loud sounds

It has long been known that certain chemotherapy drugs are associated with hearing loss. But now for the first time, a new study at Indiana University has found a correlation between higher doses of a commonly used drug and increased hearing loss.   The drug in question is cisplatin, widely used for cancer treatment for more than 40 years. Researchers examined the cumulative effects of cisplatin-based chemotherapy on the hearing of testicular cancer survivors through in-depth testing of their ability to