Wayne's World

Legalized OTC (over-the-counter) hearing aids are coming as a new consumer option. One of the arguments against this practice is that the potential purchaser has not had an audiogram from which to determine the type and degree of hearing levels to assist in the selection of the appropriate hearing aid, if such is to be recommended. However, serious discussion exists

This post is a third in a series related to the anatomy of the human ear, specifically of the pinna, or auricle.  Part 1 of this series started by identifying and defining the main external structural features of the auricle.  Part 2 concentrated on two primary dimensions of the auricle – length and width, but looked at these dimensions primarily

This post is a second in a series related to the anatomy of the human ear, specifically on the pinna, or auricle (Figure 1).  Part 1 of this series started by identifying and defining the main external structural features of the auricle.  This post concentrates on two primary dimensions of the auricle – length and width. The anatomy of the

The Human Ear – Auricle/Pinna The human ear is an important defining feature of the human face.  It has subtle structures that convey signs of age and sex that are unmistakable, yet not easily defined. The anatomy of the external ear, also known as the auricle or pinna, is complex and remarkably inaccurately described by most authors.  Although ear anatomy

Personnel who dispense hearing aids often listen to them using some kind of listening device to checke if an aid is functioning, how it sounds, to check for different programmed environmental settings, or for any number of other reasons.  A representative sample of commonly-used devices to listen to hearing aids is shown in Figure 1.  A number of hearing aid

  by Christopher Schweitzer, Ph.D.             Background – From Real Ear to Real Hear! In two prior posts,1,2 the argument was put forth that, despite good intentions, real ear measures (REMs) have important short comings. Essentially, it was proposed that there is a nontrivial disconnect between the quite acceptable precision of both audiometric and electroacoustic

Hearing aid sales, along with advertising and promotion seems to have locked onto the Big Three (cognition, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease) great fear motivators.  (Not all hearing aid advertising, but a significant amount focuses on the Big Three).  All three are currently promoted to result in cognition being reduced, slowed, or improved with the use of hearing aids for those

In a previous post, I referred to the “Big Three” motivators of current hearing aid sales promotion, the fears of: 1) deterioration in cognition, 2) increased dementia, and 3) increased Alzheimer’s disease.  What is being promoted heavily is that these three mental deterioration fears can be slowed, reduced or improved with hearing aid use.  Have these Big Three hearing aid

Hearing aid advertising and news stories recently have reached a pinnacle in motivating purchasing behavior by referencing disabilities that are certain to scare hearing-impaired individuals (intentionally or not) if hearing aids are not worn.  And, this fear is a great hearing aid motivator, especially when hearing loss and non-use of hearing aids suggests resulting cognitive disorders, using such phrases/terms as:

Barry Freeman, Ph.D.* A previous post on this subject suggested that a new era is being entered where consumers no longer have to deal with the hassles of replacement disposable batteries.  Instead, the trend will be to hearing aid rechargeable batteries. This is a second part of that article and is directed at these trends, concentrating on the differences to