Wayne's World

The history of ear impression materials has not been systematically traced, even though what have been described as “custom” earmolds have been reported to at least 18851, implying that some kind of ear impression served as a model. The first report identifying an impression material for the ear (wax) was by Hawksley in 1890.  The Hawksley reference, and a previous post, have

Those in the discipline of hearing, and many individuals, are saddened to hear that one of the pioneers in our field, William “Bill” Rintelmann, passed away on August 21, 2016 at his home in Carefree, AZ. His exemplary academic career in audiology started with his graduation from Arizona State College, followed by M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Indiana University. Bill

Earmolds for hearing aids have been a staple for many years, made from impressions of the ear. Although considerable information exists about the earmold, the finished product, early ear impression history is murky. What we do know is that ear impressions took their lead from impressions of the teeth (dentistry), following somewhat later. The contribution of dentistry to hearing aid

An ear impression has most often been used to fabricate an earmold (earpiece) that fits into portions of the outer ear to direct amplified sound toward the tympanic membrane (Figure 1).  Essentially, an ear impression is made by placing a viscous, thixotropic impression material into the concha and part of the ear canal.  When it sets to become an elastic

by Eugene R. Worth, MD   Now that you understand about ear barotrauma and other ear or sinus pathology and SCUBA diving from my previous post, let’s see if we can put it all together – ear pathology and diving. Of course, I have a case to discuss. By the way, all of the cases presented here are real. I have

  “Do Not Let the otoblock come in contact with the eardrum.”  Instructions such as this to individuals taking ear impressions has been the topic of post 1 and 2 providing evidence busting the ear impression otoblock myth suggesting such placement.   Otoblock to Protect the Eardrum?   The purported purpose is to protect the eardrum/tympanic membrane (TM), as so

In Part 3 of this series on rational tinnitus drug treatment, I will review the advantages and limitations of using animal models to understand this seemingly simple, yet intractable disorder.  Part 1 provided information about control with medication and the impact of tinnitus on individuals. Part 2 detailed the difficulties associated with the desire to treat tinnitus with a pill.

This post is a continuation of Part 1 by Dr. Carol Bauer which introduced the concept of Rational Drug Treatment for Tinnitus – The Gabapentin Story, or Why Aren’t the Pills Working?  An example of following the need for a proper rationale, and evidence supporting tinnitus drug treatment, using the drug gabapentin as an example, is the topic of Part

Hearing Health and Technology Matters is honored to present a three-part series on tinnitus drug treatment by Dr. Carol Bauer, a recognized international authority on tinnitus. Dr. Bauer is Professor and Chair of the Division of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois. Her areas of interest and expertise relate to hearing loss, balance

Myth.  “The ear impression otoblock stops the ear impression material from going too far into the ear canal, and protects the eardrum by not allowing it to come into contact with the eardrum.” This post continues as background to show that the above statement is a myth, and a more realistic approach should be taken to the placement of the