Some 600 cases of noise-induced hearing impairment are reported by the Norwegian petroleum industry every year. A new, intelligent earplug is now set to alleviate the problem. Norway’s largest company, Statoil ASA, is taking the problems associated with noise exposure seriously. Over the course of four years the international energy company has led efforts to further develop an existing combined hearing protection and communication product for use on offshore platforms…

The NIH has granted a University of Texas at Dallas researcher and a university-affiliated biomedical firm $1.7 million to investigate whether nerve stimulation offers a long-term cure for tinnitus. Described as a ringing in the ears, tinnitus affects 20 percent to 40 percent of recently returned military veterans and about 10 percent of all people over 65 years old. The U.S. Veterans Administration spends about $1 billion a year in disability payments related to tinnitus, said Dr. Michael Kilgard, associate professor in UT Dallas’ School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences…

Under an agreement announced by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing will be provided equal access to a nursing and rehabilitation facility in New York State and will be provided interpretation services when necessary for effective communication. Ramapo Manor Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing (Ramapo) in Suffern, N.Y., and OCR entered into an agreement following an investigation of a disability discrimination complaint…

Research funded by hearing loss charity RNID has discovered a drug which repairs hearing after damage caused by loud noise. Researchers at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, showed that exposure to loud noise led to hearing loss which was permanent if left untreated. If treated with a compound called ‘ADAC’ after noise damage, hearing recovered substantially. The scientists found that a five day treatment of daily injections through the skin starting six hours after noise exposure were most effective…

Deep inside the ear, specialized cells called hair cells detect vibrations in the air and translate them into sound. Ten years ago, Stefan Heller, PhD, professor of otolaryngology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, came up with the idea that if you could create these cells in the laboratory from stem cells, it would go a long way toward helping scientists understand the molecular basis of hearing in order to develop better treatments for deafness…

A study recently published in the journal Nature casts doubt on the effectiveness of brain-training exercises and has aging baby boomers and others looking for new ways to strengthen their cognitive abilities. For individuals with hearing loss, a sleek and stylish hearing solution from leading hearing device manufacturer Oticon, Inc. may provide a practical and attractive option for maintaining an edge today and in the future…

OmniGuide announced new clinical study results which demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its handheld fiber for CO2 laser stapedotomy compared to the handheld KTP laser, and the availability of two next generation products for otology. OmniGuide will be showcasing its new BeamPath® OTO products featuring compact and versatile fiber and handpiece designs based on breakthrough technology and discussing the results of the latest stapedotomy study by Vincent R et al. in booth 515 at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM) in Paris/Bally’s Las Vegas from April 28 - May 2…

DNA analysis of dried blood samples routinely collected from newborns did not effectively identify an infection that is a major cause of hearing loss in children, according to a study in the April 14 issue of JAMA. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important cause of congenital infection and a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children…

RNID funded research has discovered a new gene linked to inherited deafness, which could mean that more families will be able to identify the cause of their hearing loss. The discovery of this gene will help develop future treatments and, if it is incorporated into standard genetic testing, families with hereditary deafness will be able to more accurately find out the chances of having a child who is deaf and to understand the cause of their family’s deafness. Hearing loss charity RNID funded Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in The Netherlands to undertake the research…

Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., (SHI) announced a new product line based on the company’s BestSound Technology. For over 130 years Siemens has been a leader in hearing aid design and now, with BestSound Technology, the company has pushed the market standard to a new level. Siemens BestSound Technology is a sophisticated suite of device features which include SpeechFocus™, FeedbackStopper™ and SoundLearning® 2.0. “Siemens is proud of the innovations achieved with the BestSound Technology platform,” said Brian Kinnerk, CEO of Siemens Hearing Instruments in the Americas…