That's purr-fect

Smokey the pet cat, officially has the LOUDEST purr ever recorded and is now entered into the Guinness World Records. Twelve-year-old Smokey from Northampton peaked at 67.7 decibels, which is about 16 times louder than a normal cat, but has been known to reach a deafening 92db – the same sound level as a hairdryer or lawnmower.

Confirming the cat's purr-themed title, a Guinness spokesperson said: "It's incredible to think a purr can be as loud as a vacuum cleaner!"

Why do we have earwax?

The outer ear is made up of the ear itself and the canal that leads to your eardrum. The ear canal is about one inch long. The skin of the ear canal contains wax-producing glands that are not present anywhere else on your body.

At first, you might wonder why the ear canal is designed that way. After all, the ear canal is like a tunnel that needs to be open for you to hear properly. So why coat it with wax? Well, the skin that lines the ear canal is very sensitive, and a coating of wax helps protect it. In addition, because earwax is sticky, it can trap dirt and objects that accidentally get into the canal entrance before going any deeper. The quantity and quality of earwax vary from person to person - some people make lots of wax while others make very little.

The most important thing to know about earwax is that you should leave it alone. The ear canal will naturally self clean itself but if you try to remove earwax with a cotton bud, it usually accomplishes one of two unintended goals: Either the wax is pushed in deeper and potentially blocks the canal or the sensitive skin lining the canal is scratched which can lead to infection.

For details on House of Hearing's microsuction wax removal service, click here!

Moose-tastic hearing

Moose have exceptional hearing, thanks to their huge ears which are 60% bigger than human ears and can rotate independently in almost every direction. Their antlers also act like giant hearing aids focussing sounds to their ears from up to two miles away.

Signature: bespoke hearing assistance

Our desire to deliver exemplary hearing care and value for money without compromising on quality is now available with our own bespoke hearing instrument called 'Signature'.

Easier speech clarity in noise and unparalleled sound quality were two of the most important criteria we looked for and we are pleased to announce that Signature achieves both these goals. Signature spotlights technology featured in all premium brands but at a lower cost. Based on the latest research, Signature recognises the fact that we all experience sound differently. Our hearing is unique. What we hear day to day is unique. Even the way our brains interpret sound is unique. So getting the best out of your hearing requires a combination of state of the art technology and professional expertise to precisely tailor the sound to match your own unique 'hearing signature'.

By commissioning Signature, we hope to cut through the hearing aid marketing material with a simple message. Your signature is your seal of approval and is unique to you. Our Signature hearing instrument carries our seal and is also unique. It allows us to design a hearing aid to perform with all the knowledge we have from years of fittings.

The new instrument allows us to personalize the sound quality just for you, to make it as individual as your signature. Signature instruments also don't whistle when you use the phone or when someone hugs you. They use mainly open-fitting technology so you hardly know they are there and can even be used with an additional range of wireless accessories to connect to your mobile phone, TV, stereo or computer. To find out if Signature is suitable for you, call on 0131 220 1220 or email us.