Getting in tune

Scientists believe it is possible to tune the cochlea so that sound bypasses damaged areas of nerve.

The theoretic possibility of restoring hearing in a re-tuned cochlea is described by scientists from Switzerland and South Africa in a scientific journal. The idea is to let functioning parts of the cochlea take over the sound processing from damaged parts. Injury to the cochlea (nerve centre of the ear) is a common cause of hearing loss. The damage may be done by infections, medications, acoustic trauma and ageing. Whatever the cause, the resulting damage affects the ability to detect sounds in certain frequencies, such as the frequencies of human speech. The hearing loss appears as holes in the normal frequency range.

These holes may be closed by re-tuning healthy parts of the cochlea to make them able to receive and process sounds that would normally be processed by the damaged areas.

Did You Know?

£700 for a plastic ear? That is illogical, captain.

It may seem completely illogical, but fans of the smash television show Star Trek are expected to fork out hundreds of pounds for a single piece of memorabilia from the franchise.

For a false ear worn by key character Mr Spock in the first Star Trek feature film has come up for sale - and is expected to fetch a staggering £700.

The silicone latex auricle with its famous pointed end has been carefully preserved, and now Trekkies - as fans of the hit show are known - are queuing up to buy it.

Pumping up the volume

Our brains turn up the volume when we speak. Neurons in different parts of our brain decide what we hear. Our brains can filter out unwanted noise so that we can focus on what we are listening to. However, when it comes to our own speech, there is a network of volume settings, which can selectively silence and amplify the sounds we make and hear. These are the findings of a brain study from the University of California, Berkeley. Activity in the auditory cortex when we speak and listen is amplified in some regions of the brain and muted in others.

The auditory cortex is a region of the brain’s temporal lobe that deals with sound. In hearing, the human ear converts vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to relay stations in the brain’s auditory cortex where they are refined and processed. Language is mostly processed in the left hemisphere of the brain.

It used to be thought that the human auditory system was mostly suppressed during speech, but evidence has now been found of millions of neurons firing together every time we hear a sound, right next to millions of neurons ignoring external sounds but firing together every time we speak.

Such a mosaic of responses could play an important role in how we are able to distinguish our own speech from that of others. Until this study, it was not clear how the human auditory system was internally connected.

New Staff Member!

We are delighted to welcome a new recruit to the House of Hearing staff.

David Parsons joined House of Hearing at the start of September and is enrolled on a two year hearing aid dispenser training programme linked to Queen Margaret University.

David already has qualifications in sound engineering and has worked in theatre production both here in Scotland and also on cruise liners across the world. With his technical expertise and wealth of colourful experience, we are sure he will fit in well on the good ship H of H!

Signature 2: The Next Generation

In a recent blog post, we told you of our desire to deliver exemplary hearing care with quality bespoke hearing instruments for truly individual assistance.

The Signature range of hearing instruments has been especially commissioned by AIHHP 'Centre of Excellence' clinics and we are pleased to announce that a new 2nd Generation instrument has been released called Signature 2.

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. Using the latest research, we know that 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 wanted to cut through the hearing aid marketing material with a simple message. Your signature is your seal of approval and is unique to you. This new instrument allows us to personalise the sound quality just for you, even more than before, to make it as individual as your signature.

To find out if Signature is suitable for you, call us on 0131 220 1220 or email us.

Hearing loss time bomb!

One in three people with hearing difficulties is too embarrassed to wear a hearing aid and refuses to visit an audiologist for advice, according to a recent study by a UK hearing care company. Of those polled only 16% sought help immediately after recognising a loss of hearing.

Action on Hearing Loss (formerly RNID), which this year celebrates its centenary, has signed a five year agreement with a private hearing aid retailer to work together to remove the stigma of hearing loss and promote hearing health. Together they have pledged to reach one million people nationwide over the next year.

Action on Hearing Loss chief executive, Jackie Ballard says: "Our own research shows that 45% of people who reported hearing problems to their GP were, at first not referred for a hearing test, and that there is, on average, a ten year delay between symptoms and treatment."

According to the charity’s report, Hearing Matters, it is estimated that up to four million people in the UK would benefit from a hearing aid and that this figure will rise as our population ages and noise pollution increases. By 2031 it is predicted that 14.5 million people in the UK will have some form of hearing loss.

People don’t think twice now about having their eyesight checked regularly but they put off having their hearing tested. Anything we can do to remove the stigma and encourage people to take action and seek help as soon as possible will have a huge impact and that is why we offer free hearing screening at all our Centres.

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!"