‘BMJ’ Publishes ‘First Reported UK Case’ of Sudden Hearing Loss Linked to COVID-19

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‘BMJ’ Publishes ‘First Reported UK Case’ of Sudden Hearing Loss Linked to COVID-19

 

‘BMJ’ Publishes ‘First Reported UK Case’ of Sudden Hearing Loss Linked to COVID-19

Although uncommon, sudden permanent hearing loss seems to be linked to COVID-19 infection in some people, warn doctors, reporting the first UK case in the journal BMJ Case Reports. An article summariSing the results appears on the EurekAlert website.

Awareness of this possible side effect is important, because a prompt course of steroid treatment can reverse this disabling condition, they emphasise.

Related article: COVID-19 May Damage Hearing Cell Function, Study Shows

Sudden hearing loss is frequently seen by ear, nose, and throat specialists, with around 5-160 cases per 100,000 people reported every year. It’s not clear what the causes are, but the condition can follow a viral infection, such as flu, herpes, or cytomegalovirus.

Despite plenty of published research on sudden onset hearing loss, only a handful of other cases associated with COVID-19 have been reported, and none in the UK—until now.

The doctors describe a case of a 45-year-old man with asthma who was referred to the ear, nose, and throat department at their hospital after suddenly experiencing hearing loss in one ear while being treated for COVID-19 infection as an inpatient.

He had been admitted to hospital with COVID-19 symptoms which had been going on for 10 days. He was transferred to intensive care as he was struggling to breathe.

He was put on a ventilator for 30 days and developed other complications as a result. He was treated with remdesivir, intravenous steroids, and a blood transfusion after which he started to get better.

But a week after the breathing tube was removed and he left intensive care, he noticed ringing (tinnitus) in his left ear followed by sudden hearing loss in that ear.

He had not lost his hearing or had ear problems before. And apart from asthma, he was otherwise fit and well.

Examination of his ear canals revealed that he had no blockages or inflammation. But a hearing test showed that he had substantially lost his hearing in the left ear. He was treated with steroid tablets and injections after which his hearing partially recovered.

He tested negative for other potential causes, including rheumatoid arthritis, flu, and HIV, prompting his doctors to conclude that his hearing loss was associated with COVID-19 infection.

“Despite the considerable literature on COVID-19 and the various symptoms associated with the virus, there is a lack of discussion on the relationship between COVID-19 and hearing,” say the report authors. “Hearing loss and tinnitus are symptoms that have been seen in patients with both COVID-19 and influenza virus, but have not been highlighted.”

The first case of hearing loss mentioning COVID-19 alone was reported in April this year.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is thought to lock on to a particular type of cell lining the lungs. And the virus has also recently been found in similar cells lining the middle ear, explain the report authors. SARS-CoV-2 also generates an inflammatory response and an increase in the chemicals that have been linked to hearing loss.

“This is the first reported case of sensorineural hearing loss following COVID-19 infection in the UK,” write the report authors. “Given the widespread presence of the virus in the population and the significant morbidity of hearing loss, it is important to investigate this further.”

They add: “This is especially true given the need to promptly identify and treat the hearing loss and the current difficulty in accessing medical services.”

Doctors should ask patients in intensive care about hearing loss and refer them for urgent treatment, they advise.

Original Paper: Koumpa FS, Forde CT, Manjaly JG. Sudden irreversible hearing loss post COVID-19. BMJ Case Reports. 2020;13(11):e238419.

Source: EurekAlert, BMJ Case Reports

Unitron has announced the introduction of Blu

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Unitron has announced the introduction of Blu

 

Unitron announced the introduction of Blu, an innovative new platform designed to keep up with the complexity of everyday life.

The new Blu platform helps “provide next-generation sound performance” according to the company. Powered by the new Sonova PRISMTM (Processing Real-Time Intelligent Sound Management) chip and Unitron’s new signal processing system, Integra OS,  Blu delivers an “adaptable, personalized, and freeing hearing experience like never before.” Integra OS helps “optimize the listening experience to each client’s specific situation from highly complex to very quiet.”

“It is hard to know what experiences we may encounter throughout the day,” said Nicola McLaughlin, director of hearing instruments business at Unitron. “With our new Blu platform clients are provided with our most advanced sound performance and will be ready for life’s unexpected moments knowing their hearing aids will keep up with their unique lifestyle.”

With Blu and the Remote Plus app, clients can temporarily “boost clarity and comfort within the automatic program,” the company says. For special circumstances they can select from up to six optional, pre-set programs which they can further adjust to enhance speech, reduce noise, or focus the microphones to meet their lifestyle needs.

Compatible with Bluetooth products, Blu “helps allow wearers to interact seamlessly with their favorite devices.” With new tap control, Blu wearers can access virtual assistants, accept and end calls, as well as pause and play media while connected simultaneously to two Bluetooth devices, all with a double-tap to the side of the ear. In total, clients can pair up to eight devices, including both Android and Apple phones, tablets, and other Bluetooth devices.

“Our world is increasingly rooted in technology-based solutions. As more of us move to a remote work model, the amount of devices we are connected to throughout the day is growing,” said Sandra Fulton, vice president of group marketing at Unitron. “As our clients’ lifestyles evolve, so must Unitron’s products, and Blu seamlessly allows our customers to immerse themselves in all aspects of life with full confidence in their hearing aid compatibility.”

The new Moxi Blu family has been redesigned for “additional wearing comfort and ease of use,” and includes two lithium-ion rechargeable models. With Unitron’s Remote Plus app, clients can help maximize their hearing experience with in-app reminders and contextual how-to’s designed to “seamlessly familiarize clients to the new technology.” A no-commitment trial period with all Moxi Blu hearing instruments also ensure clients have peace of mind while selecting the right device for their needs.

“Confidence in not only the product, but in one’s ability to embrace life’s spontaneity and take in every experience from one moment to the next is vital,” said Fulton. “Unitron is proud to provide innovations that fit seamlessly into our clients’ lives.”

The new Moxi Blu hearing aids will be able to order/ship on May 4, 2021. For more information on the Blu platform, please visit: www.unitron.com/blu.

Source: Unitron

Image: Unitron

Musician Creates Soundscapes to Help Tinnitus

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Musician Creates Soundscapes to Help Tinnitus

 

Musician Creates Soundscapes to Help Tinnitus

Rupert Brown, an Isle of Wight musician, mixes nature sounds with music to create a soundscape that helps distract his brain from the tinnitus.

“The island is my orchestra,” says Brown in a BBC video, about his efforts to record waves crashing, birds twittering, and wind in the trees, which he then mixes in the studio with non-classical music and the sounds of what he believes are others’ type of tinnitus to form the soundscape.

To learn more, please click here.

Source: BBC

Signia Releases Active X Hearing Aid

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Signia Releases Active X Hearing Aid

 

Signia Releases Active X Hearing Aid

Signia announces the general availability of its latest hearing aid, Signia Active X, that “enhances human performance by delivering breakthrough signal processing technology for optimised hearing in noise.” Its earbud form factor helps allow wearers to “pop them in and out as needed for those with normal hearing but who may have difficulty hearing in certain environments,” according to the company. It can also be worn all day for individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

Signia Active’s earbud design helps ensure “better hearing without the stigma, while its portable rechargeability and Bluetooth connectivity enable wearers to remain connected and perform their best all day long.”

“Signia Active isn’t just a new product. It’s an entirely new category of hearing device that allows our hearing care professionals to reach a new, untapped, and unserved category of wearer,” said Dr Tish Ramirez, vice president of professional relations and product management. “Consumers want hearing aids that are disguised as earbuds – that improve their hearing without the stigma. Signia Active delivers on this need by providing users with a device that looks as good as it performs.”

Dr Tish Ramirez, vice president of professional relations and product management, Signia

Research studies show that between 12% and 20% of adults with normal audiogram thresholds self-report hearing difficulties, suggesting that these individuals could benefit from a boost in their hearing performance.[1-4] Signia Active features “customised technology with advanced hearing support in the functional design of an earbud to attract individuals who might not otherwise wear hearing aids.”

Whether walking in a crowded street, working in an open-plan office, or dining in a busy restaurant, high-levels of ambient noise make holding conversations a significant challenge – even for those with mild hearing loss. Signia Active addresses these challenges with the “true-to-life sound of Signia Xperience technology and its Dynamic Soundscape Processing, which helps deliver enhanced sound and speech clarity in every situation, even when moving,” according to the company.

Signia Active also features a lithium-ion rechargeable battery; a portable charging case; Qi charging technology; and Bluetooth connectivity. Furthermore, its ClickSleeves 2.0 technology helps enable “a quick fit while ensuring the hearing aids remain firmly and comfortably in place.”

The new hearing aids from Signia are available in two models: Signia Active and Signia Active Pro. Signia Active is a starter option, designed for occasional use by those in need of a hearing edge in noisy situations, while Signia Active Pro is for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Both models are available in the colour combinations of White and Rose Gold, Black and Silver, or All-Black.

“Signia has established a reputation for developing breakthrough products that deliver best-in-class performance yet also tap into new, unaddressed patient markets,” said Signia President Mike O’Neil. “Signia Active is yet another example of a market-expanding product from Signia, and we look forward to working with our hearing care professional partners to grow their businesses through our pioneering hearing devices.”

The Signia app: Modern care around the clock at the tap of a finger

Through the Signia app (iOS and Android), wearers have access to hearing aid controls, streaming capabilities with multiple devices, tinnitus therapy, Signia Telecare for remote care support, the new Face Mask Mode for better speech understanding through masks, and much more.

The app also includes the Signia Assistant, which “leverages artificial intelligence to continuously optimise the performance of the device by learning in real time the wearer’s individual preferences, for the most personalised hearing experience possible.”

“The most powerful products in history are those that meet a specific, unaddressed consumer need. Rather than fight over an existing share, they create entirely new categories of consumers that grow the overall size of the market,” said Ramirez.

“Signia Active is a solution for those who have long fought the adoption of hearing aids, but know that they need them. Signia Active is a breakthrough device that shatters the traditional definition of a hearing aid to create a new category of device that enables increased patient conversion and attracts entirely new demographics of wearers.”

For more information, visit: www.signia-pro.com/en-us/local/en-us/active-resource-center/.

[1] Gates GA, Cooper JC, Kannel WB, Miller NJ. Hearing in the elderly: The Framingham cohort, 1983-1985. Part I. Basic audiometric test results. Ear Hear. 1990;11(4):247–256.

[2] Garstecki D. Self-perceived hearing difficulty in aging adults with acquired hearing loss. J Acad Rehabilitative Audiol. 1987;20:49–60.

[3] Taylor B, Manchaiah V, Clutterbuck S. Using the personal assessment of communication abilities (PACA) tool. Hearing Review. 2016;23(3):20.

[4] Tremblay KL, Pinto A, Fischer ME, et al. Self-reported hearing difficulties among adults with normal audiograms: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study. Ear Hear. 2015;36(6):e290–e299.

Source: Signia

Images: Signia