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 Ear wax removal Devon

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 Ear wax removal Devon

 

The best ear wax removal Devon is at the Honiton hearing centre. If you are in need of expert advice for ear wax issues or you know you have ear wax issues, the Honiton hearing centre have various ways they can remove it. The latest technique is using a small hoover type of machine.  This very gently removes ear wax using Micro-Suction. Suction so small you can hardly feel it.  Colin Eaton, the lead audiologist at Honiton hearing demonstrates how Micro-suction works here. The video really does show how simple and effective this way of removing ear wax is.

 Ear wax removal Devon

Sometimes ear wax removal can be called ear syringing. Honiton hearing can do the traditional ear syringing technique if you prefer.

Devon wax removal

Ear wax removal in Devon at the Honiton hearing centre.

Out of hours ear wax appointments can be available, please call reception and ask Sam specifically for an out of ours appointment if your ear wax removal is urgent.

 

Honiton hearing news:

 

New Apple Watch Feature to Measure Noise Levels

The Honiton hearing centre offers the very latest in hearing aids and hearing wearable connectivity.

 

Ear wax removal and hearing aids, Bath, Somerset

A new feature on the Apple watchOS 6 will help users keep track of the decibel level in their surrounding environment, according to an article on Mic.

The app, known as “Noise,” will periodically use the watch’s microphone to check sound levels, and will issue a warning if sound reaches or exceeds 90 decibels, according to Mic. Users will also be able to perform checks on demand as well.

The Mic article does note, however, that the Noise app will not measure sound levels when listening to music via headphones.

To read the article in its entirety, please click here.

Source: Mic

Image: © Jair Fonseca – Dreamstime.com

Ear wax removal Exeter

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Ear wax removal Exeter

 

Ear wax removal Exeter . The Honiton hearing centre is the place to find out more information if you are suffering with hearing loss of any type. Sometimes the loss can be quite mild and irritating so you just put up with it for now. This could easily be a build up of wax that is blocking the ear canal and can easily be removed in a few minutes at Honiton Hearing.  Ear wax removal is usually done using a very very small suction device called Micro-Suction. We have produced a video on how this works and how the ear wax removal appointment will look like. Colin Eaton is who you would see at Honiton hearing and he is shown on the video.

Ear wax removal Exeter

You can watch the Micro-Suction ear wax removal video here.

To book an appointment at the Honiton hearing centre please call reception and speak with Sam or use the contact form .

 

Honiton hearing news:

 

International Campaign for Better Hearing Announces Results of Hearing Loss Survey

Ear wax removal Exeter

Hearing loss Exeter

A new survey conducted in ten countries, specifically designed to study the habits of people with hearing loss, reveals how people around the world feel about their hearing condition and how addressing hearing loss with treatment can help significantly improve quality of life.

The study results, which the The International Campaign for Better Hearing announced in a press release, conclude that 74% of respondents from around the world with hearing loss have at some point been embarrassed, while 69% have felt anxious, 64% have experienced feeling socially isolated, 59% felt tired/drained, 62% suffered from anger or frustration, and 49% have even felt unsafe as a result of their hearing loss.

Ear wax removal Exeter

The US ranked highest, with 81% of their respondents experiencing social isolation because of their hearing loss, while people in Spain were the most likely to have experienced feeling unsafe because of their condition (79%).

After recognising a problem with their hearing, 3/10 people globally delayed getting assessed and treatment as they believed losing their hearing was just a fact of ageing and therefore couldn’t be helped, and 24% delayed seeing a professional as they were too embarrassed to go.

Ear syringing Exeter

The US and UK respondents were quickest to seek medical help with 17% of US respondents and 16% of UK respondents pursuing advice as quickly as within a month of noticing a problem with their hearing. However, it took 22% of Irish, 18% of Australian, and 18% of New Zealand respondents over 5 years to seek help. Overall, less than half of respondents across the globe sought advice for their hearing issues within 6 months, and more than a third waited over a year.

After being diagnosed with hearing loss, 91% of respondents had treatment globally, which included hearing aids, cochlear implants, surgery, and wax removal. According to the survey, respondents from Ireland were most reluctant to accept treatment—35% compared to the global average of 9%.

The most common treatment for hearing loss across the globe was wearing a hearing aid, topping the poll in all but one market region. In fact, more than 8/10 of respondents in half of the countries polled reported that they wear aids, and significantly, 84% reported that their life has consequently improved by treatment.

The survey revealed that the most common prompts for recognising hearing problems are difficulty with conversations (62%), having to turn up the radio/TV (60%), and having friends and family point out that they are missing out on sounds (51%).

“In general, it seems that noticing hearing issues does not always spur us to seek medical advice, even though a vast majority have at some point felt anxious, unsafe, or alone. In fact, we are actually willing to wait a considerable amount of time and live with our symptoms,” said Ann-Kristin Foss, brand and communications manager, International Campaign for Better Hearing. “Considering how much of a difference hearing loss treatment can make to our lives we want to encourage more people to get their hearing checked as soon as they notice any difference to their hearing ability.”

Ear syringing Devon

“If you noticed a problem with your eyesight, you would almost certainly get checked out as soon as possible, and would visit an optician for a diagnosis,” said Foss.  “Over half of the respondents that took our survey were more likely to turn to health services than to a hearing specialist for diagnosis of their hearing issues. Thanks to the International Campaign for Better Hearing, everyone can now receive a free hearing test at a number of professional hearing clinics across the world.”

The International Campaign for Better Hearing survey also looked to find out whether people with hearing loss were aware of the links between unaddressed hearing loss and health issues, and the results reveal that the majority of global respondents demonstrated an “alarming lack of knowledge” of how hearing loss can affect overall health. Whilst many are familiar with the links between hearing loss and social withdrawal and depression, more than three quarters are unaware that hearing loss can cause problems with heart health, strokes, and diabetes. Furthermore, 80% aren’t aware that untreated hearing loss may increase your risk of developing dementia. This question was also posed to family members of people with hearing loss, which produced slightly more positive results.

Exeter ear wax removal

The International Campaign for Better Hearing advocates the importance of hearing loss identification, offering free hearing tests for everyone—particularly encouraging people over the age of 60 to have their hearing checked at a clinic for free, as they are at a higher risk of hearing loss. The initiative, which is supported by hearing care retailer Audika Group, is making every effort to inform and educate about hearing health and the dangers of untreated hearing loss as well as making hearing aids accessible to those who otherwise could not afford them via a give-back program.

For more information visit: https://www.campaignforbetterhearing.org/

Source: The International Campaign for Better Hearing

 

Benefits of hearing aids, find out at Honiton

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Benefits of hearing aids, find out at Honiton

Benefits of hearing aids, find out at the Honiton hearing centre. Honiton hearing are a premier independent hearing company based in Honiton, East Devon, close to Exeter. Colin Eaton, the lead audiologist is here to help you diagnose your hearing symptoms along with other hearing issues such as possible ear wax blocking the ear canal. Ear wax can be easily dealt with by Micro-suction that gently hoovers out the ear wax cleanly and quickly.

Please click here to see our Micro-suction ear wax removal video.

We also use ear irrigation using warm water and a new ear irrigation device which is very gentle on cleaning out ear wax. This sometimes is called ear syringing. Find out more here by watching our ear irrigation video.

If you need hearing aids

Hearing aids won’t make your hearing perfect, but they make sounds louder and clearer, reducing the impact hearing loss has on your life. The Benefits of hearing aids are enormous.

Hearing aids can:

  • help you hear everyday sounds such as the doorbell and phone
  • improve your ability to hear speech
  • make you feel more confident when talking to people and make it easier for you to follow conversations in different environments
  • help you to enjoy listening to music and the TV, at a volume that’s comfortable for those around you

But hearing aids only help if you still have some hearing left, so don’t put off getting help if your hearing is getting worse.

To book your appointment at the Honiton hearing centre please call reception and speak with Sam our receptionist. 

Hearing aids in Devon 

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Hearing aids in Devon

 

Hearing aids in Devon by the Honiton Hearing Centre.  Colin and Sam the owners of The Honiton Hearing Centre pride themselves on being at the vanguard of hearing technology. Based in Honiton, Colin Eaton is a lead audiologist and is first class at keeping up with the new tech that comes out constantly.  Today we he is looking at the recently announced Phonak Marvel. For those who don’t know what this product is here is a sample from their Press release.

”In October 2018, Phonak introduced Marvel, a hearing aid family that’s said to “combine all the top-requested features from hearing aid wearers” into one solution.

Hearing aids for Devon and Somerset

According to Phonak, this technology also helps to improves accessibility to hearing care by empowering consumers to benefit from a suite of smart apps that connect hearing aid wearers with their hearing care professional via smartphone. These include video chat, instant feedback regarding their wearing experience, remote fine-tuning from anywhere in the world, and real-time, voice-to-text transcription of phone calls”.

Hearing aids Honiton, Devon

Sounds good?  We think so and we are pleased that Phonak has won a prestigious award saying that they agree too. If this Phonak product sounds like something you may like more info on then please let us know and we could arrange an appointment to see if this would be right for you.

See the rest of the info on the Phonak Marvel product bellow.

Check out  our earwax removal video here.

 

Honiton hearing centre for all 2019 hearing aids

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Honiton hearing centre, for the very latest digital hearing aids.

Looking for information on how what hearing aids would suit you or what you need? Book an appointment with the Honiton hearing centre and have a full spectrum hearing test done. Once the test has completed Colin Eaton will sit with you and discuss the results. Once they results are know he will then go through what the different types of hearing aids (if any needed) are good for your hearing loss. There are many hearing aids available form many different manufacturers. The Honiton hearing centre are an independent hearing centre, covering the whole of Devon and Somerset. We are not affiliated to any manufacturer so can offer you what you need rather to what we sell. We can access all the major manufactures hearing aids for you to choose from.

Click here to watch what type of  hearing aids do you need?

Honiton Hearing News:

New Hear-it Report Documents Extraordinary Costs of Hearing Loss in EU

Published on February 27, 2019

hear-it_tw_400x400

In the EU, untreated hearing loss costs 185 billion Euro–each year. –hear-it.org

A new scientific report, “Hearing Loss – Numbers and Costs”, concludes that untreated, disabling hearing loss costs 185 billion Euros (US$211 billion) in the EU each year. This represents 8,200 Euros  (US$9335) each year per person with an untreated disabling hearing loss.

The detailed findings and conclusions in the report will be presented at a lunch debate at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, on the March 6 in connection with the WHO World Hearing Day on the 3rd of March.

The report was carried out for the non-profit organization, hear-it AISBL, by Professor Emerita Bridget Shield with the assistance of Professor Mark Atherton at Brunel University in London. In 2006, Professor Bridget Shield compiled the first report for hear-it AISBL, “Evaluation of the Social and Economic Costs of hearing Impairment.”

How they arrived at the 185 billion Euro figure. According to the report, lower quality of life due to disabling hearing loss costs the EU 130 billion Euros (US$148 billion) each year. Lost productivity in society due to a higher unemployment among people with a disabling hearing loss costs 55 billion Euros ($63 billion) each year in the EU. In total, this is 185 billion Euros. The cost does not cover extra health care costs caused by hearing loss. A disabling hearing loss is defined by the Global Burden of Disease research group (GBD) as a hearing loss of 35 dB or greater.

In Europe as a whole—including non-EU countries—untreated, disabling hearing loss costs 216 billion Euros (US$246 billion) each year, says the researchers.

Honiton hearing centre for all 2019 hearing aids

The report documents that the use of hearing aids and other hearing solutions improves health and increases quality of life. It also documents that people with an untreated, disabling hearing loss are at greater risk of social isolation, depression, cognitive decline and dementia, while people who treat their hearing loss do not experience a higher risk than people without hearing loss.

There are 34.4 million people with a disabling hearing loss (35 dB or greater) in the EU. More than 22.6 million are not treated for their disabling hearing loss as only around 1 in 3 in Europe with a disabling hearing loss use hearing aids or other hearing solutions. This is more than the combined population of Austria, Finland, Ireland, and Lithuania. With a steadily aging population who live longer and with an earlier onset of hearing loss due to increased noise exposure, this growth will increase even further in the years to come, warns Hear-it.

Honiton hearing centre for all 2019 hearing aids

A meta study. The report, “Hearing Loss–Numbers and Costs”, is a meta study which has analyzed and compared hundreds of scientific studies and papers in the last two decades about the prevalence and the consequences of hearing loss and the use and benefits of hearing aids, according to the organization.

Kim Ruberg

Kim Ruberg

“The scientific report clearly demonstrates that untreated hearing loss is a major health issue and that untreated hearing loss has a huge economic and social impact on our society,” said Secretary General Kim Ruberg, hear-it AISBL, on the organization’s website. “It also documents that checking your hearing and treating hearing loss pays, both for the individual and for society.”

Check your hearing. World Hearing Day is held by the WHO on the 3rd of March each year to raise awareness of how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. The theme for World Hearing Day 2019 is “Check your hearing”.

Honiton hearing centre for all 2019 hearing aids

“If you think you might have a hearing loss, my best advice is to get your hearing checked,” says Ruberg. “You can start by checking your hearing using the WHO “Check your hearing” app, or test your hearing online at www.hear-it.org. But if you suspect that you have hearing problems my best advice is that you get a real hearing test carried out by a hearing professional,” says Ruberg.

Source: Hear-it

Honiton hearing centre, Devon

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Honiton hearing centre, Devon

 

 

Honiton hearing centre caters for all types of hearing loss and ear wax removal. Colin Eaton, the lead audiologist at the Keynsham hearing centre has over 15 years audiology expertise to make sure his clients get the best hearing result no matter what the hearing issues are.

Ear wax removal is available by appointment and a limited amount of out of hours appointments are available but please call Sam on reception if you require out of hours.

Comprehensive hearing tests are also available. Please make sure that any ear wax issues are clear before you take the test, if you need ear wax removing prior the test please call reception and make this clear to Sam that you will need ear wax clearing first.

If you are confused on what hearing aids are for and for what type of hearing loss, please watch our new video here that explains why so many different types of hearing aids there are.

 

Honiton hearing centre, News

Researchers Restore Hearing via Gene Therapy in Deaf Mouse Model

Published on 

In collaboration with the universities of Miami, Columbia, and San Francisco, scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Inserm, CNRS, Collège de France, Sorbonne University, and the University of Clermont Auvergne have managed to restore hearing in an adult mouse model of DFNB9 deafness, a hearing disorder that represents one of the most frequent cases of congenital genetic deafness, Institut Pasteur announced on its website. Individuals with DFNB9 deafness are profoundly deaf as they are deficient in the gene coding for otoferlin, a protein which is essential for transmitting sound information at the auditory sensory cell synapses. By carrying out an intracochlear injection of this gene in an adult DFNB9 mouse model, the scientists successfully restored auditory synapse function and hearing thresholds to a near-normal level. These findings, published in the journal PNAS, open up new avenues for future gene therapy trials in patients with DFNB9.

Honiton hearing centre Devon

The left panel is a schematic representation of the human ear. Sound waves are collected by the outer ear made up of the pinna and ear canal. The middle ear, composed of the eardrum and ossicles, transmits sound waves to the inner ear, which features the cochlea – the hearing organ responsible for transmitting auditory messages to the central nervous system. The right panel shows an immunofluorescence image of the auditory sensory epithelium within an injected cochlea. The inner hair cells have been stained for otoferlin in green. Otoferlin is detected in almost all of these cells. The inset is a high magnification area showing an inner hair cell that has not been transduced. © Institut Pasteur

The left panel is a schematic representation of the human ear. Sound waves are collected by the outer ear made up of the pinna and ear canal. The middle ear, composed of the eardrum and ossicles, transmits sound waves to the inner ear, which features the cochlea – the hearing organ responsible for transmitting auditory messages to the central nervous system. The right panel shows an immunofluorescence image of the auditory sensory epithelium within an injected cochlea. The inner hair cells have been stained for otoferlin in green. Otoferlin is detected in almost all of these cells. The inset is a high magnification area showing an inner hair cell that has not been transduced. © Institut Pasteur

Ear wax removal Devon

Over half of nonsyndromic profound congenital deafness cases have a genetic cause, and most (~80%) of these cases are due to autosomal recessive forms of deafness (DFNB). Cochlear implants are currently the only option for recovering hearing in these patients.

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are among the most promising vectors for therapeutic gene transfer to treat human diseases. AAV-based gene therapy is a promising therapeutic option for treating deafness but its application is limited by a potentially narrow therapeutic window. In humans, inner ear development is completed in utero and hearing becomes possible at approximately 20 weeks of gestation. In addition, genetic forms of congenital deafness are generally diagnosed during the neonatal period. Gene therapy approaches in animal models must therefore take this into account, and gene therapy efficacy must be demonstrated following a gene injection when the auditory system is already in place. In other words, therapy must reverse existing deafness. The team led by Saaïd Safieddine, a CNRS researcher in the Genetics and Physiology of Hearing Unit (Institut Pasteur/ Inserm) and coordinator of the project, used a mouse model of DFNB9, a form of human deafness that represents 2-8% of all cases of congenital genetic deafness.

Ear wax removal South Devon

DFNB9 deafness is caused by mutations in the gene coding for otoferlin, a protein that plays a key role in transmitting sound information at the inner hair cell synapses. Mutant mice deficient in otoferlin are profoundly deaf as these synapses fail to release neurotransmitters in response to sound stimulation, despite the absence of detectable sensory epithelial defects. DFNB9 mice therefore constitute an appropriate model for testing the efficacy of viral gene therapy when it is administered at a late stage. However, as AAVs have limited DNA packaging capacity (approximately 4.7 kilobase (kb)), it is difficult to use this technique for genes whose coding region (cDNA) exceeds 5 kb, such as the gene coding for otoferlin, which has a 6 kb coding region. The scientists have overcome this limitation by adapting an AAV approach known as dual AAV strategy because it uses two different recombinant vectors, one containing the 5’-end and the other the 3’-end of the otoferlin cDNA.

A single intracochlear injection of the vector pair in adult mutant mice was used to reconstruct the otoferlin coding region by recombining 5′ and 3′-end DNA segments, leading to long-term restoration of otoferlin expression in the inner hair cells, and then restored hearing.

Honiton hearing centre, Devon

The scientists have therefore obtained initial proof of the concept of viral transfer of fragmented cDNA in the cochlea using two vectors, showing that this approach can be used to produce otoferlin and durably correct the profound deafness phenotype in mice.

The outcomes achieved by the scientists suggest that the therapeutic window for local gene transfer in patients with DFNB9 congenital deafness could be wider than thought, and offers hope of extending these findings to other forms of deafness. These results are the subject of a patent application filed.

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In addition to the institutions mentioned in the first paragraph, this research was funded by the French Foundation for Medical Research, the European Union (TREAT RUSH), and the French National Research Agency (EargenCure and Lifesenses LabEx).

Original Paper: Akil O, Dyka F, Calvet C, et al. Dual AAV-mediated gene therapy restores hearing in a DFNB9 mouse model. PNAS. 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1817537116

Source: Institut Pasteur, PNAS

Image: Institute Pasteur

Best place to buy your hearing aids, Devon

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Best place to buy your hearing aids, Devon

Devon hearing aid centre is based at Honiton and run by Colin and Sam Eaton.  Offering a full service including hearing tests, ear wax removal (using Micros-Suction) and the fitting of the latest digital hearing aids for the Devon area including Exeter and Sidmouth.  The Honiton hearing centre can sometimes fit in early appointments through cancellations, so always ask to see if there are any early appointments needed for Ear Wax removal.  Please mention this when you book an ear wax removal appointment.

To see how we remove ear wax please watch our video here.

Devon hearing news:

Widex Announces TV PLAY and RedDot Award Honor

Original story by The Hearing Review

Widex TV PLAY.

Widex A/S, Lynge, Denmark, the privately-owned Danish hearing aid company, has announced the launch of WIDEX TV PLAY™, a high-end TV accessory and streaming solution for WIDEX EVOKE™ hearing aids. The sleek and versatile TV PLAY received the Red Dot Design Concept Award last Friday, September 28, for its pleasing design.

Devon hearing aids

WidexWidex has also been honored as a leader in innovation in the RedDot Design Ranking for Design Concepts. The company placed number 4 out of 15 companies in the Americas and Europe region in recognition of its pursuit of design excellence over the past 5 years, reports the company.

Shipments of TV PLAY will start in November.

A valuable accessory for hearing aid users. A 2017 Nielsen survey1 reported that the US 65+ population consumes a daily average of 6 hours and 57 minutes of TV. Despite the growing number of mobile and web-based streaming services, watching TV is more popular than ever. But for some, it’s a struggle to hear the TV. Hearing aid users can find it hard to hear the TV over the other sounds in the room. In fact, some studies suggest that 78% of hearing aid users have trouble understanding things on the TV.

Cheap hearing aids in Devon

Designed for ease of use. According to Widex, TV PLAY lets hearing aid users enjoy great TV sound effortlessly through their hearing aids by providing direct streaming to both ears. TV PLAY is designed for fast and easy to set up, intuitive to control, and delivers outstanding and stable sound.

TV PLAY drops the “boxy” look of many TV streamers and instead has a futuristic design that blends in with modern homes. And if you prefer to have TV PLAY out of sight, the slim and discrete design fits behind flat screen TVs with no trouble, according to the company.

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“At Widex we work to ensure that hearing aid users get the most of all aspects of life,” said Widex President and CEO Jørgen Jensen in a press statement. “We know that TV is an important part of staying in touch with the world around them through news and entertainment programs. TV PLAY gives them a better and more stable experience that also looks great in their living rooms.”

Maximum streaming stability. With Widex’s patent-pending dual-antenna technology, TV PLAY is said to offer maximum streaming stability. An easy-to-use app lets users balance the volume of the TV sound with ambient sounds and conversations—or choose just to hear the sound from the TV.

1. Nielsen. Total Audience Report Q2 2017. November 16, 2017. Available at: https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2017/the-nielsen-total-audience-q2-2017.html

Source: Widex A/S

Hearing aids East Devon

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Hearing aids East Devon

The Honiton hearing centre

 

Hearing aids East Devon, at the Honiton hearing centre run by Colin and Sam Eaton. Digital hearing aids have changed beyond recognition in the last 5 years. If you are using older hearing aids or have been using NHS hearing aids and would like to try the latest discreet digital hearing aids with connectivity with your mobile phone, tablet and T.V. Honiton hearing offer a free trial. Please contact Sam on reception. We use Phonak, GN ReSound, Oticon and other manufacturers hearing aids.

Ear wax removal Devon

The Honiton hearing centre also conduct ear wax removal using Microsuction and the traditional water irrigation technique. You can watch our video here to see how we do this and how painless and quick it really is.

Honiton hearing news:

Researchers Identify Gene Associated with Age-related Hearing Loss

 

Mouse study reveals contributor to hearing loss

An international group of researchers, led by Ronna Hertzano, MD, PhD, associate professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Michael Bowl, PhD, program leader track scientist, Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, UK, have identified the gene that acts as a key regulator for special cells needed in hearing.

The discovery of this gene (Ikzf2) will help researchers better understand this unique type of cell that is needed for hearing and potentially develop treatments for common age-related hearing loss, UMSOM announced.

“Outer hair cells are the first inner ear cells lost as we age,” said Hertzano, whose research will be published in the journal Nature. “Age-related hearing loss happens to everyone. Even a 30-year-old has lost some of the outer hair cells that sense higher pitch sounds. Simple exposure to sound, especially loud ones, eventually causes damage to these cells.”

The inner ear has two kinds of sensory hair cells required for hearing. The inner hair cells convert sounds to neural signals that travel to the brain. This compares to outer hair cells, which function by amplifying and tuning sounds. Without outer hair cells, sound is severely muted and inner hair cells don’t signal the brain. Loss of outer hair cells is said to be the major cause of age-related loss of hearing.

About the Research

Hertzano’s group, in collaboration with Ran Elkon, PhD, senior lecturer, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel, took a bioinformatics and functional genomics approach to discover a gene critical for the regulation of genes involved in outer hair cell development. Bowl’s group studied mice from the Harwell Aging Screen to identify mice with hearing loss. Bowl identified mice with an early-onset hearing loss caused by an outer hair cell deficit. When the two groups realized that they were studying the same gene, they began to collaborate to discover its biological function and role in outer hair cell development. The gene is Ikzf2 gene, which encodes helios. Helios is a transcription factor, a protein that controls the expression of other genes. The mutation in the mice changes one amino acid in a critical part of the protein, which impaired the transcriptional regulatory activity of helios in the mice.

To test if helios could drive the differentiation of outer hair cells, the researchers introduced a virus engineered to overexpress helios into the inner ear hair cells of newborn mice. As a result, some of the mature inner hair cells became more like outer hair cells. In particular, the inner hair cells with an excess of helios started making the protein prestin and exhibited electromotility, a property limited to outer hair cells. Thus, helios can drive inner hair cells to adopt critical outer hair cell characteristics.

Hearing aids East Devon

Funding for the research was provided by Action on Hearing Loss UK, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Defense (DOD).

As Professor Steve Brown, PhD, director, MRC Harwell Institute, said, “The development of therapies for age-related hearing loss represents one of the big challenges facing medicine and biomedical science. Understanding the genetic programs that are responsible for the development and maturation of sound-transducing hair cells within the inner ear will be critical to exploring avenues for the regeneration of these cells that are lost in abundance during age-related hearing loss. The teams from the University of Maryland and the MRC Harwell Research Institute have given us the first insights into that program. They have identified a master regulator, Ikzf2/helios, that controls the program for maturation of outer hair cells. Now, we have a target that we can potentially use to induce the production of outer hair cells within damaged inner ears, and we are one step closer to offering treatments for this disabling condition.”

Original Paper: Chessum L, Matern MS, Kelly MC, et al. Helios is a key transcriptional regulator of outer hair cell maturation. Nature. November 21, 2018.

Source: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Nature

Image: University of Maryland School of Medicine

Interesting hearing aids Devon U.K.

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Interesting hearing aids Devon U.K.

 

Honiton hearing news from around the world:

We are always looking at events and new innovations from around the world. Today we are sharing a company that are available in the U.S. and now the U.K.

Sivantos Launches New Form Factor with Signia Styletto SLIM RIC

Original story by the Hearing Review

Signia Styletto

Signia Styletto

Why should a hearing aid look like a hearing aid? That’s the question Sivantos engineers asked themselves when designing the new Signia Styletto receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid which is being launched today. Styletto is a rechargeable SLIM RIC that features a contemporary design and breaks the mold of traditional behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids by taking advantage of how its lithium-ion battery technology doesn’t need to conform to the traditional size and shape of a button cell. The new RIC, which uses the Signia Nx platform with Own Voice Processing (OVP), also comes with an extremely small charger which offers fast charging solutions as well as three full charges on the go.

“There are people who look at a hearing aid and really don’t see it matching their style,” says Eric Branda, AuD, director of product management at Sivantos Inc, Piscataway, NJ. “We see all these people wearing large Bluetooth headsets flashing on their ears—huge devices on their ears—and yet [the hearing industry has] struggled to get them to adopt hearing aids, and I think it really comes down to the fact that we keep asking them to wear what looks like a hearing aid.”

StylettoPinDesign

Styletto uses a slim-pin design instead of the current coin or button-cell design.

Stylistic freedom by thinking outside the button cell. In terms of the history of hearing aids, Branda points out that, going all the back to the original body-worn devices and moving into today’s CIC and RIC devices, hearing aid sizes and styles have been dictated by the size and shape of button cell batteries. Although lithium-ion rechargeable batteries have also been built in this coin design, they’re not restricted to it—as demonstrated by the new Styletto SLIM RIC. Instead, it departs from the traditional coin cell look by using a slim pin design to create a new form factor.

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“With today’s battery technology, we can take a new approach,” says Branda. “Rather than being discreet by being invisible, we can be discreet and drive acceptance withvisibility, which is a novel approach for people with hearing loss.”

Differentiating a hearing aid practice by appealing to different wearers. With its slim, elegant design that harkens to other high-tech product categories, Styletto provides a new option for those who might be put off by the traditional look of a hearing aid. In a US study of 500 mostly new users (92%) with moderate hearing loss, Sivantos found that when participants were given a choice between traditional BTE (Motion) or RIC (Pure) designs, or given the option of no hearing aid at all, more than half (57%) opted for the RIC, 19% selected the BTE, while almost one-quarter (24%) chose to go without a hearing aid. However, when the new Styletto was inserted into the study as an option, 90% of the participants selected a hearing aid: 65% of the study participants selected the SLIM RIC design, while about equal percentages opted for either the BTE and RIC (13% and 12% respectively), and only 10% chose no hearing aid at all.

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Similarly, when consumers looked at a simulated practice storefront window with a standard portfolio, only about 16% of the participants chose an offering without Styletto, while 84% of people chose an offering with the new aid.

Branda says that this indicates Styletto provides dispensing professionals with a new product that aligns more closely with patients’ style and view of themselves. “It may come down to the fact that people know what a hearing aid looks like,” he says. “But, when they see Styletto, they think ‘I can see myself wearing that and it doesn’t make me look like a hearing aid wearer.’”

Recharging case for Styletto.

Recharging case for Styletto.

Portable rechargeability for the wearer. The Styletto’s recharging case is very small, and reportedly offers 19 hours of full-day use with a 3-hour charge. If the wearer forgets to charge the device, they can drop it into the charger for 30 minutes and be able to use the device for 5 hours, says the company. The charger also carries three additional full charges. Thus, if the user starts out in the morning with a full charge and the charger is fully charged, they actually have four days of portable battery capacity available to them, according to Sivantos. The charger also contains an LED indicator to view the status of the charging, as well as an automatic on/off feature which means that the charger can serve as the primary carrying case.

The Styletto charger/charrying case is exceptionally small and carries 3 full charges.

The Styletto recharging/carrying case is exceptionally small and carries 3 full charges.

Nx technology. The Styletto hearing aid uses Signia Nxsignal processing which is designed to emphasize a natural experience using Sivantos’ Own Voice Processing (OVP) technology. Signia’s ear-to-ear wireless (Ultra HD e2e®) is used in OVP as well as the hearing aid’s Narrow Directionality for a more natural sound quality and better speech intelligibility in noise. The wireless technology also enables the device’s Twin Phone capabilities, which allows the wearer to place the phone up to the ear, obtain the acoustic signal, and then the hearing aid wirelessly sends the signal to the opposite ear for binaural advantage during the phone call.

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The sleek instrument does not have push-buttons or a volume control. For those who want more control, the touchControl®App is a downloadable cell phone application that allows for the changing of volume, programs, and directionality. Similarly, miniPocket™, which resembles a keychain type remote control, allows for volume and program changes.

Styletto is available in all three of the Nx performance levels (7/5/3) and uses a Size M (60/119) receiver in lengths 2 and 3. The device is applicable for people with mild to moderately severe losses (60 dB gain).

For more information, visit pro.signiausa.com

Hearing aids for the Devon area

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Hearing aids for the Devon area

 

Honiton hearing centre is a premium independent hearing centre based in the East of Devon. Family run and lead by Colin Eaton a specialist audiologist for many years.

If you are suffering with blocked ears or think you may need a hearing test please book in with Sam on reception. Colin is a fully qualified hearing aid dispenser and can show you how to connect any recent digital hearing aid to your iPhone, iPad etc. Please ask Colin for his sound advice when it comes to T.V. streaming to your hearing aid.

Based in Honiton the hearing centre covers the whole of Devon from Ilfracombe to Lyme Bay and beyond.

 

Honiton hearing news:

Oticon Announces Five New Opn Custom Solutions Styles

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Oticon announced the launch of five new custom hearing aid styles, including what is said to be the “smallest hearing aid style Oticon has ever produced,” using BrainHearing™  and Opn’s technology to support the brain in making sense of sound and enabling users to identify where sounds are coming from, even in challenging environments.

Oticon Opn Invisible-in- Canal hearing aid (IIC)

Oticon Opn Invisible-in-Canal hearing aid (IIC)

“The variety of Opn Custom styles, functionalities, and features combined with Oticon’s groundbreaking open sound experience provides hearing care professionals with even more Opn choices for their patients, especially those who are reluctant to try hearing aids,” says Don Schum, PhD, Oticon vice president of audiology. “For many first-time users, the appeal of an invisible hearing solution, our smallest IIC ever, may be the catalyst for taking action to address their hearing loss.”

No Compromise on Quality, Reliability, Performance

Opn Custom hearing aids are said to break through some of the challenges faced by people with hearing loss: understanding speech in noise and handling multiple speakers, according to Oticon. The custom lineup includes styles with 2.4 GHz low-energy Bluetooth® connectivity that offer wireless possibilities.The miniaturization of all components can help enable more functionality in less space, resulting in fewer compromises and more modeling freedom to support a better physical fit and a higher fit rate. The effect and availability of Opn Custom features varies with hearing aid style and prescription.

Oticon Opn and Siya

Oticon Opn and Siya

Lyme bay, Devon, hearing aids and Ear wax removal

The new Oticon Siya amplifies the detail of sounds, which can enable users to be able to follow conversations in noisy environments. Oticon BrainHearing technology and a chip that reportedly processes sound 50 times faster than Oticon’s previous generation of essential hearing aids are said to deliver high-resolution sound quality to improve speech understanding.

Hearing aid video at Honiton hearing centre

With 2.4 GHz Bluetooth low-energy technology, Siya is said to be the “first hearing aid” in the essential category to allow wireless connectivity with low battery consumption to modern smartphones, TVs, and other Bluetooth®-enabled devices. Siya comes in a complete lineup of styles, ranging from invisible custom styles to power hearing aids.

Oticon Siya

Oticon Siya

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HearingFitness™ is a new tool, available in Oticon’s proprietary ON App, to help people with hearing loss understand how they can optimize their hearing health behavior to take full advantage of their hearing aids. Users of internet-connected Oticon Opn and Oticon Siya hearing aids can use HearingFitness to track how long they wear their hearing aids and receive notifications and prompts to help them reach their wearing goals and track the noise levels they are frequently exposed to. The new tool can be especially useful for first-time users who find it difficult to adapt to wearing hearing aids.

For more information on the new Oticon Opn Custom solutions and the extended Oticon Opn family, visit www.Oticon.com/OpnCustom. For information on Oticon Siya, visit www.Oticon.com/Siya. For information on the Oticon ON App with the new HearingFitness tool, visit www.Oticon.com/HearingFitness.

Source: Oticon

Images: Oticon