Posted on 02/17/2007 2:51:46 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO - An aging U.S. population faces a looming crisis in hearing loss, researchers said Saturday. Some research holds promise, but much is in the early stages.
By 2050, there could be as many as 50 million people in the United States with impaired hearing, Steven Greenberg of Silicon Speech in Santa Venetia, Calif., told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Hearing loss results in social and psychological isolation, "which makes their life hell," Greenberg said.
Thanks to loud music and a generally noisy environment, young people have a rate of impaired hearing 2 1/2 times that of their parents and grandparents, he said.
Stefan Heller of Stanford University said research in restoring damaged hearing cells "is very much at the beginning and it's still a long, long road."
Inner and outer hair cells in the ear pick up sound vibrations and send them to the brain. Damage to outer cells causes hearing impairment which can be helped by hearing aides, he said. Damage to the inner cells cannot be repaired and causes deafness.
Heller said ear stem cells have been isolated in laboratory work and grown into cells that resembled hair cells.
"They're not perfect," he said. When placed in the ear of chicken embryos, most of the cells died. A few survived and were implanted into the inner ear. The next step, he said, is to try the experiment in mice.
Gene therapy is being tested in an effort to produce more hair cells in the ear. The result so far has been a type of hybrid cells and researchers are unsure whether they can get these cells to survive.
Heller said scientists in Japan are experimenting with drugs that seem to help spur the growth of hearing cells in young mice. The results in older mice are far less promising.
There seems to be something not yet understood that prevents new cell development in the inner ear. This is an area where cancer is not known to occur, he said, and an indication that something prevents cell development.
huh?,speak up;)
And more and more people walk around with earbuds plugged in all day. Sometimes I can name the tune from eight feet away.
Can they hear themselves getting fat?
Not being able to hear Hillary screech is a not inconsiderable upside of hearing loss...
I am 48 and did not do much of the concert thing, so I should not have that kind of damage. My ear specialist told me about ten years ago that my hearing loss is genetic. I hope they do come up with some good solutions. I am a singer and a counselor - I get tired of saying, "could you say that again, please?"
"Gene therapy is being tested in an effort to produce more hair cells in the ear."
Every old geezer I know has PLENTY of ear hair stickin' out. What seems to be the problem here? *WINK* Just kidding.
My FIL is nearly deaf from farm machinery over a lifetime of farming. It is a pain in the butt for him, and for us.
My husband's hearing isn't that good either, but I think he's just faking it a lot of the time. :)
As a ballet teacher who for years taught class and coached rehearsals - I can tell you that half the young students are already deaf.
At one college the music for the modern dance class could be heard clear across the campus and across a huge parking lot.
When I mentioned the loudness to the teacher - she laughed and said - well, we're all deaf anyway.
Stupid.
In addition to deafness you can also get tinnitus which can actually be suicidal.
You can get all this stuff with age and/or genetics, but to give it to yourself by listening to too loud sound is just plain stupid.
Things to avoid:
many medications - check the product inserts
loud noise - places like stadiums and miked concert halls
don't put cotton swabs in your ears
if you can't hear yourself talking in a normal level voice - the environment is too loud
Think about a baby or younng child in such an environment - and your family pet too
The injury might not show up right away - but later.
What about shooting ranges?
I SAID, WHAT ABOUT SHOOTING RANGES? :)
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Most responsible shooting ranges supply ear protection.
Exactly what I have. My Dad has the same thing, and is much worse than I am (of course he's in his 80s and I'm not quite 50). It's a pain in the rear, and I just started teaching grade schoolers which all have high pitched voices, and that's the frequency I have the most trouble hearing.
Before I was diagnosed, I wondered why everyone mumbled all the time!
susie
Ho hum,, another crisis,,, I guess we'll need more public announcements to remind us to turn the volume down and to keep forks out of our ears. Sounds like more legislation is needed, as well. Maybe get a class action lawsuit against earphone makers. Hmm,, what else,, trying to think,, could be a vehicle to raise taxes for education and sensitivity classes for the non deaf.
So There.
I just got back from Puerto Vallarta, and the percentage of whites (either Americans or Canadians) who were obese was astounding.
Come to think of it, the Mexican ladies were chunkers too.
Socialized medicine will pay for the gene therapy to restore hearing to concert goers and drug abusers. It'll be free, too. :)
"something prevents cell development"
After 65 years, I've heard enough.
"don't put cotton swabs in your ears '
Oh, my, no. One bobby pin will last until you lose it ... and work much better.
Cant wait for all the punks with the boomin bumpin car stereos to start paying the price for annoying everyone else.
Go deaf you bastards. See if I care after disturbing my life thousands of times.
I just cringe when I see someone doing this with a baby or pet in the car.
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