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May 20, 2013
Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star
The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation
David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church
May 10, 2013
Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be
May 8, 2013
Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?
Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA
April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
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Jewish World Review
Hearing loss: Millions may be suffering needlessly
By
Harvard Health Letters
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JewishWorldReview.com |
You're not alone if you have trouble hearing and you're not doing anything about it. An estimated 27 million Americans could benefit from the use of hearing aids but aren't currently using them, according to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers found that from 1999 to 2006, only 14 percent of adults 50 and older who needed a hearing aid actually used one.
"There's a stigma attached to wearing hearing aids, suggesting one is aging," says Dr. Robert Schreiber, a geriatrician and instructor at Harvard Medical School. "Accepting this fact is often difficult for some people."
CONSEQUENCES OF HEARING LOSS
But hearing loss is a fact for 10 percent of people ages 65 to 75, and 25 percent of people age 75 and older, according to Dr. Schreiber.
We are able to hear conversation, music, or an airplane overhead because sound waves cause tiny bones in the ear to move and stimulate nerve endings. Hearing loss is often caused by conductive hearing problems (affecting the tiny bones) or by sensorineural hearing loss that is the result of nerve damage.
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A common type of sensorineural hearing loss is a progressive inability in both ears to hear high frequencies. It often affects the ability to hear speech in a noisy environment, or high-pitched sounds and voices.
All hearing loss can have serious consequences. When driving or walking across busy streets, for example, it can be dangerous. More subtle but important problems also can result from uncorrected hearing loss.
"You may not be able to hear conversations, or important directions or reminders. That can lead to family discord, social isolation, and loss of self esteem," says Dr. Schreiber.
GET HELP WITH A PHYSICAL EXAM
If there is hearing loss in both ears, you may be a candidate for a hearing aid. The devices come in different styles and sizes, with a wide range of features. Some have digital or analog features. Some are programmable. Analog devices are less expensive than digital hearing aids and provide acceptable quality for many people. Newer digital devices have better sound, are smaller, and are more easily customized.
Hearing aid costs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Some insurance plans pay for the devices. Medicare generally does not. The audiologist who examines your hearing can help you find an option for your budget.
While hearing aids do not restore hearing to normal, they usually improve hearing by half of the loss, says Dr. Schreiber. Restoring even that can profoundly impact your quality of life. - Harvard Health Letter
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