What we would like you to do is to find a topic from this week's chapter that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find a video clip that demonstrates something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. Please be sure to use at least 3 quality resources. If you use videos, please limit it to one video.
Once you have completed your search and explorations we would like you to:
1a) State what your topic is.
1b) Discuss how the topic relates to the chapter.
1c) Discuss why you are interested in it.
2) Next, we would like you to take the information you read or viewed related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about the topic in a knowledgeable manner. By integrating/synthesizing we mean taking what your read/experienced from the internet search organize the information into the main themes, issues, info, examples, etc. about your topic and then write about the topic in your own words using the information you have about the topic.
3) List the terms you used from the text and from your reference websites.
4) At the end of your post, please include working URLs for the three websites. For each URL you have listed indicate why you chose the site and the extent to which it contributed to your post.
For this week I will be exploring the different types of hearing aids, because I want to know if there are different types of hearing aids and how they are different from each other. I also want to know if they can hear just like we can with the aids. The chapter briefly mentioned hearing aids, and it captured my attention (probably because those sentences are among the easiest sentences to understand in the chapter… which is pretty rare, from my point of view) so I thought I might as well find out more about it.
HEARING AIDS
A hearing aid or a deaf aid is a sound amplifying electroacoustic device to make speeches more intelligible in order to compensate for hearing loss. However, only a fifth of people who can benefit from hearing aids actually use them. Perhaps for different reasons such as cosmetics, or the unnatural amplified sound that comes along with the hearing aids – sometimes not hearing much is more peaceful and preferred by people with hearing loss since they are more adjusted to a quieter world.
All hearing aids share similar electronic component such as a microphone used to pick up sound, an amplifier circuitry to make the sound louder, a miniature speaker to deliver the amplified sound, and batteries to keep the hearing aid powered. Different kinds of hearing aids differ by design, technology to amplify the sound, and there are different special features that come with different kinds of aids. There are two different technologies used to achieve amplification: analog and digital.
Analog aids convert sound waves into electrical signals which are then amplified. Digital aids convert sounds waves into numerical codes before amplifying them. Analog aids amplify all sounds the same way, and can be adjustable using a built-in microchip to adjust the way the analog aids amplify sounds at different environment: at a quiet place or at a noisy public place. Digital aids are more common nowadays, newly prescribed hearing aids are all dialog and analog is less and less common. This kind of aids can be programmed more specifically to amplify some frequencies more than others, as well as to focus on sounds coming from a specific direction.
There are different styles of hearing aids. The first type of hearing aid was invented by Harvey Fletcher, called body worn aids. Body aids come with a box the size of a pack of cards, and an earmold which fits into the ear; both parts are connected with a wire. The case contains the amplifying components of any hearing aids, except for the speaker which is in the earmold. The box is usually carried in the pocket or on the belt. Although it seems old-fashioned with today’s technology, you can still find it on the market because of its lower costs and longer battery life compared to other more advanced hearing aids.
Behind-the-ear hearing aids consist of a plastic case, which holds all the electronic components, connected to a plastic earmold, consist of the speaker. . The case goes onto the ear and the earmold fits inside the outer ear. This kind of hearing aid can be used by people of all ages for all degrees of hearing loss. An open-fit hearing aid is a more advanced version of behind-the-ear hearing aids, where only a narrow tube is inserted into the ear canal, letting the canal remain open; some people prefer this because they can hear their own voice more naturally without the canal locked.
In the ear aids are devices that are custom made to fit every individual’s concha, so smaller children are not recommended to use these because they will have to constantly replace the aids as they grow. These aids can accommodate all degrees of hearing losses. The case of the aid fits perfectly with the concha, and is made by hard plastic to hold all the components. These kinds of aids can come with telecoil, which allows individuals to receive sound through the circuity of the hearing aid, making it easier to hear conversations over the phone. The telecoil also helps making it easier to hear at places with induction loop systems.
Invisible in canal hearing aids fits deep inside the ear canal so there is hardly any trace of an aid. Before fitting the aid, a mold of the individual’s ear canal is made and thus the fitting of this invisible in canal aids are much more comfortable. This kind of aids provide a more natural experience of hearing because the majority of the ears are open, not blocked like other devices. Thus, the sound can be collected more naturally. Also, due to newer technology which comes with this kind of devices, users are able to adjust the settings using their smartphones. These kinds of hearing aids are more suitable for users up to middle age.
There are some optional features that can be installed in the newer hearing aids for more convenient hearing and settings. Telecoil mentioned above is one of therem directional microphone is another, which helps people to converse in environments with more noise, because they allow sound coming from certain directions to amplified more than sound coming from other directions. Direct audio input allows you to connect with other devices wireless, allowing the aid to act like normal earplugs.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/HearingAids/ucm181470.htm
This is a website from the US food and drug administration. Although it is not a long article, it provided me with just enough information to have a good understanding of the topic.
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Different-Styles-of-Hearing-Aids/
This website focuses specifically on different types of hearing aids. Not a lot of information was provided either, but it gives me a nice introduction on hearing aids.
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.aspx
This website provides slightly more information than the previous two, with instructions on how to choose a hearing aid, as well as the pros and cons of each type.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_aid#Technology
Since not all of the website provides enough information, I turned to Wikipedia. This page provides a lot of information as usual, although I believe that there are some minor flaws as they are not so consistent with the previous three websites. I used all four to pick out the information I find consistent with all four websites.
TERMS: analog, digital, invisible in canal, behind the ear, body worn aids, amplifier circuity, amplification, concha, canal, earmold
(1a) My topic is the examination of the basic structure and operating characteristics of the human and animal auditory system.
(1b) This topic relates to this chapter because the book discusses the basic structure and operating characteristics of the human auditory system.
(1c) I am interested in this topic because the human ability to hear is greatly outmatched by the efficient design and capabilities of the ear of an animal.
(2) My dog and I are watching television, the dogs ears prick up and it sprints to the front door barking. With the television on I can barely hear what else is happening in my environment. Sure enough, our neighbor is approaching the door as I look out the window. Sound comes from air vibrations. The more vibrations per second, the higher the sound and the higher the frequency. Humans cannot hear sounds that vibrate at greater than 20,000 vibrations per second (20,000 Hz). Sounds above this frequency are called ultrasounds. Ultrasound echoes are used in medicine to design images of organs inside the body. Dogs on the other hand can sense vibrations of up to 50,000 Hz. Thats why dog whistles are unheard by the human ear because they emit a sound greater than 20,000 Hz. Dogs are designed to listen better than humans just by the mere design of their ears. If you are talented, you can move one of the 6 muscles of the human ear. Dog ears on the other hand, are comprised of 18 muscles. By tilting and rotating their ears to funnel sound, the dog is just more efficient. Certain breeds contain certain ear shapes that amplify sound. The canine ear canal is way longer also, its muscles allow the perfect position to finely tune the position of the inner ear canal so it can localize a sound and hear it more accurately and from farther away.
Dogs have an amazing hearing ability, but your sweet little unassuming ball of fur has hearing that can’t be beat. Cats have superiority in the hearing department, following closely behind to only bats and certain select insects. Compared to your human like hearing of 20,000 Hz, the cat is able to hear sounds at up to 65,000 Hz. The cats super human listening skills allows itself to be able to hear the electrical current circulating through your home. Obviously the shape of the cats ears play a vital role in their extraordinary ability to hear. The cone shaped ear is allowed to swivel 180 degrees and in different directions from each other. Their ability to do this comes from the 30 muscles in the ear that allows for each ear to act like little satellite dishes without moving his or her head at all. The distance between ears is also shorter, obviously the ear closest to the sound will hear it first but the delay is extremely short, enabling the cat to pinpoint the source of noise that is coming from far away but can’t be heard by you.
The ability to hear, and to hear well is a big survival trait important to staying alive. Many animals rely on their keen sense of hearing to detect danger lurking nearby. But animals are not the only ones that need extraordinary hearing, us humans need it too! Some animals have hearing mechanisms like humans. Some even use their entire bodies to hear, and although animals have highly sophisticated acute hearing abilities, a recent study has shown that humans can actually distinguish between pitch better than some animals. Researchers conducted studies at the Hebrew University’s Weizmann Institute for Science demonstrating one human neuron has more “discretion” in determining the frequency of a sound than other animals. That single brain cell is able to distinguish between high and low frequencies with more accuracy than the hearing neurons of other animals. The results only explanation has to relate with the human interest in music which benefits us in distinguishing one frequency from another. Even though animals can’t talk, their abilities to see and hear are extraordinary. The acuteness and range of hearing of animals has us beat, they were created to survive in the wild. The human brain is a remarkable machine, and studies like this help us explore its capabilities.
(3) frequency, pitch, amplitude, intensity, hearing, hertz (Hz), ear canal
(4) I chose this source because it contributed information on the design of dog ears and why they can hear much better than humans.
http://www.headstuff.org/2014/10/dogs-hear-better-humans/
I chose this source because it contributed information on the design of cat ears and why their hearing is superior to humans, and dogs. The cats extraordinary ability to hear is only beat by bats and select insects.
http://pets.thenest.com/cats-humans-kind-same-hearing-8264.html
I chose this source because it contributed information on research showing that humans can distinguish frequency better than animals even though animals are superior in acuteness and range of hearing.
http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/articles/Research/Hearing/38037-Human-hearing-ability
1a) This week for my topical blog I chose to look further into hearing loss.
1b) This relates back to the chapter as the chapter introduces us to a couple ways that one can suffer from a hearing loss like. There is conductive hearing loss which occurs when the middle ear bones lose their ability to freely convey vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the oval window. otosclerosis is when there is an abnormal growth of the middle-ear bones that cause hearing loss. There is also sensorineural hearing loss which most commonly occurs inside the cochlea and is due to defects in the cochlea or auditory nerve.
1c) This is something that I am particularly interested in as I have been introduced into the deaf culture and into american sign language which is one of the ways that those with a hearing loss can communicate with those around them. When I finish my degree in psychology I would like to go get my masters in deaf rehabilitation counseling and that is why I find information about the ear and hearing loss particularly interesting to me and would like to learn more about it.
2) Hearing loss is something that can be caused by many different things and some of which can be successfully treated with medication or surgery depending on the disease process. About 20 percent of adults in the Unites States 48 million report that they have some degree of hearing loss. At the age of 65 one out of three people have a hearing loss, and about 2-3 of every 1,000 children are hard of hearing or deaf. Hearing loss is a major public health issue that is the third most common physical condition after arthritis and heart disease. Hearing loss is something that we might call an invisible condition, we are not able to see those who are affected by a hearing loss only the effects that the hearing loss may cause in their lives. Doctors believe that heredity and chronic exposure to loud noises are the main factors that are contributing to hearing loss over times, as this is said there are still other factors that we have to consider that can cause a hearing loss like; excessive earwax, ototoxic (ear damaging) drugs, tumors, head injury, or the aging process.
There are many different symptoms that an individual may encounter and it can vary depending on each individual. The most common symptom for an individual to encounter is to notice muffling of speech or other sounds, they may have difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd of people. They also may frequently may ask others to speak slowly, clearly and louder. Within these people as they are developing these symptoms other people might find the individual starting to blame the other person in the conversation by saying something like “if people wouldn't mumble, I could here!”
There are three main types of hearing loss conductive hearing loss which is when hearing loss is due to problems with the ear canal, eardrum or other bones within the ear. Sensorineural hearing loss is when hearing loss is due to problems of the inner ear also known as nerve-related hearing loss. The third type is mixed hearing loss which refers to a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. There are many different causes that can cause a hearing loss, malformation of outer ear, ear canal or middle ear structures. The individual can develop fluid in the middle ear from colds, ear infection of the middle ear in which an accumulation of fluid may interfere with the movement of the eardrum and ossicles. If there is damage to the inner ear it can be caused from wear and tear of the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that sends the sound signals to the brain. When these become damaged or missing the signals are no longer able to be transmitted correctly and may malfunction.
There are treatments for those who develop a hearing loss, the individual may be able to surgically correct the damaged part of the ear. They may be able to remove the earwax blockage, hearing aid are available to make sounds stronger and easier for the individual to hear. There is also a very serious surgical procedure of getting a cochlear implant. Cochlear implants are for those who suffer from a severe hearing loss. Cochlear implants compensate for damaged or non working parts of your inner ear. This is a option that an individual should be aware of the full surgery and pro’s and con’s before undergoing this option. As this option is not like any other option of the simple fact that you could try it and go back to your “normal” life if you don’t like that option. With the Cochlear implant the actual individual hearing is completely destroyed in order to be able to implant the cochlear. This means that once the individual forgoes the surgery that there is no going back. The individual may take off the cochlear implant so to speak but they will never be able to hear what little they may have been able to hear without the cochlear implant being attached.
Although there are many different benefits of seeking treatment for a hearing loss like greater self confidence, closer relationships with one's loved ones, improved outlook on life and less depression. There are still some negatives that can come along with each individual type of treatment that should be talked out with the individual’s audiologist doctor (who specializes in disorders of the ear nose and throat) and even family members or even a therapist to make sure that the individual is picking the correct treatment to better their life style.
http://www.hearingloss.org/content/types-causes-and-treatment- This webpage gave me alot more information than I already knew about those who were suffering from a hearing loss and how they are able to go through many different types of treatment like hearing aids wax removal.
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Causes-of-Hearing-Loss-in-Adults/- this webpage was less informative but it was able to give me more information about those who are adults and who suffer from a everyday hearing loss. It made it easier to understand how adults are able to develop these symptoms over the years.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/basics/definition/con-20027684 this was a very reliable source as mayo clinic is a largely known hospital that specializes in may different areas and has a great audiologist program. I found this webpage to be very knowledgeable in the area of symptoms and breaking it down for one to develop comfort before they attend their first appointment with a doctor and be able to become less on edge of the topic or the appointment.
sensorineural hearing loss, nerve-related hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, tympanic membrane, oval window. otosclerosis, middle-ear, cochlea, auditory nerve, ear canal, eardrum, ossicles, nerve cells, excessive earwax, ototoxic, hearing aids, cochlear implant.
The topic that I choose to research further was white noise. I wanted to focus on why it works and if there were differences in different “colors” of sounds, as well as how it effects cognitive functioning. I choose to research this because I really like brown noise and my boyfriend likes white noise. We both like different “colors” of sounds, and they help us calm down and concentrate.
White noise is the combination of frequencies of sound that are dispersed in an equal manner. The frequencies included can vary, but are typically all in the human auditory range. Pink noise, a variance on white noise, includes higher levels of the lower frequencies while toning down the higher frequency sounds. This is true for all of the “colors” of sounds. Each color (brown, white, pink, etc.) contains a different spread of frequencies, but an equal amount of all the frequencies included. Because people are sensitive to different frequencies, it creates a difference in preference of a “color” of sound.
If you want to create your own white noise, one of the articles suggested tuning into a radio frequency that does not have interference from other stations and just includes “static”. However, because of technology, white noise machines, YouTube videos, iTunes, and even fans can produce the same “colors” of sounds as well. But, the radio version is free!
The views on the effects of white noise are quite mixed. One of the studies mentioned determined that white noise is effective in improving cognitive functions for children suffering from ADHD. It was also found to be effective in lowering bad moods for individuals in typically noisy workplaces, because it masks the sounds produced in the workplace. However when it came to complex tasks, these workers did worse. It was also seen as an effective treatment for individuals with tinnitus, or chronic ringing in the ears.
Many people listen to white noise as they sleep. This white noise is effective because it blocks any noise changes during sleep. Because we can still hear as we sleep, we are woken up by noise changes. Many people use white noise machines to help their babies sleep as well. But, several studies have been published that indicate that these machines may be harmful to people and babies.
White noise machines are often too loud for babies. They produce sounds up to 70-85 decibels. That is above the limit that is deemed safe for adults in the workplace. Much above that and typically the government would require and adult to use ear protection. This study used the sound of a hair dryer on high as a comparison to how loud 85 decibels would be. In addition, some scientists believe that white noise can create stress in the brain and impair learning by releasing cortisol a stress hormone. This extra cortisol impairs the functioning in the prefrontal cortex. Researches suggest using these machines at a lower volume and for shorter periods of time to reduce these negative side effects.
Terms used: white noise, cortisol, brown noise, pink noise, decibels, frequencies, human auditory range, sound
Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_noise
this website was effective in offering background information and a varience of uses of white noise
http://www.popsci.com/article/science/fyi-why-does-white-noise-help-people-sleep
this website was effective in discussing the topic in an easy to understand way, as well as discussing the difference in the colors of sound
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/growth-curve/should-you-hush-white-noise
this study looked at research done on infants and white noise, related to potential harmful effects
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ask-the-brains-background-noise/
this study looked at research done on stress levels, cortisol, and the effects of white noise
I chose conductive hearing loss as my topic. I chose this because its something that could happen to anyone at anytime. Its important to our chapter because its one of the topics we discuss in the chapter, its also important to know about it and how it can be fixed because its something that can happen to anyone.
Conductive hearing loss is when sound is not traveling to the inner ear correctly. The small bones in the inner ear are unable to make the sounds to send to your brain if the sound waves never reach them.
The causes for this can range from many different things. When it comes to external ear problems, the common causes are just gernerally extreme build up is ear wax or just a simple ear infection. Although it could be because of a tumor on the ear drum, its highly unlikely. The middle ear causes are generally just a build up of liquid in the inner ear, more common in little kids. That can generally be treated by tubes in the ears. Also bad ear infections can cause this.
The inner ear causes has no real common causes to this issue. More uncommon inner ear causes could be a punctured or injured ear drum.
This is also such thing as swimmers ear, which is interesting to me because I actually had that over spring break, it was one of the worst things ever. I think I would rather not be able to hear at all, then only hear out of one ear. I felt so unbalanced and out of sink, plus it was extremely painful. I think that would be classified as an inner ear problem because of the of the fluid in the ear causing the inability to hear and the pain. It felt like my ear was completely shut.
They can treat this in many different ways, including medicine, surgery, hearing aids, etc. The treatment really depends on what part of the ear the problem is located in, and how severe.
Terms: conducive hearing loss, inner ear, small bones, external ear, ear drum, middle ear, outter ear
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Conductive-Hearing-Loss/
I chose this because it gave me a good list of possible causes for conductive hearing loss. many of which i did not find on other sites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductive_hearing_loss
This site was very helpful because it gave me a solid definition of conductive hearing loss and it also broke down the different parts of the ear, and why this problem may occur in that part of the ear
http://www.hearinglink.org/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss
This was helpful because it gave exact parts of the ear, not just inner outer middle,
1. A) The topic I have chosen is otitis media.
B) This related to this chapter because it deals with an infection in the middle ear which is what some of this chapter was about the middle ear and it can also lead to hearing loss.
C) I was interested in this because it is something that is common. I was curious why it happens as often as it does and if there was anything people could do to prevent it.
2. Otitis media means an inflammation of the middle ear. This is an ear infection. It is also the most common cause of ear aches. Also, it is most common in infants and children. Although it is common with them it can occur with adults too. For about 75% of children younger than the age of three they will get this at least once. The reason this is so common with children and not as much with adults is because the eustachian tube is not fully grown yet and that makes it difficult for it to stay open.
This is an infection in the middle ear. There is usually a common cold, flu, and other respiratory infections. This happens because the middle ear and the upper respiratory tract known as eustachian tube are connected. Then the germs that grow in either the nose or sinus cavity go to the eustachian tube then will go into the middle ear and it will grow. This infection can move from the ear to the brain.
The cause is when the middle ear is damp and warm germs will grow there. This occurs when a person has a cold, allergy, or upper respiratory infection. For children the most common cause is respiratory viral infection. The space behind the eardrum, the middle ear, has to be ventilated. Allergies, nasal drainage, sinus infection, colds, and adenoid problems can make it difficult for air to go through the middle ear. Without ventilation in the middle ear fluid from the tissue around it can accumulate. When there is fluid in the ear it can lead to pressure on the eardrum and then it can tear. Viruses and bacteria can cause inflammation then that will cause the infection. When this infection worsens then pain in the ear will be felt.
If this is not treated it can lead to permanent or temporary hearing loss. When there is fluid behind the ear ther person may have difficulty hearing because the middle ear and eardrum can't move like usual. When there is fluid behind the middle ear it can lead to otitis media effusion. This happens while the infection is recovering or beginning. If it persists then it is chronic middle ear infection. When chronic middle ear infection is not treated then it can eventually lead to conductive hearing loss. The average loss of hearing with ear infection is 24 decibels and when there is thicker fluid then it is 45 decibels. If untreated it can also lead to mastoiditis, perforation of the eardrum, meningitis, facial nerve paralysis, and sometimes with adults Meniere's disease.
3. Terms: otitis media, middle ear, eustachian tube, respiratory tract, mastoiditis, meningitis, Meniere's disease, eardrum,otitis media with effusion, chronic middle ear infection, decibels, conductive hearing loss.
4. http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ear-infection/understanding-otitis-media-basics?page=2
This was useful because it explained what ear infection was and how it happens/explained the causes.
http://www.entnet.org/content/middle-ear-infection-chronic-otitis-media-and-hearing-loss
This was useful because it explained how an infection can affect a child's hearing with decibels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_t9YkJqeew
This was useful because it had pictures of where this were happening and arrows pointing the flow of things.
The topic that I chose to further explore is the topic of hearing loss. There are different types of hearing loss and I wanted to learn more about the different kinds and all of the causes and treatments for them. Hearing loss is prevalent in about 36 million people and this has gone up since our class textbook has been published because our textbook said that 30 million people have suffered from hearing loss. Hearing loss relates to chapter nine because we have now moved away from vision and onto hearing. Sensation and perception is all about the way one identifies things. Without the ability to see or hear, one’s capability to sense and perceive there surrounds becomes a lot more difficult. We have learned about the ear and the different structures of it as well as how it works and the problems that can arise within the ear.
I am interested in the concept of hearing loss because there are so many Americans that have some form of it. I never realized how many people hearing loss has affected and after reading about it I wanted to learn more about it. The body is insanely complex and there are so many things within the body that need to work in order for us to live a healthy life. We never stop to think about and appreciate all of the workings of our body until something goes wrong. So many things can wrong inside our body as well as outside of our body so I think it is important to know and understand the body to help prevent sickness and other damage and to also help heal and treat our body when something goes wrong.
As I mentioned before, hearing loss is on the rise in Americans and when hearing goes, it can affect your quality of life. There are different kinds of hearing loss that result from different reasons. Conductive hearing loss is caused by problems with the bones of the middle ear whereas otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear found commonly in children and otosclerosis is abnormal growth of the middle-ear bones that causes hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is due to defects in the cochlea or auditory nerve. As you can tell these are all different types of hearing loss but they have their distinctive causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Conductive hearing loss has many causes such as malformation of the outer ear or middle ear, ear infection, allergies, impacted earwax, benign tumors, etc. A genetic form of conductive hearing loss is otosclerosis which like I talked a little about earlier is when sound cannot reach the middle ear due to abnormal growth of the middle ear. Otosclerosis usually presents itself in early childhood but it can successfully be treated if found in time. A few ways it can be treated is by surgically replacing the immobile stapes or by using a hearing aid. Research suggests that one contribution of otosclerosis is the measles virus, especially those who are genetically predispositioned to have otosclerosis. Because there has been enough research done about the correlation between otosclerosis and the measles virus, otosclerosis may be decreasing because there is a measles vaccination. Conductive hearing loss also has treatments such as surgical correction, a bone conduction hearing aid, a conventional hearing aid, or another form of surgery where they implant an Osseo-integrated device. As I found out, there are treatments to this form of hearing loss and what is nice is that there is more than one option for a treatment.
Sensorineural hearing loss has many causes as well such as too much exposure to loud noise, head trauma, a virus or disease, genetics (hearing loss that runs in the family), aging, tumors, and once again otosclerosis. Because there are so many causes for this type of hearing loss, there are different treatments associated with the causes of it. Corticosteroids are used a lot to help treat sensorineural hearing loss. Corticosteroids reduce cochlea hear cell swelling and inflammation to help get back the hearing that was once lost. Emergency surgeries are another way to treat sensorineural hearing loss but typically only under severe circumstances such as head trauma that has caused an abrupt change in air pressure leading to rupture or leakage within the inner ear. Irreversible sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss and can be managed with hearing aids or if bad enough can be treated with surgery by inserting cochlear implants.
Otitis media is actually another name for ear infection. Although some ear infections may seem mild and have no major long term effects, if not treated properly it can lead to the loss of hearing. Otitis media is a temporary experience of hearing loss that most commonly occurs in children but of course can occur in older adults as well. Otitis media results due to inflammation and mucus buildup in the middle ear. This causes the hearing threshold to be raised a number of decibels for the child or adult to hear it. Although this is temporary, it can have long lasting effects and should be taken seriously and taken care of as soon as possible.
Terms: Sensation, perception, cochlea, corticosteroids, otitis media, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, otosclerosis, auditory nerve, inner ear, middle ear.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-loss-causes-symptoms-treatment - I chose this website because I know WebMD is a very reliable source for all things and it gives me a lot of information with details.
http://www.hearingloss.org/content/types-causes-and-treatment - I liked this website because it gave me lists of causes of hearing loss which makes it easier for me to read and understand.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0915/p1125.html - I chose this website because it confirmed everything that I already found on WebMD and gave me additional information to help write my blog.
1a) Types of hearing Loss
1b) This relates to the chapter because chapter nine introduced us to the ear and its ability to perceive by hearing. The different types of hearing loss describe what happens when the parts of the ear do not function the way they were intended.
1c)I found this interesting because in the past couple of years I have become increasingly interested in Deaf culture. Learning their language and understanding their culture has been a fascinating experience for me. I want to learn more about the different types of hearing loss and have a better understanding of what they people inside that culture are going through.
2) There are three types of hearing loss. The first is conductive hearing loss. This is known as a mechanical hearing loss. This occurs when there are problems with the ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear. This damage comes from ear infections, foreign objects in the ear, infections in the ear canal, benign tumors, etc. Treatment for this type of hearing loss depends on what causes the loss itself. With things like infections, treatment options like antibiotics are available. The loss can be corrected with surgery such as tubes in the ears, and sometimes the implementation of hearing aids is necessary.
Another type of hearing loss is sensorineural. This type of hearing loss comes from the problems with the inner ear and is also known as sensory-nerve loss. This title can often be deceiving since it is rarely the nerve that is damaged. More often than not the cause of the hearing loss is caused by the hairs in the ear that conduct the sound. Causes of sensorineural hearing loss are loud noises, head trauma, aging, hereditary, malformation of the ear, or tumors. Treatment for this type of hearing loss usually includes hearing aids. However when hearing aids are not enough to amplify sound, sometimes it is necessary to put in a cochlear implant.
The final type of hearing loss is mixed. This is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. Recommended treatment for this type is to treat the conductive impairment first. Of these three types of hearing loss the most common is the sensorineural, specifically age-related and genetically determined, and hearing loss in general is the third most common health problem in the United States.
There are four stages of hearing loss as well. The first stage, mild, is when you can carry on a conversation with one individual but it becomes increasingly difficult as more background noise is added. The second stage of hearing loss is moderate hearing loss. In this type, one often asks others to repeat themselves. The third stage is severe hearing loss. With this stage, it is almost impossible to carry on a conversation without the assistance of a hearing aid. The last stage is profound hearing loss. One with this stage of hearing loss cannot understand individuals unless the speak very loudly. It is impossible to make out speech without a hearing aid or cochlear implant.
Hearing loss will affect all of us someday. Like I stated earlier, it is third most common health problem in the United States. If a person would like to keep their hearing as long as they are genetically able, they should take care of the ears that they are given. If not, ASL is pretty fun.
3) Key terms: hearing loss, deaf, conductive, ear canal, eardrum, middle ear, hearing aids, sensorineural, inner ear, sensory nerve loss, cochlear implant, sound,
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcGz7uwnPrs
I chose this video because it gave me a nice basis for studying this topic.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-loss-causes-symptoms-treatment
This website discussed treatment options and more details about the individual problems with hearing loss.
http://www.hearingloss.org/content/types-causes-and-treatment
This website gave me more details on the individual types of hearing loss and what parts of the ear they affected.
This week I chose to look into Cochlear Implants. Implants are a very controversial subject within the Deaf Community. Those in the Deaf community don’t see themselves as being disabled. The accepted terms are deaf and hard of hearing, not hearing impaired. I have been involved in ASL (American Sign Language) and the Deaf community for the past two years. This experience has given me a different view of Cochlear implants and I am not entirely sure I think they are the great miracle that they are sometimes touted by some medical professionals.
Those eligible for Cochlear implants are those with sensorineural hearing loss. This is usually occurs inside the cochlea and often is damage to the auditory nerves. The individual must have severe hearing loss and the use of hearing aids cannot bring about enough positive assistance. The process for getting a Cochlear implant is very long and requires a lot of therapy both before and especially after the surgery.
The actual surgery for the Cochlear is a small incision behind the ear and the electrode array is threaded through a small hole in the cochlea. After the surgery, not immediately but at least a week later, the external portion is attached. There is a microphone and a speech processor, which fits on the ear. There is also a transmitter which is attached to the head by the ear. It is rather like a magnet and it is easily taken on and off. Many Deaf with a Cochlear talk about taking it out at night to get uninterrupted sleep! Each part has a specific job to aid in hearing. The microphone of course picks up sound from the individual’s surroundings. The speech processor selects the sounds and arranges them. The transmitter receives signals from the processor and converts them into electric impulses. The electrode array is a group of electrodes that then takes the impulses and sends them to the regions of the auditory nerve. A cochlear is different than a hearing aid, in that hearing aids simply amplify sounds where the cochlear rearranges the sound waves and sends them through the auditory nerve to the brain.
As I have been exposed to Deaf communities I realized that the implant does not give normal sound to a person with hearing loss. Before this I thought as many people that it was like a magic device that made Deaf people hear like those with normal hearing. When it is described by medical personal it is said to give a Deaf person a “useful representation of sounds… and help him understand speech.” There are varying results with the implant. Some will hear well enough to use the telephone; others may struggle with simple speech. Much of the success depends upon the age of the individual when getting the implant. Doctors believe that the younger the child the more successful the results. It is thought that the still forming brains of children adapt better to the cochlear and promote clearer hearing. How bad the hearing is and when hearing loss occurred also are factors in how much sound the individual is able to understand.
The reactions in the Deaf community are very mixed. Some see this as just another plot against Deaf individuals and equate it with the audism campaign that was the child of Alexander Graham Bell. Alexander Graham Bell is viewed as the “Hitler of Deaf culture.” He was a major promoter of oralism and an opponent of sign language. He also felt that the deaf should not reproduce and was a promoter of the eugenics movement. Many Deaf are against doctors who want to implant infants and believe that the child should be allowed to decide when he or she is old enough. What exactly “old enough” is also is a controversial topic. Many Deaf who are not necessarily against the implants believe that regardless of choice made those who are deaf should be able to identify with the culture and that ASL should be taught.
Regardless of the opinion a person holds, I think it is really important that people understand that an implant does not give someone perfect hearing. I have listened to a video that creates the levels of sound produced by the cochlear and the sound is nothing like what we hear normally. It is also important to realize that very few people hear absolutely nothing. Most people can hear some sound especially with the use of hearing aids. However hearing aids only amplify sounds and many deaf I know say that they give them terrible headaches. Although the controversy may not seem like it has a lot to do with perception I think that there is a lot that has to be looked at besides just the bare scientific facts.
Terms: cochlear implants, hearing impaired, sensorineural hearing loss, auditory nerves, audism, oralism, transmitter, signals, impulses
I forgot to attach my urls!
http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cochlear-implants/care-at-mayo-clinic/treatment/prc-20021470?wt.adtype=s&wt.mc_id=us&campaign=mcr_ent&geo=regional&kw=%2bcochlear+%2bimplant&ad=28202750556&Network=googleSearch&SiteTarget=&account=2818104325&gclid=CJCA_tTpxMQCFQYIaQodPZEAyQ
This was a good site for information on the surgical part of the cochlear
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/coch.aspx#c
This site had technical information regarding the parts and functions of the implant
http://nad.org/issues/technology/assistive-listening/cochlear-implants
This site had a lot of information about the process and the pros and cons
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/understanding-deafness-not-everyone-wants-to-be-fixed/278527/
This site had information about the Deaf Community perspectives
1a) Otosclerosis which is an abnormal growth in the middle-ear bones that causes hearing loss.
1b) This was a concept that was brought up in the last chapter and had a short paragraph dedicated to it.
1c) Since there was only a brief paragraph on this subject I wanted to go out and find more on this topic and what all causes it. I also wanted to see if there are any varying forms of this disease and what treatment options are already available.
2) Otosclerosis can cause hearing loss in two different forms. The first is by conductive hearing loss or CHL. When this happens, sounds still reaches the ear drum but are interrupted on their way to the ossicular chain in the middle ear portion. This causes the sound to fail in reaching the cochlea. This form usually begins in one ear and will eventually affect both ears through one way or another. The other less common form of hearing loss that may come from otosclerosis is called sensorineural hearing loss or SNHL for short. This is a high-frequency loss that usually shows up later in the disease. With this second form there is still not a lot of research out there yet to prove SNHL is completely caused by otosclerosis. Hearing loss due to otosclerosis usually begins between the ages of 11-30 and only about 0.3% of the population has otosclerosis.
Research has been able to find that the causes of otosclerosis may be linked closely to genetics. Otosclerosis occurs only in human temporal bones, and is considered to be a disorder of new bone formation. It is still highly variable that it is difficult to detect an inheritance pattern to an exact percentage for a given individual. One analysis has shown a close relationship with otosclerosis and gene variations of the RELN gene. It is estimated that ten percent of the adult Caucasian population is affected by otosclerosis. The condition is less common in people of Japanese and South American decent and is rare in African Americans. Overall, Caucasian, middle-aged women are most at risk. Approximately 60 percent of otosclerosis cases have a genetic predisposition. On average, a person who has one parent with otosclerosis has a 25 percent chance of developing the disorder. If both parents have otosclerosis, the risk goes up to 50 percent. There is also evidence of viral influences in otosclerosis; a recent hypothesis is that otosclerosis requires a combination of a specific gene with exposure to a specific virus for it to be expressed and hearing loss to occur. Cases that are virus positive also are positive for TNF-alpha, suggesting a possible link to autoimmune inner ear disease. As of current knowledge, nobody has yet attempted to apply this finding with anti-TNF drugs.
In order for a person to be diagnosed with otosclerosis a doctor must go over several areas and some newer technologies can help. Most clinical findings show otosclerosis related to progressive conductive hearing loss, a normal tympanic membrane, and no evidence of middle ear inflammation. All of these factors help professional rule out other diseases that also may cause hearing loss. The most common location of the abnormal bone from otosclerosis is right beside the bone just above an area called the fissula ante fenestram. A high resolution CT scan can also show these subtle bone findings. Interestingly, many individuals with otosclerosis compensate for their hearing loss by unintentionally learning to read lips in some cases.
There are two main treatment options so far for otosclerosis. The first is just hear aids to help redirect the hearing loss from the affected side to the other unaffected ear. This works for most patients as long as the working ear does not start to show signs of deterioration. The second option is a surgery called stapedectomy. Hearing aids are usually very effective early in the course of the disease, but eventually a stapedectomy may be required for definitive treatment. Some individuals with otosclerosis purchase a hearing aid because of health problems, age, or concerns regarding surgery. A stapedectomy consists of removing a portion of the sclerotic stapes footplate and replacing it with an implant that is secured to the incus. This procedure restores continuity of ossicular movement and allows transmission of sound waves from the eardrum to the inner ear. Another form of stapedectomy is performed by drilling a small hole in the stapes footplate with a micro drill or even a laser then adding in prosthesis. The success of the surgery still relies heavily on the surgeon’s ability to perform this surgery, as it is a very complicated one. Other treatments that are not as successful include pharmaceuticals or orally ingested supplements.
http://www.earsurgery.org/conditions/otosclerosis/ This website does a nice overview of some of the causes and treatment for otosclerosis. It also goes into detail on how a stapedectomy is performed.
http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/hearing/otoscler.html This website has a great visual layout of where otosclerosis occurs and goes into detail on the pathology of the disease as well as more treatment options.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929709000469 This study shows how the gene RELN is connected to otosclerosis.
The topic that I chose to further explore is the topic of hearing loss. There are different types of hearing loss and I wanted to learn more about the different kinds and all of the causes and treatments for them. Hearing loss relates to chapter nine because now instead of learning about our eyes, we are looking into learning more about our hearing. This chapter talks about the ear and the different structures of it as well as how it works and the problems that can arise within the ear.
I am interested in the concept of hearing loss because there are so many people that have some form of it. I never realized how many people hearing loss has affected and after reading about it I wanted to learn more about it. We never stop to think about and appreciate all of the workings of our body until something goes wrong. I think this chapter is important to learn about so we can appreciate these things and gain more knowledge about them.
When describing hearing loss, we generally look at three categories: type of hearing loss, degree of hearing loss, and configuration of hearing loss. With children, it is especially important to diagnose and treat a hearing loss as early as possible. This limits its potential impact on learning and development. Hearing loss can greatly affect the quality of life for adults as well. Unmanaged hearing loss can have an impact on employment, education, and general well-being.
Hearing loss can be categorized by which part of the auditory system is damaged. There are three basic types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss. The term congenital hearing loss means the hearing loss is present at birth. Congenital hearing loss can be caused by genetic or nongenetic factors. Genetic factors, hereditary, are thought to cause more than 50% of all hearing loss. Hearing loss from genetic defects can be present at birth or develop later on in life. Most genetic hearing loss can be described as autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant. Other, more rare types of genetic hearing loss include X-linked, related to the sex chromosome, or mitochondrial inheritance patterns.
Acquired hearing loss is a hearing loss that appears after birth. The hearing loss can occur at any time in one's life, as a result of an illness or injury. The following are examples of conditions that can cause acquired hearing loss in children: ear infections, meningitis, measles, or the flu. Ear infections happen when the middle ear becomes inflamed. The middle ear is the small space behind the eardrum. Ear infections are also called acute otitis media. They can happen in one or both ears.
Ear infections are among the most common sicknesses during childhood and can be painful. Many children will have at least one acute ear infection by the time they turn 1 year old. Ear infections are so common in children because the passage between the middle ear and the back of the throat is smaller and more horizontal in children than in adults. This allows it to be more easily blocked by infections in the ear.
All hearing aids share similar electronic component such as a microphone used to pick up sound, an amplifier circuitry to make the sound louder, a miniature speaker to deliver the amplified sound, and batteries to keep the hearing aid powered. Different kinds of hearing aids differ by design, technology to amplify the sound, and there are different special features that come with different kinds of aids. There are two different technologies used to achieve amplification: analog and digital.
Behind-the-ear hearing aids consist of a plastic case, which holds all the electronic components, connected to a plastic earmold, consist of the speaker. The case goes onto the ear and the earmold fits inside the outer ear. This kind of hearing aid can be used by people of all ages for all degrees of hearing loss. An open-fit hearing aid is a more advanced version of behind-the-ear hearing aids, where only a narrow tube is inserted into the ear canal, letting the canal remain open; some people prefer this because they can hear their own voice more naturally without the canal locked.
In the ear aids are devices that are custom made to fit every individual’s concha, so smaller children are not recommended to use these because they will have to constantly replace the aids as they grow. These aids can accommodate all degrees of hearing losses. The case of the aid fits perfectly with the concha, and is made by hard plastic to hold all the components. These kinds of aids can come with telecoil, which allows individuals to receive sound through the circuity of the hearing aid, making it easier to hear conversations over the phone. The telecoil also helps making it easier to hear at places with induction loop systems.
Terms: Sensation, perception, cochlea, corticosteroids, otitis media, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, otosclerosis, auditory nerve, inner ear, middle ear, hereditary, autosomal recessive hearing loss, congenital hearing loss.
URL: www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-loss-causes-symptoms-treatment
URL: www.asha.org/public/hearing/Different-Styles-of-Hearing-Aids/
URL: www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.aspx
I chose these websites because they all had relevant information on the topic and I was able to expand my knowledge on the topic easily. They all had good different details on the topic and I was able to find a lot of information on the cause and how hearing loss affects individuals.
1a. The topic that I have chose to focus on from chapter ten is the phenomena of white noise. It is characterized by a noise consisting of all audible frequencies in equal amounts and involves all possible wave lengths. In simpler terms it is a constant noise such as a television, radio, or fan that is a mixture of different sound waves.
1b. This topic relates to chapter ten because it is a phenomena related to the physiology of hearing that was addressed in one of the sections. It is an experience related to hearing that every person experiences and that encompasses many aspects of hearing such as frequencies and wave lengths.
1c. I am very interested in this topic because it is something I have heard about through out my life without any detailed explanation. I have also vaguely heard about the benefits it can have for activities such as focusing on a hard project or getting a good nights sleep. I know many people that prefer to have soft noise in the background while they work as well as while they try to fall asleep. For these reasons I am very interested in the diverse research about white noise.
2. An article by Rausch et al sought to explore the idea that white noise can improve learning and increase activity in reward centers of the brain. It has been previously hypothesized by researchers that the presence of white noise contributes to optimal information processing as well as positive affect on cognitive functioning, memory, and learning. Although the underlying neural mechanisms are still unclear it is thought that the presence of auditory white noise while trying to encode scene images enhances recognition memory, performance, and enhances activity in the dopaminergic which holds the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental areas associated with the pleasure center of the brain. The current study found that the implementing white noise in healthy human adults improved recognition memory. Researchers utilized an fMRI and found that while viewing a scenic image the participants midbrain and dopamine pathways such as the substantia nigra and the VTA became active and increased memory. This finding indicates that white noise can be utilized in learning conditions to improve memory and specifically improve recognition memory in elderly humans. This finding is extremely interesting because it provides evidence that white noise can be useful in situations involving learning and memory. It also confirms my observation that many of the people I know function optimally in learning environments when white nose is present. Another study by Cook et al found that white noise can decrease problem behaviors of children with ADHD in the classroom. Researchers played white noise through headphones during a classroom intervention to try and decrease off task behavior and increase classroom production in ADHD children. The results showed that the presence of white noise decreased off task behavior from a shocking 89% to 62% and significantly increased classroom production. I find this research to be extremely fascinating because aiding children with ADHD in the classroom has been a challenge for researchers and teachers for a very long time. it is also interesting that constant noise is something that helps them to focus on the tasks at hand. I think this research and others like it will be extremely important for future ADHD treatment and may be an alternative to medication. Lastly, a study performed by Soderlund et al explored the idea that acoustic noise improves motor learning in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The idea was to discover whether or not white noise also increased productivity and decreased distracted behaviors in rats the same way it did in human children. The results found that in an open field paradigm the rats performed optimally in the presence of white noise. This research further confirms the idea that the use of white noise could be useful as a treatment for ADHD as an alternative to pharmacological stimulants.
The previously mentioned research all provide fascinating evidence for the usefulness of white noise in educational settings. I think it is a great possibility for alternative treatment and should be researched further in the future.
Terms: white noise, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, frequencies, wave lengths, information processing, dopaminergic area, midbrain, cognitive functioning, ADHD, open field paradigm, fMRI
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.uni.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=6&sid=3f51ad47-09e6-4f42-aad0-4f2d74ea886c%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4212&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=psyh&AN=2014-23141-011 I chose this website because it provided useful information about the impact of white noise on memory as well as the parts of the brain that become active when white noise is presented.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.uni.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=c810e197-23ff-4ff8-892e-4285655febb2%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4212&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=psyh&AN=2015-10968-003 I chose this website because it gave great information about white noise as a method of treatment for ADHD as an alternative to a stimulant medication.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.uni.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=66ff6a5e-b93c-4e90-98c9-44fc820bda8e%40sessionmgr114&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=psyh&AN=2014-57463-012 I chose this website because it gave further research supporting the idea that white noise is a great alternative to medication to increase productivity and decrease adversive behaviors.
1. The topic I chose was otosclerosis. This topic is related to the chapter because it is a cause of hearing loss. The chapter was about the basic fundamentals of the sense of hearing. Therefore, hearing loss fits in very well. I am interested in this topic because I find bone disorders really interesting. They often look the coolest when viewed in person. I also wanted to research this particular kind of hearing loss because the text does not give much information on it. I wanted to research this disorder and find out more about it.
2. Otosclerosis is a type of hearing loss caused by the abnormal bone growth in the middle ear. With its location in the middle ear, this disorder is further defined as a kind of conductive hearing loss. To understand where the problem lies in otosclerosis, one must understand the normal functions of the ear. Typically, sound waves are collected by the pinnae, or the outermost portion of the ear. Those waves then travel through the ear canal and hit the eardrum. The eardrum will vibrate, causing the three ossicle bones of the middle ear to also vibrate and intensify the sound waves. At this point, the sound waves travel into the inner ear and eventually to the brain. This entire process requires all parts to function correctly in order for hearing to work properly. Otosclerosis most often damages the middle ear. While the abnormal bone growth of this disease can affect any bone in the middle ear, the stapes (stirrup) ossicle bone is most afflicted. When a bone is affected, it will not vibrate like it is supposed to. Therefore, the sound waves are interrupted on their way to the brain. This interruption is what causes the hearing loss.
Otosclerosis is not a particularly common disease. It is most common in Caucasians, and even then only affects 10% of the population. The risk increases if you are also a woman. There is a genetic component to the disease. Otosclerosis disease tends to show an autosomal dominant pattern with variable penetrance. When this is the case, a person has a 50% chance of receiving the gene from a parent with the same gene. However, just because someone has the gene does not necessarily mean that the disease will occur. A few prominent theories speculate a connection between the manifestation of otosclerosis and the presence of the measles virus. One theory in particular believes the combination of the gene and the virus is a primary cause of otosclerosis.
There are only a few symptoms of otosclerosis. The most common of these is decreased ability to hear. Most often, one ear will experience hearing loss first. The hearing loss in the other ear will soon follow in the vast majority of patients. The loss is fairly gradual in most people. However, the loss is greatly increased in speed for women who are pregnant. The reason for this is yet unknown. At the beginning of hearing loss, low-pitched sounds and quiet sounds are the first noises to go unheard. Another symptom is called tinnitus. Tinnitus is the term for when a loud buzzing, ringing or humming is heard in the affected ear. This is a common symptom for any type of hearing loss. Other symptoms include dizziness and problems with balance. To be diagnosed with otosclerosis, these symptoms are taken into account along with family history. Various hearing and medical tests are also conducted in order to rule out any other cause of hearing loss. CT scans can also be done to make certain that otosclerosis is the culprit of the hearing loss. A specialist in the field, such as an otolaryngologist, otologist, or audiologist, would most effectively perform these tests.
There are few treatments for otosclerosis. If the disease is mild enough, a hearing aid may be sufficient to compensate for the hearing loss. Other times surgery can be conducted to restore hearing. This medical procedure consists of actually removing the affected ossicle bone, and replacing it with a prosthetic. In the most common form of the disease, the stapes is removed. That particular procedure is called a stapedectomy. The new prosthetic bone is able to properly vibrate with sound waves. Therefore, proper function is returned, and hearing improves greatly. The surgery often has good results and rarely ends negatively. In fact, since 1956, stapedectamy in particular has achieved a 90% success rate. Due to this, the outlook for those with this disease is actually quite optimistic.
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/otosclerosis.aspx
I chose this source because it was a good baseline encyclopedia article for the disease. It was simple and to the point. This made it easy to understand.
http://american-hearing.org/disorders/otosclerosis/
I liked this source because it went more into depth on the disease and provided more information that the other sources did not. This allowed me to learn more detail about the subject.
http://www.entnet.org/content/what-you-should-know-about-otosclerosis
This site was especially interesting because it provides a lot of good information on the stapedectamy. I liked this because it provided more detail on that particular part of the subject.
Terms: Otosclerosis; abnormal bone growth; middle ear; pinnae; ear canal; ossicle; eardrum; stapes; stirrup; genetic; dominant; measles virus; tinnitus; otolaryngologist; otologist; audiologist; stapedectomy
The physiology of the middle ear is my topic. I didn’t have a real good reason to discuss it, just seems like there is a lot of information on it, and I already kind of did half the work in the Monday post. I was going to do it on hearing aids but seems like a few people are already doing that. I found some nasty picture, included in the web site links, the stuff is interesting, but it is also gross.
The outer ear is made up of the pinna, which is the outer, funnel-like portion of the ear, and the ear canal, which conducts sound vibrations from the pinna to the tympanic membrane and prevents damage to the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum. The tympanic membrane transforms sound waves into mechanical vibrations that stimulate the inner ear. I also mentioned this in my Monday post but I found out that puncturing your eardrum will not lead to deafness in that ear, but that the tympanic membrane will heal itself, it can still be damaged beyond repair though. This tympanic membrane is the border between the outer and middle ear, which consists of three small bones, the ossicles, which amplify sound waves. The malleus, the first ossicle, receives vibration from the tympanic membrane and is attached to the eardrum on one side and to the second ossicle the incus on the other. The incus is connected to the stapes, which transmits the vibrations of sound waves to the oval window of the cochlea, another membrane which represents the border between the middle and inner ear. These ossicles, the smallest bones in the body, amplify vibrations in two ways. The joints between the bones are hinged in a way that makes them work like levers, and this lever action increases the amount of pressure change by about 33%. The second way these tiny bones increase the energy transmitted to the inner ear is by concentrating energy from a larger to a smaller surface area. The tympanic membrane is approximately 18 times larger than the oval window, so the pressure on the oval window is increased 18 times relative to the pressure on the tympanic membrane.
The inner ear is made up of a collection of fluid-filled chambers, important because without the fluid the sound waves that were transmitted to the oval window directly would bounce back without moving the oval window at all, they are also important when it comes to hearing low noises. There has to be some resistance within the ear to have normal anatomy and functioning of an outer ear and a middle ear with an intact tympanic membrane, a normal ossicular chain, and a well-ventilated tympanic cavity. Otherwise all sound is muddled, sometimes the situation with those who are deaf.
The ossicles are important for loud noises. The middle ear has two muscles attached to the tiny bones. The tensor tympani, attached to the malleus, and the stapedius, attached to the stapes, have the responsibility of tensing when sounds are very loud by decreasing vibration, which restricts the movement of the ossicles and muffles the pressure changes that might be so great as to damage the delicate structures in the inner ear. The disadvantage of this acoustic reflex is that it follows the onset of loud sounds by about one-fifth of a second. This means it helps in situations that have sustained periods of loud noises, but does not protect against abrupt loud sounds, like a gun shot. Again something I mentioned in the Monday post, the muscles of the middle ear can tense during swallowing, talking and general body movement, helping to keep the auditory system from being overwhelmed by sounds made by our own bodies.
Sources:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/874456-overview
there was a lot of tabs within this website that I used, a lot of information came from it
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/ear/
good diagams
http://www.entusa.com/external_ear_canal.htm
gross pictures, but also intresting things that could and have happened to affect hearing
Terms: middle ear, pinna, ear canal, tympanic membrane, eardrum, ossicles, malleus, incus, stapes, oval window, cochlea, amplification, inner ear, outer ear, tensor tympani, stapedius, auditory system, sound waves, acoustic reflex
Sensation & Perception
TB10: MET
3/25/2015
Our perceptual experience is the product of neural impulses. In terms of sound, the neural impulse starts with sound waves, which are caused by vibration in the environment. As sound waves enter the ear via the pinna and ear canal, they cause the tympanic membrane to fluctuate. In turn, this causes the malleus, incus and stapes in the middle ear act as levers on the oval window. Next, the stereocilia, also known as hair bundles, on the hair cells inside the cochlea are deflected by the tectorial membrane. When this happens, positive ions rush to the hair cells. Depolarization is the basis for neural impulses all over the body. Excitatory synaptic transmissions are sent to the area of the brain connected with hearing. The physical motion which is transformed into electrical energy is what is known as mechanoelectrical transduction (MET).
The release of ions depends on the cochlea’s coding for sound, based on amplitude and frequency. The anatomy of the inner ear enables the cochlea to do this, manipulating our perception of sound. Here, the basilar membrane is the foundation for hair cells, which detect sound. The textbook mentions how the cochlear partition is tuned for particular frequencies. Lower frequencies are detected closer to the apex, while higher frequencies are sensed closer to the oval window. Specialized neurons called stereocilia, are what detect mechanical movement and trigger the release of ions. They are arranged like stairs on each hair cell, and are connected by a thin filament called a tip link.
In recent years, research has shown that various types of tip links impact the release of positive ions, and thus the transduction of electrical energy to the brain. Because the tip links are really microfilaments, they are very difficult to study. It is difficult to know the exact function of each type in the mechanoelectrical transduction (MET). In general, when tectorial membrane deflects the stereocilia, the primary action is worked upon the tallest stereocilium. When this happens, the tip link causes the intermediate and short stereocilia to deflect as well. Further research as to the composition of tip links have helped identify how the physical energy of sound is transformed into the electrical energy that is transmitted to the brain. The degree of deflection is mainly dependent on amplitude (loudness). Higher amplitude causes a higher degree of deflection, and therefore triggers the release of more positive ions to the hair cells. A higher degree of depolarization results in a more extreme excitatory response. This is how volume of sound impacts our perceptual experience.
Terms: Neural impulse, sound, pinna, ear canal, tympanic membrane, malleus, incus, stapes, middle ear, oval window, stereocilia, hair cells, cochlea, tectorial membrane, depolarization, mechanoelectrical transduction (MET), cochlear partition, frequency, amplitude,
http://physrev.physiology.org/content/physrev/94/3/951.full.pdf
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0021929012001340/1-s2.0-S0021929012001340-main.pdf?_tid=f9144fc6-d327-11e4-9edd-00000aab0f01&acdnat=1427313116_90ad2f9d984ebbba5c2a689bafc3fe36
http://paperity.org/p/46908210/the-composition-and-role-of-cross-links-in-mechanoelectrical-transduction-in-vertebrate
The topic I will be doing further research on is hearing loss. This topic relates to the chapter, because the chapter discusses how the ear works and how sound is perceived. It also talks specifically about a couple different types of hearing loss. I am interested in this topic, because I experienced hearing loss in my left ear as a child. Because of this, I am now mostly deaf in one ear. It is fun.
There are three main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the ossicles of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss usually involves a reduction in sound level or the ability to hear faint sounds. This type of hearing loss can often be corrected medically or surgically. There are many different causes for conductive hearing loss including: fluid in the middle ear from colds, ear infections, allergies, perforated eardrums, benign tumors, impacted earwax, swimmer's ear, presence of a foreign body, and the absence or malformation of the ear. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the cochlea or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Most of the time, this type of hearing loss cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss reduces the ability to hear faint sounds. Even when speech is loud enough to hear, it may still be unclear or sound muffled. Possible causes for this include: illnesses, certain drugs, genetics, aging, head trauma, malformation of the inner ear, and exposure to loud noise. Mixed hearing loss is simply a combination of the two previous types. In other words, there may be damage in the outer or middle ear as well as in the inner ear or auditory nerve. There are four different degrees of hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe, and profound. Mild hearing loss is when one on one conversations are fine but it becomes hard to catch every word in presence of background noise. Moderate hearing loss is when one often needs to ask people to repeat themselves during in person and telephone conversations. Severe hearing loss is when following a conversation is almost impossible without a hearing aid. Finally, profound hearing loss is when one cannot hear other people speaking unless they are extremely loud. Without a hearing aid or cochlear implant, someone with profound hearing loss cannot understand speech. Treatment for hearing loss depends on the type and source of the hearing loss. Surgery may reverse hearing loss caused by otosclerosis, scar tissue, or infection, while Meniere's disease is sometimes treatable with medication and diet modification. Hearing loss caused by infection can often be treated with antibiotics. People with permanent hearing loss need to learn how to function with the hearing they still have. Most people with permanent hearing loss can benefit from a hearing aid, yet only one in five eligible people use them. Hearing aids are tiny instruments one typically wears in or behind the ear that makes sounds louder. Other sound-enhancing technologies include personal listening systems that allow you to tune in to what you want to hear and mute other sounds. TV listening systems make it possible for one to hear the TV or radio without turning the volume way up. Different kinds of phone-amplifying devices are available to make conversations possible on home and mobile phones. Finally, cochlear implants are used mainly with young children but are becoming more popular among older adults with profound hearing loss.
There is also what is called auditory processing disorder (APD) where there may be greater than expected difficulty hearing and understanding speech even though no measurable hearing loss exists. People with APD may act as though a hearing loss is present when in fact, hearing sensitivity is often within normal limits. It is often confused with other disorders such as ADHD, language impairment, learning disabilities, social and emotional delays, or cognitive deficits. It is important to take an eclectic approach for accurate diagnosis of this disorder. Members of the diagnosis team may include speech-language pathologists, psychologists, classroom teachers, physicians, parents, and audiologists. If screening results are consistent with APD, the audiologist will complete a comprehensive battery of tests that are chosen based on the person's age, auditory problems, language and cognitive abilities. Treatment for auditory processing disorder generally targets three different areas: direct therapy such as auditory or phonologic awareness training, environmental modifications, and compensatory strategies.
Terms: Hearing Loss, Conductive Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Mixed Hearing Loss, Outer Ear Canal, Eardrum, Ossicles, Middle Ear, Cochlea, Auditory Processing Disorder, Mild/Moderate/Severe/Profound Hearing Loss, Hearing Aid, Otosclerosis
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003044.htm - I used this source, because it provided a good base of the essential information and presented it in an easy to read fashion.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-loss-causes-symptoms-treatment?page=3#1 - I used this source, because it provided more information than most other sources I found.
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Hearing-Loss/ - I used this source, because it provided slightly different information from the other sources and presented it in an easy to read fashion.
1. I decided to explore the reasons people have the music preferences they do. It relates to chapter 9 because chapter 9 is about how ear hears the sounds it does. I find this topic interesting because I was reading about ear deceivers how loud a sound is and the brain decides if they like that sound in question. Then I started wondering if there was a biological reason for people likening different types of music.
2. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is actually quite a bit of research that has been done in an effort to try to find out all the reasons we like the music we do. Despite how much research has been conducted, I found no research that backed a purely biological reason for people’s music preferences. I did however find several other interesting theories on why people like the music they do: personality, age, and identity.
The most interesting, but not exactly cross culturally applicable, theory uses the Big Five Personality traits as a basis to make a guess at what type of music a person is most likely to enjoy. Openness to experience is one trait that is connected to complex music (genres of jazz and classical for example). It should also be noted that people with this trait showed a high level of appreaction for new music, so they would be more likely to give new music a chance. Extroversion was another trait that had a positive correlation to upbeat music (like pop) and to energetic music (like rap, soul and dance music). This correlation could be an accidental correlation because I found a source that explained the main compliant I had about this results: whether or not personality comes before music preference or after. Agreeable ness was a trait that connected with a preference for upbeat and conventional music. This was explained as this personality trait was concerned with the emotion, and chances to connect with others. The traits of Neuroticism and conscientiousness were negatively correlated to a preference for loud and rebellious music, like the various subgenres of rock.
The next aspect of music preference I found was age. Music preference seems to become super important around adolescence. The music usually preferred at this stage is characterized by “aggressive, tense and characterized by loud, distorted sounds has the rebellious connotations” because at this stage in development-teens are all about developing a sense of autonomy and making sure the people around them know that. Once this stage is passed, mellow music tends to be preferred, which the e two “preference dimensions” of “romantic,” and “emotionally positive and danceable”. The researches thought this was due to the current development stage being focused on facing life challenges by finding “people who appreciate this ‘you’ that has emerged.” The final stage happens around the time most people start to settle down in all aspects of their life, and is marked by “positive and relaxing” music. This type of music takes two forms: sophisticated music (jazz and classical) and unpretentious music (country, folk and blues).
There is a lot about a person that can be learned about peoples’ identity by just simply going through their iPod, or whatever internet source of music, and people are surprisingly good at making guesses. One source I found said, “Music [is] key to identity formation because [it is] often [a] public presentation of the deepest feelings and qualities” of an individual.” This makes sense because music preference has the ability to communicate the culture someone associates with and this is because it helped form their identify (aka self-perception) during their adolescence. This is becoming less and less accurate though as technology advances. Technology like downloading( both cheap an free/illegal, free streaming, easy file sharing, and websites like YouTube have made it easier than ever before to discover and fall in love new music. The effects of this make it easy to find some common ground when meeting someone. This doesn’t stop us from judging people when we find out about their love for that one singer we deem to be complete crap, wither it is their guilty pleasure or not.
Music can also be used to impact the mood of a person. Both the big five traits of agreeableness, neuroticism and consciousness are known to use music to regulate their mood accordingly to the dissonce between how they feel and how they want to feel. Movies and musical artists know this a used this as a way to make people feel how they are supposed to feel (aka classical conditioning). This is done using tone and cords/scales. Sad music, you know the music played after the hero dies in the movie, is designed to make people feel sad, just like when Queen’s We will Rock You means that the David character in the movie is about to beat goliath.
3. Terms: music preferences, ear , loud, sound , brain , biological , personality, age, identity, cross culturally , Big Five Personality traits , Openness to experience , trait, complex music , genre, Extroversion, positive correlation , energetic music , Agreeableness , emotion, , Neuroticism, conscientiousness , correlated, adolescence, autonomy , mellow music , preference dimensions, life challenges , culture, dissonce , classical conditioning, tone, cords, scales.
4.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology_of_music_preference I picked this site because it clearly explained a lot of possible reasons for a person to like a genre and provided a lot of questions for me to explore. I use did for: the Big Five Personality traits, mood.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/201102/what-s-your-ipod-music-preferences-and-personality I picked this article because it explained the compliant I had about the order effect of personality and music preference and mood.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/the-musical-ages-of-modern-man-how-our-taste-in-music-changes-over-a-lifetime I picked this site because it covered an interesting topic. I use it for the bit on the development stages and music preference and about how music presences change over time.
http://www.cracked.com/article_20065_5-ways-your-taste-in-music-scientifically-programmed_p2.html I picked this article because it talked about reasons people like the music we do. I use it for development stages, mood
http://vwordpress.stmarys-ca.edu/vgonzalez/2013/02/28/psychology-and-music-links-between-personality-and-musical-preference/ I picked this article because it had the music and identify quote that explained what I was trying to get across.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mr-personality/201101/the-psychology-musical-preferences I picked this article because it talked about musical preference and identity.
For this chapter I've decided to focus on hearing loss. I found this topic to be interesting while reading because of the amount of people I know who have experienced hearing loss throughout their lifetime. I remember in elementary school and middle school we would all have to participate in "hearing tests." For these tests we would go out to a bus that had a closed booth and we would put on head phones and raise our hand when we heard a "beep" I always passed these tests fairly easily. As I got older and especially now I find myself saying "what" to people much more often than I should be due to my hearing not being where it should be. Last year I took a course labeled "biopsychology" and in it we took a hearing test; it was just a simple video that played off of youtube and we were to say when we could hear the steady beep that was playing as it changed from higher to lower level of hertz. After taking this test I discovered that my hearing is no where near where it should be; but still not to the point of needing hearing assistance such as a hearing aid. I think the reason I found this topic to be so interesting is because there are many outside factors that we do to ourselves that could effect this; such as the loudness we listen to our music in our car or house, or putting earphones directly into our ear at a very loud volume.
Certain conditions, including age, illness, and genetics, may contribute to hearing loss. Over several generations, modern life has added a host of ear-damaging elements to the list, including some medications and plenty of sources of loud, continuous noise.
So what actually causes hearing loss? Advanced age is the most common cause of hearing loss. One out of three people aged 65-74 has some level of hearing loss. After age 75, that ratio goes up to one out of every two people. We still don't fully understand why hearing decreases with age. It could be that lifetime exposure to noise and other damaging factors slowly wear down the ears' delicate mechanics. Genes also play a role. Noise wears down hearing if it's loud or continuous (like the ear buds we place in our hear).
In many of the cases, hearing fades so slowly, its departure goes unnoticed. Many people who need hearing aids aren't receiving them due to them not noticing their hearing loss. You may think that people are mumbling more, your spouse/friend/partner needs to speak up, and the telephone becomes difficult as a communication device. As long as some sound still comes in, you may assume your hearing is fine and blame not being able to hear well on the phone or on the person speaking mumbling.
At the early stage of hearing loss, high-pitched sounds, such as children's and female voices, and the sounds "S" and "F" become harder to decipher. Other symptoms of hearing loss include:
•Trouble understanding phone conversations
•Trouble hearing above background noise
•Trouble following a conversation when more than one person speaks at once
•Perception that people are not speaking clearly or mumbling
•Often misunderstanding what people say and responding inappropriately
•Often having to ask people to repeat themselves
•Frequent complaints by others that the TV is too loud
•Ringing, roaring, or hissing sounds in the ears
The amount of people experiencing hearing loss is extremely high, so how do we deal with it? People with permanent hearing loss need to learn how to function with the hearing they still have. Most people with permanent hearing loss can benefit from using a hearing aid however, 1 in 5 people who need them use them. Hearing aids are tiny instruments you typically wear in or behind your ear that make sounds louder. Things do sound different through a hearing aid, so it's important to talk with your doctor to set realistic goals. In some cases surgery can repair hearing loss; treatments such as medications in specific cases, and other antibiotics can sometimes help in cases that are caused by scar tissue or otosclerosis.
So we realize that there are differences in hearing loss and some cases are worse than others. How do we differ between them? Reading about hearing loss made me think "oh my I'm going deaf" however that isn't the case. Loss of hearing according to my research can be split into 3 different categories:
first--A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears, and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds.
second-- "Hard of hearing" refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. They usually communicate through spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants and other assistive devices as well as captioning. People with more significant hearing losses may benefit from cochlear implants.
third-- "deaf" people mostly have profound hearing loss, which implies very little or no hearing. They often use sign language for communication.
Terms: Hearing Loss, Conductive Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Mixed Hearing Loss, Outer Ear Canal, Eardrum, Ossicles, Middle Ear, Cochlea, Auditory Processing Disorder, Mild/Moderate/Severe/Profound Hearing Loss, Hearing Aid, Otosclerosis
http://www.WebMD.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-loss-causes-symptoms-treatment?page=3#2: this website gave a lot of information on hearing loss; treatments, how it occurs and what causes it. It also explain symptoms.
http://www.starkey.com/online-hearing-test; this website was a hearing test website. It helps to make you realize how easily you can even already have a hearing discrepancy and not even realize it.
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Hearing-Loss/ - I used this source, because it provided slightly different information from the other sources and presented it in an easy to read and understand.
For this weeks topic assignment, I chose to do more research on otitis media. Otitis media is defined as a group of inflammatory diseases of the middle ear. This topic relates to our current chapter because this is the first chapter we dive into our auditory system. The beginning of this chapter has excellent diagrams of the inner workings of our ears, and also the basic structures in our ears and what specifically they do. Also, being a father, I have had my fair share of ear infections and "tubes" talk! I was curious to why children are more suceptable to ear infections.
To understand how ear infections develop, I'll discuss how the ear works. Sound, which is made up of invisible waves of energy, cause vibrations. Our auditory system interprets that information that we perceive as important/non-important information. Every time you hear a sound, the various structures of the ear have to work together to make sure the information gets to the brain. The ear is responsible for hearing and balance. Our ears are made up of three parts — the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Hearing begins when sound waves that travel through the air reach the outer ear, or pinna, which is the part of the ear that's visible. The sound waves then travel from the pinna through the ear canal to the middle ear, which includes the tympanic membrane (also called eardrum) and three tiny bones called ossicles. When the eardrum vibrates, the ossicles amplify these vibrations and carry them to the inner ear. The inner ear translates the vibrations into electric signals and sends them to the auditory nerve, which connects to the brain. When these nerve impulses reach the brain, they're interpreted as sound.
The middle ear must be at the same pressure as the outside world to work properly. This is taken care of by the eustachian tube, a small passage that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat behind the nose. By letting air reach the middle ear, the eustachian tube equalizes the air pressure in the middle ear to the outside air pressure. (When your ears "pop" while yawning or swallowing, the eustachian tubes are adjusting the air pressure in your middle ears.) The eustachian tube also allows for drainage of mucus from the middle ear into the throat. Sometimes, the eustachian tube may malfunction. For example, when someone has a cold or an allergy affecting the nasal passages, the eustachian tube may become blocked by congestion in its lining or by mucus within the tube. This blockage will allow fluid to build up within the normally air-filled middle ear. Bacteria or viruses that have entered the middle ear through the eustachian tube also can get trapped in this way. These germs can breed in the trapped fluid, eventually leading to an ear infection.
Acute otitis media means that fluid (usually pus) is in the middle ear, causing pain, redness of the eardrum, and possible fever. In some cases, otitis media can be more chronic (with fluid in the middle ear for 6 weeks or longer) or, in otitis media with effusion, fluid in the middle ear can be temporary and not necessarily infected.
Children are more prone to developing ear infections in the first 2 to 4 years of life for several reasons: 1) Their eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal than those of adults, which lets bacteria and viruses find their way into the middle ear more easily. The tubes are also narrower and less stiff, so more at risk for blockage. 2) The adenoids, which are gland-like structures located in the back of the upper throat near the eustachian tubes, are large in children and can interfere with the opening of the eustachian tubes. A number of other factors can contribute to kids getting ear infections, such as secondhand exposure to cigarette smoke, bottle-feeding, and childcare attendance.
Boys develop ear infections more often than girls, as do kids with a family history of ear infections. They're also more common during the winter season, when lots of people get upper respiratory tract infections or colds. To examine the ear, doctors use an otoscope, a small instrument similar to a flashlight, through which they can see the eardrum. There's no single best approach for treating all middle ear infections. The doctor will consider many things, including: 1) the type and severity of the ear infection, 2) how often your child has ear infections, 3) how long this infection has lasted, 4) child's age, 5) whether the infection affects child's hearing.
The fact that most ear infections can clear on their own has led a number of physician associations to recommend a "wait-and-see" approach, which involves giving the child pain relief without antibiotics for a few days. Another important reason to consider this type of approach are the limitations of antibiotics, which: 1) won't help an infection caused by a virus, 2) won't get rid of middle ear fluid, 3) typically do not relieve pain in the first 24 hours and have only a minimal effect after that, 4) can cause side effects.
Doctors try to distinguish between the different forms of otitis because this affects treatment options. Not all forms of otitis need to be treated with antibiotics. Also, overuse of antibiotics can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can be much more difficult to treat. Antibiotics can be the right treatment, though, for kids who get a lot of ear infections. Their doctors might prescribe daily antibiotics to help prevent future infections. And younger children or those with more severe illness may need antibiotics right from the start.
Whether or not the choice is made to treat with antibiotics, easing discomfort can be done by giving the child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and fever as needed. Some children, such as those with persistent hearing loss or speech delay, may need ear tube surgery. An ear, nose, and throat doctor will surgically insert tubes (called tympanostomy tubes) in the tympanic membrane. This lets fluid drain from the middle ear and helps equalize the pressure in the ear because the eustachian tube is unable to.
REFERENCES:
http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=otitis-media-middle-ear-infection-90-P02057 I chose this website because it described the 3 types of otitis media and gave a timeline of age proneness.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/ear-infection-otitis-media I chose this website because of the information presented about when/if medication is the best form of treatment.
http://www.australianprescriber.com/magazine/32/6/155/9 I chose this website because it gave evidence from randomized controlled trials of otitis media.
TERMS: otitis media, outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, auditory system, ossicles, pinna, ear canal, tympanic membrane, eardrum, auditory nerve, eustachian tube, otoscope, "wait-and-see approach", tympanostomy tubes, sound waves
For this weeks topic assignment, I chose to do more research on otitis media. Otitis media is defined as a group of inflammatory diseases of the middle ear. This topic relates to our current chapter because this is the first chapter we dive into our auditory system. The beginning of this chapter has excellent diagrams of the inner workings of our ears, and also the basic structures in our ears and what specifically they do. Also, being a father, I have had my fair share of ear infections and "tubes" talk! I was curious to why children are more suceptable to ear infections.
To understand how ear infections develop, I'll discuss how the ear works. Sound, which is made up of invisible waves of energy, cause vibrations. Our auditory system interprets that information that we perceive as important/non-important information. Every time you hear a sound, the various structures of the ear have to work together to make sure the information gets to the brain. The ear is responsible for hearing and balance. Our ears are made up of three parts — the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Hearing begins when sound waves that travel through the air reach the outer ear, or pinna, which is the part of the ear that's visible. The sound waves then travel from the pinna through the ear canal to the middle ear, which includes the tympanic membrane (also called eardrum) and three tiny bones called ossicles. When the eardrum vibrates, the ossicles amplify these vibrations and carry them to the inner ear. The inner ear translates the vibrations into electric signals and sends them to the auditory nerve, which connects to the brain. When these nerve impulses reach the brain, they're interpreted as sound.
The middle ear must be at the same pressure as the outside world to work properly. This is taken care of by the eustachian tube, a small passage that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat behind the nose. By letting air reach the middle ear, the eustachian tube equalizes the air pressure in the middle ear to the outside air pressure. (When your ears "pop" while yawning or swallowing, the eustachian tubes are adjusting the air pressure in your middle ears.) The eustachian tube also allows for drainage of mucus from the middle ear into the throat. Sometimes, the eustachian tube may malfunction. For example, when someone has a cold or an allergy affecting the nasal passages, the eustachian tube may become blocked by congestion in its lining or by mucus within the tube. This blockage will allow fluid to build up within the normally air-filled middle ear. Bacteria or viruses that have entered the middle ear through the eustachian tube also can get trapped in this way. These germs can breed in the trapped fluid, eventually leading to an ear infection.
Acute otitis media means that fluid (usually pus) is in the middle ear, causing pain, redness of the eardrum, and possible fever. In some cases, otitis media can be more chronic (with fluid in the middle ear for 6 weeks or longer) or, in otitis media with effusion, fluid in the middle ear can be temporary and not necessarily infected.
Children are more prone to developing ear infections in the first 2 to 4 years of life for several reasons: 1) Their eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal than those of adults, which lets bacteria and viruses find their way into the middle ear more easily. The tubes are also narrower and less stiff, so more at risk for blockage. 2) The adenoids, which are gland-like structures located in the back of the upper throat near the eustachian tubes, are large in children and can interfere with the opening of the eustachian tubes. A number of other factors can contribute to kids getting ear infections, such as secondhand exposure to cigarette smoke, bottle-feeding, and childcare attendance.
Boys develop ear infections more often than girls, as do kids with a family history of ear infections. They're also more common during the winter season, when lots of people get upper respiratory tract infections or colds. To examine the ear, doctors use an otoscope, a small instrument similar to a flashlight, through which they can see the eardrum. There's no single best approach for treating all middle ear infections. The doctor will consider many things, including: 1) the type and severity of the ear infection, 2) how often your child has ear infections, 3) how long this infection has lasted, 4) child's age, 5) whether the infection affects child's hearing.
The fact that most ear infections can clear on their own has led a number of physician associations to recommend a "wait-and-see" approach, which involves giving the child pain relief without antibiotics for a few days. Another important reason to consider this type of approach are the limitations of antibiotics, which: 1) won't help an infection caused by a virus, 2) won't get rid of middle ear fluid, 3) typically do not relieve pain in the first 24 hours and have only a minimal effect after that, 4) can cause side effects.
Doctors try to distinguish between the different forms of otitis because this affects treatment options. Not all forms of otitis need to be treated with antibiotics. Also, overuse of antibiotics can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can be much more difficult to treat. Antibiotics can be the right treatment, though, for kids who get a lot of ear infections. Their doctors might prescribe daily antibiotics to help prevent future infections. And younger children or those with more severe illness may need antibiotics right from the start.
Whether or not the choice is made to treat with antibiotics, easing discomfort can be done by giving the child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and fever as needed. Some children, such as those with persistent hearing loss or speech delay, may need ear tube surgery. An ear, nose, and throat doctor will surgically insert tubes (called tympanostomy tubes) in the tympanic membrane. This lets fluid drain from the middle ear and helps equalize the pressure in the ear because the eustachian tube is unable to.
REFERENCES:
http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=otitis-media-middle-ear-infection-90-P02057 I chose this website because it described the 3 types of
otitis media and gave a timeline of age proneness.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/ear-infection-otitis-media I chose this website because of the information presented about when/if medication is the best form of treatment.
http://www.australianprescriber.com/magazine/32/6/155/9 I chose this website because it gave evidence from randomized controlled trials of otitis media.
TERMS: otitis media, outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, auditory system, ossicles, pinna, ear canal, tympanic
membrane, eardrum, auditory nerve, eustachian tube, otoscope, "wait-and-see approach", tympanostomy tubes, sound waves
1a) State what your topic is.
My topic is Tip Link, Which is also know as Stereocilia.
1b) Discuss how the topic relates to the chapter.
Stereocilia is the process of regulating the flow of ions into and out of hair cells. Photomicrograph shows the threadlike tip links that connects the tip of each stereocilium to its taller neighbor bending the stereocilia atop a hair cell opens the ion pores, permitting a rapid influx of potassium ions into the hair cell. this relates to the chapter in many ways, this chapter talks about hearing, the process of hearing, and different types of sound waves, this is another level of the process, this process basically goes about blockage of certian things, things that could harm your hearing system, things that you choose not to hear or register into your brain, it connects different fibers, nerves together so the information you're receiving are well accurate and go exactly where their supposed to go.
1c) Discuss why you are interested in it.
I'm interested in this because, at first, i couldn't pronounce the world "stereocilia", i had to look it up, then i thought since the first part of it had "stereo" in it, it'd have something to do with music, comes to find out, it doesn't. eventually, i figured out that it was much more important than i thought. stereocilia is very important to us, because without that part of the connection into the brain, then we would misinterpret many things, it kind of regulates information accordingly so we can understand them better and they get to our brain in an orderly fashion.
2) As i look up some research about stereocilia, there's really not much on it, i found a video that goes through the purpose and the process of it, another study goes over what could happen if the stereocilia was to be block off, many problems could appear if this were to ever happen, it usually causes hear lose, it cause people to misunderstand information and make them ask people to repeat themselves frequently,. one of the main things that elderly people lose when it comes to hearing is their sterocilia processing, because they are older, not alot of protection is in that area, so this simply gives them disadvantages in hearing and really make the process of them going deaf a lot of quicker. ways that we can avoid this happening to us would be that we don't listen to loud things or loud music alot, that we get check ups on regular bases and that we do the best we can to not get bacterial infections because that increases our chances of losing that part of our hearing, which is the very important part.
4)URLs
This is a representation of what stereocilia does for you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDXVZOU_f_E
Some explanation about stereocilia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereocilia
This is more on the medical side of things about stereocilia
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10867/
TERMS: Stereocilia. Hearing system, tip link, stereocilium, hair cells. Tectorial Membrane, Ions.
the thing that I am looking up is hearing aids. Due to the fact that my dad refuses to get them and try every other way to get around getting them. just recently he went out a bought a special kind of headphones just for the tv so he could hear it a little better. He dons't classify this as a hearing aid of coarse. We are always having to repeat things for him and everyone knows that he needs them but he refuses to get them. this happens a lot with people with refusing to get them. there are a few different reasons for people not liking getting them. one reason is that when people start to need them they are getting older and people hate to admit getting older. another is that they hate people looking at them like they are different. its human nature to look at what we consider different. until it becomes a social norm. there are three different kinds of aids: behind the ear, inside the ear, and canal.
behind the ear have a plastic box that is behind the ear with a plastic plate inside the ear. sound is picked up by the box and travels to the plate that amplifies it into the ear. this is warn by all ages and is used for mild to profound hearing loss
in the ear fit complexity inside of the ear. and are used for mild to server hearing loss. this is made of a hard plastic with all the mechanical parts inside and transmits the sound into the ear. this in not normally warn my young people due to the aid needing to be replaced as the ear grows.
finally canal fit all the way inside the ear canal and are used for mild to moderate server hearing loss.
what to expect form a hearing aid. according to people who have reserved them and started to use them regular they have been a huge improvement over their hearing.
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.aspx
http://www.babyhearing.org/hearingamplification/aidchoices/work.asp
http://www.hearinglink.org/how-can-hearing-aids-help-you
Chapter 9 - Topical Blog Week #10
1a) State what your topic is.
Psychoacoustics - the study of the psychological correlates of the physical dimensions of acoustics; a branch of psychophysics.
1b) Discuss how the topic relates to the chapter.
This topic is on page 264 which is directly related. On a side note, it was very interesting to find out that scientists who study psychoacoustics are called psychoacousticians and are always careful to distinguish between the physical characteristics of sounds and the impressions of these sounds for listeners.
Just not having the topic involve something with the eyes and brain is so refreshing.
1c) Discuss why you are interested in it.
Honestly, I did not know much about psychoacoustics and that was was intrigued me the most. Not knowing is sometimes a great factor on my interest. If I don’t know something then I want to know more about it especially when it comes to psychology.
Psychoacoustics to put simply is the study of the perception of sound. This means how we listen, our psychological responses, and the physiological impact of music and sound on the human nervous system. Looking at psychoacoustics as a whole, the terms music, sound, frequency, and vibration are interchangeable, because they are different approximations of the same essence. The study of psychoacoustics completely takes apart the listening experience.
Way back when, psychoacoustics was as broad as the perception of sound and the production of speech. But through research in the field they have discovered that the speech and of the psychological effects of music therapy that this is a renewed interest in sound as vibration.
There is a difference between a psychological and neurological perception thought. For example, a song or melody associated with childhood, a teenage romance, or some peak emotional experience creates a memory-based psychological reaction. There is also a physiological response to sounds. Slightly detuned tones can cause brain waves to speed up or slow down. Also, soundtracks that are filtered and gated (this is a sophisticated engineering process) create a random sonic event. From what I have read, it triggers an active listening response and thus tonifies the auditory mechanism, including the tiny muscles of the middle ear. As a result, sounds are perceived more accurately, and speech and communication skills improve. Even though psychological responses may occur with filtered and gated sounds, or detuned tones, the primary effect is physiological, or neurological.
Research on the neurological component of sound is currently attracting many to the field of psychoacoustics. A growing school of thought - based on the teachings of the French doctor Alfred Tomatis - values the examination of both neurological and psychological effects of resonance and frequencies on the human body.
http://acousticslab.org/psychoacoustics/ - Online book on Acoustics and Psychoacoustics.
http://www.salford.ac.uk/computing-science-engineering/research/acoustics/psychoacoustics - This link provided a wide variety of different research studies, information, description/definitions related to psychoacoustics and different projects.
http://acousticslab.org/psychoacoustics/ - A course on pdf, syllabus, infomation, slides etc … on a course of psychoacoustics.
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