The Hearing Knowledge Hub

Are you hearing double? In the same way that it’s possible to experience double vision, people can experience double hearing, or diplacusis. This is when one sound is perceived as two distinct pitches or at two distinct speeds. It may or may not be accompanied by tinnitus, or ringing in the ears and it can occur in both ears or just one. Diplacusis can have different causes. It may be due to asymmetrical hearing loss – when the loss is worse in one ear than the other. It may be the result of sensorineural hearing loss – hearing loss that affects both ears evenly and is caused by ageing or…

Have you had intermittent hearing loss? Intermittent – or fluctuating – hearing loss can be experienced in one or both ears, be mild or severe, and come and go with no discernible pattern. If you experience this kind of hearing loss it can be very frightening, so what’s going on? One of the most common explanations is impacted earwax blocking the eardrum and your hearing. This can be easily sorted out with earwax removal with us at The Hearing Clinic.  Another common cause is due to a cold, allergy or infection blocking your eustachian tube which regulates the pressure in your inner ear. Again, once the infection resolves so should…

Is it time to hang up the noise-cancelling headphones? Noise-cancelling headphones have been in the news lately for perhaps doing their job a little too well. Some audiologists are reporting seeing more adults visiting clinics for tests only to be told their hearing is fine. What they are actually experiencing is auditory processing disorder, or APD, which affects the way the brain processes sound, leading some hearing professionals to question whether the proliferation of noise-cancelling headphones is to blame. While there’s no scientific evidence at this point that noise-cancelling headphones limit the brain’s ability to process sound, causing APD, it may be a good idea to use these headphones in…

Have you experienced sudden hearing loss? If you’ve experienced sudden hearing loss it can be an intense, frightening and isolating experience. So The Hearing Clinic is delighted to tell you about Carly Sygrove, a hearing loss coach. Carly experienced sudden hearing loss herself in 2016. It was an experience that changed her life – impacting her confidence and how she saw herself. However, it made her determined to become a hearing loss coach so she could support and empower people going through the same experience. Carly explains more: “As a hearing loss coach and advocate, I specialise in helping people navigate the emotional and practical challenges that come with hearing loss,…

Could we one day regenerate damaged hearing? A new study has identified key gene regulators that enable some deafened animals — including fish and lizards — to naturally regenerate their hearing. The findings could guide future efforts to help patients with hearing loss.  The study by researchers at the University of Southern California focuses on two cell types in the inner ear: the sensory cells that detect sound, and the supporting cells that create an environment where sensory cells can thrive. In regenerative species such as fish and lizards, supporting cells can transform into replacement sensory cells if they’re damaged. This is something that mammals, including humans, can’t do. The…

A reminder that it is your brain that hears, not your ears! The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says the latest figures on life expectancy show a continued trend of living longer for both men and women. Boys born in the UK in 2023 can expect to live on average to the age of 86.7, and girls to 90. While this is obviously a cause for celebration, it did start us thinking about the knock-on effects and the health conditions we’ll face as more of us live well into our eighties and nineties. Age-related hearing loss is one of the most prevalent health conditions in older adults. It’s thought that,…

World Hearing Day 2025 Every year in March, the World Health Organization (WHO) holds World Hearing Day – raising awareness of how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care worldwide.  This year’s theme is about empowerment – empowering yourself and those around you to take action on your hearing care. That might look like preventing damage to your hearing by using hearing protection, getting your hearing checked if you’re concerned about hearing loss, supporting people living with hearing loss, and using hearing technology, like hearing aids, if you’re struggling to keep up with the conversations around you. Unfortunately there’s still some stigma surrounding hearing loss.…