- Fish do not have ears, but they can hear pressure changes through ridges on their body
- The ear’s malleus, incus and stapes (otherwise known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup) are the smallest bones in the human body. All three together could fit together on a penny
- Sound travels at the speed of 1,130 feet per second, or 770 miles per hour
- Dogs can hear much higher frequencies than humans
- Crickets have their hearing organs in their knees
- Ears not only help you hear, but also aid in balance
- Snakes hear through the jaw bone and through a traditional inner ear. In essence, snakes have two distinct hearing mechanisms, which helps them hear and catch prey
- Sitting in front of the speakers at a rock concert can expose you to 120 decibels, which will begin to damage hearing in only 7 1/2 minutes
- Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs growing on their antennae
- The inner ear is no larger than a pencil eraser in circumference
- Your hearing can be damaged permanently even after a single incident of exposure to extremely loud noise (shotgun blast, explosion, etc.)
- Your ears never stop hearing, even when you sleep. Your brain just ignores incoming sounds
- Ears keep growing – Throughout your lifetime, your outer ear never stops growing
- The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear
- A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21 inch tongue
- When you go up to a high elevation, your ears pop. This is because your eustachian tubes are equalizing the pressure between the outside air and the inside your ear
- In World War I parrots were kept on the Eiffel Tower in Paris because of their remarkable sense of hearing. When the parrots heard enemy aircraft, they warned everyone of the approaching danger long before any human ear would hear it
MYTH: A mild hearing loss is not bad enough for a hearing aid
FACT: Everyone's hearing loss and listening needs are different. By working with your Hearing Aid Practitioner, you can determine if a hearing aid is needed and how much it will improve your hearing
MYTH: Wearing two hearing aids is not necessary
FACT: We normally hear with two ears. Binaural (two-eared) hearing helps us localize sounds, assist us in noisy settings, and provide natural sound quality. Most people with hearing loss in both ears can understand better with two aids than with only one
MYTH: I am too old to benefit from a hearing aid
FACT: Hearing helps you connect with the world and communicate with those close to you at any age. Your loved ones may appreciate your new hearing aids, too
MYTH: A hearing loss means sounds need to be louder
FACT: Not really. In most cases, you can hear people talking, but have difficulty understanding what they're saying. Perhaps you can understand just fine in quiet places, but have trouble in noisy surroundings or in groups. Making all sounds louder just makes understanding harder. Hearing aids amplify the frequencies you need for better understanding
MYTH: If I did have a hearing impairment, I'd certainly know about it
FACT: The truth is, hearing loss happens gradually and the signs are subtle at first. Our own built-in defenses and ability to adapt make it difficult to self-diagnose. A simple Q & A hearing test can help you gain insight, while professional screening can provide a more definitive answer
MYTH: Living with hearing loss is not a big deal
FACT: There are many psychological effects to hearing loss, including frustration, withdrawal, and depression. Trouble communicating with others creates a strain on relationships and a loss of esteem. It's far better to deal with hearing loss than to pretend it isn't happening - or to ignore the effect it is having on those around you
FACT: Everyone's hearing loss and listening needs are different. By working with your Hearing Aid Practitioner, you can determine if a hearing aid is needed and how much it will improve your hearing
MYTH: Wearing two hearing aids is not necessary
FACT: We normally hear with two ears. Binaural (two-eared) hearing helps us localize sounds, assist us in noisy settings, and provide natural sound quality. Most people with hearing loss in both ears can understand better with two aids than with only one
MYTH: I am too old to benefit from a hearing aid
FACT: Hearing helps you connect with the world and communicate with those close to you at any age. Your loved ones may appreciate your new hearing aids, too
MYTH: A hearing loss means sounds need to be louder
FACT: Not really. In most cases, you can hear people talking, but have difficulty understanding what they're saying. Perhaps you can understand just fine in quiet places, but have trouble in noisy surroundings or in groups. Making all sounds louder just makes understanding harder. Hearing aids amplify the frequencies you need for better understanding
MYTH: If I did have a hearing impairment, I'd certainly know about it
FACT: The truth is, hearing loss happens gradually and the signs are subtle at first. Our own built-in defenses and ability to adapt make it difficult to self-diagnose. A simple Q & A hearing test can help you gain insight, while professional screening can provide a more definitive answer
MYTH: Living with hearing loss is not a big deal
FACT: There are many psychological effects to hearing loss, including frustration, withdrawal, and depression. Trouble communicating with others creates a strain on relationships and a loss of esteem. It's far better to deal with hearing loss than to pretend it isn't happening - or to ignore the effect it is having on those around you
