Volume Control author David Owen says our ears largely evolved in a far quieter time than the one we currently live in. He warns that the ambient noises that surround us pose a threat to our hearing.
Hearing loss often happens gradually and earlier than expected. Getting hearing aids can help stave off side effects like depression and even early death.
The measure would allow Medicare to reimburse audiologists for a range of services, including helping patients learn how to use and adjust their hearing aids for different social situations correctly.
About 35 million Americans suffer some hearing loss, but most don't do anything about it. There's a growing effort to make hearing aids easier and cheaper to buy.
Jiya Bavishi is one of a handful of children in the United States testing an experimental hearing device, a tiny implant in her brainstem. Jiya is now able to hear and repeat some sounds.
After swapping hearing aids for a cochlear implant, Sam Swiller's taste in music shifted dramatically, from grunge rock to folk. Now scientists are trying to improve how implants relay music.