The science of good hearing

Traffic noise, aeroplanes taking off, music turned up to full volume. At concerts and parties, noise levels often exceed the pain threshold of 120 decibels. This can lead to noise-induced hearing loss - damage to the ears that can’t be cured. Age-related hearing loss is different: in this case, hearing aids can help. The first signs often appear in people when they reach their mid-40s. Those affected can no longer hear high frequencies and have trouble following conversations in a noisy environment. This may mean that people withdraw socially. Hearing aids filter out background noise such as traffic or wind, suppress reverberation and amplify speech - all depending on the listening environment. Nowadays, the necessary technology fits into tiny casings. However, there’s still one disadvantage to all these hearing systems: the loudspeakers close the ear canal, which leads to sound loss as well as potential inflammation. With the "hearing contact lens", on the other hand, the loudspeaker sits directly on the eardrum and stimulates it directly. The start-up company Vibrosonic says that as a result, the sound is clearer and stronger. Could this be a viable alternative to traditional hearing aids? We introduce young people suffering from hearing loss as a result of listening to music too loudly for too long, look at everyday situations that put extreme strain on our hearing and present new solutions from the hearing aid industry.