February 2020

Animals with Amazing Hearing

Animals with Amazing Hearing The human ear can hear a lot, anywhere between 20Hz and 20,000kHz. We have some of the best sense of vision in the animal kingdom, but when it comes to hearing, there are a few animals that have us beat. Animals have a larger capacity for higher frequencies than humans. Here are just a few animals that have amazing hearing. Moths Believe it or not, moths have the best hearing in the animal kingdom! Moths can hear 150 times more than we can. They use their ultra-sensitive high-frequency hearing to evade predators, like bats. So they would need better hearing than those predators. Bats The old saying ‘deaf as a bat’ is a bit of an oxymoron. Bats actually have very sensitive hearing. Because they are almost blind, they rely very heavily on their hearing. Using echolocation, they squeak at very high frequencies. The sound bounces off any nearby objects back to the bat, allowing them to ‘see’ where it is. Dogs If you’ve ever failed to hear a dog whistle, you’re not alone. Dogs hear frequencies far beyond the human range and can respond to them quite well. Not only is their hearing very sensitive, but also very good a differentiating between sounds… even the difference between their owners' footsteps and a stranger's. Cats However surprising this may be, cats have hearing similar to dogs, with a range reaching up to 64,000kHz. They are able to swivel their ears even further than dogs, making them more...

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Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears

Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears   Tinnitus is the formal name for the condition of ringing in the ears. Which comes from a Latin word meaning “to ring”. It’s the perception of sound with no actual external source. This occurs due to damage in the connection between the ear and the brain, so the brain, to fill in the silence, begins to create it's own sound. 1 in every 6 adults in North America has some form of Tinnitus.  This ‘ringing’ may also sound like... Humming Buzzing Whistling Clicking Hissing Two-toned It varies from person to person... What Causes the Ringing? Tinnitus is not itself a cause of the ringing, but a symptom of some other damage in some part of your ear. Causes may include: Damage or changes to your middle ear or the little bones in your ear Exposure to loud noise (i.e. construction or rock concerts) for a prolonged period of time Earwax buildup Meniere's Disease TMJ joint disorder or jaw problems caused by teeth grinding Chronic neck muscle tension or injury to the head/neck Some blood vessel disorders including high-blood pressure Ototoxic (ear damaging) medications. These medications including some antibiotics, cancer drugs, diuretics, certain antidepressants, aspirin taken in very high doses for a long time, and other drug.  Sometimes finding the cause can be difficult. Regardless, current treatments can be effective.  Tinnitus Triggers For some people, their Tinnitus can worsen by certain triggers in their environment. Some of them include: Barometric pressure (changes in environmental pressure usually before...

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