Sharpen Your Senses & Improve Safety

Leaves rustle, a twig snaps, your prey moves. To hit your target you must properly interpret the sounds of nature. Siemens SecureEar enhances the sounds around you, and protects your hearing by suppressing loud impulse noises, like a gun shot. Good eyesight and a steady hand are essential when you’re hunting, and so is a keen sense of hearing. But the loud blasts of a rifle or shotgun pose a dilemma: while wearing uncomfortable muffs to protect your ears from the gun noise, you might not be able to hear the game, or your companions. Introducing SecureEar, the new hearing protection solution from Siemens. This small instrument is ideal if you want to protect your hearing but you don’t want to miss the snap of a twig in the woods. And it’s not just for hunting; SecureEar is also recommended for use in situations where there are sudden loud noises like those coming from motor sports, car races, or environments where blasting equipment is used.

Exact fit.

SecureEar is worn inside the ear canal. A Hearing Care Professional fits the instrument individually based on an impression of your ear. The exact fit of the instrument acts like a plug that dampens gun noise. This high passive protection can reduce the blast of a rifle by up to 35 dB SNR (NRR under evaluation).

Acoustic telescope.

SecureEar also incorporates hearing technology that picks up and slightly amplifies the sounds relevant for hunting (including soft sounds like leaves rustling or a normal conversation). It acts like an acoustic telescope which you can adjust to suit the occasion.

Sound expertise.

As a world leader in the field of audiology, Siemens delivers top sound quality. SecureEar utilizes a four-channel chip with digital
processing. This helps suppress sounds coming from loud shop tools, lawn mowers, and other similar equipment, while enhancing speech and other soft sounds.

Uncompromised hearing.

The instrument settings are pre-defined for optimum impulse noise protection as well as loud noise suppression – without any compromise to hearing and understanding.

SecureEar is built to your individual needs.

• Custom made exactly to your ear shape
• Fits comfortably in the ear
• Does not get in the way when shooting (unlike muffs)
• Dampens gun noise by up to 35 dB SNR (NRR under evaluation)

Edison Stanford Hearing Centers of Utah Walk4Hearing Team

Edison Stanford Hearing Centers of Utah has created a team for the Walk4Hearing event scheduled in Sugar House Park on October 12, 2011. This event is to help increase awareness about hearing loss and hearing loss treatment. To donate to the team, or learn more, please visit Walk4Hearing.

Helping a Loved One with Hearing Loss who doesn’t Want Help

All too often we think we are helping a loved one who suffers from hearing loss, but refuses to use hearing aids, when we repeat ourselves, speak clearly, speak louder or interpret others if they do not understand. In reality we are aiding them in avoiding the help they need. Such efforts, though well intended, impede the individual from seeking the real help they need, hearing aids.

When we do these small things to help a loved one hear and understand they soon become co-dependent upon our ears to do the listening for them. Many individuals with hearing loss don’t realize the degree they’ve come to depend on other’s ears. It only takes a moment however, for them to quickly realize that without help from others they’re in a world of silence. This co-dependency significantly lowers the quality of life for both the individual suffering from hearing loss and the individual on whom they depend. This is why we at Edison Stanford Hearing Aids Centers of Utah recommend the following practical tips to help aid you in motivating an individual with hearing loss to seek appropriate and professional help:

1. Stop repeating yourself. Explain that you are allowing him, or her, the opportunity to realize the severity their hearing loss has on their ability to function in daily living. This does not mean you need to stop helping the individual all together, rather take a moment to point out the fact that you must repeat yourself often in order for them to understand. Once they notice that this is a common occurrence they will soon realize how much they rely on you to help them hear.
2. Stop raising your voice.
3. Stop being the messenger by carrying the communication load for the family. Don’t fall into the “he said” “she said” routine. Your loved one needs to be responsible for getting the information directly from the source.
4. Do not engage in conversation from another room. As often as this might occur in daily living. Try to avoid it at all costs. It sets up the conversation for failure from the beginning.
5. Create a telephone need. The same rules apply for the telephone. Don’t become their interpreter for all telephone conversations. Help them to notice their problems hearing on the telephone and create motivation for them to seek professional help.
6. Schedule a free hearing exam. Once your loved one realizes they need professional help, schedule a complimentary hearing exam at one of our two Utah locations, Salt Lake City (801-485-5595) or Provo (801-373-5887), or visit us on the web at http://www.edisonstanfordhearing.com.

Your Guide to Care and Maintenance of Hearing Aids

Do you currently own hearing aids? We are pleased to announce the release of Your Guide to Care and Maintenance of Hearing Aids published by the Better Hearing Institute.

Visit our website to download your free copy of the guide.

Even Minor Hearing Loss Puts Kids at Risk for Learning Problems, Better Hearing Institute Warns

Washington, DC, August 9, 2010 - Children with even a mild hearing loss are at risk for learning and other social, emotional, and behavioral problems, the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) warned today.

BHI is urging classroom teachers to be alert to the needs of children with unaddressed hearing loss, which is often overlooked or attributed to other learning and behavior-related issues, such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD). BHI also is urging schools to incorporate hearing health education into the curriculum and to adopt hearing protection policies.

The warnings came as schools across the country are opening their doors for the start of the school year.

“Too many children with hearing loss aren't getting adequate help and are being put at risk”,   says Sergei Kochkin, PhD, executive director of BHI and co-author of the national study, Are 1 Million Dependents with Hearing Loss in America Being Left Behind?  “Educators, pediatricians, and other healthcare providers underestimate the impact of mild hearing loss. And sadly, it’s the kids who are suffering.”

The scientific literature is clear that untreated hearing loss affects nearly all dimensions of the human experience. And the pediatric literature demonstrates that even children with "minimal" hearing loss are at risk academically compared to their normal hearing peers.

Hearing loss of any type or degree in a child can present a barrier to “incidental learning.” Up to  90 percent of a young child's knowledge is attributed to incidental reception of conversations around him or her. Hearing loss poses a barrier to the child's ability to overhear and to learn from the environment, as well as miss a significant portion of classroom instruction.

Hearing loss also frequently causes a child to miss social cues. Not surprisingly, many of the symptoms of unaddressed hearing loss in children overlap those of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD).

A large part of the problem is that many parents today either don't recognize their child's hearing problem, minimize it, or have been given misinformation regarding the ability to treat it.  At least 50 percent of parents don't seek additional professional testing when their infant fails an initial hearing screening.

According to Eileen Rall, AuD CCC-A, an audiologist from the The Center for Childhood Communication of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, teachers can help children with undiagnosed hearing loss.  She said:

"First and foremost, teachers can pay attention to the listening environment of the classroom and how the students are functioning in it. There are many low cost, creative ways to improve the acoustics of a classroom including something as simple as teaching children to create good listening environments—make eye contact, reduce distance, taking turns speaking and reducing the noise the students are making themselves. Some schools install sound field systems in their classrooms. Sound field systems amplify the teacher's voice and deliver his/her voice through speakers placed strategically in the classroom. Most importantly, teachers who suspect that a child is having difficulty hearing should bring it to the attention of the child's parents and school administrators so the child can undergo a thorough hearing assessment by an audiologist."

Some basic steps that teachers can take on their own to help a child with a confirmed or suspected hearing loss include the following:

• Arrange the child's seating away from the heating and cooling system, hallways, playground, and other sources of noise. If the child's hearing loss affects only one ear; if it's greater in one ear, seat the child in front of the room with his better ear toward the teacher.
• Allow the child to move around in the classroom to clearly see the speaker.
• Assign a helper, or notetaker, for the child.
• Try to speak clearly and not too fast.
• While you are speaking, don't turn away to write on the board or cover your mouth.
• Write key words or visual aids for the lesson on the board.
• Write assignments on the board so the child can copy them down into a specific notebook used for this purpose.
• If the child does not understand something, rephrase what you have said rather than repeat the same words again and again.

"Children need to be able to hear, not just in the classroom, but also because hearing affects language competence, cognitive development, social and emotional well-being, and academic achievement" says Kochkin. "Children who cannot hear well—that is, when their hearing loss is untreated or under-treated—could face a life of underperformance and broken dreams."

According to Kochkin:

• Only 12 percent of children under the age of 18 with hearing loss use hearing aids; yet an estimated 1.5 million youth (including adult dependents) under the age of 21 have hearing loss that may be improved with amplification.
• The study found no evidence of the use of any form of hearing assistance in the classroom (e.g. FM systems, hearing aids, speakers), other than front-row seating.
• Hearing loss leaves children vulnerable to other problems, according to three out of four parents of children with hearing loss. Common problem areas include:
• Social skills (52%)
• Speech and language development (51%)
• Grades in school (50%)
• Emotional health (42%)
• Relationships with peers (38%)
• Self-esteem (37%)
• Relationships with family (36%)

Compounding the problem is the increased use of portable media devices such as MP3 players, which children are listening to at high volume levels for long periods and putting their hearing at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 12.5 percent of children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years—or approximately 5.2 million youth—have permanent hearing damage from excessive exposure to noise.

"Parents, healthcare providers, and educators need to come together to thoroughly address a child's hearing loss if we are to allow that child a fair and equitable opportunity for success," says Kochkin. "As schools gear up for the start of the new academic year, I strongly encourage all educators to do their part to recognize the problem of unaddressed hearing loss in the classroom and to advocate for these children.”

Republished at www.EdisonStanfordHearing.com

NCOA publishes an article on hearing loss and aging.

This article was published on May 26, 1999 and discusses the link between hearing loss and depression. Click here to download a pdf version of the report.

But What's Wrong With Q-Tips

An oft-repeated caution given in the doctor’s office to patients goes something like this: "Put nothing smaller than your elbow in your ears."
Predictably, the refrain from the patient ensues "But, doctor, how do I keep my ears clean?"The answer to that simple query is, of course, "You don’t--- the ears are self-cleaning if you allow natural processes to do their work."
Our purpose here is to explain the process of epithelial migration and desquamation of tissue, which is unique to the external ear canal and the resulting self-cleaning and protective properties of the normal, healthy ear. Furthermore, we’ll discuss what happens when one takes matters into their own hands and tries to foil Mother Nature!

Conveyor belt-like action:
To illustrate the natural movement of debris and foreign objects from the ear canal, imagine if we placed a piece of sand at the umbo (center) of the eardrum and watched it travel at the rate of just under 1mm per day. After about 3 months, one could reach up with fingertip at the opening of the ear canal and remove that same piece of sand. It makes no difference whether the object is earwax, discarded hair, household dust, insect dander, dried mold spores or fungi, dead bacteria or pseudomonae, dead skin cells or soap residue. In a healthy ear, migration away from the eardrum occurs along the stratum corneum or the keratin layer of the ear canal. These items (i.e., foreign objects) move as if they were on a conveyor belt, being transported outward.

If this were not so, for most of mankind’s history we would have had a relatively deaf (and unsurvivable) human species long before the invention of modern otoscopy (ear microscopes) and mechanisms for clinical removal of impacted earwax. In fact, historically, impacted earwax appears to be a uniquely modern phenomenon, coinciding with the invention of another modern invention, the common cotton swab!

Cerumen and sebaceous secretions combine to make "earwax." However, earwax is only produced in the outer 1/3 of the ear canal. Yet, in years of practice with thousands of patients, this author notes a relatively high incidence of impacted earwax in the inner 2/3 of the ear canal! Of course, it’s no mystery how it got there.

"But," goes the protest, "Isn’t it healthy to keep my ears clean?" The answer comes with the resounding refrain, "Not really. An overly clean ear can be an unhealthy ear."
Self Removal of Impacted Wax
Let’s talk about the potential dangers of attempts at self-removal of earwax in terms of impacting the wax deeper into the ear canal, sometimes occluding the ear for months or years at a time before anything is done about it. In doing so, we will recite below some of the consequences, from trivial and aggravating to the most serious (and potentially fatal) possibilities, as well:

• Impacted earwax more often than not is caused by one attempting to remove wax mechanically with a cotton swab, matchstick, hairpin, or any variety of other blunt objects. Deeper and deeper into the canal goes the wax intended for removal, scraping of the stratum corneum (or keratin) along the way, so that the wax couldn’t come out on its own if wanted to!
• Over time, earwax dries out; debris and dead skin tissue collect into a hard mass that would almost require a chisel to break it up! As debris continues to gather and impact over time, one may develop a hacking cough, because of pressure on the vagus nerve (Arnold’s Reflex). In some cases, this can be quite serious, and secondarily cause upper respiratory problems, as well.
• A conductive hearing loss of about 30-40 decibels or more can develop. In essence, an isolating sound barrier (earwax) can be created between the sufferer and the sounds of life around them. Many patients describe this sensation as "being deaf." Although, if their hearing is otherwise normal, the condition is a far cry from truly debilitating deafness. On the other hand, if they also suffer from a sensorineural (nerve) loss, this additional sound barrier, due to wax impaction, could cause them to indeed experience "deafness".
• The sufferer will generally speak so softly that others must strain to hear them. This is because of the occlusion effect, increasing their own voice internally about 15-20 decibels. Children who talk softly should always be suspected of middle ear infection, wax impaction, or undiscovered hearing loss!
• In some cases, long-standing and untreated earwax impaction can actually turn septic, and cause serious health consequences. Over many years of practice, the author has seen at least a half dozen patients who were hospitalized for this very reason, and in most cases the cause of the problem not discovered until weeks or months following vigorous medical treatment. In other words, untreated impaction can be potentially life threatening!
• Even a small piece of wax pushed up onto the eardrum can cause an interaural attenuation (reduction of hearing sensitivity on the opposing ear) of as much as 20 decibels!
• That same tiny piece of wax on the eardrum can also cause the tensor tympani muscle to go into spasm, causing a "roaring" or "buzzing" tinnitus.

Successful Self-Cleaning?
Let’s say one was actually successful in mechanically cleaning their ears on a frequent or daily basis, without impacting their ears. What are the consequences?

• For one thing, there will be little or no protective keratin layer on the ear canal, leaving the ear open for trauma and infection.
• Without keratin the ear cannot maintain surface pH and fungus, yeast, bacteria and pseudomonas begin to grow, causing chronic itching in most cases, and almost incurable chronic external otitis in some cases.
• The simple act of making an ear impression on such an ear can be an excruciating and uncomfortable experience.
• The outer ear can bleed easily with the lightest touch as millions of tiny, thin-walled capillaries are exposed to the surface of the epithelium. This is especially true in cases of certain medications (cumadin, aspirin, high doses of Vitamin E or anticoagulants), or if the patient has varicose veins, vascular disease, or diabetes mellitus II. Ears cleaned at the medical clinic sometimes come out bleeding and in serious need of epithelial repair!
• Another phenomenon is increased sensitivity of the neuroreflexes of the external ear canal. These reflexes fall into two basic categories 1) biological monitoring of one’s own voice, and 2) to cause physical changes for protecting the eardrum from mechanical or vibratory invasion. This problem has been discussed at length in other forums, but is important to mention here, because this little known problem is the root cause of many unnecessary remakes, credit returns, and trial failures in hearing aid. Hence, without a thick layer of keratin and the natural insulation it provides, these neurological trip switches are set off as sure as the most sophisticated security system today!

In fact, the above phenomena are the root cause of more than a few failed hearing aid trials, self-inflicted external otitis (outer ear infection), and ongoing - yet resolvable - speech defects.

Answers?
The following represents simple rules for external ear care that are good for everyone:

1. Never use boric acid, hydrogen peroxide or other harsh solutions in the ear. Mineral oil based solutions can cause dermatitis and make the ear otherwise unhealthy. A gentle botanical solution that has been proven safe for use in the ear canals may be a better choice.
2. Avoid using mechanical items (i.e., cotton swabs, keys, paper clips etc) to clean your ears.
3. Have your ears examined by a qualified ear professional and follow their specific instructions regarding your personal cerumen management!

And, oh yes, nothing smaller than your elbow goes into your ears, right?

Dr. Chartrand serves as director of research at DigiCare Hearing Research & Rehabilitation in Rye, CO, correspondence: www.digicare.org.

Ototoxicity

This is a great article to read if you want to learn how medications can effect your hearing. Click here to download a pdf of this article.

Can I reuse my Dad's hearing aids?

This is a question that I often receive. Sometimes a son asks about his dad's hearing aid, but other times it a friend asking about using hearing aids that were given to them The answer to this question is usually no, but sometime yes! I have a good explanation for you to read below. Click here to download a pdf with this short answer.

New Consumer Website and Education Brochure

Better Hearing Institute, BHI, expanded their web site to include consumer information. In the past, they were devoted exclusively to professionals dealing with hearing loss. If you have never visited their site, I recommend you stop in and check out their content. Click here to visit there home page. Recently BHI published: Your Guide To Better Hearing. It is a comprehensive consumer guide to hearing loss. I highly recommend you read it! For your convenience, I've placed a link to the pdf file here. (It's a 32 page document that is about 3 mb's to download). In addition to offering the Guide above, BHI features a new 15-question hearing check that is completed and scored online for adults. It is a quick screening assessment to determine if you possibly have a hearing loss that should be evaluated further. Click here to visit the test page. I've also placed a link here (approximate size is 52K) for you to download the screener in pdf format. By downloading, you will be able to print out the test and review it without being connected to the internet.

Meniere's Disease: A review of current information

This is a group of articles that was published in the March/April 2004 ENT Journal.This issue featured Meniere's disease. I posted this last spring and then accidentally deleted the link shortly after--sorry! I scanned these articles and included them in a single pdf. The titles include:

• Diagnosis and Management of Meniere's Disease
• A Review of the Pathophysiology of Meniere's Disease
• Living with Meniere's Disease--What Helps?

I've placed a link to the pdf file here. (about 5.2 mb's to download).

Ear Candles—Can They Help Me To Hear Better?

NO, no, and NO. This is a question that frequently is asked. I am always amazed to learn that someone wants to start a fire next to their head with the hope that this will remove ear wax. Recently in the July issue of the Academy of Dispensing Audiologist Feedback magazine, Dr. Lisa Dryer responded to this question. Click here to visit a site which also contains her response. I've also posted a pdf here(it's an 8 page document about 38 KB's to download).to download.

Is It OK To Lick My Hearing Aid Shell And Then Place It In The Ear?

NO, no, and NO. Some people wouldn't dream of doing this, but I am surprised every time I see it happen! Usually they do this to lubricate the shell. Recently Dr. Bankaitis covered this question in detail. The article was written specifically for audiologists, but I think that anyone who uses a hearing aid and wants to know why they "shouldn't lick 'em and stick'em" should read the information. Don't download this article if you have a weak stomach! I've placed a link to this small pdf file here (about 168kb's to download). This article is from the American Academy of Audiology web site, www.audiology.org and was published in Audiology Today, Vol 17:6, 2005.

A History of Hearing Aids

Recently the Washington School of Medicine published a web history of hearing aids from the 19th and 20th centuries. You will find an excellent photo gallery and a time line to name just a couple of items. I found the information very interesting. If you would like to learn more about the history of hearing of hearing aids, click here to visit the web site

Ipods & other types of personal listening devices; Just how much volume is too much?

Apple computer experienced world wide record sales of the ipod last year. It's hard to walk anywhere today and not see someone listening to music. So, how volume is too much and are these devices dangerous to your hearing? Well, the answer is that these devices CAN produce volume levels capable of damaging your hearing.
There have been a series of articles published in the last few months. I am posting links below so that you can learn more:

• Rolling Stones magazine article feature a report with Pete Townshend here
• EarBud.org is a web site sponsored by the House Ear Institute. There are hosting the MTV commercial on the risk of listening to music at loud levels. Also very informative site with some general guidelines on MP3 player use. Click here to visit their site.

There is direct relationship between the loudness level and and how long you should use the devices. Volume levels which are at 60% of the available level, really should be use for more than 1/2 hour per/day. If you listen at lower levels, you can significantly increase your usage per day.

Frequently asked questions related to loud sounds

Recently I was visiting the EAR site, www.e-a-r.com, to review specifications of disposable ear plugs. They have an excellent FAQ section with responses prepared by an expert in hearing protection devices, Elliott Berger, MS, audiologist. He frequently answers consumer and audiologist questions on noise inducted hearing loss and hearing conservation. He has responded to a number of questions that frequently come up in our office. I have listed these questions below with links to his original response as well as a copy of the response on our web site in pdf format.

• Can automotive air bags that deploy during an accident cause hearing loss, tinnitus, and sensitivity to loud sound? The short answer is Yes. You can visit the EAR FAQ site here for more detailed information. I also placed a link here (about 25kb's to download). to a pdf document with his response.
  
  
• Can listening to loud music during an aerobics class damage my hearing? You probably won't permanently damage your hearing after just one session, but repeated noise exposure definitely can cause permanent hearing loss. If your ears are ringing and/or feel plugged after the session, you probably have a temporary hearing loss. You can visit the EAR FAQ site here for more detailed information. I also placed a link here (about 90kb's to download). to a pdf document with his response.
  
  
• I am out with a friend shooting or cutting firewood and I forgot my ear protection. I had some cigarette butts that I pushed in my ears to protect my hearing. I should be OK? No, Cigarette butts are just about useless for protecting you hearing. What makes a good cigarette filter and what makes a good ear plug are almost opposites. The filters on cigarettes allow you to draw in air, and this also allows for sound to pass through without much decrease in loudness. The best thing that you can do if you are stuck next to someone cutting firewood or shooting is to back up and plug your ears with your fingers. You can visit the Audiology Online site here for more detailed information. I also placed a link here (about 290kb's to download). to a pdf document with his response.
  
  
• Isn't there a pill that prevents hearing loss and can reverse nerve damage? Maybe for the first part of the question and definitely no for the second part if the hearing loss was long standing. There have been trials with animals and subsequent published data that looks encouraging using an antioxidant over-the-counter supplement. However, there is no information on human trials and I still urge all of my patient's to protect their hearing whenever exposed to loud sound. You can visit the EAR FAQ site here for more detailed information. Dr Dobie provides the actual response. I also placed a link here (about 60kb's to download). to a pdf document with his response.

I accidentally swallowed a hearing aid battery. Should I be worried?

YES, YES, and YES! This is a question that often comes up during new fittings and follow ups. On the back of every package of hearing aid batteries there is a warning about the danger of battery consumption and a phone number you can call --you can even call it collect--202-625-3333. Batteries can cause serious damage to your esophagus if they get hung up on the way to your stomach.

Here are the steps you should follow:

• Immediately call you physician. If you don't have a primary care physician, go the the emergency room.
• DO NOT TRY to induce vomiting. Stay away from the ipecac syrup.
• If you have time and are our patient, call the office and let us know what happened so that we can also contact your physician or the emergency room.
  • Also take along the battery package. It's not a requirement, but it will be helpful.
• You need an x-ray of the throat, chest, and stomach. If the battery is still in the throat/esophagus area, it will need to be removed immediately using a special type of fiber optic tool, endoscope. Damage to the esophagus can occur in as little as one hour.
• If the battery moved to your stomach, then you will need to monitor your elimination to ensure that it passes in the stool. If you don't notice it after a week you will need another X-ray.

If have placed a link here to the National Capital Poison Center. This is the contact for the phone number listed above. In addition, I placed a link here (about 70kb's to download). to a pdf document that you can download to your computer.

Can golfing damage my hearing?

You're probably thinking: "What, golfing can't damage my hearing!" Well, newer thin faced titanium driving clubs all produced greater sound levels than conventional stainless steel clubs. In a study published in the December 2008 Sport issue of the British Medical Journal, BMJ 2008;337:a2835, Dr. Malcolm Buchanan found that his patient experienced hearing loss after using the King Cobra LD driver. The King Cobra also wasn't the loudest driver. Their results showed that thin faced titanium drivers produce sufficiently loud sound to induce temporary, or even permanent hearing damage in susceptible individuals. Caution should be used by golfers who play regularly with thin faced titanium drivers to avoid damage to their hearing.

Interested in the full article? I've posted a link to the report here If the link stops working, I posted a pdf of the issue here(about 1mb to download). You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to view this file*.

How does sweat affect my hearing aids?

Sweat can damage your hearing instruments and/or shorten their life. Recently Sonic Innovations published a technical paper comparing their two high performance hearing instruments with other products in the industry for moisture resistance. What I found most interesting was that sweat damages the battery which in turn releases chemicals that damage the electronics in your instruments. The article isn't very long, only four pages, and is available here to download.

PALATAL MYOCLONUS

Palatal myoclonus is a rare condition in which the muscles of the palate (back of the mouth) twitch rhythmically many times a minute. The cause of this harmless muscle spasm is unknown. Often it is triggered with eating some foods or drinking hot or cold liquids.

The patient may experience a rhythmic clicking or snapping sound in the ear as the eustachian tube opens and closes. On occasion, this snapping sound is caused by a simultaneous spasm of a muscle in the middle ear attached to the ear bones.

A muscle relaxant is often effective in controlling the symptoms. When they persist and if they continue to pose a problem for the patient, surgery is sometimes recommended. Cutting the muscle in the middle ear usually relieves the symptoms.

If surgical treatment is necessary, it is performed under local anesthesia through the ear canal. Hospitalization is necessary for one night following surgery, and the patient may return to his usual activities in several days.