DrCraigKasper.com

Welcome to DrCraigKasper.com! Your Resource for Sound Hearing Health & Wellness Information.

An Overlooked Health Issue.

Hearing loss currently affects over 500 million people around the world, and this number is poised to reach an astonishing 700 million by the end of this decade. Studies have demonstrated that untreated hearing loss leads to feelings of isolation, depression and anger and even has the potential to affect one’s level of income. Quality of life is altered on more levels than the obvious sound-based communication challenges.

Despite common thinking, hearing loss is not a disorder of “old age”. In fact, 65% of those with hearing loss are under the age of 65. Genetics, illnesses and over-exposure to high levels of sound contribute to the possibility that you or someone you love will sustain hearing loss. Everyone is at risk and with the sound levels in our world increasing on a daily basis, the likelihood we will experience damage to our hearing is higher than ever. These are not trivial issues and it is amazing to think that the health of the auditory sense does not receive more attention.

Prevention of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: Taking the “Hearing Pill” Concept to the Next Level

Commonly used in cases of Tylenol toxicity, n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) has been packaged in recent years as a potential supplement to aid in the prevention of or recovery from noise-induced hearing loss. Considering the vast numbers of young soldiers serving around the globe who are exposed to elevated levels of noise on a regular basis, a simple pill that could save the ear’s delicate sensory hair cells would be a welcome solution to a growing problem. According to the Institute of Medicine, hearing loss is the third most common disability among retired veterans. 

Now, two of the scientists who have been working on the NAC equation are taking their research one step further. Richard Kopke of the Hough Ear Institute and Robert Floyd of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have combined NAC with a cancer drug known as 4-OHPBN nitrone. Initial studies that have been completed in laboratory chinchillas treated with the drug compound have demonstrated a 90% retention of hearing in the animals following traumatic noise exposure. Although promising, safety of the drug compound in humans is yet to be established and the researchers are hoping to begin clinical trials within two years.

Dr. Kasper is Interviewed for the Boston Globe

Read Cindy Atoji's article titled "These Headphones Keep Noise Down" from this week's Boston Globe.