How To Hear Better In A Deafening World

PLUS: New Clues To The Mystery Behind Vape-Related Injuries

Alengo/Getty Images Did You Hear That? Jackhammers, blenders and and your favorite rock anthem blasted through earbuds – all those deafening hallmarks of life today are wiping out our hearing, doctors warn. And even if you don’t care today, you will tomorrow, says David Owen, author of Volume Contol: Hearing In A Deafening World. "It is something that happens to old people,” he says, “but it's something that's caused by things that we do when we're young." Owen has learned to wear musician’s earplugs to loud concerts and movies – silicone plugs designed to protect without blocking tunes or dialogue. Read on for more protective tips, and to learn why doctors think tinnitus -- an underlying soundtrack of ringing or whispers – has a lot in common with phantom limb pain. BONUS: How Taking Care Of Eyes And Ears Can Keep Your Brain Sharp Hans Pennink/API THC Additive Tied To Vaping Injuries Federal health investigators announced this week that they think they’ve found a chemical instigator behind at least some of the more than 2,000 vaping-related lung injuries that have swept the U.S. since March. Vitamin E acetate is the likely culprit, according to Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s an oily additive used to dilute liquid in e-cigarettes or vaping products that contain THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. All 29 samples of lung tissue the CDC tested from 10 states contained vitamin E acetate, Schuchat told reporters, and 23 of them contained THC. Read more about which products the CDC wants people who vape to steer clear of. BONUS: Teen Vaping Habits And What They Tell Us About Tobacco Use  Science Source Bye-Bye Bacteria, Hello Fungus What if the same strong soaps and cleaning solutions many of us use to get rid of nasty bacteria in the bathroom and kitchen also clear a path for the growth of a nasty fungus? That was the surprising finding of scientists who compared microbial diversity of the germs living in urban homes vs. rural ones in Peru and Brazil. The researchers took a census of microbes – bacteria, parasites and fungi – from places that represent a range of industrialized life, from thatched-roof houses in the rainforest to city apartments. "We expected that all the microbes would actually become less diverse with urbanization, and that's not at all what we found for the fungi," says Laura-Isobel McCall, a biochemist at the University of Oklahoma. At least one genus of fungi – Malassezia – that she and her team found to be more plentiful in cities contains strains known to cause hospital infections. READ ON to learn more about why fungi are so tough. BONUS: How Indoor Sunshine Reduces Bacteria And Improves Air Quality    More of this week's health stories from NPR Childhood Trauma's Health Legacy, And How You Can Heal It Skin Comes In Many Shades, And So Do Rashes High-Ranking Dog Trains Military Med Students We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin   What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy