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Deafness and hearing loss are a result of varying circumstances. In my case, I contracted Haemophilus influenzae meningitis at age 3.5 years, which destroyed the stereocilia in both my cochleas. The stereocilia are important for hearing since they act as “microphones” and sound filters. Without them, sound doesn’t travel to the brain. In a nutshell, that’s basically why I hear nothing.
Recently, a team of scientists at Stanford University discovered that stem cells have the capacity to regenerate in the inner ear, specifically regrowing the stereocilia. The team has successfully regenerated the cilia in the ears of mice embryos and are planning to try it next on live mice. It’s possible that the technology could be used on humans in the future.
That’s unbelievably cool! I wonder if this might also be good news for people with tinnitus, which is often caused by noise-related damage to the cilia. My ears have been ringing for a good eight or nine years now…
I’m on the UCI’s Stem Stell PAC and were gaining a lot of ground in the field of stem cell research and applications.
I am waiting the technology for 10 years.
I am feeling bad these years and the incapabilities of my ears troubles me everyday.
It is good news and it may take another 10 years.
This is another discovery of hearing in mammals. The protein known as prestin is the motor to amplify sound waves and not the hearing hair cells or cillia.
Take a look at the published materials below:
http://www.stjude.org/media/0,2561,453_2816_23471,00.html
i’m all for stem cell research. i hate living like this everyday.
I’ll be first in line to try it out! I’ve been losing my hearing in what seems like chunk by chunk and as my hearing deteriorates, so has my life.
I don’t fit into either hearing or deaf communities right now – too, too lonely. Hearing people do not have any clue what this is like – not a clue.
Yup, I’d devote the rest of my life to helping find cures for hearing loss & deafness. Would be a noble cause.
I am joining the club. My life is literally changed after my hearing loss, but as far as I heard from the Docs, they say I have lost the hair cells which are responsible for hearing. And that is the reason for my hearing loss, and its difficult to live like this.
I’ve been hoping that stem cell research would gravitate towards hearing loss. I started losing my hearing when I was 16 bit by bit. The tinnitus is driving me mad. I hope they hurry.
This is something that brings me the joy and happiness that for long I have been missing, my son is 14 years I had rubbeola when pregnant and he is deaf He is what I most love I would do anything to stop the sadness and lonlyness he has every day. This news are giving us hope.
I lost hearing in my left ear due to an attack of herpes
zoster to the left side of my head. My facial factors
have self restored aboiut 80% to 85%. However, my hearing in the left ear has only gotten worse. nI do Not hear anything thru my left ear
I had a fractured skull at age 9 that possibly began the deteriation of my hearing, although I was able to serve in the armed forces, soon after I applied to the N.Y.P.D. & failed the physical due to hearing.
it got worse as I aged, no hearing aid strong enough anymore.
I have been totally deaf for 10 years now, have 3 grandchildren I will never hear speak, if stem cell research can help, I will gladly volunteer! it may be too late for me but,if it could help others after me, it would be worth it! I am so sick of being thought of as STUPID by hearing people!
M J G
i can’t wait to get this surgery.
i am 16 years old and im hearing impaire
ever since i was 6 months old and its really hard to live like this, and i cant wait to get this surgery and actually hear. without hearing aids. my docter tells me i can hear as normal pretty close with my hearing aids but hes wrong..
i cant wait
This is amazing, i really hope they come out with this research soon! I’m desperate to be able to hear perfectly, because wearing a hearing aid, i’m no where close to hearing normal and i’m def missing out a lot.
I’m 20 years old, and i feel that in order to be sucessful, you need to have good listening skills and that’s what going to hold me back a lot.
hi
I am wongtanlim3@yahoo.com. I got sudden hearing loss from infection and has read up a lot of stuff on ear nerve damage and the research work. I think we should start a world-wide fund raising exercise for scientists who are working everyday to find a cure for us. If at least 100 million of us, if we each give $1, there will be $100 million and a cure can be found sooner than later. What say all of you ?
I am so happy to hear about this treatment for hearing loss. I wonder if it will be available in New Zealand soon. I hope there are treatment for hearing loss because I hate it when people say I can’t hear it and I will never want to be deaf ever again. I would love to be hearing not deaf.
I have been going deaf since I was sixteen. I have lost over 85 percent in my right ear (which also has tinnitus in it), and just recently if seems as if my left is going out on me too. I was thrilled to hear that stem cells are a possiblilty for my hearing to be restored someday, I just wish it was sooner. I feel as if I am limited on what I can accomplish in this world without good hearing. I am going to be thirty soon and their are many more years to go, I just want them to be full the sounds of laughter and music, not lonely silence.
The stem sell research is promissing. My son got hearing loss and tinitus. He realised that he has hearing loss when the tinitus exploded nealy two years ago. I suppot wongtanlim3 idea of having a world wide fund raising exersise to help sientists finding a cure.
The stem cell research is promissing. My son got hearing loss and tinitus. He realised that he has hearing loss when the tinitus exploded nealy two years ago. I suppot wongtanlim3 idea of having a world wide fund raising exersise to help sientists finding a cure.
I’m losing my hearing and have just in the last year started wearing a hearing aid in my left ear. have no hearing in my right. I would volenteer in a heart beat at the chance of getting my hewaring back and being happy again.
It have noticed that all of us with hearing loss experience the same feelings of isolation. I hope that all of our prayers are answered very soon through stem cell research.
I have someone in the family suffering from hearing loss.
Anyone has any IDEAS when they will begin trials on humans? I understand they are carrying out tests on mice, and it’s going well so far.
I just want to know, what’s the next step? What will they be doing? And how long is it estimated to take, for them to start carrying out surgery to restore hearing in humans?
10 years? 20? Any ideas?
They are already doing the stem cell research on humans. I am lined up to do the surgery come this Feb. I will be the third person to have ever done this surgery. I am trying to figure out a way to raise the money for this surgery. I know it is costly but it is worth it. The cure is here in the states. The goverment is trying to hold researchers back from doing this. They have already done the stem cell in different countries. Why is our goverment not pushing for this and backing up the researchers. Like I said I have been in contact with a place in Georgia that is going to line me up with the doctors to do this. They will take the stem cell and transport it and myself to Korea or possibly South America. I just hope I can come up with the money they are asking. I am going on 52 yrs old and I have 4% hearing on one ear and 0% in the other. I would love to hear any thing at this point. The autoimmune disease is taking over my ears and I hate it. I can not run my business like I want and I am willing to sell all for this surgery to take place in Feb. I wish all of you the best of luck and know that you are not alone with this.
MY SON WAS PROFOUNDLY DEAFENED IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE AGE OF 21… 28 YEARS AGO.THE TINNITUS STARTED RIGHT AFTER…AND THAT IS ALL HE HAS HEARD FOR THESE PAST 28 YEARS. MUSIC (PLAYED GUITAR) WAS HIS LOVE AND ALSO HIS WAY OF RELEASING EMOTIONALLY. I HAVE SEEN HIM GO THROUGH SUCH GREAT SUFFERING ALL THESE YEARS.. I’D GLADLY DONATE ALL I COULD TO HELP WITH STEM CELL WORK FOR RESTORING HEARING. HE, LIKE OTHERS HERE, WAS CAUGHT ETWEEN 2 WORLDS…AND THOSE DEAF ALL THEIR LIVES ARE NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING OF LATER DEAFENED ADULTS. AND THE HEARING…FEW HAVE THE PATIENCE. DISCONNECTION AND LONELYNESS-NO REAL UNDERSTANDING..I WISH I COULD HEAL ALL OF YOU…