Understanding Hearing Loss
Hearing is one of the most important keys to maintaining an active. intellectual and social life therefore hearing less leads to reduced contact with friends, family and colleagues which can lead to isolation and depression.
Just trying to follow a conversation, watching your favourite tv programme or using your telephone can become extremely tiring and frustrating because you have to concentrate more so than usual.
Hearing loss is the result of sound signals not reaching the brain. There are two main types of hearing loss.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss – which is caused by damage to the sensitive hair cells inside the inner ear or damage to the auditory nerve. This occurs naturally with age or as a result of injury.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss happens when sounds are unable to pass from your outer ear to your inner ear, often because of a blockage such as ear wax or glue ear, infection or mucus.
Statistics & Facts
- 10 million people in UK have hearing loss (1 in 6)
- 6 million people would benefit by the use of hearing aids
- 1.4 million people are reliant on hearing aids
- 50% of 50-year-olds are affected
- 60% of 60-year-olds are affected
- 70% of 70-year-olds are affected
- Deafness is NOT just turning down of sound BUT distortion of sound
- Progressive, silent condition
- A contributory factor in the onset of dementia
Signs & Symptoms of Hearing Loss
Answering Yes to any of these questions could indicate that you may need to have your hearing test.
- When in a group or in a crowded restaurant, is it difficult for you to follow the conversation?
- Do you tend to limit your social activities because it's difficult to hear and communicate?
- Has somebody close to you mentioned that you may have a problem with your hearing?
- Do people seem to be mumbling?
- Do you know your hearing isn't as good as it was but you just put it down to getting older?
- Do you find it easier to understand a man's voice compared to a woman's or a child's voice?
- Do you have to turn up the volume on the TV or radio?
- Do you find it difficult to hear the doorbell or the telephone ring?
Severe Hearing Loss
Consult a hearing care professional if you have any concerns.
When you have a severe-to-profound hearing loss, you are only able to hear very loud speech or loud sounds. People with severe hearing loss cannot hear speech at a conversational level and for people with profound hearing loss, loud sounds are mainly only perceived as vibrations.
Severe-to-profound hearing loss can occur at any age
This degree of hearing loss may be present at birth or early childhood, or it may progress with age. The demands of a hearing aid for those with this type of loss are incredibly high. Today’s powerful hearing aids do make a difference incorporating the latest technology to help you experience an everyday life full of sound.
