Hearing impairment affects many people at different stages of their lives. 55% of people over 60 years of age have some degree of hearing loss, rising to over 70% of people by the time they reach 70 and 93% of people 81 years and older. This shows that if your hearing is deteriorating it isn't unusual at all. Hearing loss can affect your quality of life and it's never too late to do something about it.

Most hearing loss is caused by the ageing process, however regular exposure to loud noises, hereditary, and some illnesses can also cause hearing loss. Around 90% of all cases of hearing loss are because the microscopic hair cells in the cochlea (or inner ear) become damaged which limits their ability to detect soft, higher frequency sounds and means that they cannot send a complete signal to the brain. As a result, it becomes difficult to understand the consonants that allow us to understand speech

The first sign of hearing loss is a difficulty in hearing certain sounds or tones clearly. For example, you may be unable to distinguish similar sounding words or hear higher pitched voices, such as those of children. Other signs include difficulty with cross-conversations, hearing at a distance such as in meetings, listening to the TV or radio, or hearing in large buildings where there may be echoes such as in churches or theatres.

If you think you have a hearing loss, the first thing you need to do is have a hearing evaluation. It may be that a build-up of wax or an infection has temporarily affected your hearing, in which case our clinician can advise you on the best course of action. All our clinicians are trained to identify cases where a medical opinion or treatment is required, so they would refer you, if necessary, for treatment by your GP. If your hearing loss isn't due to these problems, then our clinician will be able to recommend hearing aids suitable for the level of your hearing loss and your lifestyle.

This problem is called tinnitus and hearing aids can often help as people with a hearing loss often suffer from this condition. Your clinician can prescribe suitable hearing aids that may help you to manage your tinnitus more effectively.

It is generally accepted that our hearing worsens with age. Not only have older people's auditory system been exposed to noise for many years but also, as we age, all our faculties deteriorate, including our hearing. A hearing evaluation will quickly establish if you do have a hearing loss and our clinician will then be able to recommend suitable aids to improve your hearing. Regular hearing evaluations and aftercare will ensure that any deterioration in your hearing is picked up quickly so that your hearing aids always provide you with the best possible hearing improvement

We recommend somebody attends with you because:

• A loved one may assist us in understanding the situations where you experience hearing difficulties.
• Some people find it more comfortable to have a family member or a friend with a familiar voice with them.
• Hearing a familiar voice can often demonstrate the difference a hearing aid may make to you.
• During your assessment your clinician will give you a great deal of information and discuss with you the best hearing aid for your hearing loss and lifestyle - having someone with you can help you to remember all this detail afterwards.

If mobility is a problem, we can offer a home visiting service where one of our clinicians will visit you to evaluate and assess your hearing in the comfort of your own home.

It is important to understand how your hearing has been affected, so that you understand the reasons why your clinician recommends a specific type of hearing aid. This will also help you understand how the hearing aid will work to help you to hear better.

There are many different types of hearing aids available, including virtually invisible hearing aids that are custom designed for your ear.

The results of your hearing test will be displayed on an audiogram, a graph that will compare your results to the “norm”. Your clinician will be able to explain your result’s and this will give you an idea of where your hearing sits on the hearing threshold.

You may or may not need a hearing aid depending on the results of your hearing test, but there are some things you can do to help yourself to hear better in certain situations. You should ask your clinician for tips, or if there are any assistive devices you can use in the home.

There may be a choice of treatment options open to you, and your clinician will discuss these with you. Understanding what is available to you will help you decide what you are most comfortable with moving forward.

There is a distinct possibility that your hearing will deteriorate further with age, but there are lots of ways to protect your hearing, and slow down further loss. It’s possible that, depending on the type of hearing loss, your clinician may look at your lifestyle and suggest some changes that will be of benefit to your hearing.

This is an important question to ask your clinician. You will need to understand how hearing aids help you to hear and what changes you can expect .

Not all hearing aids are the same. There are many different versions and products available on the market and your clinician will have an in-depth knowledge of each unit. Ask them to explain the differences in a way you can easily understand, and that is not too technical.

It can be confusing to be confronted with so many different hearing aid solutions and your clinician will have a good idea of which one to recommend based on your lifestyle and individual needs. 

The technology behind modern digital hearing aids has progressed so much over the years that it can be confusing to know why one unit is far more expensive than another similar looking one in a more basic range.

Understanding why these price differences are in place will help you choose the best one in your price range. This is something that your clinician will gladly speak to you about at the end of your hearing test.

Once you have been fitted with your hearing aid(s) you are never just left to fend for yourself.  You will be invited back into see your clinician usually after approximately two weeks to see how you are doing and this is an opportunity to go over anything you may have not understood or may be unsure about. Always ask when you will need to come back for a check-up or an adjustment and book your appointments before you leave.

Bear in mind that adjusting to your new hearing aid does take time, so you will need a good support system in place.

Knowing what to do in the future if your hearing should change or get much worse can be reassuring, so always ask what you should do in these circumstances. The clinician who conducts your hearing evaluation will be able to offer advice on such matters.