Hearing Loss
Typical Symptoms of Hearing Loss:
- People seem to mumble
- Often asking family and friends to repeat themselves
- Miss most of the conversation when background noise present
- Mishearing conversations
- Struggle to hear what children/grandchildren are saying
- Trouble hearing a speaker from a distance
Typical Causes of Hearing Loss
- Natural ageing process
- Exposure to loud or constant noise
- Ear infections or injury
- Medication that is toxic to the hearing system
- Illness or complications at birth
The signs of hearing loss
Hearing loss tends to be a gradual process. Hearing loss is invisible and more common than you might think. You might notice that you can hear volume but not clarity. You may find it harder to hear in noisier environments or when in group situations. You may complain that people are mumbling and that the television needs to be louder than it used to be and you don't always hear the doorbell or the telephone.
What causes hearing loss?
Hearing loss can be caused by temporary factors such as excessive wax in the ear canal. If more permanent it can be attributed to a number of things, the most common being the ageing process, followed by damage caused by exposure to excessive noise. Other contributors to hearing loss can be hereditary factors, disease, middle ear problems such as perforated eardrums, certain drugs, injury and infections.
How common is hearing loss?
In the UK there are around 9 million people suffering some level of hearing loss, of those around about two thirds are over the age of 60. Over 70% of the population over the age of 70 have at least some measurable hearing loss. It is estimated around 4 million people in this country could benefit from wearing hearing aids but have not yet addressed their hearing loss.
What about tinnitus?
Tinnitus is noise that originates within the hearing system rather than externally.
It can be caused by problems in the outer ear such as excessive wax but is usually a symptom of general hearing loss. It can affect one or both ears.
The sounds you hear if you suffer from tinnitus vary in severity and tone from person to person. People suffering from tinnitus can describe it as a "ringing" sound, a "buzzing" sound, a "humming noise, "like running water", a "whistling" sound or like the "sound from a seashell held close to the ear."
Will hearing aids restore my hearing?
Hearing instruments benefit many people. However, no hearing instrument can restore your hearing back to normal. The benefits depend on the severity of your hearing loss and the level of technology, the ultimate aim to restore your hearing as close as possible to natural levels of volume and clarity.
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