Are you finding yourself turning up the TV volume or asking people to repeat themselves at social gatherings and meetings? Is this causing you to feel left out during social events and family get-togethers? It may be time to consider having a hearing assessment.
Most often hearing loss creeps up on us so gradually that it is hardly noticeable at first until it gets to the stage where conversations are being affected. This can make people feel left out and isolated as hearing is at the heart of our communication and keeps us connected.
Signs of Hearing Loss
If you think you or a loved one is having difficulties with their hearing, here are some of the signs to be aware of:
- Frequently having to ask people to repeat themselves.
- Mishearing during conversations.
- Struggling to understand clearly in background noise.
- Appearing withdrawn during social gatherings and not taking part in conversations.
- Increased levels of fatigue from having to concentration hard to understand speech.
- Having to turn the TV or Radio up louder than needed for family or friends or using subtitles.
- Using a raised voice all the time.
- Not being able to hear certain sounds that others can hear such as the oven, car or washing machine warning beeps.
- Experiencing Tinnitus – hearing sounds (for example, a ringing, buzzing, whooshing or pulsating noise) in the ears or head which is not coming from outside surroundings.
What stops people from having a Hearing Assessment?
Often people are worried about having a hearing assessment because hearing loss is not something that’s easily seen or noticeable. Sometimes they are worried:
- What if I need hearing aids?
- How will it look if I have hearing aids – will it be noticeable and unsightly?
- What will other people think if I have hearing aids?
When it comes to your health these considerations should not stop you from doing something about it, just as if you had a problem elsewhere in your body, you wouldn’t ignore it.
What does this mean in the long term?
It can be tempting to think that the problem is only slight and that it is manageable if you are mostly on your own and not often in groups or meetings. It can be easy just to turn the volume up on the TV or use subtitles. However, this can be especially tiring come the end of the day from having to concentrate so hard to hear and using your short-term memory to fill in the missing gaps. Furthermore, research shows, that if not managed correctly, hearing loss can lead to social isolation, and this has been found to increase the chances of Cognitive decline and Dementia in the long term.
Doing something about a hearing loss now is better than leaving it till it becomes too hard to manage. It is easier for your brain to adapt to hearing aids sooner rather than later and easier to get used to the handling and management of hearing aids too.
What can you do about this right now?
Having a hearing assessment with a trained professional will provide you with a clear picture of how you are hearing at present.
At Vista Health we provide fast access to free hearing assessments for which you can refer yourself. Our Assessments are carried out by one of our highly trained HCPC registered Hearing Aid Dispensers. They will provide you with a clear picture of your hearing requirements to recommend and explore your options to find the best hearing solution for your needs.
Our Hearing Aid Dispensers use their expertise working in both NHS and private sectors, so will ensure you have all the information required to make an informed choice about what is right for you.
We offer a wide selection of private Hearing Aids in discreet sizes and styles, including Invisible-In-The-Canal (IIC) and Rechargeable hearing aids. Our hearing aids start from £794 for a single aid and £1294 for a pair. We also provide free and unlimited aftercare and ongoing support to suit your needs.
To book, speak directly to our dedicated patient car team on 0371 454 2346 (Monday to Friday 8am-8pm / Weekends 8am-1pm). Or find our booking form here.
Thasneem Kottakunnan (Senior Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispenser, Hornchurch).
References:
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss
www.readersdigest.co.uk/health/health-conditions/new-help-for-hearing-loss
www.thecareruk.com/how-hearing-loss-increases-loneliness-and-social-isolation/
