Our senses are something many of us take for granted, and so it can be a frightening time when we feel as though we are losing our ability to see or hear properly. If you feel this might be you, and you feel as though you are going deaf, it is important for you to know that you’re not alone and there is a whole host of support available for you.
In fact, in 2015 it was found that 11 million people in the UK were experiencing hearing loss – that’s one in six of us. More than 900,000 people are severely or profoundly deaf. It is estimated that this number will rise to 15.6 million, or one in five of us, by 2035. Sign language usage is on the rise, and over 24,000 people use it as their main language. It is thought that over 70% of those aged over 70 years, and 40% of those aged over 50, have some kind of hearing loss.
If you are over the age of 50, it is important to get your hearing regularly checked – particularly if you start to notice that you are having difficulties with hearing properly. On average, it can take a person up to 10 years to address their hearing loss, but with so many hearing aids and support networks in place, there’s no need to suffer in silence or delay finding out.
The following symptoms are key signs of hearing loss. If you find some, or all, apply to you, we’d recommend getting in touch for professional care as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment slow the associated effects of hearing loss and its related conditions.
- Difficultly hearing or misunderstanding what others have said to you, especially in noisy places
- Mishearing and responding inappropriately
- Needing to ask people to repeat what they have said
- Missing the telephone ring or finding it difficult to follow a conversation on the phone
- Others commenting that your television or music is excessively loud
- Difficulty determining the direction that a sound has come from
- Difficulty following a conversation in a noisy environment, often avoiding noisy areas
- Withdrawing from social situations because you find it difficult to follow conversations, feeling increasingly isolated
- Having to concentrate to a tiring or stressful degree to hear other people
If you are one of the 11 million people across Britain experiencing some kind of hearing loss or feel as though you are going deaf, there are a wide variety of hearing solutions available to you that can help improve the quality of your life.
These include hearing tests, hearing aids, wax removal, tinnitus treatment and products such as custom-made earplugs and assistive listening devices. With our expert advice and knowledge, we’re well equipped to find the ideal solution for you.
It is important to always get your hearing checked, especially if you have concerns or are noticing a hearing problem, as sometimes there may be underlying medical conditions that are actually responsible for your hearing loss, and these will need addressing.
Your hearing can and will change over time, and it is not unusual for it to deteriorate with time. Prioritise your hearing health with regular hearing assessments, it may be possible to intervene with valuable solutions before it becomes too late. Many symptoms of hearing loss can be greatly improved by a hearing aid or other treatment option.
Email or call 01223 661 399 to get in touch with us and find out more.
