Do people talk too quietly for you to hear?
Do other people complain you have the TV on too loud?
Have you difficulty following conversations in noisy places?
If you’ve answered yes to any of the questions, it’s possible you have some level of hearing loss – and you aren’t alone. Research shows that one person in five between the ages of 50 and 60 is hearing impaired to such an extent that they need hearing aids.
What’s even more worrying is that although it’s estimated that between five and six million people in the United Kingdom have sufficient hearing loss to warrant having hearing aids, only two million have actually done something about it.
“Sadly doing nothing about hearing loss is not really an option,” says Michael Shade, Hearing Aid Audiologist for The Hearing Care Centre in Bury St Edmunds.
The family run company established in 1998, offers an award winning, private hearing care service from Mount Farm GP Surgery in Moreton Hall.
“There are a number of causes of hearing loss: continued exposure to loud noises over a period of time is one of them, but by far the majority of people are simply suffering from the effects of getting a little older”.
“Just as in many cases our eyes slowly deteriorate as we age, making it difficult to read small print, so our ears gradually lose their ability to hear sounds. The difference is that inability to hear can affect people’s relationships with their family and friends and untreated can itself lead to illness”.
Michael explained that studies had shown, that often, people who have difficulty hearing miss out on conversations and then, rather that be embarrassed by often having to ask others to repeat what they have said, they stop conversing. Initially they feel left out, their self-esteem becomes low and this can give way to a feeling of total social isolation leading to psychiatric disturbance or depression.
“One factor which has put people off in the past is the stigma they feel wearing hearing instruments,”explained Michael. “They feel that by wearing their aids, they are admitting to the world that they are getting old, and perhaps by implication, doddery too!”
“That might have been because in the past hearing instruments were bulky, highly visible, but now in 2016 we can dispense hearing aids which are so small they fit completely inside your ear so that they cannot be seen,” explained Michael.
Michael runs a fortnightly clinic in Bury St Edmunds on a Wednesday and is keen to encourage those who feel they have a hearing loss to take the first step and book a hearing test.
“The experience can be life changing – hearing aid users say they grow in confidence, communicating in groups becomes easier and less stressful and they begin to enjoy life again.”
“Choosing a hearing care provider can be difficult, but we differentiate ourselves from our competitors by the choice, personalisation and high level of service we offer. We have been awarded for our customer service for the past 7 years at the Anglian Business Awards, an achievement of which we are very proud of,” said Michael.
FREE HEARING TESTS – WEDNESDAY 10th February
