Is hearing loss affecting your relationship?

One in six people in the UK experience some form of hearing loss. Your wife, husband or partner may be one of them.

Untreated hearing loss does not only affect an individual's quality of life - it also has an impact on his or her relationships, especially the most important ones. This is because hearing loss affects one's ability to communicate, and by definition, communication involves a least one other person.

Let’s talk about what this means in practical terms. Some or all of the below scenarios might sound familiar to you if you are living with somebody with hearing loss...

• Telephone conversations between you turn into arguments and shouting because they cannot hear you properly. You: “Please pick up some milk tonight” Partner: “What about tonight?” You: MILK, I said can you get some milk”. You may revert to texting one another rather than talking.
  
• You may have to watch TV in separate rooms because your loved one has to have the volume up too loud.
  
• Parties and social gatherings may be avoided because they think they not be able to hear what people are saying to don’t want to look silly when they respond to a question with the wrong response. It’s becomes easier just to stay at home and your social life suffers.
  
• You may now have to pick restaurants based on their noise level over where you actually might like to go. If the ceilings are too high or the music is too loud it will make it impossible for your loved one to hear.
  
• You are always being accused of mumbling and the frustration of them not being able to hear can lead to arguments.

My advice to you would be to start having the conversation about what could be done to resolve the problem, and the first step would be to book a hearing assessment.

Assessments begin with a discussion on loved one’s hearing and any impact it may have on their daily life and then a variety of tests are carried out in a sound proof environment. Having you along as well for support really helps. It can also help the audiologist gain a different person’s perspective on how the hearing loss affects you both.

The Effects of Untreated Hearing Loss

“What?”, “Huh?”, “Pardon me?”, “Would you mind repeating what you said? I couldn’t understand you.”

If you or one of your friends or family members has a hearing loss, then these phrases will be very familiar to you!

Many hearing impaired people are aware that their hearing has deteriorated but are reluctant to seek help. Maybe it’s just that they don't want to acknowledge the problem, are embarrassed by what they see as a weakness, or believe that they can "get by" without using a hearing aid. According to hearing loss charity Action on Hearing Loss, people take on average 10 years to address the effects of hearing loss before getting seeking help.

But time and again, research shows us that untreated hearing loss can have a negative impact on social life, psychological well-being, cognitive ability and our overall health. Each can have far-reaching implications that go well beyond hearing alone. In fact, those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal.

Studies have linked untreated hearing loss effects to:

• fatigue, tension, stress and depression
• irritability, negativism and anger
• social rejection and loneliness
• avoidance or withdrawal from social situations
• reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety
• impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks
• reduced job performance and earning power
• diminished psychological and overall health 

Fortunately, hearing loss is treatable.  Hearing aids are currently the best option for individuals suffering from hearing loss, allowing them to hear many of the sounds they have been missing. Many different types of hearing aid are available, packed full of fantastic features and paying a visit to your local audiologist would allow you to better understand what options are available.

What is a hearing test and does it hurt?

One in six people in UK experience some form of hearing loss, but perhaps unsurprisingly a large percentage of people have never had a hearing assessment or sought professional advice. One of the barriers stopping people for taking this step is the ‘going into the unknown’.

I thought it might be a good idea to briefly explain what to expect from having a hearing test and hopefully help to eradicate any fears you may have.

Having a hearing test is simple, doesn’t hurt and won’t take too much of your time. A full hearing assessment will be performed by a hearing aid audiologist who is a healthcare professional, highly-trained in the prevention, identification, assessment and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders.

The first part of a hearing test is called the case history: you’ll be asked about your medical history, current medical issues, medications, hearing loss symptoms, family history of hearing loss, history of noise exposure, your hearing concerns, etc. This will provide the hearing aid audiologist with an overview of your medical situation and will help them in assessing the hearing test results as well as assist in determining the necessity of a medical referral following the hearing test.

Next the hearing professional will examine your ear canals and eardrum with a specialised ear light called an otoscope. This is necessary to check for issues such as wax in your ear canal or infection of the outer ear.

Finally, it is time to begin the hearing test itself. You will be placed in a sound treated test booth or a quiet room. During the hearing test, a series of tones of different frequencies (also known as pitches) as well as speech signals will be presented to each ear separately through earphones. You will respond to test signals either by pushing a button, or in the case of speech signals, repeating what was heard.

The lowest levels of the test signals you can hear at least half of the time are called your hearing thresholds. Thresholds are recorded for each frequency and each ear on a chart called an audiogram.

Once your type and degree of hearing loss has been determined, your hearing care professional will be able to decide how much amplification you will need; they may then show you a range of instruments appropriate for your individual hearing loss and together you can decide what is right for you.

My final words of wisdom…

Take the opportunity to look after yourself and those you love by having your hearing checked; take positive steps to actively protect the precious sense that allows you to hear your world- your hearing.

Osteoporosis and Hearing Loss: What’s the Connection?

Evidence is emerging that suggests a link between osteoporosis and sudden hearing loss, with a new study showing that SSNL (sudden sensorineural hearing loss) is almost twice as common among people with osteoporosis. 

SSNL is a sudden, unexplained loss of hearing that typically happens in one ear. It can happen all at once or over the course of a few days. 

 

Osteoporosis, which means ‘porous bones’, happens when bones lose density and mass at a rate of 3-4% per year. Small-boned women of European and Asian heritage past the age of menopause are particularly vulnerable, although men can have osteoporosis too.  When bones become brittle because of osteoporosis, they break very easily. A simple fall, bending over or even coughing can be enough to break a bone if a person suffers from osteoporosis. 

 

It’s not immediately clear why SSNL is more common among people with osteoporosis, but a recent study conducted in Taiwan found a 1.76-fold increase in the incidence of SSNL for patients with osteoporosis compared to a control group. And patients with more severe osteoporosis appeared to have a higher risk of hearing loss than those with milder osteoporosis.

 

It is difficult to say by there is a link between sudden hearing loss and osteoporosis however inflammation, bone demineralisation, and cardiovascular risk factors may all be contributing factors.

 

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis please do ensure that you book to have a hearing assessment. At least this way we can obtain a bench mark set of results for us to compare to over time. This takes no more than 30 minutes and provides us with a large amount of relevant information to assist in advising an action plan. In fact lots of my work is about educating the people of Suffolk and Norfolk to take proactive steps with their hearing!

 

It is worth noting that around 85% of the people who are treated for SSRL recover at least some of their hearing, but early treatment is key, as urgent medical treatment for SSRL is vital.

 

Make sure you keep your hearing ability high on your agenda in the same way you do your eyes and your teeth, regular checks are necessary for all ages.

FREE BEER!* By HCC patient, Geoffrey Holdcroft

"Right now that I've got your attention, I want to discuss men and hearing loss.

Ask any medical professional and they will tell you that we men are very bad at seeking help when it comes to health issues. Hearing loss is just such an issue. Hearing loss is a problem which will creep up on you. Whereas the ladies will deal with the issue when they know they have a problem us men just ignore the problem and put off dealing with it. How do I know this? Well, I've lost count of the number of ladies who tell me their male partner has a hearing problem and refuses to deal with it!

Why does it matter, I hear you ask? The posh term the professionals use is “auditory deprivation”. Eh?? In a nutshell the mechanism of hearing is a complex system involving the ears and the brain. If you fail to deal with a hearing problem when you or your family notice you have a problem, the system gets into a vicious circle and you lose the ability to hear. Having a hearing test and getting the right aids for you will prevent the system “forgetting” how to hear and becoming a degenerative downward spiral. Modern hearing aids are a wonder of miniature high tech engineering. I wear hearing aids myself and I can tell you that the aids themselves and the connecting wires are so small, nobody notices them.

My own experience is quite interesting. I suspected I had a hearing problem so I went for a hearing test at HCC. Quite properly I was told, yes I did have hearing loss but I wasn't in need of aids immediately. I decided to go ahead anyway because I had come across an article giving pointers that socially I did need aids. For me the ones that resonated were:

1. Do people appear to be mumbling?       

 Yes especially female check-out assistants.

2. Do you find it difficult to hear when a lot of other people are talking?

Yes our family gatherings are nothing short of riotous!

3. Do you get a very bad headache after attending an event as described above?

Yes this is the killer reason I decided to get hearing aids. I was getting really bad headaches when I had been straining to hear in difficult conditions.

There are lot of other pointers which might apply to you. For example: Do you say pardon a lot? Does your family complain that you have the TV or radio far too loud? Everyone is an individual and there are lots of other pointers.

*Sorry, I'm not giving away free beer I lied - but I do urge anyone, especially the men amongst us to book a hearing test if you suspect you have a problem."

Geoffrey

The Emotional Stages of Hearing Loss

Experiencing a myriad of emotions from denial, sadness and fear to eventually acceptance, is normal and a natural part of the emotional stages of hearing loss.

Here are the stages that one with hearing loss goes through, as I see it...

STAGE ONE | DENIAL

When normal hearing begins to decline, a natural reaction is for the person to compensate by trying to alter their environment to suit their loss. They may turn up the volume on the TV or radio disregarding complaints from their family members. They may ask their partners to answer the phone thereby avoiding the embarrassment of not being able to understand whoever is on the other end. They may blame others instead of acknowledging their hearing loss  i.e. “If people didn’t mumble, I would be able to hear them!”

STAGE TWO | WITHDRAWL

Hearing loss causes a person psychological hurt and grief. Over time, it also causes intolerance to social interactions, and reduced stimulation to the auditory system can result in a rapid decline of speech recognition. A way to deal with this is to avoid embarrassing situations, such as social occasions where there are likely to be lots of people or background noise.

STAGE THREE | ANGER

A hearing loss left untreated can cause the person suffering to become bad-tempered and the family may say he/she has become difficult to live with.

The person becomes less tolerant of others because of the frustrations and comments focused upon them.

STAGE FOUR | DEPRESSION

All these factors can eventually lead to the person becoming depressed. Low self-esteem, the loss of social interaction, suspicion of others, the inability to do easily what used to be problem free, isolation and loneliness become a part of daily life that wears the person down. It’s really tiring!

STAGE FIVE | ACCEPTANCE

When a person finally reaches this stage, they can then make the transition to seeking treatment with hearing aids, and auditory rehabilitation. A visit to a qualified audiologist will be the first stage on the road to hearing well again and ‘getting their life back’. A thorough test will be performed and hearing instruments prescribed where suitable. It can take up to ten years for someone to reach this stage.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Which stage are you or your loved one at? How long did the process take you? Please let me know your experiences by posting in the comments box below.

For more information on hearing loss please visit www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

Hear better than ever with Siemens binax hearing aids

Siemens is lifting binaural hearing systems to a new level. For the first time, hearing-impaired individuals can now hear better than those with normal hearing in particularly demanding listening situations*.

Despite their enormous computing power, the new Binax instruments are the most energy-efficient in their class.

Binax exchanges audio signals. Each binaural hearing aid can assess the acoustic environment not only on its own side, but also on the other. In the process, four microphones – two in each device – form a virtual eight-microphone network. New calculation methods work much like the human brain in leveraging the fact that voice signals don't reach both ears at the same speed or volume. Based on such differences, wearers can more accurately identify and focus on the sources of sound.

Binaural hearing aids also use this new technology in windy locations ideal for those golfers and outdoor patients. They automatically determine which side is receiving better signals and replicate them for the other device. These latest Siemens binaural hearing aids are capable of transmitting around a thousand times as much data per second as preceding models.

The new peak performance does not come at the expense of battery life and they can run on conventional hearing instrument batteries or, depending on the model, on rechargeable batteries.

Karen's comments: “We have had amazing success with the last Siemens technology platform called Micon and this new level is so exciting. My team and I can't wait to get started and see how this technology performs and improves peoples lives.”

If you would like to be amongst the first trialling these new instruments, please give our customer care team a call and book your appointment - Freephone 0800 096 2637.

FACT: These latest Siemens binaural hearing aids are capable of transmitting around a thousand times as much data per second as preceding models.

*Two clinical studies have shown that binax provides better than normal hearing in certain demanding environments (Northern Colorado University, 2014; Oldenburg Hörzentrum, 2013): Speech Reception Thresholds in cocktail-party situations improved up to 2.9dB for wearers with mild to moderate hearing loss using Carat binax or Pure binax hearing instruments with narrow directionality, compared to people with normal hearing.

It's important to accompany a loved one to their hearing test

Having to live with an untreated hearing loss can be very difficult and a lonely experience. On top of finding it hard to listen and communicate, those who are hearing impaired often have to deal with increasingly frustrated family members and friends who are tired of repeating themselves. Personal relationships are adversely affected by hearing loss. Hearing impaired couples are hardest hit, but relations with friends, family and colleagues suffer, as well.

A British study among 1,500 individuals, aged 55 years and older, with hearing loss seemed to confirm that the presence of hearing loss is likely to cause marital strain. Almost one in two said that relationships with their partner, friends or family had suffered because they could not hear properly. A third had lost touch with friends, and in some cases marriages fell apart as a direct result of a breakdown in communication.
If you have a loved one hearing loss, it is important for you to be positive, supportive and committed to helping them improve their hearing.

One simple way you can support a family member who has hearing difficulties is accompanying them to their hearing test (instead of just losing your patience and badgering them to book one!) Here are four reasons why it is better to tackle the first hearing appointment as a team.

1. Solidarity and comfort
Most hearing evaluations last around 60 minutes or longer. Although there is nothing painful about having the hearing test carried out, it can still be a nerve-wracking experience – especially anticipating the results. Having a loved one there can ease anxiety and help the person with hearing loss feel less alone.

2. Better understanding of the results
It can often be confusing to understand the results of medical tests and their implications – especially when you can’t hear well or have other things on your mind. That’s why it’s nice to have a trusted friend or family member along who can take notes and ask appropriate questions while the audiologist interprets the findings.

3. Another view point
It’s not uncommon for family members to notice hearing loss in a loved one before they notice it themselves. It is very possible that a person with untreated hearing loss does not even realise how much they are missing. Bringing a family member to the initial hearing test will give the hearing clinician access to a different point of view, helping them to formulate the most accurate result possible.

4. Shared responsibility
Sometimes it is hard to make an important medical decision by yourself. When it comes to investing in a pair of hearing aids it’s a good idea to tackle key decisions, such as what type to purchase, what features would compliment their lifestyle and how much to spend, together.

It is also important that a family member is at the first appointment so they can be informed of their importance to their loved one’s hearing rehabilitation process. Persistent encouragement, a positive attitude and the implementation of communication strategies by family members will ultimately result in greater satisfaction for everyone. It really requires a family effort to get the most out of hearing aids.