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.

Don’t allow hearing loss to isolate you this holiday season!

The holiday season is well and truly here! For most of us, December is full of parties, catching up with family and friends and lots of Christmas shopping.

For those with untreated hearing loss, however, the festive season can be full of loud and daunting situations. When you feel like you can’t contribute to a conversation or understand what is being said, social occasions become intimidating and stressful, and isolation is often the result. The festive season can be a particularly lonely time for those who haven’t yet sought treatment for declining hearing.

It takes an average of five to ten years for people in the UK with a recognised hearing loss to decide to get a hearing aid. This long delay can be due to a number of factors: many don’t realise how bad their hearing has become, while others are concerned with a perceived stigma surrounding hearing aids. Some simply can’t afford to invest in hearing aids, whilst others tell themselves, “I’ll do something about my hearing loss when it gets really bad.”

Untreated hearing loss can lead to isolation for a number of reasons. One might start declining social invitations because they are too embarrassed to constantly ask people to repeat themselves. Even going to dinner with family members can be isolating, as it’s often hard for people with hearing loss to hear anything over background noise. This can be frustrating and depressing, so eventually it’s easier to just say ‘no thanks’ to invitations.

Making phone calls or answering the phone when it rings can also be difficult for those with untreated hearing loss. Talking on the phone can be much more difficult than having a face-to-face conversation, as there is the added difficulty of not being able to lip-read. Gradually, phone calls go unanswered and messages are not returned.

These combined issues can lead to loneliness and largely unnecessary isolation.

What can you do to reduce isolation this Christmas?

If you are experiencing isolation due to hearing loss, do not wait for another holiday season to pass you by. It is important to get out there and have fun! This time of year is full of joyful celebrations and events and you should be able to take part.

Hearing aids are amazing devices that can improve your quality of life dramatically. Book an appointment with your local audiologist to have a hearing test and discuss your options. It might be that a set of hearing aids could dramatically increase the fun you will have this year!

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