Don’t Ignore Hearing Loss Till It’s Too Late

Aug 09, 2015 in Hearing Care

Don’t Ignore Hearing Loss Till It’s Too Late

Don’t Ignore Hearing Loss Till It’s Too Late

Our environment is getting noisier everyday, what with more vehicles on the road (and the subsequent honking) and the incessant construction and repair works. All this excessive noise is certainly taking its toll on our ears and hearing impairment is on the rise. Here’s why early detection and intervention is better in managing hearing loss.

Hearing Loss

Hearing loss occurs when your ears are exposed to high decibel noise over a long period of time. The tiny hair cells in the ear that transmit sound waves get damaged. Since these cannot be regenerated, hearing loss is irreversible. In most instances hearing loss develops over time, which makes it more difficult to identify and diagnose. While the immediate family and friends may notice early signs, often people with hearing loss live in denial. In fact studies show that most people wait for seven long years (or thereabouts) before they admit to hearing loss and seek help. Living with hearing loss can also increase the feelings of isolation and frustration, and can even lead to depression. There is also a strong link between hearing loss and early onset of dementia.

Hearing Aids

Detecting hearing loss in the early stages is half the battle won. Early intervention has proven to be more effective in managing not just hearing loss, but also the other fallouts such as anxiety and depression. Wearing hearing aids is the best way to manage your hearing loss. There are hearing aids to suit most levels of hearing loss – from mild to severe. In fact people with mild to moderate hearing loss find hearing aids to be most useful, as they help them navigate everyday situations with ease. The hearing aids available today are a far cry from the bulky ones of the past. Technological advancements have meant that hearing aids have gotten smaller, lighter and aesthetically more pleasing; some of them are practically invisible since they sit deep inside your ear canal. Also the shame and stigma attached to wearing hearing aids is decreasing gradually.

Getting Help

If you detect early signs of hearing loss in yourself or in a loved one don’t hesitate in getting a hearing test done immediately. At Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care we offer a free hearing test to gauge the extent of your hearing loss.

Our qualified and trained audiologists will help you with the entire process. Based on the audiogram generated from the hearing test, we can recommend the hearing aids that best suit the level of your hearing loss, as well as your lifestyle. Choose from the wide range of digital hearing aids at our stores, from some of the leading manufacturers in the world, such as Phonak, Oticon, Widex, Siemens and ReSound. Also get a free hearing aid demonstration, which will help you understand how your hearing can improve by using hearing aids. Call us on 0800 40 20 20 or book an appointment online with Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care. Don’t ignore hearing loss; early detection will help you deal with it better.