Hearing care

Is it getting a bit harder to hear, especially while talking on the phone or in a noisy environment? Perhaps you find yourself often turning up the volume of the TV or the radio. Or you think that some people mumble and you have to ask them to repeat themselves. These are signs of the beginning of hearing loss. The number of people living with some form of hearing loss has gradually been going up, and mild hearing loss is becoming increasingly common. But does that mean you should start wearing a hearing aid? It’s not just about hearing loss Hearing loss is usually a gradual process. Continuous exposure to high decibel noises can damage the tiny hair cells in your ears. These hair cells are responsible for conducting sound signals to your brain, so when they are irreparably damaged, your hearing deteriorates. It can begin with a mild hearing loss, where you have difficulty in hearing certain levels of sounds. You may think that you are not missing much, but even mild hearing loss can affect your quality of life – from taking a toll on interpersonal relationships to making it difficult for you to get out and about independently. This means that feelings of frustration, isolation and even depression can develop, impacting your mental health as well. What’s more, recent scientific studies have found that those suffering from hearing loss are also more likely to develop dementia over time, due to an accelerated rate of brain tissue loss.[1] Therefore, it is important to treat mild hearing loss before it becomes more severe, not just because of the inconvenience of struggling to hear clearly, but for your physical and mental wellbeing as well. Taking action Although it can be the most difficult step, acknowledging mild hearing loss and acting upon it is key in significantly slowing any further deterioration of your hearing. Early use of hearing aids means you can continue to make the most of life without allowing your hearing loss to become irreparably severe. Furthermore, people who start wearing hearing aids when they have only mild hearing loss are far less likely to suffer from connected mental health problems such as dementia. They also generally find it easier to adapt to wearing them than those with more severe losses. If you’re put off by the thought of wearing a bulky old-fashioned hearing aid, then there is no need to be. Today’s digital hearing aids are small, sleek and some of them are nearly invisible. With mild to moderate hearing loss, you have a huge range of hearing aid options open to you, such as completely-in-the-canal aids. These sit deep inside your ear canal and are not obvious to the casual observer, but make a huge difference to your hearing. Unfortunately, some of the smallest and most discreet hearing aids simply cannot offer the power required to help individuals with more severe losses. Talk through your options If you think that your hearing might be deteriorating, don’t hesitate in visiting your nearest Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care for a FREE hearing test. Our audiologists will put you at ease and be able to offer friendly guidance and advice on what the best next steps are for you. As part of the FREE hearing test, you can also experience a free hearing aid demonstration to help you understand how your hearing can improve by using hearing aids. You can book your FREE hearing test online, call us on 0800 40 20 20 or visit your local branch. [1] Lin FR et al (2011). Hearing Loss and Incident Dementia. Arch Neurol. 68(2):214-220.

Did you know that 11 million people in the UK are living with hearing loss? Action on Hearing Loss predicts that this number is likely to rise to 15.6 million by 2035. Hearing loss is a growing public health concern, yet many people remain unaware that their hearing is impaired. Hearing loss Our ears contain several thousands of tiny hair cells in the inner ear that convert sound waves to electrical signals to the brain, giving us our sense of hearing. These cells are delicate, and long-term exposure to high decibel noises can damage them. The damage is irreversible, leading to gradual but permanent hearing impairment. Since the process is so slow, many people do not even realise that they have a hearing problem. Furthermore, even after acknowledging hearing loss, for a variety of reasons many people still do not seek help, which leaves their hearing to deteriorate further. Studies have shown that people wait for an average of seven years before acting on their hearing loss, despite the fact that the sooner it is addressed, the more your hearing can be preserved. Causes There are a range of factors that can lead to hearing loss, including: Exposure to loud noises is a common cause of hearing loss. This is usually a gradual process where continuous exposure to high decibel noises leads to deterioration of hearing. However, a single, extremely loud burst of sound can also trigger hearing loss (although this is less common). Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is another cause, where the hair cells naturally deteriorate as a person ages. From the age of 40 years many people start losing a small amount of their hearing, and by age 80 many people face significant hearing loss. Head trauma or viral infections (such as mumps, measles or rubella) can lead to hearing loss. Certain diseases such as meningitis and encephalitis can affect a person’s hearing. Conductive hearing loss caused by blockages is also common, though it’s usually temporary. This can be because of: Excessive wax build-up A foreign body getting trapped in the ear A perforated eardrum Swelling or dysfunction of the Eustachian tube (which maintains the balance of pressure in the ear) What does hearing loss sound like? Hearing loss does not necessarily just make the world ‘quieter’. Even mild hearing loss can make it difficult for an individual to pick out important cues in speech, especially in a noisy environment. Because of the significant impact that hearing loss can have on a person’s quality of life, Leightons want to help everyone better understand the issue, so we decided to let people experience hearing loss for themselves. Watch the video here. Getting help As hearing loss is usually a gradual process, it’s something that may not be detected until it’s too late. However, it can progressively impact your quality of life in various ways. The good news is that you don’t have to live with hearing loss. At Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care we offer a FREE hearing test, which will help us understand the extent of your hearing loss. Should hearing aids be required, we can recommend the aids that best suit the level of your hearing loss as well as your lifestyle. We have a wide range of digital hearing aids from some of the best manufacturers in the world, such as Oticon, Phonak, Widex and ReSound. To book your FREE hearing test, call us on 0800 40 20 20, book an appointment online or visit your local branch. Try our free online hearing test For immediate, discreet audiogram results from home. Use our quick 5 minute online hearing test to find out about your hearing health.