Hearing care

Tinnitus Awareness Week is an annual event that aims to help the 10% of the UK population affected by tinnitus. To spread the word and make life easier for anyone dealing with this often frustrating condition, here’s our comprehensive guide to the symptoms, causes and treatments available. Tinnitus symptoms Anyone who’s experienced tinnitus (a word derived from the Latin for ‘ringing’) will know the tell-tale ringing, buzzing, roaring or clicking noises, all with no external source. Tinnitus symptoms can come and go, but those with more persistent symptoms can experience sleep problems and stress. There are two known types of tinnitus: Subjective tinnitus – the most common variety, where only the person who has tinnitus hears it. Objective tinnitus – the ears amplify sounds within the body, such as blood flow. A stethoscope placed near the ear would allow a doctor to also hear these sounds. Tinnitus causes The causes of tinnitus aren’t yet fully understood, but the symptoms can be triggered by: Loud noises: regular contact with loud noises can damage the tiny hair cells in the cochlea. Unsurprisingly, a number of famous rockstars suffer with tinnitus, including Chris Martin, Phil Collins, and Pete Townshend. Other hearing conditions: those with hearing loss are more susceptible, as they can no longer pick up the everyday sounds that would otherwise mask tinnitus. In fact two-thirds of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss. Your brain: your brain can fail to control your reactions to different sounds – why this happens is still being determined. Other medical conditions: tinnitus can be brought on by stress, certain medications, ear infections, injuries, neurological disorders, metabolic disorders (such as diabetes) and diseases like Me?nie?re’s. Tinnitus prevention There are simple steps you can take to look after your ears and prevent conditions like tinnitus. Wearing ear plugs at loud events and when swimming in cold water can help to maintain ear health. Specialist ear plugs like the ACS Ear Protection range, including ACS Ear Plugs and ACS Custom Ear Plugs, all do an incredible job of protecting your ears from loud noises. If you regularly use headphones you should consider some snug-fitting, custom moulded in-ear monitors, like ACS In-Ear Monitors. Widely used by musicians and music lovers, in-ear monitors deliver incredible sound quality while also reducing ambient noise levels by as much as 26 decibels. This means you can keep the volume to a safe level without compromising the clarity of the music. All custom-fit in-ear monitors require an accurate moulding of your ears, which can be taken by one of Leightons’ hearing aid audiologists. Contact your local Leightons to make an appointment and discover the comfort and audiophile-quality sound of ACS’s bespoke headphones. Tinnitus Relief There is no one single cure for tinnitus, but there are plenty of ways to manage it. Below are some of the main treatments available: EARWAX REMOVAL Your tinnitus could be caused by earwax build-up. At Leightons we offer an expert wax removal service to help relieve your tinnitus symptoms painlessly. HEARING AIDS Many hearing aids now include a tinnitus feature to help you with tinnitus relief. Choose from a range of sounds stored on the hearing aid, such as bird song, music or chimes. Some hearing aids allow you to control and personalise your tinnitus relief via a smartphone app. THERAPY TREATMENT FOR TINNITUS There are three types of therapy to treat tinnitus: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – tinnitus can sometimes be stressful, but CBT will help you take control and keep the negative feelings at bay. Eventually the noises will become less noticeable. Sound Enrichment Therapy – using repetitive natural sounds such as waves, wind and rain can help mask tinnitus sounds. Hearing aids can also help with this type of therapy too (as mentioned above). Tinnitus Retraining Therapy – a combination of CBT and sound therapy, teaching you to concentrate on relaxing sounds and to manage the relationship you have with your tinnitus. Together for Tinnitus – Leightons is with you every step of the way Whether you need a diagnosis, want to find out more about ACS Custom Ear Plugs or our range of hearing aids, we offer friendly help and advice on how to manage your tinnitus. Book an appointment online, call us on 0800 40 20 20 or visit your nearest branch.

Hearing loss usually develops gradually, so many people can be unaware that they have a problem until friends and family comment on the issue. Many people also struggle to accept or admit that they have a hearing impairment, often delaying getting hearing aids for around seven years on average. So if you have decided that it’s time to get hearing aids, this decision means you have already overcome the most difficult step. What is wearing hearing aids like? 1. Have realistic expectations from your new hearing aids – they will certainly improve your listening experience but they are not a magic wand that will completely reverse your hearing loss. 2. When wearing hearing aids for the first time it is very common for certain sounds to appear louder and sharper than before. Your brain (and ears) will need some time to adjust to the new range of available to you. Take small breaks from wearing the hearing aids, or turn down the volume slightly to ease yourself back into the process. Begin by wearing hearing aids in quieter environments, such as your home and then gradually move on to social situations and crowded places as you adapt to the sound. 3. Practice makes perfect, so commit to wearing your hearing aids every day, even if it’s just for a few hours per day in the early stages. Slowly increase your usage each day until you are comfortable wearing them from morning until bedtime. It is at this stage that the maximum benefit from hearing aids will be achieved. 4. Your own voice will sound slightly different to you, which is quite normal. Hearing aid users commonly say that their voice produces a slight ‘echo’ in the early stages but again, this will dissipate as you adjust to this new way of hearing sound. If your own voice sounds very different, speak to your hearing care professional who can reprogram your hearing aids to reduce the effect. 5. There should be little or no whistling sounds in your hearing aids and they should not make your ears sore or tender. If any of these problems arise, please visit your hearing care professional for an adjustment. 6. You may become aware of soft sounds that were not audible earlier e.g. the hum of the fridge, the sound of footsteps, or the clock ticking. These sounds need to be distinct in order for you to hear speech more clearly and you will gradually adjust to hearing them. 7. Finally, remember that no two people have the same experience with hearing aids, whether it’s the sound clarity, or the amount of time taken to adjust to them. Let your progress continue at your own pace without comparing it to the experiences of others. We’re here to help The decision to get hearing aids is the first step in the start of a great relationship between a patient and their hearing care provider. From the beginning of your free hearing assessment, your expert Leightons audiologist will be able to advise on the best possible solution for you and your individual needs. We provide a wide range of digital hearing aids from some of the world’s leading manufacturers, including Oticon, Phonak, ReSound and many more. We also offer a free hearing aid demonstration so you experience the difference a hearing aid can make before committing to purchase. To book your free hearing assessment and hearing aid consultation, call us on 0800 40 20 20, book an appointment online or visit your local branch.