Identifying Hearing Loss

Anyone can develop hearing difficulties at any age. Currently over 9 million people in the UK are affected, with two thirds being younger than 65. People don’t always recognise they have a hearing reduction because the changes are subtle and often gradual (sometimes over a period of years).

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you miss bits of conversations and often ask people to repeat themselves?
• Do family and friends say you have a problem with your hearing?
• Do you often turn up the volume on the TV or radio?
• Do you have diffculty following the conversation in noisy places?
• Do you hear people talking but cannot make out what is being said?

Hearing Assessment:

We suggest that you have a relative to accompany you to the hearing assessment – most people feel more relaxed with a familiar face by their side. It is also very beneficial for the hearing aid audiologist to have a different perspective of your specific hearing problems.

Examination of the ear is an essential element of the process; Christine, a specially trained and qualified hearing aid audiologist will examine, assess and record the condition of the ear and the eardrum.

A full case history of your current hearing problems and how they impact on your lifestyle, your past (or current) occupation and an outline medical history will also be discussed before conducting a hearing test using an audiometer. An audiometer will accurately measure the hearing ability of each ear. This procedure involves wearing a headset through which a sequence of tones, some of which are easy to hear, whereas some are softer and harder to hear. All you have to do is press a button or tell the expert when you hear the tones

The results will then be discussed and if appropriate and without obligation Christine will make recommendations to find a personal solution for your individual hearing problem.

Occasionally it may be necessary to refer you back to your Doctor as a requirement of the Code of Practise for Hearing Aid Dispensers