I am not sure if I need hearing aids
If you are reading this, the chances are that you have been struggling to hear, not always, but often, in social settings like cafes and restaurants. The first thing to know is that you are not alone. Hearing loss affects 18 million people in the UK. Secondly, on average, adults wait around seven years from first noticing they are having hearing difficulties to ask for help and advice.
My name is Paul Shaw, and I am an NHS-trained Clinical Scientist in Audiology. I have been working with children and adults with hearing loss for 30 years, and in this post, I want to explore some of the questions you should ask yourself when thinking about your hearing. Hearing aids can be life-changing for several reasons. However, many adults are reluctant to seek help or do not admit to themselves they have a problem.
Deciding to seek help with hearing loss can trigger complex emotions related to self-image. Often, there can be memories of elderly family members who struggled with their hearing. These, alongside the pressure on everyone these days to stay young, fit, healthy, etc., can make admitting that our sense of hearing is not as sharp as when we were in our twenties quite challenging.
Thankfully, attitudes to hearing and the use of hearing aids are changing, and Apple’s recent announcement that it will allow its AirPods Pro to function effectively as a hearing aid will further this progress. To access an earlier post on Choosing Private Hearing aids- click here
But back to you and your hearing…..
Perhaps you have noticed that you have been struggling to hear, or perhaps someone close to you has suggested that you are not always hearing them. Maybe you have been to a recent social event, a wedding or a party, where you were sitting opposite someone you hadn’t met before, and you spent the night nodding in agreement with everything they said (having no clue what they were saying!)
Maybe you have noticed that you do not hear your grandchildren or colleagues at work. Or you have stopped watching TV dramas because the dialogue is simply too unclear (doesn’t everyone mumble these days?).
Every person who walks into my practice has had some ‘tipping point’ where something inside them noticed that their hearing was causing problems, both for them and often for family and close friends.
You may be one of those people who have admitted they are struggling at times but feel that you are ‘coping’ in most situations. The questions you should ask yourself if this is the case, are “Do I really know what I am missing?”, “Am I being air to my family and those who spend a lot of time with me?” “Am I avoiding situations because I know I won’t hear well?” “Do I get tired when listening in social settings?” “How long will I be able to cope? Life often throws up unexpected challenges, might it be better to improve my hearing now, rather than keep putting it off?”
In other words, you may well be ‘coping’ with your hearing loss, but why not be in control and get your hearing back on track?
A little story…..
One of my clients recently came to me, and after a full hearing assessment, it was clear she would benefit from hearing aids. “I only want one hearing aid” she told me. Now, as an audiologist, I know that two hearing aids would give her the best chance of hearing well in a variety of situations. So, I took the time to explore why she was reluctant to have two (she was in her seventies). “Well, if I have two, people will think I am old”. After a lot of probing and discussion, it was clear to me that for this individual, wearing two hearing aids was triggering complex emotions about ageing. Although I desperately wanted her to hear as well as possible, I knew I had to follow my client’s preference. This case highlighted our complex and robust feelings about our health, our perception of ourselves and others, and the need as an audiologist to be mindful and accept each client’s needs.
I think, particularly for the baby boomer generation (born 1945 – 1964), they often have strong negative feelings towards using hearing aids. I don’t see this as much in younger clients. My theory is that this group of adults grew up when the stigma around hearing loss was at its greatest and when hearing aids were often bulky and, quite frankly, ‘not very good’. Thus, their attitude toward hearing loss and hearing aids is often negative. Interestingly, younger clients, such as Generation X (1965- 1980), are often less bothered by the thought of wearing hearing aids.
So, if you have read to this point and are a little more open to the possibility of using hearing aids, let’s review the styles and functionality of modern hearing aids.
Style
The two main styles that we provide at ‘The Hearing Space’ are.
Discrete behind-the-ear devices which sit behind the ear with the receiver (loudspeaker) positioned in the ear- canal.
Custom-made products which can range from being almost invisible to devices which sit in the ear and look a bit like modern earphones. These come in a variety of colours to match skin colour.
Both styles can come in rechargeable versions.
Connectivity
Most hearing aids we provide (not the very smallest custom ones) can connect to your phone and other devices to allow you to stream music, phone calls, and podcasts straight to your ears.
Apps
Most hearing aids we provide (not the very smallest custom ones) also have their own apps, which allow you to control your hearing aids from your phone and make adjustments where necessary. This can be useful, particularly if you like the ability to adjust settings for different situations.
Are you ready to start your journey to hearing more?
It is a misconception that buying hearing aids will immediately fix all your hearing problems. Think of it more like a process in which you and your audiologist fine-tune your listening experience based on your feedback and the expertise of your audiology professional.
Unfortunately, there are internet-based audiology practices that offer low prices for hearing aids but very poor aftercare. I have seen several clients who have bought hearing aids from what look like respectable internet providers only to struggle with them and seek help from me to adjust them.
At ‘The Hearing Space,’ we follow best practice guidelines and spend time ensuring that your hearing aids are set up and programmed optimally. We schedule five appointments in the first 12 months of your care to ensure you get the most out of your investment. Find out more.
We also offer a 6-week return period if, for some reason, hearing aids do not prove helpful. This is very unlikely, but occasionally, some clients who have put off hearing aids for so long have left it too late to adapt, and other health needs have become more important.
If reading this article has caught your attention and you would like to find out more about hearing tests or hearing devices, contact us by phone or email or book online now to start your journey to better hearing.