About hearing loss

You may be surprised  to learn that over 9 million people in the UK experience some degree of hearing loss, yet there remains a great deal of uncertainty about if, how and when to get help.

The following section includes some interesting facts about hearing but also details of what to do if you suspect you, or a loved one, may be losing their hearing.

FACT 1:  There are two main types of hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound doesn't move as it should through the eardrum, ear canal or the three bones of the inner ear. It can be caused by a blockage of earwax, a punctured eardrum, fluid in the ear, a genetic defect or an infection. The result is a sensation as though your ears are plugged.

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by the deterioration of the sensory hair cells in the inner ear, this can be a byproduct of aging, or it can occur due to infections, genes, ­head trauma or exposure to loud noise. It's the most common type of hearing loss and thankfully this type of hearing loss can often be helped by a hearing aid.

  FACT 2: Most hearing loss is age related

The simple fact is that the majority of us will experience some deterioration in our hearing in later life; mainly caused by the general wear and tear of the sensory hair cells in our ears that translate sounds into electrical impulses and send them to the brain to be interpreted (sensioneural hearing loss). In fact, once over the age of 60 one in every two of us will experience some degree of hearing loss.

FACT 3: Hearing loss can be caused and exaggerated by noise

It is not uncommon for people who have worked in noisy industries to experience an earlier onset of hearing loss as prolonged exposure to noise can also damage the sensitive cells in the ear. Recently concerns have been raised about modern stereos and personal MP3 players as a leading cause of hearing loss in increasingly younger people.

FACT 4: Sensioneural hearing loss is irreversible

At present there is not thought to be a way to reverse sensioneural hearing loss; but while it cannot be cured we can certainly address the 'symptoms' with the use of a hearing aid; to find out how a  hearing aid could help you in this way take a look at our hearing aid pages.

FACT 5: Hearing loss can have a considerable affect on your enjoyment of life

From speaking to our customers we know how frustrating and lonely it can be living with a hearing loss. Simple activities you once enjoyed can start to feel like a chore as you struggle to follow conversations, have to continually ask people to repeat themselves or find 'pardon' becoming a more frequent part of your vocabulary.

And it is not only your own life that can be affected. Friends and family are also affected by a loved one's hearing loss, unfortunately hearing loss can cause unnecessary stress on even the closest of relationships.

FACT 6: The sooner you act on your hearing loss the better

Acting quickly on your hearing is important. Not only does it mean you get back to enjoying life with improved hearing as soon as possible, but there is also research to suggest that if you have hearing loss your brain can become unaccustomed to receiving sound. The longer this situation continues the harder it will become to get used to hearing again and the less effective hearing aids may be in the end.