Understanding hearing loss

Telltale signs

Hearing changes gradually over time so you may not even realise it’s getting worse. But there are some telltale signs:

• Has anyone said that when you are watching the television or listening to the radio that you have the volume at a level that is uncomfortably loud for them?
• Do you find it difficult to hear dialogue when watching a film at the cinema or at a theatre production?
• Do you find it difficult to follow conversations on the telephone?
• Do you ever need to ask people to repeat things?
• Do you have difficulty following conversation in groups when more than one person may be talking at the same time?
• Do you feel isolated because you cannot hear properly, or have you avoided a situation that you used to enjoy because of the way that you hear?
• Do you often mishear what others say or think that somebody has said something different?
• Has anyone close to you suggested that you might not be hearing as well as you used to?
• Do you find it harder to hear clearly what others are saying if there is background noise, such as in restaurants or on the street?

If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions you may benefit from a hearing test and professional advice from a qualified hearing professional.

At Specsavers, our hearing tests are free and without obligation. You can even book a test with one of our qualified hearing professionals online by clicking here or calling 1890 882 361.

Gradual deterioration

For most people, hearing begins to deteriorate from the mid-thirties. It usually develops slowly over time and because of this you may not realise that it is getting worse. This is because the small, sensitive hair-like cells within the inner ear get worn out over the years.

When this happens you don’t simply go deaf, but it becomes more and more difficult to understand sounds clearly, particularly speech, and that can be even trickier if there is background sound.

In social environments such as a pub or restaurant it can be much harder to hear what people are saying and this can become extremely frustrating as it can sound as though people are mumbling. Or you may mishear or find yourself having to ask people to repeat themselves.

Many people whose hearing has deteriorated in this way complain that they can hear but that they cannot hear clearly and often find themselves excluded from social conversations. Some may even begin to avoid groups or situations that in the past they have enjoyed. But there is no need to suffer in silence.

Modern digital hearing aids are designed to identify and amplify speech sounds while suppressing background noise so with the right advice, practise and prescription most people find they can hear well again in most if not all situations. And as modern hearing aids work with our residual hearing, the sooner you take action the better the results will be.

If you are concerned about your hearing, why not book a test with one of our qualified hearing professionals online by clicking here or calling 1890 882 361.