Hearing Loss Aids Edinburgh

Nine million people in the UK have hearing loss including 42 per cent of people aged over 50, but two thirds have not taken steps to address it with individuals typically waiting ten years from the onset of problems until they take action. Often the symptoms of early hearing loss are passed off as “selective hearing” i.e. choosing not to listen due to lack of interest in what is being said, or tuning out to pay attention to something more interesting such as watching TV. However as hearing deteriorates gradually over time people adapt to being able to hear less well without realising the impact it is having on themselves and their loved ones. Partners and family members resort to a number of tactics to adapt to a relative’s hearing loss including tolerating the TV at a higher volume (54 per cent), repeating what others have said to them in a louder voice (50 per cent), repeating themselves several times until they are heard (40 per cent) and exaggerating their mouth movements to enable the person to lip read (8 per cent). While we can ‘tune out’ the sounds around us to concentrate on the matter in hand, if this happens on a regular basis then a hearing impairment may be the cause. A simple hearing test is an easy way to find out and a positive step towards ending this common cause of frustration. The benefits of taking action extend further than straightforward improvements to hearing. Further research conducted by Boots with over 5,000 British adults with diagnosed hearing loss, revealed that one in three (35 per cent) believed that addressing their hearing loss had significantly improved their relationship with their partner, 18 per cent talked with their partner more often and nearly one in ten argued less. Furthermore, 78 per cent said they now enjoyed life more as a result of better hearing. Visit www.thegreatbighearingtest.com to take an online hearing test or ask in Boots stores about free hearing checks. Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.