Sound Advice
We ask Wendy Davies, national sales and audiology manager at Siemens Hearing Instruments, how to keep your hearing in check, and to tell us about the latest advances in hearing devices.
What are your top tips for recognising hearing loss?
In contrast to dental or eyesight health, most people rarely get their hearing tested and deterioration often goes unnoticed. There are a few simple indications everyone should look out for if concerned about hearing loss. Begin by asking whether you often:
What are your top tips for recognising hearing loss?
In contrast to dental or eyesight health, most people rarely get their hearing tested and deterioration often goes unnoticed. There are a few simple indications everyone should look out for if concerned about hearing loss. Begin by asking whether you often:
- Give the wrong answers to questions
- Ignore people by accident
- Keep saying ‘what’ or ‘pardon’
- Switch to loud volumes on television or radio
- Struggle to follow conversations where there is background music
- Find yourself withdrawing from social interaction
- Accidentally leave the telephone or doorbell ringing
What is your advice for people who are concerned about hearing loss?
If you notice changes in your hearing or in that of someone you know, you should seek a hearing test immediately. Visit your GP who can refer you to an audiologist or visit a high-street dispenser in your local town. The faster hearing impairment is detected, the faster a solution can be achieved.
Otherwise, a hearing test is recommended every three years; however, anyone regularly exposed to hazardous noise should have an annual hearing test or ‘audiogram’ as it is properly known.
What does a hearing test involve?
The test will include a visual examination of the inside of the ear using an otoscope (a small device used to look inside the ear) and a test to evaluate how well specific sounds can be heard. The results of this test are plotted on an audiogram, giving a clear picture of the hearing ability across a whole range of frequencies.
What are the health risks associated with hearing loss as you get older?
Ignoring a deterioration of hearing health means that social interaction can decline. If people withdraw from hobbies, seeing friends and engaging at family gatherings because they can’t join in conversations properly, it can lead to social isolation and depression.
Should you clean out your ears on a regular basis with cotton buds?
You shouldn’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear, which means no cotton buds. They may push wax further into your ear canal, causing it to impact into a hard plug, which has to be removed by a nurse or doctor. It is also possible to scratch your ear canal with a cotton bud, which will make it very sore and could lead to infection. The worst-case scenario would be pushing the cotton bud through your eardrum, which would not only be extremely painful, but would cause hearing loss.
Can you train your hearing so that it improves?
You can’t improve your hearing thresholds, but you can enhance your listening skills – use tactics such as looking at the person who is speaking to you to gain additional information from their gestures and body language.
What innovative solutions are there for those diagnosed with hearing loss?
Developments in technology and design mean the days of the ‘big beige banana’ style of instruments from previous generations are long gone. The design and size of today’s devices are much more discreet than people may perceive.
Sophisticated technology, such as that used in the new Siemens micon™ hearing range, means speech is easy to distinguish and sounds are so natural you can forget you are wearing an instrument.
The latest innovations also ensure that the device doesn’t get in the way of an active lifestyle. For instance, a fully waterproof and dustproof aid has been developed to make all activities, whether it’s DIY, swimming or gardening, comfortable for the user.
For further advice on hearing health: 01293-423700, www.siemens.co.uk/hearing