Almost half of people over the age of 50 have some form of hearing loss, rising to more than 70 per cent of people over the age of 70, according to research from the Office of National Statistics. The total figure comes in at approximately 11 million people in the UK suffering hearing difficulties - one in six of the country’s adult population.
While tinnitus affects one in 10 adults, also leading to balance difficulties, some 6.7 million people could benefit from hearing aids. But, only around two million use them, say Hearing Link Services.
Although some people might not know they could benefit from treatment, there are simple ways to check your hearing or that of your loved ones. Hearing loss is associated not only with mental health conditions, but also with a long list of physical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anaemia, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnoea, balance problems and an increased risk of falls.
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To help people find out if they might have a hearing problem, staff at hearing aid and audiologist experts ReSound have shared simple signs to look for:
Asking for repetition
Everyone can mishear things from time to time and need them repeated, but if you or your loved one are constantly asking for things to be repeated or muttering the phrase “what did you say?”, this could be a sign you’re lacking the sounds and signals needed to process speech properly.
Complaining about mumbling
Those struggling with hearing loss often complain that people aren’t speaking clearly or are mumbling. This can be due to people with hearing loss not being able to hear high-pitched speech frequencies, hearing the vowels which is the sound of the word, but not the consonants which is the clarity and meaning of the word, making them feel like they can hear the sound but not fully understand it.
Difficulty with phone conversations
If your loved one has their mobile phone volume set to the max volume possible or is having to use the speakerphone to hear what someone on the other end is saying, this could be a sign that they could benefit from hearing aids.
Listening to the TV at a loud volume
Television shows with fast paced dialogue or a substantial amount of background noise can be hard for those with hearing loss to follow, as crucial dialogue can often be drowned out, leading to people listening to the TV at a much higher volume.
So, if a friend or family member needs to have the TV volume turned up to a level of sound that is uncomfortable for others watching in the room to hear, this could be an indication they could benefit from a hearing assessment. There are also online hearing tests for those not comfortable going straight to an audiologist, which can offer some further indication on clarity and next steps.
Appearing withdrawn, or becoming quiet
Individuals with hearing loss often become quieter or can appear to become withdrawn in social situations or in noisy environments. This can be due to that person being frustrated they may not be able to hear properly, or from feeling self-conscious or embarrassed that they will have to ask others to repeat themselves.
If you notice this behaviour pattern starting to emerge in your loved one’s personality during these types of situations, you should encourage them to see an audiologist to see if they could benefit from hearing aids to regain their confidence.
Exhaustion after socialising
While it’s normal to feel a bit tired after a long day of catching up with family or friends, if you or a loved one is feeling totally drained and exhausted after conversing with others, there could be more to it than simply needing a good night's sleep.
When a person isn’t hearing all of the sounds of speech, the brain then has to fill in any gaps to help make sense of what people are saying. This requires a lot of extra focus and makes the brain work even harder to process what is going on in a busy situation, leading to extreme tiredness afterwards.
If you have spotted any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, it might be time to do a hearing test. There are free hearing tests available online from ReSound or from the RNID .
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