3 Ways To Help A Loved One Who Has A Hearing Loss

It’s not uncommon for someone with a hearing loss to be in denial. Many times they either don’t acknowledge their own hearing loss or they simply don’t realize it.

It’s not unusual for family and friends to notice a hearing loss first.

It’s not always easy to be the one to point out a hearing loss to a loved one but if you can muster up the courage, you will be doing them a favor in the long run.

If you find yourself in this situation and you’re trying to find the right way to point out a hearing loss to your loved one, these tips may help:

1. Since many people don’t want to acknowledge their hearing loss due to the fear of “looking old” with a hearing aid, it may lessen their fears somewhat if they understand just how small some new hearing aids can be. Today there are hearing aids that are virtually invisible.

By explaining that there are many options in hearing aids your loved one may not be quite so reluctant to acknowledge their hearing loss.

2. When it comes time for “the conversation” try to find a time when the two of you are calm and relaxed. While you might be frustrated with having to continually repeat yourself or have to endure painfully loud t.v. viewing, it’s important that you put that aside when talking with your loved one to avoid confrontation.

3. Try to be a helping hand during the whole process. Your loved one will likely be a little nervous but having your support will help. And don’t forget, I am always here to help with the whole process, from start to finish.

Your loved one is missing out by not being able to hear well. It’s really a shame and they shouldn’t let fear stop them from getting the help they need to live life more fully.

Remind them that they don’t hesitate to get glasses to see better, why be reluctant to address a hearing loss?

If I can help with any aspect of the conversation, please let me know and I’ll be happy to help!

Looking for some advice or help? Call me today if you have any questions about your hearing health.I can help!

Call Us Today on 0141 345 2036.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

Common Reasons People Stop Wearing Their Hearing Aids

At Darroch Hearing Clinics, our main goal is to help people suffering from hearing loss and tinnitus enjoy better quality of life through digital hearing aids. We are sometimes disappointed to work with a patient to find the perfect hearing aid solution only to discover that the patient is no longer using his or her hearing aids after some time.

There are some very common reasons individuals stop wearing their hearing aids. We can certainly understand all of them, but we also want our readers to know that there are solutions. If you have stopped wearing yours, do any the following reasons apply to you?

Hearing Aids Are Uncomfortable

A lack of comfort is one of the leading reasons for people no longer wearing their hearing aids. Fortunately, this is a problem that can usually be addressed through refitting. If we cannot remove all the discomfort through a refit, we should be able to eliminate most of it.

Hearing Aids Do Not Meet Expectations

From time to time, a patient receives new digital hearing aids only to be disappointed by their performance. This is something we might be able to address with a few adjustments here and there. We urge patients to at least give us a chance to improve hearing aid performance before taking them off for good.

Hearing Aids Are Embarrassing

Many patients find that they are embarrassed by their hearing aids. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to address this problem. Hearing loss is what it is.

We understand that hearing loss is not the most pleasant thing to deal with. But digital hearing aids can improve quality of life if they fit well and are used properly. Will you allow us to try to help if you’ve decided to stop wearing yours?

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

Hearing Loss Doesn’t Have to Slow You Down

Hearing loss can be problematic in a number of ways. Not being able to hear shuts you out of conversations, makes it difficult to watch the telly, and can sometimes lead to social isolation. But we want you to know that things do not have to be this way. Hearing loss does not have to slow you down, as evidenced by the many people we help every day.

Need further proof? Then consider the example of an 80-year-old man from Plymouth considered to be Britain’s oldest disc jockey. Don Barker plays regular gigs in and around Plymouth to throngs of party goers and a group of about 30 fans who follow him to his shows. Don has age-related hearing loss, but that hasn’t slowed him down. He just uses a hearing aid.

Music has pretty much been Barker’s life since he left the Royal Navy to begin DJ work in 1977. Though he is known to play a variety of music as needs dictate, he focuses mainly on disco. Why? Because disco is something people can dance to. And for Barker, that’s what it’s all about. It is thrilling for him to spin his records and encourage people to get up off their bums and start jiving.

We understand that suffering from hearing loss can be a difficult thing. We know that people with normal hearing do not necessarily understand what it’s like to not be able to hear. But we also know that modern hearing aids can do wonderful things. Hearing loss does not have to slow you down; just ask Don Barker. You can still get out there and enjoy life to the fullest even if you don’t hear as well as you did when you were 20. And of course, disco is always on the table.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

The Difference Between a Hearing Aid and a Cochlear Implant

Scientific advancements now make it possible to address all sorts of hearing problems using everything from hearing aids to cochlear implants. What should be made clear is that solutions are applied based on patient need. Along those same lines, a cochlear implant is a unique device that can only be used to address certain kinds of hearing loss. To say that a cochlear implant is not the same thing as a hearing aid is to state the obvious.

A hearing aid is essentially an amplifier. It cannot restore the physical function of the ear to what it was at birth, but it can make hearing sounds easier by amplifying them in the right way. Hearing aids are considered external appliances even though you can buy models that fit completely in the ear canal.

A cochlear implant is used to address profound hearing loss resulting from the basic mechanisms of the ear no longer working. It involves implanting a device in the head – under the skin – that will stimulate the nerves responsible for carrying signals from the ear to the brain. An external piece ‘connects’ with the implant via magnets. The cochlear implant sends signals to the brain that mimic sound without actually producing them.

As you can see, the hearing aid is an amplifier while the cochlear implant is a sound simulator. Both can be used to address different kinds of hearing loss in patients of all ages. If you have any questions about your own hearing loss, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We are here to help restore your hearing as best we can.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

The Hidden Issues of Hearing Loss

To people who have never experienced any form of hearing loss, losing one’s hearing may not seem like that big a deal. After all, you can always turn up the television and speak a little louder, right? Actually, there’s more to it than that. There are a number of hidden issues relating to hearing loss. These hidden issues are things others cannot see.

Not being able to hear properly automatically puts one at a disadvantage. It’s simple to understand if you think about it. People without hearing loss don’t tend to think about others with hearing problems because it is not something that crosses their mind. As a result, they don’t consider how their actions might impact others with hearing loss.

Hearing loss can lead to things such as:

Social Isolation – People with hearing loss can get frustrated in social situations to the point that they stop engaging with others. It’s not unusual for isolation to set in as a result.

Stress and Anxiety – When hearing loss is accompanied by tinnitus (which is actually quite common), the result can be stress and anxiety. Having to listen to constant ringing in the ear can be more than some people can handle.

Broken Relationships – Though it is sad to see, there are times when hearing loss drives a wedge between people to the extent that the relationships are broken.

We do what we do at Darroch Hearing Clinics because we know how serious the hidden issues of hearing loss can be. We are here to help you if we can. Please contact us to book your free hearing test or to learn more about our full range of hearing aids and related services. We may be able to improve your hearing.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

How Can a Hearing Aid Help with Tinnitus?

In our last blog post, we discussed three things you might not know about tinnitus. Among them is the fact that there are two different kinds of tinnitus, the most common being subjective tinnitus. In this post, we want to discuss how hearing aids can help people suffering from this form of the condition. Keep in mind that subjective tinnitus is almost always linked to hearing loss.

When a person begins to lose some of his or her hearing, whether that is due to age, illness or some sort of injury, the result is less auditory stimulation from external noises. Think of it in terms of standing under a tree during a rainstorm. The train does not prevent all the precipitation from getting through, but it does prevent some of it. Hearing loss results in fewer external sounds making it to the auditory portion of the central nervous system.

Tinnitus is caused by the brain trying to make up for the loss of those external sounds. The brain processes the limited frequencies it is exposed to in different ways, resulting in tinnitus. People with tinnitus related to hearing loss are often suffering from a loss of higher frequency recognition. Thus, tinnitusis often described as a high-pitched ringing in the ears.

With all of that said, let’s talk about how a hearing aid can help. Hearing aids can amplify certain frequencies depending on the needs of the patient. Digital hearing aids are especially adept at this. By amplifying the frequencies that are not heard as well, a hearing aid can make up for the loss of natural sound. This can prevent some of the frequency modification happening in the brain. A hearing aid can also provide enough amplification to mask the tinnitus.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Blog

Researchers to Look at TV Volume Levels and Hearing Aids

Are you planning to watch the Queen’s Christmas Message on television this year? If so, will you be watching it with the knowledge that your hearing loss will require you to use hearing aids during the broadcast? Rest assured that you are not alone. Many people with hearing loss use hearing aids to help them when watching television. Unfortunately, this can lead to arguments about television volume levels when other family members are present.

The conflicts caused by TV volume levels is something the University of Nottingham’s Biomedical Research Unit has decided to tackle with new research. Professor and unit director Deb Hall says the research is necessary because of how common complaints are among households with hearing-impaired individuals who need to have the volume of the TV louder than other family members in order to hear it. In essence, what is loud enough for the hearing-impaired person is often too loud for others with no hearing issues.

The goal of the university’s research is to find a comfortable compromise that will make both impaired and non-impaired family members happy. Researchers will be working with as many as 50 volunteers who will take part in specialised tests in a controlled laboratory setting. They will measure comfortable listening levels, then follow up with hearing tests and a series of questions to gauge test subject impressions. People unable to travel to the testing site can still participate by taking an online survey.

Here’s hoping the researchers succeed in their goal. It would be nice if we could recommend a general volume level that would make watching TV enjoyable for both our patients and their families. It would certainly make the Queen’s annual Christmas Message more enjoyable for more people.

The Original article Published at Darroch Hearing Clinics Blog