It is estimated that there are about 8.7 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.
One in five people over the age of 50 suffer some degree of hearing loss.
Types of Hearing Loss
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
This type of hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear of the auditory nerve. This is mainly due to wear and tear but exposure to loud noise can also cause damage. People who suffer from sensorineural hearing loss have difficulty understanding conversations because they struggle to hear the high pitched consonants at the beginning and end of words.
Conductive Hearing Loss
This occurs when sound is not channelled correctly through the outer and middle ear. It can be as a result of injury or illness or simply from the ageing process. People who have this type of hearing loss have difficulty hearing faint sounds.
Mixed Hearing Loss
Some people can have both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. This is known as a mixed hearing loss.
How to recognise Hearing Loss
You may be unsure if you or someone you know has a hearing loss. Try asking yourself the following questions:
- Do you often have to ask people to repeat themselves?
- Do you have trouble hearing the television/radio/telephone/doorbell?
- Do you struggle to hear clearly in noisy environments and social gatherings?
- Do you confuse words or misunderstand what is being said in conversation?
- Are you unsure whether sounds are from behind or in front of you?
If you have answered yes to any of these questions then you may have some degree of hearing loss and it would be advisable to get your hearing checked by one of our qualified Hearing Aid Audiologists to see if you could benefit from a hearing aid.