Conditions
Age Related Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can occur for a number of reasons, but the two most common are conductive hearing loss, where sounds are prevented from entering the ear (normally due to a blockage) and sensorineural hearing loss, which is a complicated way of referring to the hearing loss that occurs when the small hairs in the ear become damaged and cease to function. Over 70% of over 70-year-olds suffer some form of hearing impairment. The process of hearing loss will normally start between 30 and 40 years of age, and will increase steadily into a person’s 80s and beyond. The sensitive hairs that sit inside the inner ear start to get damaged and die, and often lead to deterioration. High frequency sounds are normally the first to deteriorate, which may explain why some men find it difficult to hear their wives telling them to do the washing up. Or they might just be bone idle…
The treatment of the condition requires a person to undergo testing to establish which parts of the spectrum are causing problems. Once this is established a hearing aid can be inserted into the inner ear to amplify the missing frequencies. Recent advancements in digital technology have enabled these hearing aids to amplify very specific parts of the spectrum, ensuring that sound is not normally amplified, which could overwhelm senses.
Comments and Questions
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
can i buy the hearing aid featured, or is it available on the n.h.s. thanks
Is the hearing aid featured in Embarrassing Bodies available on the NHS,if not where in london can I contact someone to offer me this treatment.
My wife suffers from this type of hearing loss and the hospital told her that they can nothing for her but this was twelve to fifteen years ago, the hearing aid shown on the program seems to be just what she needs, where is it available please.
My mother has bad hearing and wears an aid prescribed by our NHS in 2004. She has just had a hearing test in her home and was reccommended a pair of hearing aids at a cost of between £2-3000. These aids make her hearing much improved. Is there any possibility of these from our NHS?
At 62 I have also suffered from this problem for some time. I am going for a hearing test (my first) with Ampliphon in December. I would also be very interested to know if the background suppressed aid is available on the NHS?
My question is as above. The hearing aids featured looked much more effective that the NHS ones. Please can you tell me if the source of these were private as the location looked like Harley Street. Thank you.
I suffer from Bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss, which is also stressful when in a room or area where a lot of background noise occurs. I would also like to know if the hearing aid that the gentleman was fitted with is available on the NHS?
i would like to know if the hearing aid is available on nhs and if not how much would the treatment be please my husband is in desperate need
Is the hearing aid featured in Embarrassing Old Bodies available on the NHS, please.
Hi, the wife, now in her late 50's, has suffered hearing loss since a child as a result of meningicoccal meningitis and is profoundly deaf.. She tried the latest NHS digital aid last year but failed to be able to hear everyday sounds as well as her highest strength analogue aids, which she resumed using. Her greatest losses are in the middle to low end of the spectrum. Only a limited bit of the treble end is available to her. Even then a whistle is excrutiating to her. She suffers socially as a meeting with more than one person at a time is too stressful and in a room with background noise cannot converse at all except one to one by lip reading. I was therefore interested in the background suppressed aid that you used for the Asian man on tonights show. Is such a model available with the NHS please?
Was the hearing aid featured in Embarrassing Bodies available on the NHS,if not where can I contact someone for further details. My husband is desperate to get hold of a hearing aid that actually works for the exact problem the gentleman had on the program
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