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.
i CAN HEAR BUT i DONT MAKE OUT WHAT IS BEING SAID. THE WORDS SOUND LIKE DIFFERENT WORDS TO ME. ANY IDEA WHY
I have a problem similar to the girl in the video but just in one ear. The discharge is not so thicck though, but is accompanied by a severe ringing noise in my head that is driving me crazy, I live abroad and have had to pay for all my treatment, so far racking up 5,000, on an operation and iv anti-biotics, as there is no improvement my Doctor wants to operate on me again in a few days to clear out the debris in the mastoid area, then hit me with another course of AB's, what started out as a small problem is having a disatrerous impact on my life, and is preventing me from coming home to visit my parents who are in thier 80's. I am so messed up I don't know which way to turn. I hope someone can help me with some good advice. Thank You
I have had my ears syringed twicw with my GP but wax remains, and my hearing is effected. I always put drops in 5/7 days before I go to GP.can you help me.
I have the feeling of my left ear being blocked which is disorientating and impacting on my life because of impaired hearing. The ENT consultant says there is nothing wrong. He tried to pass a camera up my left nostril but it would not go any higher than the bridge of my nose. I am at a loss to know what to do next. Can you help me at all please?
Is the hearing aid featured in Embarrassing Bodies available on the NHS,if not where in Edinburgh can I contact someone to offer me this treatment.
No it isn't. It is a hearing aid from a private supplier and they do the best ones. It is always worth paying for a hearing aid, better technology and cosmetic appeal. NHS should be avoided unless you want an ugly brick with minimal technology on your ear.
I am 65 and have exactly the same symptoms as the gentleman receiving the treatment on the Embarrassing bodies programme. I would love to know where the hearing clinic is that he was sent to. I have been diagnosed at the hospital but was told there was nothing much that could be done . So I would like to go privately as NHS does not seem to have the facilities to deal with this.
I am 57 years old, during military service in my 20's i suffered sensorineural damage to my ears through exposure to noise. I have extreme difficulty in conversations, particularly when in a crowded room. I have had analogue hearing aids from the NHS which unfortunately didnt help, I purchased privately digital hearing aids when they werent available on the nhs, worked slightly for a while but didnt give me the clarity of sound i needed, I have had digital hearing aids from the nhs which cope well in a soundproofed room but not in a crowded environment. I wrote to Seimens who supply the nhs hearing aids and met with one of their repps at my local nhs hearing aid dept, he gave me a pair of the very latest nhs digital aids which again were super in a soundproofed room but not effective in a crowded room. I have found that the aids just dont work for me, this either because they are not technologically advanced enough or maybe the people programming them arent doing it right. I really would love a pair of aids with a remote control facility that allows me to adjust the aids for different environments in the real world. Can you help please?
I am also very curious to learn more about the hearing aid featured on the show. Is it specifically a digital hearing aid? I would be very grateful to learn more.
I too suffer from this type of hearing loss, had hearing test but just the tones not the spoken words, this was only a year ago and was told to live with it as there is nothing they can do! where can i get this hearing aid? as it is driving my family crazy having to repeat everything they say or be silent when other people ask me something!
my wife is uffering from the same problem and would like to find out where we can go for advice on digital hearing aid
HAD A BLOCKED EAR FOR 2 AND HALF YEARS HAD CARTILIDGE REMOVED FROM MY NOSE, WHICH MADE NO DIFFERENCE THEN HAD A GROMIT FITTED THIS WASNT FITTED PROPERLY SO HAD A SECOND ONE FITTED STILL NO DIFFERENT BUT THE HEARING IN MY EAR IS STILL ECHOEY HAD ALL THE SOUNDS WHEN I SPEAK SOUND VERY LOUD. BUT THE DOCTORS DONT SEEM TO BOTHERED BUT THIS IS REALLY STARTING TO DEPRESS ME NOW .CAN YOU HELP.
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