Usha:

What is the latest technological advancement available now for hearing aids?

Brian Moore:

Manufacturers are continually adding new features to digital hearing aids by updating the software or programmes in the hearing aid. Two recent advances are adaptive directional microphones and feedback cancellation. With adaptive directional microphones the hearing aid will work out the direction of the most prominent interfering sounds and will then cancel out those sounds allowing better understanding of speech and noise. The second advance feedback cancellation means that the annoying whistling sounds that sometime occur with hearing aids are suppressed. This allows more amplification to be achieved to ensure that the person can hear sounds even for frequencies where they have a very large hearing loss.

Leah Williams:

Digital aids are now available on the NHS in many areas of the UK. But in some areas the waiting list can be very long. This is partly because more people want to access this technology and partly due to a lack of resources in the NHS. Progress is being made all the time.

Priyonce:

Who should I consult if I am worried about my hearing? Can you have check ups and how often should you go?

Leah:

If you are having difficulty hearing then you should visit your GP or family doctor. They will ask you some questions about your hearing and do some basic tests. They may then refer you to a local audiology or hearing aid department.

Lance:

What's the hearing equivalent of 20/20 vision?

Brian:

That would mean having hearing as good as that of a young teenager with no history of ear disease and no known exposure to loud sounds. In practice hearing starts worsening from a very young age and even teenagers have lost some of their hearing.

Seb:

Is everday life generally louder today than it was 20 years ago? Are we all more likely to suffer from hearing difficulties?

Brian:

Generally noise in the work place has decreased - factories are generally quieter and in noisy situations people are give hearing protection. However loud sounds during leisure activities have become much more of a problem, especially clubs and discos. Exposure to intense sounds of this type can result in hearing loss which may only show up in later life.

Danni:

Can hearing loss be corrected in surgery as eyesight can be?

Brian:

Some types of hearing loss can be corrected surgically. This applies to what is called "conductive" hearing loss, where the sound is not transmitted properly to the inner ear. E.g. problems with the tiny bones in the middle ear can be treated by surgery. However the most common cause of hearing loss, damage to the inner ear, cannot be treated by surgery. For people with profound or total hearing loss it is possible to have a device called a Cochlear implant put in by a surgeon. This device electrically stimulates the auditory nerve and can restore hearing to a limited extent.

Lucy:

I have a 70 year old mother-in law who has major problems hearing but won't do anything - how can I persuade her to get help & where should she go?

Leah:

First of all be sensitive, patient and supportive. Some people find it very difficult to accept that they are losing their hearing particularly if it linked to their age. There is a new Deafness Research UK fact sheet on hearing aids which talks about some of the common signs of hearing loss and you could try using this to spark a conversation you could also point out that if she gets a hearing aid it might help her join in family discussions and maintain an active social life. For a free copy of the fact sheet call 0808 808 2222 or email info@deafnessresearch.org.uk

Shaznay:

I go out most weekends to night clubs and sometimes have ringing in my ears the next day. Should I be worried about the damage being done to my ears? What advice do you have - I can't really wear ear plugs on a night out!

Brian:

I would be distinctly worried if I were you! These ringing sounds are definitely a sign of damage to your ears. It is possible to get discreet ear plugs which fit in the ear like a very small hearing aid and which produce a natural but quieter sound. These are called ear plugs for musicians and I strongly recommend them!

Leah:

You should also take regular breaks from the dance floor to give your ears a rest. Aim for at least 10 minutes break every hour. Try sending some time in the chill out room if there is one and don't stand too near to the speakers.

Sally:

My mother want to purchase a good state of the art digital hearing aid.

Brian:

First she should have her hearing properly checked to make sure that a hearing aid is needed and to determine what type would be best for her. It is possible to get very good digital hearing aid on the NHS. However if she wants an in the ear type, she may need to go to a private dispenser.

Brian:

I have recently almost completely lost my hearing. I would really like to learn sign language so that I can still communicate with people. I haven't been to school or college for 50 years so I am really worried about this. Any advice?

Leah:

There are lots of places which run courses in sign language and it's great to see that you are making the effort to do it. It's a good way of meeting other people with hearing difficulties.

Brian:

However you should make sure that there is nothing that can be done to improve your hearing. Have you consulted your Doctor and have you tried hearing aids?

Julie:

I still feel the odd one out at work as I feel everyone looks at my hearing aids, and treats me so differently. They look frustrated when they have to repeat things more than once. How do I tell them I am unhappy without upsetting them. Any ideas would be great.

Brian:

Many people do not realise that hearing aids do not restore hearing to normal. You need to explain to them that even with your hearing aids you still have some difficulty in understanding speech and that they need to speak distinctly. I have produced a cd that demonstrates to normally hearing people what it is like to have a hearing loss. (Go to http://hearing.psychol.cam.ac.uk/Biogs/cd.html for more information about the CD.)

Craig:

Is hearing loss inevitable as we enter old age?

Brian:

It's not inevitable. A very few elderly people have perfectly good hearing. Unfortunately the great majority of people do develop a hearing loss as they get older.

Bobella:

My partner snores so loudly it can keep me awake all night. I have taken to wearing ear plugs in bed. This can make my ears quite sore. Could this be damaging my ears?

Brian:

The skin of your ears could be damaged by the ear plugs especially if they are made of hard material. You should try using soft foam plugs, or getting some ear plugs that are especially made to fit your own ears. Consult your doctor if you are concerned about this problem.

Usha:

What precautionary measures should I carry out to avoid lost of hearing/deafness?

Brian:

You should avoid exposing yourself to very loud sounds especially for long periods of time. I always wear ear plugs if I know I am going to a very noisy place or when I use power tools or mow the lawn. Generally the healthier you are the more likely you are to maintain your hearing - so take some exercise and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables!

Peter:

My wife drives me mad sometimes and I know I need a hearing aid but I can't hear her when she's nagging. Can you turn a digital hearing aid on and off?

Brian:

Not only can you turn them on and off but you could have a special program for listening to your wife which you can select to make her voice quieter or even totally inaudible.

Priya:

My friends and work colleagues often comment that I talk particularly loudly. I don't realise. Do you think I may be getting hard of hearing?

Brian:

This may possibly be a sign of hearing loss but it is impossible to be sure. If you are in doubt you should consult your doctor.

Susan:

Is it true that using cotton buds in your ears could make you deaf?

Leah:

There is an old saying that you should never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. Putting objects like cotton buds in your ears can damage the delicate skin of the ear canal and it won't actually help get rid of wax. Used carelessly you could even puncture the eardrum!

Mary:

I am getting a hearing aid later this year due to hereditary hearing loss (I blame my mother!) but wondered if you had any hints for dealing with my bad tinnitus as well?

Brian:

Hearing aids sometimes help with tinnitus because the relatively loud sounds that you hear through the aid make the tinnitus quieter. In a few cases the louder sounds can actually make the tinnitus go away temporarily, which can help you get to sleep

Leah:

Deafness Research UK produce a free information pack on tinnitus. If you would like a copy phone us on 0808 808 2222 or email us on info@deafnessresearch.org.uk

Jules:

Can tinnitus be treated?

Brian:

There are some treatments but they are not always effective - what works for one person may not work for another, as there are many forms of tinnitus. Some hospital departments have specialist tinnitus clinics who can advise on your specific problem. Ask your GP to be referred to your local clinic.

Fiona:

Are hearing aids easy to fit?

Brian:

The physical fit depends on taking a good ear impression and having an ear mould made. This is a specialist job but can usually be done effectively. The hearing aid also needs to be adjusted to suit the individual. This requires "programming" by a skilled audiologist or hearing aid dispenser. Sometimes repeated adjustments over several visits are needed to obtain a satisfactory fit.

Marianne:

What are the tell-tale signs of a baby having hearing problems?

Leah:

Most babies with normal hearing will already have developed an awareness of sound by the time they are born, and they may react to loud noise by blinking, crying or sudden movements. By about six weeks they will begin to react to voices, either by turning in the direction of the noise or by making small movements in time with the rhythm of the voice. If you have any concerns about your child's hearing it is important to see your GP or family doctor as soon as possible. They will examine the ears to see whether your child has glue ear or a wax blockage. They may refer you to a specialist for further tests.

Jules:

What is glue ear?

Leah:

Glue ear is a build up of fluid in the middle ear space. 80% of all pre-school children suffer from glue ear at some time. Many will experience temporary deafness or deterioration of hearing as a result.

Treasure:

How do you get digital hearing aids on the NHS?

Leah:

You will first need to see your GP who can then refer you to a audiology department. All NHS audiology departments will have a waiting period and you will go on a waiting list for an appointment.

Susan:

What causes deafness?

Brian:

There are many causes of hearing loss. The most common one is damage to the delicate structures in the inner ear, especially the specialised cells called hair cells. These can be damaged by intense sounds, by various chemicals and by insufficient blood supply. If they are destroyed they do not recover and hearing loss is a result.

Sandy:

Are hearing problems genetic?

Leah:

Some hearing problems can be inherited or have a genetic component. This is an area that Deafness Research UK researchers are looking into. It is possible that gene therapies will be developed to treat some types of inherited hearing loss.

Maria:

Is there an average age when your hearing is worn out and is it moving toward an earlier or later start in life?

Brian:

There isn't an age at which your hearing is worn out - it just tends to get worse as you get older. However many young people today are damaging their hearing by exposing themselves to intense sounds at clubs and raves.

Collette:

Is there any data to suggest that putting hearing aids on infants, identified with a mild to moderate hearing loss at birth, may actually reduce their natural (albeit limited) ability to hear that is the brain's ability to compensate for the hearing loss?

Brian:

There is no evidence that fitting hearing aids to infants with a mild to moderate hearing loss at birth has any adverse effects. On the contrary, early fitting may help to preserve the functioning of the auditory system, and may avoid delays in the development of language skills.

Kaz:

When will the UK's health service be sufficiently well-funded to enable BAHA users to go bilateral, instead of insisting that we need only one BAHA to facilitate our existence in the hearing world? On the maintenance front, I have been waiting 3 months for a longer abutment screw and that too is down to funding. Hearing aids of all sorts need funding and at all stages – research and development, manufacture, issue to patients and maintenance too. When are we going to stop being walked over and/or pushed aside as a second class citizen, all because we can't hear as well as others?

Brian:

You are not alone in experiencing problems with provision under the NHS. Many people would benefit from two hearing aids, but get only one. The problem, as always, is limited resources, both financial and in terms of personnel. We all have to continue pressing the government to provide more money for hearing-related services. Write to the Prime Minister and to your MP, and get your friends and relatives to write too.

Carol:

I am a (I consider) young woman of 39 who has had progressive deafness for the past 3 years. I have been prescribed and fitted with hearing aids from the NHS. These have made a terrific difference to me both at work and socially. The problem I have is coping with the devastating effect the hearing loss had on my self-esteem and confidence. If I could find a reason for the loss maybe I would feel better about things but nobody can explain why it s happened. Do you know any reason for this and how common is this type of loss in someone my age?

Brian:

It is unusual for a hearing loss to start progressing so early, but it is by no means unknown. It is impossible to diagnose the cause at a distance. Genetic factors may be involved, or you might have had an infection of some kind. Sometimes, problems with the immune system or metabolic disorders can cause hearing loss.

Richard:

I am deaf in one ear (pretty much completely) and have a ski slope hearing in the other. The problems I have are being able to understand speech in noise, and the effect of hearing my own voice much too loudly. I believe that there are hearing aids that could probably help. My real issue is that there seem to be no audiologists who can take an objective view. The five I have tried seemed to want to sell me a hearing aid. If it was not suitable, I had to find another audiologist. My question is: Is there anyone I can go to who will help objectively, and not just try to sell me an aid?

Brian:

You need to find a good dispenser. Try to get personal recommendations from other people who have obtained hearing aids privately. Members of the Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals are not tied to any specific manufacturer and abide by a code of conduct that may lead to more impartial advice. You can get further information at http://www.aihhp.org/

Leah:

All hearing aid dispensers must be registered with the Hearing Aid Council (HAC) and adhere to its Code of Practice. To check whether a dispenser is registered with the HAC, you can search their online database on their website: www.thehearingaidcouncil.org.uk . Even among the dispensers who are registered with the HAC, there can be variations in prices, approaches and ethical standards. For this reason, it is important to “shop around”, not only to ensure you get good value in monetary terms, but also to find a dispenser with whom you feel comfortable and who will undertake to provide a good level of aftercare service. In general, an independent hearing aid dispenser (i.e. not tied to one manufacturer) is most likely to give objective advice.

Deafness Research UK has produced a guide to Choosing a Hearing Aid which includes guidelines for buying hearing aids from private dispensers.

Alex:

Has anyone had problems with digital hearing aids? I have had two of the digital aids and I found them to be no good for my hearing and now I have gone back to the old ones. The digital aids seem to have very low volume, not like the old type aids. I have been advised by my Audio Dept that I have only about 5% hearing left and the Audiology Dept records state the digital aids will be no good for me.

Brian:

Your digital aids may not have been adjusted properly, or may not be powerful enough for your hearing loss. It is possible to get high-powered digital aids, and you could ask your Audiology Department whether these would be suitable for you.

Mary:

I suffer from hereditary hearing loss and pretty bad tinnitus and am currently awaiting a hearing aid (should be getting it this autumn!). I've even started using the subtitles on TV as the sound seems to be so unclear on some programmes! As a training instructor, I have found it harder and harder to hear questions from people who do not speak clearly, or who have soft voices, and find it embarrassing to keep asking them to repeat the question. What is the best way to handle that? Should I just say that I am hard of hearing and they need to speak up?! It may be easier once I have the hearing aid so they can at least see that there may be a problem! Any advice would be welcome.

Brian:

Ask people to speak up and also to speak slowly and distinctly. Wearing a hearing aid may well help, as people tend to speak more clearly when they see someone wearing an aid. You might find that two aids would be better than one and you should ask about this at your local audiology clinic.

Gloria:

I have tinnitus and hyperacusis and also have some hearing loss in both ears. I have had 2 analogue aids but they were no use to me because of my hyperacusis. My hearing is getting worse and at a rapid rate; sometimes I can t make out what is being said to me even if the person is standing next to me. I realise I will probably have to pay for special hearing aids and I am prepared to do that, but I was wondering if you could recommend anyone in my area that has some knowledge of my problems and could suggest suitable aids.

Brian:

Modern hearing aids can actually act as attenuators (i.e. they turn the volume down) for intense sounds. However, they are not usually programmed to do this. You need to find a dispenser who understands your problem, and can program the aids so that they reduce the intensity of loud sounds, to avoid problems with your hyperacusis. You can find a dispenser in your area from the website of the Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals: http://www.aihhp.org/

Leah:

You could also take a look at our information on hyperacusis.