Malnutrition
Malnutrition can affect health and wellbeing, increase hospital admissions, and can lead to long-term health problems...
Hearing loss affects around 12 million adults in the UK. Find out more about some of the causes, treatments and support you can get for hearing loss.
Hearing loss is a reduced ability to hear. It's usually gradual and you may not notice any changes straight away.
It can be hard to tell if you're losing your hearing, but there are some common signs. If you think you've noticed a change in your hearing, get your hearing checked.
Most people who experience hearing loss as they get older do so because of wear and tear to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear. There are also other factors that can cause hearing loss, such as:
Some people have a condition called tinnitus, which causes you to have persistent noises such as ringing or buzzing. This can also be linked to hearing loss.
If you've recently noticed problems with your hearing, the first step is to talk to a healthcare professional and explain how these problems are affecting your day-to-day life. In some areas, you can self-refer to an audiologist – check with your GP surgery.
You can get your hearing tested at some pharmacies and opticians. These are usually free, but you might have to pay for any treatment.
You should always see your GP if your hearing loss is sudden, or if you have any other symptoms along with your hearing loss, such as earache or discharge.
If there's no obvious cause of hearing loss, you might be referred for a hearing assessment with an audiologist or an ear nose and throat (ENT) specialist. They'll look into your ears and test your hearing to see how well you can hear different levels of sound.
This assessment will help find the cause of your hearing loss and what treatments would work best. Your hearing assessment will tell you if a hearing aid would help and which type would work best for you.
Hearing aids work by making sounds louder and clearer. They won't restore your hearing back to normal, or cure your hearing loss, but they can make life much easier.
They pick up sound and make it louder with an amplifier. They're fitted with devices, which can tell the difference between foreground noise, such as conversation, and background noise, such as traffic.
You'll need a GP referral for a hearing assessment with an NHS service. If your hearing assessment shows that a hearing aid will be helpful, then you're eligible for a free hearing aid. Most hearing aids prescribed through the NHS are digital and usually ‘behind the ear’ types.
NHS services are located in hospitals or health centres. In some parts of England, the NHS asks some private companies to carry out hearing tests and give out hearing aids on its behalf.
Most people find NHS aids very helpful, but not all types of aids are available. It can be a good idea to try a free NHS aid and see if it suits you before thinking about buying one.
Hearing aids differ in shape, size and price. With modern technology, aids are getting smaller and less noticable – some aids fit entirely inside the ear. Smaller aids are also easy to get in your ear, but they can be fiddly to adjust because of the very small controls.
Some aids have other features to improve hearing. For example, some digital aids can clear unwanted background noise. Ask the hearing aid dispenser about any other benefits or features of the aids available.
Your audiologist should give you advice on which model should suit you. Ask if you can trial your hearing aid for a few weeks to make sure it’s comfortable and helpful. Make sure you can confidently put it on, take it off, change the volume level and change the batteries.
When you use a hearing aid for the first time, everyday sounds may seem quite loud. It could take you a couple of months to get used to hearing sounds with your hearing aid. If at any stage the sound is uncomfortable and you can’t wear the hearing aids, it's best to return to your audiologist for advice.
'Assistive devices' is a name for special equipment that can be installed in your home to amplify sound and help you hear well. These can be helpful if you don’t want to use a hearing aid. Examples include:
You might be eligible for this equipment on loan for free through your local social services department. Your eligibility will depend on your hearing loss and you'll be assessed by sensory support staff.
Equipment can also be bought privately. Some equipment will have a money-back guarantee so you can return it if it’s not helpful.
There are some things you can do if you’re experiencing hearing loss that can also protect your hearing.
If you have hearing loss, lipreading can be a very useful aid to hearing. Going to a local class may improve your lipreading skills, as well as your confidence.
Lipreading is a skill that most people use unconsciously to some degree. We usually focus on another person's face and lips if we are having difficulty hearing what they are saying – often because of intrusive background noise. We do this in an attempt to search for visual clues as to what the speaker is saying.
Visit the RNID website to find out more information and find lipreading classes
If your hearing loss has an impact on your day-to-day life then you may be able to claim these benefits or concessions:
Do you know what benefits you're entitled to? Our Benefits Calculator can help you, quickly and easily, to find out what you could be claiming.
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
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