Sarah Vokes who owns Correct Hearing in Nottingham was on BBC Radio Nottingham last year and we decided to highlight it. Correct Hearing is a part of the Hearing Aid Know Network of trusted Hearing Aid Providers in Nottingham. The piece was excellent, outlining the dramatic effect on quality of life of hearing loss on a sufferer. It also outlined the differences that hearing aids can make. As always, Sarah spoke a lot of sense and gave great advice. Colin, from Newark gave us a sense of his own experiences with hearing loss.
It was Colin’s excellent explanation of his hearing loss and its effects that really made us post this article. It is succinct, clear and insightful. It also helps anyone to understand what the dramatic effect of hearing loss is. No more talking from me, have a listen to this.
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Find An Independent Hearing Aid Centre in Your Area
Arrange a consultation with a trusted Independent hearing healthcare professional in your area
Abid Khan of The Yorkshire Hearing Centre is one of our newest hearing aid centre network members. Based in the Spire Hospital on Lowfield Road in Hull, Abid offers warm customer care, the latest hearing aids and a dedication to clinical excellence.
So if you are buying hearing aids in Hull, his practice is most definitely a good place to start. Abid (friendlier than he looks honest) completed his BSc in Audiology degree at Leeds University, before being employed by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS trust in 2008. He has extensive experience in diagnostic assessments of adults and children and works closely with the leading Ear Nose and Throat consultants in the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Most of his patients come to him through recommendations or by referral from some of the most well-known ENT specialists in Yorkshire. He also accepts self referrals and direct referrals from GPs and insurers. One of the things he has a great interest in is Tinnitus and its treatments.
Tinnitus Therapy
As I said, Abid developed a special interest in Tinnitus Counselling and Management and has also completed an MSc in Tinnitus Management. He uses proven tinnitus therapy techniques to help people gain relief from their tinnitus. He offers both tinnitus retraining therapy and hyperacusis desensitisation therapy.
Yorkshire Hearing Centre
Hyperacusis Desensitisation Therapy
Hyperacusis is a condition whereby people suffer an increased sensitivity to certain frequencies and volume ranges of sound. People who suffer with hyperacusis can find it very difficult to deal with common everyday noise. Abid offers proven therapy that can help to overcome this debilitating condition.
Hearing Aids
Abid is completely Independent and he provides the very latest and best hearing aids from all the leading hearing device brands. His recommendation for hearing aids is based solely on your lifestyle needs and hearing loss. He like many other Independent hearing healthcare providers believe that this is the way to offer the best hearing solution. A solution purely based on what is best for you.
We would like to welcome him to the network, and we are very happy to have him on board. He is a trusted hearing healthcare professional with a huge amount of experience. As I said, if you are looking for hearing aids in Hull, The Yorkshire Hearing Centre is a good place to start.
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More Comfort, Better Sound, Less Feedback, What’s Not To Like?
A recent introduction by Widex got us thinking, my wife says that is never a good thing. After the incident……. I am inclined to agree with her. Anyway, back to the introduction. They brought out a new type of custom tip for their Receiver In Canal and Thin Tube hearing aids. Custom tips are really fantastic pieces of kit and I realised that I have never explained why. So, let’s talk custom tips and why you should consider them if you are buying hearing aids.
Custom Hearing Aid Tips
RIC and Thin Tube hearing aids are pretty popular devices. They offer fantastic qualities in pretty discreet packages. RICs in particular are suitable for all types of and levels of hearing loss which makes them really attractive. Widex and other hearing aid brands have made custom tips for their Thin Tube and RIC digital hearing solutions for many years.
Widex has just introduced a new design of custom tip for theirs which looks like a really good option. They call it the Flex Hard Solid Shell, very utilitarian in their names is Widex, no fancy smancy rubbish here. They say that the new custom tip offers:
Longer tip length to optimise gain, reduce risk for feedback, and provide better retention.
Extended sound bore to provide double wax protection. By putting a Nanocare™ waxguard at the end of the receiver and then again at the end of the shell, the receiver has double the protection against wax and debris.
The custom tip is available for Widex EASYWEAR RIC S, M and P-receivers, and for both their THIN TUBE 0.9 and 1.4. This isn’t the only tip they make available and it joins the other custom tips in the line-up.
The design of the tip is interesting, it gives a deeper fit into the canal which offers better sound and probably a more secure fit. The extended soundbore with the doubled wax guard for RICs will also mean that the receivers are better protected. If you are buying RICs, wax is always your enemy, it will kill your receiver dead if you don’t take care of it. The double protection here should ensure that receiver failures are almost non existent. With the caveat, that you still need to change the damned wax guard, oh and try a drying kit as well. Your pocket will thank you. Receivers aren’t cheap!
Like I said, Widex aren’t the only hearing aid brand that offers custom tips. They are a great solution and they offer many benefits over the instant tips. If you are an active individual good retention in the ear is important. Custom tips offer pretty excellent retention and fit. I mean they are custom made to your ear canal, you can’t really get a better fit than that. So if you are buying hearing aids, consider getting custom tips for them.
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Find An Independent Hearing Aid Centre in Your Area
Arrange a consultation with a trusted Independent hearing healthcare professional in your area
There has been growing speculation in relation to Over The Counter (OTC) hearing aids being made legal in the United States. The PCAST (PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL OF ADVISORS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) Report in relation to hearing technology in October 2015 recommended a major change to the laws governing the supply and provision of hearing aids. One of the recommendations it made was in relation to the hearing aid medical waiver. This has now happened, what does it mean for OTC hearing aids and more importantly, what will it mean for consumers? Let’s look at the background.
A Greedy Monopoly
For many years organisations in the States have been calling for changes to the rules governing hearing aid provision. The main reason for these calls has been the assumption that the high price of hearing aids has been the main block to adoption of them by the multitude of people who need them. I personally don’t necessarily subscribe to that argument, I know that cost is an issue in some cases, however, I don’t feel it is the general impediment that it has been painted to be.
In this debate both the manufacturers of hearing aids and the providers of hearing aids have been painted as greedy and supporting a monopoly. Unfortunately some of the representative organisations have not helped themselves with ridiculous paternalistic statements that seem to have been purposefully designed to irritate people.
Are We Greedy?
I know I am not, I would have to say the bulk of people who I know within the profession are not either. I charge for my time and service and then I deliver that time and service as I am sure many others do. The focus in this debate has been on the hearing aid as a product, it has not been on how that product is delivered and maintained. The problem though is that no matter what I say, it just looks like I am defending a monopoly.
On the 7th of December, the FDA issued the “Immediately in Effect Guidance Document: Conditions for Sale for Air-Conduction Hearing Aids,” which effectively ends federal enforcement of the hearing aid medical waiver. What does that mean for the consumer? The hearing aid medical waiver is a waiver that may be signed in lieu of having the required pre-hearing-aid-purchase medical evaluation. The wording of the original federal regulation can be seen here (21CFR801.421). In essence, it removes the need for a customer over the age of eighteen to get a medical evaluation of their hearing before deciding on hearing aids.
The FDA announcement does not change any rules regarding over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, but it did address them. “ FDA does intend to consider and address those recommendations in the future as appropriate, including those regarding a regulatory framework for hearing aids that can be sold directly OTC to consumers, without the requirement for consultation with a credentialed dispenser. FDA intends to solicit additional public input from stakeholders before adopting such an approach”.
In the press release ” the FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D. was quoted as saying “Today’s actions are an example of the FDA considering flexible approaches to regulation that encourage innovation in areas of rapid scientific progress, The guidance will support consumer access to most hearing aids while the FDA takes the steps necessary to propose to modify our regulations to create a category of OTC hearing aids that could help many Americans improve their quality of life through better hearing.” I think that can be taken as a clear sign that with time, OTC hearing aids will become a reality.
For many years I have spoken with hearing aid advocates around the world, advocates like Steve my co author here on Know. Nearly all of them have been demanding more power over their hearing aids, the ability to make fine tuning changes themselves. I have always supported that idea, why shouldn’t we make their hearing care inclusive? One thing that has always struck me during these conversations is that what they called for was inclusion in the process not the exclusion of the professional. Even the most strident and independent want the ability to consult with a professional.
Would it surprise you to find out that I would support these type of hearing devices? Because I would.
Blamey Saunders Self Fitting Hearing Aids
You may find it surprising but I think these types of devices are a good thing, not a bad thing. However, they will only be a good thing if certain criteria are met. The devices will need to be fitted to your loss in some way, so there needs to be some way of testing your needs either built into the device or accompanying the device. Any testing procedure needs to be able to flag referable conditions, this is an imperative.
In my career I have identified four people with cancer through a hearing test. I of course did not make that diagnosis, I simply undertook the hearing test and referred them for further investigation because I was deeply unhappy with the results. Four people who went on to have life saving treatment because of a hearing test.
Hearing loss is more often than not run of the mill hearing loss, however, sometimes it is not. Sometimes it is a sign of some underlying nefarious condition that needs treatment. This is what scares me and other people within the profession. However, good technology can probably ensure that is not an issue. I think it is incumbent upon the FDA and any other regulatory body to ensure some sort of strong regulations are in place in relation to this.
What Will it Mean For You
If new legislation is brought forward to legalise the sale of OTC hearing aids it will mean that you can go to your local point of sale and buy a hearing aid just like you would buy an electronic device. You will then have to work out how to fit it and use it flying solo as it were. I think that this type of solution will not be a fit for everyone, even within the traditional manufacturers there has been a push towards giving users more control over the hearing devices.
Not For Everyone
Not every user is interested in having the control, in fact many want something that they put on and never have to think about. These types of devices will be ideal for some and not for others. There was a recent small scale study on the efficacy of self fitted hearing aids that I reported on. The conclusions were very interesting, although the study was small, it has added some weight to the call for further study. Its conclusions were as follows
“While limited, these data suggest that self-fitting aids may provide satisfactory benefit and performance to those who can manage the self-fitting process. Our findings show that at least one currently available self-fitting product is comparable to those measured with professionally dispensed hearing aids“
What they said in essence was that were people were “able to manage” it seemed that self fitting may not be a bad thing. By able to manage they meant technically aware and able, people who were au fait or familiar with technology. In this context, I think that OTC hearing aids will be very similar, they will be ideal for people who can manage them.
The Freedom To Mess it up
These devices will also give people the freedom to make a mess of their hearing, this is another factor that the FDA needs to consider. It needs to ensure that you can’t make your hearing worse through use of these devices. Again, I think technology can help here but it is an issue that needs to be raised. In essence, for these devices to be safe to use, users will need some education in relation to making them safe to use.
I have talked to others within the business for some time about adopting low cost devices that were sold on an over the counter type basis. I would adopt these types of devices, I would insist that I did a work up on your hearing or you had a workup done by someone I trust (this is to protect both you and me). I would then sell you the device for you to do with it what you wanted.
Other Assistive Devices
There are other types of devices I would also consider selling, devices like/These devices are designed to help people hear in noise, they are assistive in nature, they are not hearing aids. I think they also have their place and I think it would be natural for us to offer them as solutions.
BOSE HearPhones Promo
If you wanted support or help other than warranty issue I would charge you for it. I think that is fair, my time is worth money, you would not expect to attend any other professional for consultation for free, so why would you expect to do so with me? I think that this may well be the future model, I don’t think the traditional model will die quite yet, I think this new model will probably run in tandem with the traditional model.
What About Traditional Manufacturers?
What will the traditional hearing aid manufacturers do if OTC come to pass? I don’t know, I can’t speak for them but I think they will have to re-assess their own ideas about provision channels. I don’t and would not hold that against them, it is just the way of the world and of business. I know some of them wouldn’t be eager to become involved, however, business is like an arms race, when one ups the game, the others must do so to survive. As well as that, many of the hearing aid manufacturers are public companies, their management teams will need to make decisions based on their share holders best interests.
What Will Be Your Experience?
I think that really depends on who makes the devices, hearing aids are a specialist electronic device. Hearing aid manufacturers are producing good devices based on years of experience and research and design. New entrants to the market don’t necessarily have that experience or the algorythms that make everything work.
A hearing aid is not just a simple amplifier, it does so much more than amplify sound. So it will be interesting to see what the first OTC hearing aids are like in relation to efficacy. If the traditional manufacturers become involved in this market it will mean that there will be some pretty good devices available.
Care of The Devices
Any buyer of these types of devices will have to actually take care of them, any vendor of the device will have to consider failure of the receiver. It is pretty simple, earwax and moisture kill receivers (the speaker part) and any seller of the devices will have to be aware of that.
At the moment, traditional hearing aid manufacturers accept when your negligence (and that is often what it is) kills one of their receivers during the warranty period. They simply replace them, even when they are gummed up with ear wax.
How will that work with over the counter hearing aids? Will they continue to replace the receiver even when you have been responsible for it’s failure? I mean at the moment, the hearing aid manufacturers don’t actually have to, but they do it. What will OTC manufacturers do?
Making The Right Choice
I try to be very careful about the recommendation I make, I try to take into account lifestyle, personal and ear canal conditions. For instance, if you are active, able and a bit tech smart, I will easily consider a RIC device or a custom hearing aid device for you. I would base that on the fact that you can easily take care of the device, ensuring that it is maintained in order that the receiver won’t fail.
If however, I think that the maintenance of the hearing aid may be a problem, or if in fact the ear canal is just too hostile (excess ear wax or moisture) I would nearly always recommend a BTE. As a purchaser of an OTC device, how are you to make the decision on that, if you make the wrong decision, what are you going to do?
Freedom
It is obvious that there are a lot of questions to answer, however I think that OTC hearing aids will bring freedom of choice, I think that can be a good thing and a bad thing. I don’t think consumers are stupid, generally, well most of them. I think that delivering freedom of choice will allow people to adopt amplification earlier. Will allow them test the water as it were, to understand what amplification can deliver to their life. That has to be a good thing.
There has been growing speculation in relation to Over The Counter (OTC) hearing aids being made legal in the United States. The PCAST (PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL OF ADVISORS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) Report in relation to hearing technology in October 2015 recommended a major change to the laws governing the supply and provision of hearing aids. One of the recommendations it made was in relation to the hearing aid medical waiver. This has now happened, what does it mean for OTC hearing aids and more importantly, what will it mean for consumers? Let’s look at the background.
A Greedy Monopoly
For many years organisations in the States have been calling for changes to the rules governing hearing aid provision. The main reason for these calls has been the assumption that the high price of hearing aids has been the main block to adoption of them by the multitude of people who need them. I personally don’t necessarily subscribe to that argument, I know that cost is an issue in some cases, however, I don’t feel it is the general impediment that it has been painted to be.
In this debate both the manufacturers of hearing aids and the providers of hearing aids have been painted as greedy and supporting a monopoly. Unfortunately some of the representative organisations have not helped themselves with ridiculous paternalistic statements that seem to have been purposefully designed to irritate people.
Are We Greedy?
I know I am not, I would have to say the bulk of people who I know within the profession are not either. I charge for my time and service and then I deliver that time and service as I am sure many others do. The focus in this debate has been on the hearing aid as a product, it has not been on how that product is delivered and maintained. The problem though is that no matter what I say, it just looks like I am defending a monopoly.
On the 7th of December, the FDA issued the “Immediately in Effect Guidance Document: Conditions for Sale for Air-Conduction Hearing Aids,” which effectively ends federal enforcement of the hearing aid medical waiver. What does that mean for the consumer? The hearing aid medical waiver is a waiver that may be signed in lieu of having the required pre-hearing-aid-purchase medical evaluation. The wording of the original federal regulation can be seen here (21CFR801.421). In essence, it removes the need for a customer over the age of eighteen to get a medical evaluation of their hearing before deciding on hearing aids.
The FDA announcement does not change any rules regarding over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, but it did address them. “ FDA does intend to consider and address those recommendations in the future as appropriate, including those regarding a regulatory framework for hearing aids that can be sold directly OTC to consumers, without the requirement for consultation with a credentialed dispenser. FDA intends to solicit additional public input from stakeholders before adopting such an approach”.
In the press release ” the FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D. was quoted as saying “Today’s actions are an example of the FDA considering flexible approaches to regulation that encourage innovation in areas of rapid scientific progress, The guidance will support consumer access to most hearing aids while the FDA takes the steps necessary to propose to modify our regulations to create a category of OTC hearing aids that could help many Americans improve their quality of life through better hearing.” I think that can be taken as a clear sign that with time, OTC hearing aids will become a reality.
For many years I have spoken with hearing aid advocates around the world, advocates like Steve my co author here on Know. Nearly all of them have been demanding more power over their hearing aids, the ability to make fine tuning changes themselves. I have always supported that idea, why shouldn’t we make their hearing care inclusive? One thing that has always struck me during these conversations is that what they called for was inclusion in the process not the exclusion of the professional. Even the most strident and independent want the ability to consult with a professional.
Would it surprise you to find out that I would support these type of hearing devices? Because I would.
Blamey Saunders Self Fitting Hearing Aids
You may find it surprising but I think these types of devices are a good thing, not a bad thing. However, they will only be a good thing if certain criteria are met. The devices will need to be fitted to your loss in some way, so there needs to be some way of testing your needs either built into the device or accompanying the device. Any testing procedure needs to be able to flag referable conditions, this is an imperative.
In my career I have identified four people with cancer through a hearing test. I of course did not make that diagnosis, I simply undertook the hearing test and referred them for further investigation because I was deeply unhappy with the results. Four people who went on to have life saving treatment because of a hearing test.
Hearing loss is more often than not run of the mill hearing loss, however, sometimes it is not. Sometimes it is a sign of some underlying nefarious condition that needs treatment. This is what scares me and other people within the profession. However, good technology can probably ensure that is not an issue. I think it is incumbent upon the FDA and any other regulatory body to ensure some sort of strong regulations are in place in relation to this.
What Will it Mean For You
If new legislation is brought forward to legalise the sale of OTC hearing aids it will mean that you can go to your local point of sale and buy a hearing aid just like you would buy an electronic device. You will then have to work out how to fit it and use it flying solo as it were. I think that this type of solution will not be a fit for everyone, even within the traditional manufacturers there has been a push towards giving users more control over the hearing devices.
Not For Everyone
Not every user is interested in having the control, in fact many want something that they put on and never have to think about. These types of devices will be ideal for some and not for others. There was a recent small scale study on the efficacy of self fitted hearing aids that I reported on. The conclusions were very interesting, although the study was small, it has added some weight to the call for further study. Its conclusions were as follows
“While limited, these data suggest that self-fitting aids may provide satisfactory benefit and performance to those who can manage the self-fitting process. Our findings show that at least one currently available self-fitting product is comparable to those measured with professionally dispensed hearing aids“
What they said in essence was that were people were “able to manage” it seemed that self fitting may not be a bad thing. By able to manage they meant technically aware and able, people who were au fait or familiar with technology. In this context, I think that OTC hearing aids will be very similar, they will be ideal for people who can manage them.
The Freedom To Mess it up
These devices will also give people the freedom to make a mess of their hearing, this is another factor that the FDA needs to consider. It needs to ensure that you can’t make your hearing worse through use of these devices. Again, I think technology can help here but it is an issue that needs to be raised. In essence, for these devices to be safe to use, users will need some education in relation to making them safe to use.
I have talked to others within the business for some time about adopting low cost devices that were sold on an over the counter type basis. I would adopt these types of devices, I would insist that I did a work up on your hearing or you had a workup done by someone I trust (this is to protect both you and me). I would then sell you the device for you to do with it what you wanted.
Other Assistive Devices
There are other types of devices I would also consider selling, devices like the HearPhones from BOSE. These devices are designed to help people hear in noise, they are assistive in nature, they are not hearing aids. I think they also have their place and I think it would be natural for us to offer them as solutions.
BOSE HearPhones Promo
If you wanted support or help other than warranty issue I would charge you for it. I think that is fair, my time is worth money, you would not expect to attend any other professional for consultation for free, so why would you expect to do so with me? I think that this may well be the future model, I don’t think the traditional model will die quite yet, I think this new model will probably run in tandem with the traditional model.
What About Traditional Manufacturers?
What will the traditional hearing aid manufacturers do if OTC come to pass? I don’t know, I can’t speak for them but I think they will have to re-assess their own ideas about provision channels. I don’t and would not hold that against them, it is just the way of the world and of business. I know some of them wouldn’t be eager to become involved, however, business is like an arms race, when one ups the game, the others must do so to survive. As well as that, many of the hearing aid manufacturers are public companies, their management teams will need to make decisions based on their share holders best interests.
What Will Be Your Experience?
I think that really depends on who makes the devices, hearing aids are a specialist electronic device. Hearing aid manufacturers are producing good devices based on years of experience and research and design. New entrants to the market don’t necessarily have that experience or the algorythms that make everything work.
A hearing aid is not just a simple amplifier, it does so much more than amplify sound. So it will be interesting to see what the first OTC hearing aids are like in relation to efficacy. If the traditional manufacturers become involved in this market it will mean that there will be some pretty good devices available.
Care of The Devices
Any buyer of these types of devices will have to actually take care of them, any vendor of the device will have to consider failure of the receiver. It is pretty simple, earwax and moisture kill receivers (the speaker part) and any seller of the devices will have to be aware of that.
At the moment, traditional hearing aid manufacturers accept when your negligence (and that is often what it is) kills one of their receivers during the warranty period. They simply replace them, even when they are gummed up with ear wax.
How will that work with over the counter hearing aids? Will they continue to replace the receiver even when you have been responsible for it’s failure? I mean at the moment, the hearing aid manufacturers don’t actually have to, but they do it. What will OTC manufacturers do?
Making The Right Choice
I try to be very careful about the recommendation I make, I try to take into account lifestyle, personal and ear canal conditions. For instance, if you are active, able and a bit tech smart, I will easily consider a RIC device or a custom hearing aid device for you. I would base that on the fact that you can easily take care of the device, ensuring that it is maintained in order that the receiver won’t fail.
If however, I think that the maintenance of the hearing aid may be a problem, or if in fact the ear canal is just too hostile (excess ear wax or moisture) I would nearly always recommend a BTE. As a purchaser of an OTC device, how are you to make the decision on that, if you make the wrong decision, what are you going to do?
Freedom
It is obvious that there are a lot of questions to answer, however I think that OTC hearing aids will bring freedom of choice, I think that can be a good thing and a bad thing. I don’t think consumers are stupid, generally, well most of them. I think that delivering freedom of choice will allow people to adopt amplification earlier. Will allow them test the water as it were, to understand what amplification can deliver to their life. That has to be a good thing.
The other day I woke up in Barcelona. We’ve rented an apartment there for the summer.
It’s a lovely sunny day. Sunlight is streaming through the window, lighting up the entire bedroom.
I check my phone. I have an audio message from my girlfriend Elise on Whatsapp. I listen on speakerphone, pressing the loudspeaker into my ear (that’s my hack for when I’m not wearing My HAs)
I respond, she responds. We go on for a while.
I finally get up and step out of my bedroom. I don’t have my hearing aids in yet. But it’s ok. I’m alone in the flat. I can wear them later.
As I enter the hallway, I notice something fishy: there are lots of rubbish bins in the hallway that weren’t here the day before.
Somebody is in the flat!
A thief? No, it can’t be a thief because I’ve never met thieves who cleans.
I run back into the bedroom, put some clothes on (I was naked!) and put my HAs in.
I walk back to the kitchen where I meet Cintia. She’s the cleaning lady and I had no idea she would come today.
I introduce myself. We start chatting. She’s been in the flat for two hours!
I’d been sleeping and voice messaging in bed with my bedrooms doors open without knowing somebody was in the flat. I wasn’t even wearing pyjamas. Hey, Barcelona is hot!
How embarrassing.
Or, is it?
It’s not my fault if I can hear very little without my hearing aids on.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
But Cintia doesn’t know that. She doesn’t know that I’m partially deaf.
She might think I’m really weird for carrying on doing my business while some stranger is in the same apartment with me.
There was a time when I would have hesitated to explain the situation. I would have probably just avoided Cintia forever. And felt embarrassment because I wouldn’t know what she thought of me.
Nowadays though, I’ve been dealing with hearing loss consciously for quite a while so instead of leaving the situation unexplained and make room for potential misunderstanding, I tell Cintia:
“Wow you’ve been here two hours? I didn’t hear you at all because I am partially deaf and I can’t hear well at all when I don’t wear my hearing aids [point to and show hearing aids]. I’m wearing them now but I don’t wear them when I’m sleeping”
That was it. One sentence and everything was made crystal clear. No room for misunderstandings or awkwardness.
Cintia didn’t mind.
We both had a laugh and drama was already over before it started.
My younger self would have probably debated whether to say something about my hearing loss, then would have said nothing. And felt awkward or even ashamed.
By getting it out quickly, I dealt with this mini problem and moved on with my day.
So I told someone new about my hearing loss before 10AM. How about you? When was your last time you told anyone new?
P.S. One more thing… if you want to learn more about how you can too transform your life and hear better with hearing loss then hop over to my website and make sure to sign up to my free newsletter!
Gianluca teaches others how to live an exceptional life, even with hearing loss. If you’d like to read more stories like this one, join Gianluca’s free newsletter right now on getsuperhumanhearing.comand receive the free eBook ‘How to Hear Better at Dinner’.
Find An Independent Hearing Aid Centre in Your Area
Arrange a consultation with a trusted Independent hearing healthcare professional in your area
Combining The Best Hearing Care With Outstanding Eye Care in Glasgow
We have known Greg Clements for many years and he is a firm friend. Often during our conversations in the last few years he has discussed continuity of service. Greg has reached a time in his life where he is worried about what happens to his customers after he retires. Recently, he has taken steps to secure their future care.
Black and Lizars
Black and Lizars need no introduction to anyone who lives in Scotland, they have been actively delivering outstanding eye care for over 180 years, and are one of Scotland’s largest and most renowned optometrists. B&L are independently owned and have twenty four practices all committed to providing the highest levels of care, the latest innovations in clinical technology and exceptional customer service.
In recent years, they have diversified into hearing care which is now available in many of these practices. Greg saw all of these factors as core to his decision to make the move. The reputation of Black and Lizars is similar to the reputation of Clements Hearing as is their ethos. It made perfect sense for Black and Lizars to become involved in the business.
Staying Where He Is
Greg will continue to be the face of Clements Hearing Services for the foreseeable future and has no plans to retire just yet. However, Neil McCurrach (who we also know well) will be a regular feature in the Crow Road store. Neil is another lovely guy, he was my area manager in Amplifon when I first started, in fact he was responsible for my entry in hearing care (he is the one to blame!!!!).
I have no doubt that Neil will be a perfect fit for the customers. We wish continued success to Greg and Neil. So if you are looking for hearing aids, hearing care or ear wax removal in Glasgow, your first stop should be Clements Hearing Services.
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Matthew Pearson of zone1hearing is the latest addition to the No Wax Ear Wax Removal Network in London. Matthew has years of experience in the hearing healthcare field but only recently set up his own business. He offers hearing care and ear wax removal services across London.
He offers Micro Suction ear wax removal using the clearwax method at his hearing aid centre in Hampstead and during home visits across areas of London. He is a qualified and certified clearwax provider offering endoscopic ear cleaning.
Microsuction Ear wax Removal West Hampstead
He offers instant micro suction ear wax removal using the clearwax endoscopic method. Micro suction is probably one of the safest methods of ear cleaning, there are no liquids involved, therefore there is no mess and little fuss. It can usually be done the day we see you with no preparation, however, occasionally, it might need two sessions depending on the hardness of the ear wax
Price: £50.00
So if you think you have a problem with ear wax and you think you need your ears cleaned, Matthew is a good place to start. While his centre in based in Hampstead, he offers home visit hearing tests and ear wax removal across London in areas such as St Johns Wood, Mayfair, Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Hampstead, Knightsbridge, Bloomsbury,Belgravia, Kensington, Chelsea, Primrose Hill, Little Venice, Pimlico, Maida Vale, West & South Hampstead and Notting Hill.
Matthew is a really nice chap who is dedicated to delivering real care and attention, if you are looking for hearing aids, a hearing test or just ear cleaning in London, he would not be a bad place to start.
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Study in US and Canada Shows a 50% reduction in the incidence of Chemotherapy related hearing loss
Results of a randomized, controlled, phase 3 study, called ACCL0431, have been published in the early online edition of Lancet Oncology recently. Investigators from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and 37 other Children’s Oncology Group hospitals in the U.S. and Canada have discovered that sodium thiosulfate reduces cisplatin-induced hearing loss in children and adolescents with cancer by close to 50%.
Cisplatin is a chemotherapy medication widely used to treat a variety of cancers in both adults and children. It is an effective therapy although it has been known for some time that as a side effect it causes hearing loss. Cisplatin frequently causes permanent hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), resulting in functional disability for patients who receive it. While hearing loss is a difficulty for anyone, it can cause huge difficulty for young children. It can result in impaired language development, learning and social interactions.
“This federally-funded, cooperative group study is the first to show that cisplatin-induced hearing loss can be reduced by about half in children and adolescents being treated for cancer”. David R. Freyer, DO, MS
The study
For quite a while researchers have been trying to find a way to reduce the ototoxic effects of cisplatin. Up to now the only way to do so was to reduce or eliminate the product, however, to do so could reduce the effectiveness of any treatment. 125 eligible participants between the ages of 1 to 18 years were enrolled in the study over a four year period, each had newly-diagnosed cancer of various types that would be treated with cisplatin.
The study participants were randomized to receive sodium thiosulfate or observation (control) during their chemotherapy regime. Their hearing was assessed before treatment commenced, following completion of the chemotherapy regimen and 1 year later. The investigators reported a significant reduction in the incidence of hearing loss in participants who were treated with cisplatin and sodium thiosulfate.
A reduction of almost half
29% of this group suffered with hearing loss, while 56% of the control group (treated with cisplaatin alone) suffered hearing loss. This is almost a 50% reduction in cisplatin related hearing loss. The study reported that the greatest benefit was seen in children younger than 5 years of age. This group is in fact the most susceptible to, and also most affected by, cisplatin-induced hearing loss.
A change in survival rates
The sodium thiosulfate was tolerated well without any serious adverse events. However, there was some interesting findings in relation to survival rates. Survival rate of participants with localized tumours who were treated with sodium thiosulfate was not affected. However, survival appeared to be lower among those with metastatic disease who received sodium thiosulfate.
At this stage, additional research is needed to determine what role sodium thiosulfate should have in preventing hearing loss in specific subsets of patients being treated with cisplatin and what the mechanism may be for changing survival rates. For now, this is a major first step in reducing or even eliminating chemotherapy related hearing loss.
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For quite a while we have been trying to help people recognise the signs of hearing loss. We have also been trying to encourage people to take action. In an article I wrote called Why You Don’t Need Hearing Aids, The Lies You Tell Yourself, I tried to smash the lies we tell ourselves about our hearing. Some people even called it strident! I thought, but hey, I didn’t call them gobshites once! Anyway, everything we are saying must be true, a recent article in the Daily Mail (Doyen of legitimate English Journalism that it is) says so. But don’t worry, you can continue to put your fingers in your ears and hum to yourself while I explain it to the adults.
The Effect of Hearing Loss on Loved Ones
The article called “Partners of people who are going deaf endure frustration, anger and upset” detailed the effect of untreated hearing loss on the Partners of people suffering it. The article was based on a report from Nottingham University of a review undertaken of 78 separate studies into the effects of hearing loss.
11 of those studies solely concentrated on the feelings of the Partners of people with hearing loss. A further 18 studies focused on the impact of the person with hearing loss and their Partner. The findings were depressingly familiar for me.
Tales of Loss, Frustration & Sadness
The research highlighted that the partners of people losing their hearing endure frustration, anger and upset. All of the familiar complaints were represented, they have to put up with a blaring television. They consistently have to repeat themselves or raise their voice to be heard. One thing caught me by surprise though (see, not all-knowing), the Partners also reported becoming socially isolated.
They spoke about having to attend events alone as their deaf spouse withdraws over fears they will be unable to hear. I have heard this before, but sadly, I never realised the impact on the Partner. Probably because my focus was on the person with hearing loss. But, I am sad I missed it because I know that hearing loss impacts loved ones, I just didn’t realise how deep that impact could be.
While those with hearing loss suffer (needless) embarrassment, worry and fear of rejection. It was clear from the studies that both they and their partners experience frustration, anger and upset. The Partners of people with hearing loss said that acting as an interpreter, handling every telephone call, raising their voice, repeating words and avoiding misunderstandings is exhausting.
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Needless Pain
Why oh why, oh why? Honestly, why? Hearing loss is generally completely treatable, modern hearing aids are pretty damn exceptional. They are easy to use, easy to wear and they pretty much do what they are supposed to. So why would anyone put up with frustration, loss and emotional pain in their life?
Why Would You Inflict it on a Loved One?
Why would you inflict that on a loved one? Honestly, why?
No One Cares
Believe me, when I say it, no one cares about the fact that you may wear hearing aids. I have said it before, hearing loss is not a statement on you, it just is. Not doing something about a hearing loss that is obvious to everyone, is more of a statement on you. Especially if it is causing so much emotional harm.
Truly, is it more embarrassing to be in control of your own ability to communicate or to stumble through life trying to bluff something while everyone knows you have a problem?
Withdrawal and Lost Opportunity
Steve wrote a great article recently, it was called “My life with hearing loss“. In the article, he was very honest about his experiences with hearing loss as he grew up. One of the things that struck me was his sense of lost opportunity and his question of what if? He said
“Looking back, I realise I started to withdraw from group conversations quite a bit, simply because it was the easier to do that than try to follow. I can remember the dread of being in a group and worrying someone might turn to me and say something like, “so, what do you think, Steve?”, to which my only answer could have been, “eh…I have no idea what we are talking about”. I guess some people who knew me back then must have thought I was weird, rude or stupid. I must have answered some people with some things that were totally out of context with what they were saying, I must not have heard a lot of people and misheard a lot more. I also wonder if I would have gotten better grades at school if I’d worn my hearing aids, the grades I left with were decent but could I have done much better?”
Balancing The Voices in Your Head
Steve echoed my own thoughts in the article, I often talk about the voices in your head, the ones who would rob you of your confidence. The wheedly little voices we all know too well. The fact is, that we give them power, they are our own thoughts, not the thoughts of others. He put it eloquently when he said:
“I realise now that it was my own negative thoughts, my own worries that may have held me back in some small things, not my hearing loss, that was just my excuse that I could have easily fixed had I had the self-belief to do so. I should have worn hearing aids at an earlier age, should have embraced it and told everyone I couldn’t hear so well, turns out no-one is really bothered about it, it was just my own concerns. So, I don’t think my life today would be any different if I had perfect hearing, but I could have made the journey a lot easier on myself.”
Life is too important not to be living it
So maybe it is time to make your journey a little easier, oh and cut your Partner some needed slack. Life is too important not to be living it.
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