"My hearing airs are so small you can't see them"
Businesswoman Christine Thompson has grown in confidence thanks to hearing aids that are so small they are barely noticeable.
Dynamic Christine loves the fact that the devices have helped her at work and play —and look the part too.
"My hearing aids are so small you can't see them, even though I have short hair," she says.
With husband Mike, Christine runs a business called Group Solution Marketing, which specialises in promoting a range of Aloe Vera natural health products. Her hearing problems began after she turned 50 and became more noticeable at work.
"I started noticing that things did not seem as clear — I was having trouble hearing people on the phone as well as in meetings," she says. She decided to take action after she was due to speak at a presentation and encountered problems.
"For the first time ever I could not hear any of the speakers for the entire evening, it was so frustrating not being able to follow what people were saying in an important meeting," site says. Her GP referred Christine to an NHS hearing clinic but she was left unimpressed with the hearing aids provided.
"The test did not seem very thorough and I did not like the hearing aids I was given at all," she says. "They only helped marginally with my hearing and were uncomfortable and unsightly."
Everything changed when she made an appointment with Amplifon. "There is no doubt that consultation transformed my life," she says. "The level of service was incredible. My audiologist Anna went into the history of my hearing problems and took the time to explain everything. The moment I put in the new hearing aids I could hear everything better. I was so happy I burst into tears."
Her working life soon became much easier thanks to the devices, giving her more comfort and confidence. "I can chat to clients more easily and am able to contribute more in meetings," she says. "I can also use the hearing aids with my smartphone and switch to different settings like party mode— it has done wonders for my social life as it helps to shut out the background noise so I can hear what individual people are saying."
Christine has also been impressed with the level of aftercare from Amplifon. She adds: "I went in recently and Anna was able to identify some particular issues I was having in my right ear and adjusted my hearing aids accordingly.
I would definitely recommend Amplifon. My hearing aids have done wonders for my confidence and given me freedom again."