Re-tune your hearing for summertime
NOW SUMMER is here, our thoughts are turning to life outdoors — in the garden, a park, the countryside or even abroad. And sound plays a major part. Our children or grandchildren at play, a breeze rustling the leaves, the burbling of a stream, birdsong and even the gentle putter of a grass cutter, all tell us winter has given way to summer. But just as the gardener ensures his lawnmower is checked and ready to keep the grass in trim, it is time for us to give our ears a service.
“The most common form of hearing loss happens gradually,” says Nathan Gluck, a north London hearing-aid audiologist, “and we rarely realise it has happened, until a loved one points out the tell-tale signs, like the TV volume being turned up, or the fact you are always asking them to repeat what they’ve said.” By this time, the patient will have forgotten they used to be able to hear everyday sounds such as birdsong and will blame their inability to hear clearly on others’ mumbling.
“I’ve even had clients who no longer enjoy social gatherings with family and friends because they can’t hear properly in a noisy environment like a restaurant,” says Gluck. Untreated hearing loss can cause ill health, by leading to deliberate social isolation.
A summer hearing check starts with a conversation; the audiologist will discuss your hearing and, if needed, arrange an assessment. First will be a visual check of the ear canal, using an otoscope. Some hearing loss can be due to a build-up of wax, which prevents sound from reaching the eardrum. If this is the case, wax can be removed by gentle micro-suction. Sometimes the results are dramatic and the patient It is well worth consulting an audiologist and getting to grips with your hearing problems
can hear normally once more. If not, the audiologist can prescribe from a wide range of hearing aids to amplify the sound frequencies identified as your less-well-heard areas.
“Hearing-aid technology has improved beyond belief even since I started in practice,” says Gluck. “The latest addition to our range, the Pure 13 BT primax, made by Siemens, is the
first hearing aid in the world to use Bluetooth to benefit hearing. When you are talking to someone in a noisy environment, the instrument focuses on what the other person is saying, making the background noise unobtrusive and, when at home, it can be connected directly to the TV, to stream the sound to your hearing aids. It can be controlled by a phone app, allowing
you to increase the volume, take phone calls or play music from the phone direct to the aids.”
Gluck’s summer hearing check includes advice on precautions when swimming, to avoid ear infections. For those heading for a music festival, he can suggest ear protection that will not affect your enjoyment. Bring your hearing world to life this summer.