‘I hear new SOUNDS every day’
After living with hearing loss, Lynne Kingston, 56, is now embracing a more noisy world
I’ve struggled to hear for years, but was mostly unaware what I was missing. It became more obvious during my early 40s and there has been a further decline in my hearing over the past 10 years.
I have moderate hearing loss in both ears, which means I don’t hear low tones and struggle to pick up conversations – particularly men’s voices. My children are now in their 20s but they’d point out my hearing as they were growing up. My daughter speaks softly so I’d often miss things she’d say – especially if she had her back to me. They’d get frustrated and urged me to do something about it.
I didn’t admit to anyone that I had a problem because I believed I could live with it. Other people probably noticed it more than me – I’d constantly be saying ‘pardon’ or asking others to repeat themselves. I learnt to lip-read and made sure I was always face-to-face with someone. I would avoid loud, crowded situations, however, as I knew I’d have no chance of keeping up with a conversation.
Phone calls were problematic too. I’d put my mobile on loudspeaker and full volume when taking a call. My family would regularly tell me to stop shouting. The result of mishearing conversations could either be funny or embarrassing, but I muddled through for a long time.
When I did eventually see my GP he
‘I feel like I’ve joined a different world’
referred me to an audiologist. It was then that I discovered the extent of my hearing loss and I learnt that it wouldn’t improve. The audiologist told me that a possible cause could be a virus that I’d had when I was younger. I remembered that I’d been very poorly with measles and he said this undoubtedly would have impacted my hearing.
but promptly took it out, as I found it bulky and painful, the noise was overwhelming, and I was self-conscious of how it looked. I also felt that by committing myself to using hearing aids, I was accepting that my hearing would never return. I had to make peace with this.
But technology is constantly
tested, I looked into more modern hearing aids and found the one I wear now. I had the cost to consider, but my husband and I agreed it was worth it. And the difference is truly amazing.
A small cone goes into my inner ear and a tiny wire comes up behind my ear – and I matched the device to my hair colour, so it’s not really noticeable. Saying that, we’ve got used to seeing people wearing tiny earphones for music, so I needn’t worry. I can now adjust my hearing aid on an app so it’s suited to my environment.
such as the wind when I’m outside, or the noise in a busy cafe if I need to focus on a conversation.
I now experience things that I couldn’t hear before. I don’t have to carry my phone in my hand because I can hear it ringing, and I no longer need to lip-read – I would have struggled with that now that people are wearing masks. Every day I’m surprised
walking, or my sister’s dog splashing through puddles, and I’m constantly asking my husband ‘What’s that noise?’ I feel like I’ve joined a different world.