World Hearing Day, 3rd of March, is a reminder of the importance of taking care of our hearing. Millions of people worldwide experience hearing loss, impacting their daily lives. In this blog post, we meet Ray, a patient of Michelle Esparon, our in-house audiologist. Ray shares his personal journey with hearing loss and how getting hearing aids has made a positive difference for him.
Ray, before you started using hearing aids, what challenges did you face in your daily life due to hearing loss?
I was not actually fully aware I had a problem, my wife had sometimes said I wasn’t hearing things or the music was too loud. I saw my GP when I felt my left ear was blocked, and was referred to a specialist who found nothing. He suggested a hearing test. I’d never had one. Luckily for me, Michelle Esparon was at the practice and available.
What made you decide to seek help from an audiologist, and what were your initial expectations?
So I was just there, no expectations, mainly thinking I didn’t have any hearing loss.
Can you describe the process of getting fitted for hearing aids by Michelle? Was it smooth and informative?
Michelle explained the process, how she’d test me, a very clear outline of what she was about to do. It went very smoothly with Michelle explaining clearly all the steps. She discovered I did have hearing loss at the higher levels, and put in place the process for me to get aids. When they arrived Michelle took me through how to use them, how to connect via Bluetooth to my phone.
How have hearing aids impacted your daily life?
I noticed several things over the next few days. I could easily hear the higher tones while playing music for instance. However the big surprise was when I went down to collect our mail. I wondered what I was hearing, it was the rustling of leaves in a gentle wind, a wonderful sound.
What advice would you give to someone who is experiencing hearing loss but hesitant to seek help or consider hearing aids?
My advice to anyone reluctant to take the step and get assessed is simple, you will be doing yourself, your family, your friends, a very big favour. You will discover sounds that will enthrall you, you will not feel left out of conversations, you will manage the sound levels via your phone to enable you to cope with any situation. I wear mine from the moment I get up in the morning until I’m preparing for bed at night, have not missed a day over three years since getting the aids.
World Hearing Day is all about raising awareness and advocating for better hearing health. In your opinion, what are some important points people should understand about hearing loss and its impact?
If you have hearing loss, you are losing part of yourself, your being, possibly the ability to live and enjoy a full life. There is no shame whatsoever in wearing hearing aids, the ones I wear are relatively hard to see. Yes, there might be some discomfort at first when you try them, but that passes. The main, very minor issue, is my ears sometimes get a bit itchy, simple as that. Perseverance will pay off.
Can you share a funny anecdote about an experience you’ve had since using hearing aids?
I’ve found in noisy restaurants or cafes I can lower the volume to exclude the sound of banging cutlery and plates. Something I don’t do, I promise (fingers crossed), is turn the volume down so I can’t hear my wife talking to me. I don’t need to resort to that, I just tune myself out as usual, not the hearing aids.
Ray’s story is an inspiring example of how overcoming hearing loss can improve your quality of life. If you suspect you or someone you know might be experiencing hearing loss, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment for a hearing evaluation. Early detection and intervention are key to managing hearing loss and living a full and connected life. Contact Atticus Audiology today to learn more about our comprehensive hearing services and take the first step towards better hearing.
