Living With Hearing Loss

Some May think being in a wheelchair or missing a limb one of the worst forms of disability, but for me losing my hearing is high up on my list, as music is for me a way to not think of pain, or hearing a bird song or a babies cry. 

Most who can hear don't even think of deafness or partial hearing as a disability, as people who are don't seem to let it ruin their lives or hold them back in any way.

In our world there are many things to help, signing, lip reading as well as hearing aids and lots of other assisted hearing tools available.

Here are just some of the assisted hearing aids out there 

• Alerting devices. These devices alert you to a particular sound (such as the doorbell, a ringing telephone, or a baby monitor) by using louder sounds, lights, or vibrations to get your attention.
• Television closed-captioning. Television closed-captioning makes it easier to watch television by showing the words at the bottom of the screen so that you can read them. Most newer TVs have a closed-captions option.
• Text messaging. You can type messages and send them from your mobile device to someone else's.
• TTY (text telephone). A TTY (also called TDD, or telecommunication device for the deaf) allows you to type messages back and forth on the telephone instead of talking or listening. When messages are typed on the TTY keyboard, the information is sent over the phone line to a receiving TTY and shown on a monitor. A telecommunications relay service (TRS) makes it possible to call from a phone to a TTY or vice versa.

Analogue or digital

Analogue and digital hearing aids look very similar, but they process sound differently.

Analogue aids amplify electronic signals, while digital aids use a tiny computer to process sound. This means it is possible to customise the aid to suit your hearing loss very precisely. Many digital aids can be programmed with different settings for different sound environments, for example a quiet living room or a crowded restaurant. Some even switch settings automatically to suit the environment.

Digital hearing aids are designed to reduce background noise, which makes listening in noisy places more comfortable. They are also less likely to 'whistle', or give feedback.

Digital hearing aids on the NHS are available as standard on the NHS. This was not always the case – and we played a large part in Making It Happen(external link, opens new window). Our large-scale lobbying campaign saw members send 50,000 letters to MPs and helped persuade the NHS to increase funding for audiology services, especially the provision of digital hearing aids.

Behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids

BTE aids have an earmould that fits snugly inside your ear, while the rest of the aid rests behind your ear. Some models have twin microphones, which let you switch between all-round sound and a more directional setting that helps you focus on what you want to hear in noisy places.

BTE hearing aids with 'open ear fitting' have a small, soft earpiece at the tip of the tubing instead of an earmould. This type of fitting can be less noticeable than an earmould but is only suitable if your hearing loss is mild or moderate. It can give you a very natural sound.

Receiver in the ear (RITE) hearing aids

Receiver in-the-ear (RITE) (or loudspeaker in-the-ear) aids are often smaller than BTE aids because some part of the device sits inside the ear. Like open ear BTEs, they can be easier to put in than an earmould if you find fiddly tasks awkward.

There are different RITE hearing aids for different levels of hearing loss. If your hearing loss is severe, you may need a type where the receiver sits in an earmould.

In the ear (ITE) hearing aids

These fit entirely into your ear. The working parts are either in a small compartment clipped to the earmould or inside the moulded part itself. ITE aids tend to need repairing more often than BTE aids.

Completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids

These are even smaller than ITE aids, so they are less visible. They are unlikely to be suitable if you have severe hearing loss or frequent ear infections.

Body worn hearing aids

These have a small box that you clip to your clothes or put in your pocket. This is connected by a lead to the earphone. Some people find the controls less fiddly than those on smaller hearing aids. Some body-worn aids are very powerful.

Bone conduction hearing aids

These are for people with conductive hearing loss or people who can't wear conventional hearing aids. They deliver sound through the skull via vibrations. Find out more about them in pur factsheet Bone conduction hearing aids(PDF 368, opens new window).

So there seems to be lots of help out there for people with full or partial hearing loss, but those who are fine, and can hear well shouldn't accept that, I think sign language should be taught as a standard language, it is a universal language that seems to cross all borders. With so many people with hearing problems why is the owners on them to fit in rather than everyone learning to sign, seems a simple answer that would make people feel more part of communities.