Rediscover the sounds that make the season
As we enter the joyous time of year that is spring, we wanted to put a spotlight on the importance of having your hearing checked regularly and not missing out on those special sounds of spring. It’s not just the clarity of speech in noisy situations, but the little things in life that one begins to forget exist, such as the sound of birdsong as dawn breaks, or the buzzing of bees as they begin to collect nectar from blossoming plants.
With 11 million people across the UK experiencing some form of hearing loss (that’s around one in six of us) it’s safe to say, you’re not alone.
The most common type of hearing loss, presbycusis, is caused by the auditory system naturally ageing. It’s a gradual process and initially affects the ability to hear high frequency sounds. Because it’s such a gradual process, it often goes unnoticed for long periods of time, with the high pitched sounds such as birdsong disappearing without you realising. This highlights the importance of having regular hearing health checks, enabling our audiologists to spot the first signs of hearing loss sooner rather than later. It’s much like your regular dental check-ups or trips to the opticians – why not look after your ears in the same way you do your teeth and eyes?
Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is most commonly caused by general wear and tear in the inner ear over time, but can also occur as a result of a combination of other contributing factors, such as genetics and prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels.
Action on Hearing Loss, a charity helping people with hearing loss across the UK, states that age-related hearing loss (or presbycusis), is the single biggest cause of hearing loss in the UK, with 42% of people over the age of 50 and 71% of people over the age of 70 experiencing some form of hearing loss.
The sounds of spring
Our ‘Sounds of Spring’ campaign is designed to get people talking about their hearing and reconnecting with the sounds they’re missing out on. It came about as a result of real feedback received from our patients, explaining what a difference we’ve made to their hearing and overall quality of life.
Here’s a snippet from one patient about his experience with us:
“After having my high frequency hearing loss diagnosed with THCP, they explained the significant cognitive loss I had. Everything started to fall into place. They took the time to explain how to manage my new hearing aids & when I started using them it was amazing. I jumped & nearly dropped the phone when it rang in my hand – it was so loud! I carry on a conversation from the kitchen to the living room. I stopped having to say “sorry” or asking people to repeat things & no more strange looks when I totally misheard a question or comment from strangers. Several people have said how much better I look from the time I wore the hearing aids.
Six weeks in & I still get surprises. I could hear a friend’s phone ringing when she couldn’t, and finally, I could not work out what that strange sound was – a sort of fizzing – I don’t remember ever hearing the bubbles in a glass of Prosecco before! Thank you to all the team at THCP for your comprehensive care and service.”
High frequency hearing loss eliminates these sounds, making it hard to hear in social situations where there’s background noise. If you’re struggling to understand your friend’s conversation in a busy coffee shop, you might have some form of hearing loss and need hearing aids.
The next big thing
This is where Oticon’s discreet and rechargeable hearing aids come in. We’re excited to be launching an exciting new Oticon hearing aid this March: Oticon Opn S™, proven to make listening to sounds and conversation around you easier on the brain.
We’re particularly looking forward to introducing these hearing aids into our practices because they enable the Sounds of Spring to come to life, bringing back clarity in speech and the subtle but valuable sounds we start to miss. Oticon Opn S aids are proven to provide better speech understanding with less effort, when faced with busy situations and background noise. They’re the newest members of the Oticon Opn family of aids, providing people with the confidence to take on life with better hearing.
Talk to us
So keep your eyes peeled for the launch date, but in the meantime, if you think you’re experiencing hearing loss or know someone else that may be, book in for a free hearing assessment with your nearest THCP practice today. You can also book online or call us on 0800 52 00 546.