What to Do If You Are Losing Your Hearing

By Your Health Magazine Contributor

Your Health Magazine Contributor

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What to Do If You Are Losing Your Hearing

If you think you are losing your hearing, the most important thing to do is get your hearing checked.

Speak to your GP or arrange an appointment with a hearing specialist, such as an audiologist. They can test your hearing, identify possible causes and advise you on the right treatment or support. If your hearing loss has happened suddenly, seek urgent medical advice rather than waiting to see if it improves.

Hearing loss is common, but that does not mean you should simply put up with it. More than 18 million people in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, and more than half of people aged 55 and over have hearing loss.

Recognising the signs of hearing loss

Hearing loss can happen gradually, making it difficult to notice at first. You may find yourself asking people to repeat themselves, turning the television up louder or struggling to follow conversations when there is background noise.

Other signs include difficulty hearing on the telephone, missing sounds such as doorbells or alarms, or feeling tired after concentrating hard to follow conversations.

It is worth taking these signs seriously. RNID reports that only 6% of people surveyed had their hearing checked in the previous year, despite almost 90% saying that their hearing was important to them.

Visit a hearing specialist

A hearing specialist can carry out a hearing test to establish how well you can hear different sounds. Depending on your symptoms, you may also have other tests to help identify the cause of your hearing loss.

You can speak to your GP, who may refer you to an audiologist or ENT specialist. In some cases, hearing tests are also available through pharmacies and opticians.

Your hearing loss could have a straightforward cause, such as earwax or an ear infection, or it may be related to other ear, nose, or throat conditions.

In other cases, it may be permanent. Getting professional advice is the best way to understand what is happening and what options are available.

What if you have suddenly lost your hearing?

Sudden hearing loss should not be ignored. The NHS advises seeking urgent medical advice if you suddenly lose hearing in one or both ears, or if your hearing has become worse over a few days or weeks.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can sometimes require urgent treatment. If you notice a sudden change in your hearing, contact your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible.

Do not assume that the problem is simply earwax and wait for it to clear.

Protect your hearing from further damage

If your hearing loss is linked to loud noise, it is important to reduce your exposure where possible. This could include wearing suitable hearing protection at work, turning down loud music and moving away from very noisy environments.

Noise can cause permanent hearing damage, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says employers have a duty to protect workers from excessive workplace noise.

Could you be entitled to compensation?

If you have lost some or all of your hearing because of the job you do, you could be eligible for compensation.

This may apply to people who have worked for years in noisy environments, such as factories, construction sites, engineering, manufacturing or other industries where loud machinery was regularly used.

Notably, there have been thousands of soldiers and veterans who have lost their hearing due to their work environment. Exposure to loud environments involving gunfire, aircraft, and machinery can contribute to hearing loss, and compensation may be available in some cases through military deafness claims.

Work-related hearing loss can have a lasting effect on your life, so it is worth finding out whether your circumstances could support a claim. You may also be entitled to benefits in some circumstances. The rules can be complicated, so consider speaking to a solicitor or specialist adviser who can assess your individual situation.

Do not ignore your hearing

Losing your hearing can affect conversations, work, relationships and everyday activities, but there is support available.

The first step is to arrange a hearing assessment and speak to a hearing specialist. Finding out the cause of your hearing loss means you can explore appropriate treatment, hearing aids, communication support or other options.

If you believe your hearing was damaged because of your work, you should also consider whether you could be entitled to compensation. Getting professional advice early can help you understand your options and take the next step with confidence.

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