"When you lose your vision you lose contact with things but when you lose your hearing, you lose contact with people" - Helen Keller
Understanding Your Personal Hearing
Everyone's hearing is personal. No two people hear exactly the same way. Shaped by age, lifestyle, health and the environments we live in and the things we do all affect how well we hear. If you feel that your hearing is not as good as it used to be we receommend getting it tested which will establish a base line.
Our goal is to help you understand your unique hearing profile so you can make confident decisions about your hearing health and enjoy clearer, more comfortable listening. Understanding your hearing is the first step towards better communication, emotional and social well-being and quality of life.
How Hearing Works
Sound waves are captured by your outer ear, travel through the ear canal, vibrate the eardrum, and are amplified by the middle ear bones before reaching the inner ear where thousands of tiny hair cells turn sounds into signals your brain understands.
When To Have Your Hearing Checked
Changes in hearing often happen gradually.
You might notice that:
- Conversations sound muffled or less clear than they used to
- One asks more often others to repeat themselves
- Having difficulty hearing women and smal children clearly because they are either higher pitched or softly spoken or both
- One is becoming more aware of struggling to hear and follow speech and conversations in noisy places
- The volume of your television or radio is fine for you but too loud for others to join you
If any of these sound familiar it is an indicator and maybe time for a hearing check. Hearing loss can be gradual and is often hard to accept. Even small changes in hearing can affect confidence, relationships, and safety - especially when living alone. So it is worth getting it tested for establishing a base line and then checked regularly as part of your personal on-going hearing health.
We are taking an individual approach to every client. We listen carefully to your experiences and concerns, then guide you through the next best steps. Whether your hearing is perfectly healthy or needing some extra support, we are here to help you stay connected and confident.
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How Hearing Works
Sound waves are captured by your outer ear, travel through the ear canal, vibrate the eardrum, and are amplified by the middle ear bones before reaching the inner ear where thousands of tiny hair cells turn sounds into signals your brain understands.
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Signs Your Hearing May Have Changed - What does it mean?
Signs your hearing may have changed can occur at any age and time in our life. It occurs when there is a breakdown somewhere along the auditory pathway, making it challenging to hear all sounds, and more importantly, correct interpretation of a conversation when communicating with other people.
For many people hearing loss is a slow and gradual process over many years, and in the early stages most of us are not aware that they have hearing loss. The worst part about hearing loss is that it may not be obvious to you unless you notice a sudden change in your hearing. In many cases, individuals are unable to tell that they are suffering from hearing loss, while their friends and family can.
For example, when in conversation with you, they may have to repeat themselves more than once. They comment that your television volume is always turned up significantly louder than they would prefer, while being in the room with you, or they say that you often don't hear the knock on the door or the doorbell ringing.
Hearing loss, if untreated, can lead to anxiety, stress and depression, all impacting on your confidence, social life, personal relationships and personal well-being. Many people try to cope with their hearing loss for as long as they can. On average it takes up to seven years before individuals actively seek help.