It’s estimated that there are 4 million people with hearing loss in the UK who could benefit from wearing a hearing aid but who don’t wear one.
According to Action on Hearing Loss audiology specialist, Crystal Rolfe, many people are put off by the idea of wearing hearing aids because they think they are unsightly and that they will make them look old and disabled.
"There’s still a stigma surrounding hearing aids, but it’s out of date. Modern hearing aids are a great improvement on those that were available even a couple of decades ago.
"Today’s digital hearing aids work better than the older analogue ones, and they’re much smaller and neater than they used to be. We need a new attitude to hearing aids. Wearing them should be as unremarkable as wearing glasses," she says.
The benefits
A hearing aid works by enhancing your existing hearing to make sounds louder and clearer (although it rarely restores hearing to normal). As long as you have some level of hearing, you should hear better with a hearing aid.
According to a Deafness Research UK survey, people who use hearing aids are generally very satisfied with them. Over half of those questioned described being fitted with a hearing aid as "a relief" and most of them felt their lives had improved because they "felt more involved".
What’s on offer
There are different types of hearing aid offering different advantages, depending on size, levels of amplification and design. They are all battery operated and the main types are ‘in the ear’ (which sit in the outer ear), ‘behind the ear’ and ‘in the canal’ (which sit in the ear canal).
Some hearing aids are digital and some are analogue. Some analogue hearing aids can be digitally programmed. Deafness Research UK explains the differences between digital and analogue hearing aids.
Read more about the different types of hearing aid.
NHS or private?
You can get hearing aids free of charge on the NHS or you can choose to buy them privately.
It's likely that you'll have a wider choice of aids if you buy them privately. But make sure you're not steered towards one or two particular models, as it may be that there are cheaper models that will suit your needs just as well.
The NHS buys a range of hearing aids and uses its bulk-buying power to get good-quality digital hearing aids at low prices from hearing aid manufacturers. The audiology departments provide these aids free of charge on long-term loan to NHS patients.
According to Crystal Rolfe, most people will find that the NHS has the type of hearing aid they want.
“The NHS has high-quality digital hearing aids up to the top of the mid-range. For most situations, they perform very well and the waiting time to get one is short," she says.
The latest data shows the average waiting time between referral and treatment (which usually results in being given a hearing aid) to be around four or five weeks on the NHS.
Read more about how to get a hearing aid through the NHS.
Your hearing aid fitting
Your hearing aid will be chosen according to your level of hearing loss. The audiology staff will programme it with the computer to suit your needs. They will show you how to use the hearing aid and discuss looking after it with you.
Hearing aids provided by the NHS usually fit behind the ear. They have an earmould that connects to the hearing aid and fits in your ear. However, open-fitting hearing aids are now also fitted routinely on the NHS, which can be less visible than earmoulds and can give you a more natural sound, but they are only suitable if your hearing loss is mild or moderate.
You should have an appointment about eight to 12 weeks after your hearing aid is fitted so you can ask questions and sort out any problems. The staff will check how helpful you have found your hearing aid in different situations and may make adjustments to the earmould or hearing aid.
Hearing aids as fashion
Crystal says that people may be surprised by the range and cutting-edge design of the hearing aids available on the NHS. “Not only are modern digital hearing aids widely available on the NHS, the health service is also starting to provide the latest tiny ‘in-the-ear’ devices."
Even brightly coloured models are available on the NHS for people who want to make a feature of their hearing aid.
“When you have your fitting for an NHS hearing aid, you’ll normally be shown the standard selection of beige and brown ones in the cabinet. These are designed to blend in with your skin tone and look discreet. But if you want to make a feature of your hearing aid, just ask, as there’s often a wider choice of colours available, such as silver. If the clinic doesn’t have the colour you want in stock, it can be ordered for you,” says Rolfe.
There is also jewellery available designed to beautify hearing aids, known as the ‘Hearrings’ collection. Created by an audiologist, these are ornate pieces designed to fit into the ear and mask the hearing aid.
Hearing aid support
Action on Hearing Loss: Hearing aid support consists of community-based projects across the UK where trained volunteers, many of whom have hearing loss themselves, show people how to get the best performance from their NHS hearing aids. The volunteers help people to carry out basic maintenance on their hearing aid, such as replacing tubing and batteries, as well as giving advice on equipment that can make life easier in the workplace and at home.
Find hearing impairment services in your area.
