Do I need a hearing aid?

[Alexandra01]

So a while back, a few months at least, I had a severe ear infection and lost my hearing in one ear. I used a hearing aid for a while that my sister had and it really helped. My hearing suddenly came back though so i stopped using it.

(Btw I'm Alexandra, 15 year old student with ASD and other stuff)

I find that I tick the criteria for typical hearing loss, such as needing the volume to be high on a TV, finding it difficult to follow conversations, mishearing words and phrases, being unable to hear properly with background noise, etc. And I think a hearing aid might help make things clearer even though I don't think I have hearing loss.

However, too much sound for me can make my migraines worse and trigger headaches and make my anxiety worse. So it feels like a balancing act between trying to hear people and making sure things aren't overwhelming.

Should I use a hearing aid? or are there other ways of improving my hearing, generally. Thanks!

[MarkS]

Hi Alexandra, I would get your hearing tested first. You can either get that done through the NHS (sometimes they also have arrangements with Specsavers). Your GP can refer you. Or you can get it done through the High Street chains (Boots, etc.). If you need hearing aids they would be free on the NHS but are reasonable quality, but would be quite expensive privately, though you have more choice. The testers would then be able to advise you whether you need them.

I found hearing aids helped a lot with listening to conversations and they don't make things too loud. I think they cut out above a certain loudness. I take them out anyway for concerts, etc.

[Ruby1]

Hi Alexandra

Firstly I would say it’s really not recommended to try other people’s aids. You could damage your hearing that way and I was specifically told not to do it. Aids are personalised to boost the frequencies that you are missing.

If your sister has an aid, there may be a family tendency to hearing loss - there is in mine and I wear two aids, though I could probably manage with one.

Go to your doctor and they will arrange a free test and aids if necessary on the NHS.

You have to wear them all the time (well most of the time) so your brain gets used to them and starts to filter out the extra crashes and clangs you don’t want - they seem really loud at first!

Mine do make a difference in a crowded room but it is no miracle cure and they don’t make me hear as if I had no loss. There is a volume control - both up and down! And of course you could turn them off if you have a migraine. I turn mine off sometimes and my first aids felt overwhelmingly loud so they changed them. I have different ones now.

So get yourself along to your GP and if you need them, the wonderful NHS will help you.

Best of luck.

[MickeyJoints]

Hi Alexandra,

As mentioned, using another person's hearing aids is not a good idea. That you did and found them useful is I think, interesting.

One thing I try to explain to people, is that hearing aids are 'aids' - they help but are not like glasses that correct vision. A walking stick does not help people to walk, only be more stable while they walk.

Get a hearing test! Really, do that. The NHS ones I got about six months ago replaced my old NHS ones and the difference is noticeable. You may get better performance with a privately supplied one but they are expensive.

Good luck - I hope you find a solution that works for you.

MJ