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Hello,

I was hoping someone can help me understand my hearing test results.

I am a 27 years old and have been finding it very hard to hear people when in crowded places or if two or three people are talking in close proximity to me whole trying to have a conversation. I also struggle to hear my wife when she is in a seperate room to me at home.

I spoke to a GP about this last year who said it was probably due to Covid and not being used to social interactions in busy environments or ear wax build up.

I duly visited a wax removal clinic who confirmed my ears were “super” clean.

I have persevered to no avail and went for a hearing test at spec savers today.

The lady confirmed that I have “hearing loss” and it is consistent with the issues I say that I am struggling with.

She said that due to my age I should probably wait a few years and come back for a review or speak to my gp again.

I have been given a print out and well it is like reading double dutch to me.

Please could someone kindly review and let me know if I would likely benefit from trying to obtain a referal from my GP to audiology?

The top line is my left ear, bottom is my right.

Thanks,

Cam

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13 people in this conversation12 min readJump to latest

That looks like a screening, not a comorehensive test. It’s a relatively uncommon configuration m, particularly for your age. What was the testing room like? Was it sound treated? That pseudo-test indicates your hearing on the lower end of normal (25dB or better). I’d suggest getting a proper assessment at an audiology clinic (rather than a screening) before thinking about hearing aids.

That is a very mild loss, but as you are struggling, I would go and see your GP and explain the issue. They would refer you to an audiologist who will go into a lot more depth with checking your hearing, and then they will perhaps either issue an hearing aid if they feel that you will benefit from then, or maybe call you back in 6 to 12 months time to see if it has changed.

@Neville yes in the UK we need to go to our GP first to get a referral on the NHS. If we want to go private then we can just ring and book the audiologist directly that way.

In reply to @Louie

The testing room was a little side room which just looked like a standard office to me. I was given a set of headphones to wear and the lady played several different bleeps via an iPad.

I just really struggle in environments with background noise, an example would be the cafe at work when sat with a few colleagues. I can’t understand what they are saying yet they all appear to be in a full flowing conversations and not struggling due to the background noise. It feels as if they are all mumbling.

@user513 an indepth hearing test is conducted in a sound booth so no sounds can enter. They usually do a bone conduction test first and then they will do the hearing test which takes around 10-15 minutes. The Specsavers audiologist you went to, does not take on NHS patients by any chance? I would still go to the GP. Do it as soon as possible because audiology referral can take months.

Thanks for all the replies. I was feeling slightly lost with it all but the responses have been super helpful and reassuring.

I have phoned my GP and have been advised that the next appointment is in six weeks time. It looks like I have a long road ahead of me.

Does anyone know of any good UK providers and the associated cost of paying private? I have no doubt the NHS service is very good, just the exceptionally long waiting times.

@user513 said:

Does anyone know of any good UK providers and the associated cost of paying private? I have no doubt the NHS service is very good, just the exceptionally long waiting times.

With such a long wait with NHS and also with a such a mild loss, the hospital likely won’t give out hearing aids to you.

My friend has a 20 to 25 dB loss and our hospital has said no to hearing aids.

I like Paul at www.hab.online in terms of cost for hearing aids.

Hearing Aids | Accessories | Ear Wax Removal | HAB Hearing8

HAB Hearing are an independent hearing aid and accessories supplier. We also perform ear wax removal at our state of the art audiology clinic

Good feedback. I was wondering what the odds were that NHS would offer aids for such an apparently mild loss.

@Zebras considering mild hearing loss doubles the risk of dementia, it is crazy that they would not treat it but then again, I did read somewhere quite a few months ago (forgot where the source is now) that NHS will most likely supply 1 hearing aid instead of 2. I am not knocking them, my audiology clinic have been fab but it does not surprise me that they are starting to cut corners.

It’s hard cause the NHS has limited resources and have to choose wether to give a pair of aids to someone with an extremely mild loss like this guy or to someone with a more moderate hearing loss. I wonder wether it’s possible to create a much smaller less powerful and less expensive hearing aids solely for such mild losses so more powerful aids aren’t given away unnecessarily.

So true that hearing loss can lead to a higher likely hood of getting Dementia. I work in a residential home for the elderly and so some of them are so deaf and have mild Alzheimer’s and I do sometimes wonder wether an early intervention with hearing aids could have prevented this?

@Phoebe

@craftycrocheter

Pretty sure it’s down to money.

My Grandma only got one despite having quite a serious hearing loss. My Dad asked why, their response was, she doesn’t have long. She was 90 years old. 🫨 She died at 96 years old.

Quality of life is more important, surely! That is very ageist. It also made me feel guilty that I chose to be unaided for so many years when I was given hearing aids free of charge, that could have gone to somebody else who would happily wear them. I am more than happy wearing them now and will not be without them… I just wish I had the same mindset that I have now, 20 years ago! Perhaps the OP will benefit going private for now while the loss is still mild. The essential range at Boots is £600 @user513 which may be more than enough for your very mild loss. Specsavers may have the same deal as well.

Thank you, I will take a look at Boots. I am more than happy to pay privately. Spec Savers advised me to ask for a refferal from my GP due to my age which I found odd.

I would either benefit from some form of aid or i wouldn’t, seems to my untrained eye as a simple decision to make. The appointment was rather rushed and I probably wouldn’t recommend my local spec savers store.

You are young that is probably why… nothing to do with age related hearing loss. It is not common to start losing your hearing now unless you have been exposed to loud noises over a period of time? Maybe another issue causing it? Have you been ill or anything prior to realising you cannot really hear as well as you used to? It says on the NICE guidelines when a doctor needs to refer you

Recommendations | Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management | Guidance...4

This guideline covers some aspects of assessing and managing hearing loss in primary, community and secondary care. It aims to improve the quality of life for adults with hearing loss by advising healthcare staff on assessing hearing difficulties,...

In reply to @user513

does anyone in your family have a hearing loss? I’m 18 and have a genetic hearing loss 3 out of 4 of us in my household wear aids and it stretches far back. None of us were born deaf we all started to slowly lose our hearing as children then it progressive till there’s none left. Don’t wanna scare you but I wonder if its the start of a genetic loss as its very similar to what I would have started out as ?

In reply to @craftycrocheter

It is something I have complained about for the last few years. My GP put it down to lockdown and my brain/ears not being used to busy environments such as offices etc. As time has gone on, it hasn’t got any better.

No illness or ailments that may have effected it (as far as I know). I have worked in various industries since the age of 16, some worse then others (construction being one of them).

My father had hearing loss (never diagnosed) but we woould often have to shout for him to hear us. He had been like that ever since I could remember but we all put it down to his life time working on the tools for various construction firms.

I was rather shocked and a little emotinal when I did a few online tests and my wife confirmed she could hear what to me was silence.

In reply to @craftycrocheter

@craftycrocheter said:

Quality of life is more important, surely! That is very ageist.

NHS is only interested in how much money they still have.

When I had NHS ear moulds, if I tried to get ear moulds in February or March, I was always told no, I would have to wait until April when the new budget came through.

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