Hearing problems are a nuisance and unnecessary

MARBURG - It starts with questions being asked over and over again. Before long, the volume of the television is turned up far too loud. Soon it is clear that a person is suffering from a hearing loss.

Loss of hearing is not only problematic for the individual, but for those around them. Suddenly, a radio in the background becomes so distracting that conversation is impossible. After a while, the sufferer cannot talk to several people at the same time as he cannot distinguish the different voices.

“Being hard of hearing is a creeping process that one often does not notice,” says Martina Stein-Lesniak of the Marburg-based Organization for Good Hearing (FGH). Early measures are often necessary to keep the situation under control. Often this means turning to technical aids.

“Losing some hearing is an ageing process that happens to just about every person. Some do not experience until they are 60. Others have it when they are 40,” says Michael Deeg of the German Professional Society for Ear-Nose-Throat Doctors in Neumunster. Eyesight fails too.

Aids still not accepted

But while spectacles are accepted and often treated as stylish accessories, hearing aids are still considered a nuisance, and poor hearing is a clear sign of ageing.

“It is embarrassing for many people and they think ’I’m not all that old yet,’” said Stein-Lesniak. “The English word ’deaf’ and the German word for dumb ’doof’ have the same linguistic roots. Thus, they often are associated with each other,” says Deeg. Just 100 years ago, deaf people were often branded crazy and sent off to sanatoriums.

The earlier hearing damage or auditory problems are detected, the easier it becomes to deal with the problem.

“We recommend that people get regular sound and speech hearing tests, beginning as early as 40,” said Stein-Lesniak. These tests can be administered by ear-nose-throat doctors or by hearing aid specialists. About 60 per cent of those specialists in Germany have formed the FGH.

“Hearing is a function of the brain. If one is hard of hearing, the brain forgets how to interpret the audio signals,” explains Stein-Lesniak. That is why many people have such difficulties with hearing aids. It does not help that vanity forces many people to forgo the aids.

“Those who opt for technical hearing assistance, should know that hearing aids are different from glasses, which restore perfect vision properly.” That is one of the warnings listed in the pamphlet “Hear better again.” The pamphlet was authored by the expert Elke Bruser for a consumer goods testing organization (Stiftung Warentest - a foundation that tests products) in Berlin and the Consumer Centre of North Rhein Westfalia in Dusseldorf.

Adapting takes patience

“Adapting to a hearing aid takes patience. And the adaptation process has to be done step by step, never all at once at full strength,” says Stein-Lesniak. “The work on the hearing system is very complex and takes a long time,” adds Deeg. He says it is similar to a new pair of glasses, which can cause disorientation at first as people get used to their new vision.

Complaints from people new to hearing aids about malfunctioning devices, beeping sounds or no improvement in hearing, for example have become more rare, according to experts.

“Hearing aids have long since become high-end apparatuses, combining the best technology with comfort,” says Deeg. The one size fits all approach with less than aesthetic flesh-coloured devices is a thing of the past, as designers have created more stylish pieces

“Some are as small as the earplugs for a Walkman or a mobile phone. Others go around the ear,” said Stein-Lesniak.

Depending upon one’s medical background and individual hearing needs, not to mention aesthetic considerations, hearing aids can cost between 350 and 2,000 euro (423 to 2,415 dollars).

“Insurers will cover the fixed expense, just like for glasses, even though it costs more,” says Stein-Lesniak and recommends that patients make sure that their doctors and their audio technicians cooperate.

“Normally, a doctor prescribes a device and sends the medical data to the audiologist.” After a fitting, the patient should visit the doctor again so that he can check whether the system is working without problems. “Then hearing is usually restored and life is fun again for the patient and their friends and family,” says Stein- Lesniak.

DPA

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