HEARING AWARENESS FEATURE
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T ATTEMPT TO FIX YOUR OWN HEARING AID
To hear life, listen with care By Tracey Johnstone
H
earing loss is part of the ageing process, but it doesn’t need to define you if you take hold of it rather than ignore it and just battle on regardless. There are safe hearing strategies you can use that can ease the discomfort of hearing loss. Tell the people you are talking with that you struggle with your hearing. Ask them to face you when talking and speak normally. And if you still miss what is being said, tell the speaker and ask them to repeat their words. Try not to worry when you don’t hear everything being said. Instead, focus on the theme and then piece together the conversation content. Where possible reduce the background noise by choosing a place to sit that is away from loud noises. Try to reduce the time you wear headphones. They are part of our daily lives when listening to music or talking on the phone but limiting their use can go some way to protecting your hearing. But for noise cancelling headphones, they can be useful for reducing the noise when you are in loud environments such as when travelling
in a bus or train. If all this still leaves you frustrated and tired from the effort, then it’s time you sought the advice of a hearing expert. They can show you what options there are for making your life a lot more enjoyable. For people who have in the past been exposed to loud noise in nightclubs, bars or at concerts, a sensation of sound in the ears known as tinnitus may occur. Normally tinnitus recovers within a short time but if the exposure has continued for a long time it can lead to permanent hearing loss. There is no medical or surgical cure for noise-induced hearing loss.
If you are having problems with your hearing aids, it is important to get them working again as soon as you can. They might sound too quiet or not making any noise at all. Intermittent, distorted or poor quality sound are also indicators something is not right. For instance, repairing your own hearing aid isn’t a good idea as you could run into all sorts of problems and ultimately end up making things worse. There are several big reasons not to repair your hearing aids yourself. For one thing you could have missed an early fix. One reason not to open up your hearing aid and start poking around is that the answer to your problem might be easier than you think. For example, maybe you have forgotten to check if your hearing aid needs a new battery? Is the wax filter blocked? You could cause more damage, if you open your hearing aid and start trying to fix it. Unless you have a wealth of knowledge about repairing hearing aids, you could easily make a mistake. Even if you ‘google’ instructions, you could slip up and damage it more. This could end up quite costly for you in the long run. IAlso, it may not be your hearing aids - If there is an issue with your
hearing aid not working, remember it may not be the aid itself at all. The issue could be with your hearing, meaning you need a hearing test and not repairs to your hearing aid. Seeing your friendly hearing health care professional is always the best solution! Phone 1300 415 718 www.totalhearingandhealth.com.au
NO OBLIGATION TAKE HOME AND TRIAL HEARING AIDS
✔ TAKE CARE OF MY HEALTH GET MY HEARING CHECKED “Our expert and experienced team can help you find a hearing solution specific to YOUR lifestyle, budget and hearing needs. “ • Adult hearing tests • Children’s hearing tests from prep up • Ear suction & ear care • Hearing Aids of ALL brands
• Latest technology & life long after care • TV Devices / Headsets • Swim plugs/ Musicians Plugs • Tinnitus Advise
Phone 1300 415 718 w w w . t o t a l h e a r i n g a n d h e a l t h . c o m . a u MORNINGSIDE – CLEVELAND – BENOWA – SHAILER PARK 22 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / March 2022
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