Hearing Loss - LPNI

In terms of disabilities, of all the conditions that people could have, hearing loss is generally rated as the third worst after chronic pain and restriction in physical activity.  

As nurses of old and frail, visually and hearing-impaired patients, out of all the senses, loss of hearing is often the most frustrating.  Hearing loss affects millions of people, so it can be one of a country’s greatest health issues.  It makes communication difficult, putting stress on relationships.  If unresolved, it leads to being treated disrespectfully and to feelings of isolation.

If someone suspects their hearing is not as good as it used to be, the chances are it is not.  Sudden hearing loss is considered a medical emergency, but in most cases hearing loss progresses very gradually, so it is difficult to be objective.  People adapt and adjust to changes in hearing, and find ways to disguise and learn to live with it.  Many wait up to seven years before getting help.  This can cause permanent, untreatable hearing loss due to a phenomenon known as ‘auditory deprivation’.  The nerve pathways to the brain deteriorate to such an extent that they cannot be stimulated again.

           

Hearing loss has been highly stigmatized in society since ancient Greece, through biblical and medieval times.  People with hearing problems are often the butt of jokes and depicted as doddering old people with a horn in their ear. Although hearing loss increases with age, age is seldom the greatest cause.  Exposure to prolonged loud noise, which often leads to industrial deafness, is the main cause.  In Australia, one worker every 20 minutes lodges a claim for hearing loss.  It’s expected that in 40 years’ time it will be much worse because of the iPod phenomenon.  An iPod gives such a good seal in the ear canal that there is no leakage of sound. An estimated one in four people has their iPod at a volume that will do damage.

           

Recent research has found that hearing loss has a significant impact on physical and mental health.  Typically, people with hearing loss make a big physical effort to communicate and protect their self-esteem so they don’t make a fool of themselves by getting things wrong.  This process sets up a stress reaction which can lead to a 20 per cent reduction in physical wellbeing compared to the rest of the population.  The results are even worse in those who have a hearing loss problem but don’t admit it.  It has been shown that hearing loss can take two per cent off the chance of being in the workforce, and affected people tend to have lower incomes and have problems getting promoted.

           

The message in the data is that hearing aids can help by up to 50 per cent, although, by themselves, in some instances, they are not enough, and other things need to be done, such as asking for background noise to be turned down if possible.

It has been estimated that 40 per cent of people with hearing aids are unhappy with them.  In most cases, it is because they don’t use them properly.  When they are first fitted, all the environmental noises that have gradually faded over the years are back in full force.  It is recommended that the hearing aids be worn for most of the day, so the brain can relearn to ignore those sounds.  This can take several weeks, and many new wearers lose patience and put them away in drawers.  So, if you come across someone like this, be aware it that it is probably the user and not the tool that is the problem.  They need to be encouraged to wear them or return to their audiologist for adjustment because one size does not fit all.

For a long time hearing loss has been seen as a disability without consequences, but in actual fact it’s a condition with huge consequences.  It can be managed, but people need to act.  They need to get their hearing tested.  They need to think about getting a hearing aid, or changing the way they communicate.  These two things together make a huge impact on the quality of life for afflicted persons and their family.  If hearing is a problem it affects all the important people in one’s life, such as family and friends who are on the receiving end of the hearing difficulties!  It does not have to be accepted.  Something can be done.  Better hearing can have a wonderful impact on lifestyle.

Sylvia Hutt RN

Lutheran Nurses Association of Australia