Don’t suffer in silence
When one thinks of hearing aids, there’s visions of cables but those days are long gone. The types of hearing aids include the basic, mid-range, top-end and super-end
What is hearing loss? When do I do something about it?
Audiologist Mariette van Heerden answered these questions and many others when she gave a talk on hearing loss at Shepstone Place on Thursday, November 21. Mrs van Heerden practices in Amanzimtoti and has 20 years experience in her field of audiology.
She began her talk by explaining some of the symptoms of hearing loss – the television being too soft or having trouble hearing people in a restaurant. This often, she says, causes the person to withdraw from social situations purely because he/she can’t hear what someone else is saying.
The onset of hearing loss is gradual and Mrs van Heerdan stressed that it is important to act when hearing loss is detected.
“If you ignore it, you are not stimulating the nerves and you may get auditory depravation. When you realise you have hearing loss, you should visit an Audiologist who will test your hearing with a diagnostic testing system, which will tell you exactly where the problem is,” she explained.
When speaking about hearing aids, Mrs van Heerdan compared them to cars, simply saying you get what you pay for.
“When one thinks of hearing aids, there’s visions of cables but those days are long gone. The types of hearing aids include the basic, mid-range, top-end and super-end. The basic hearing aids only amplify sound around you but as you move up the scale, the hearing aids start doing things automatically. There is a range that suits any pocket and needs.
The most important thing is that the hearing aid must function optimally in your environment,” advised Mrs van Heerdan.
She also emphasised that wearing two hearing aids are essential if you have hearing loss in both ears.
A question and answer segment followed where Mrs van Heerden dispelled myths and explained other auditory complications.
Before closing she imparted this useful information about how to speak to a person wearing a hearing aid.
“Stand at an optimum distance of two meters, look at the person when talking, speak slower, do not shout and use shorter sentences.
Tell the person about the topic that you are speaking about, so that the brain makes reference. If the person is wearing one hearing aid, stand or sit on that side. Touch the person and say ‘I am talking to you’. And finally be patient and realise that the person has certain limitations because the hearing aids have limitations,” she said.
Mrs van Heerdan thereafter conducted screening tests for all that were interested. Shepstone Place has a request for the community: please donate any old or unwanted hearing aids to them. Mrs van Heerdan has agreed to modify these hearing aids for people who cannot afford them. Call Debbie Potgieter on 036 352 2191 for more information.
