Study finds 60% of Scots can’t remember having their hearing checked

House of Hearing, Edinburgh, Stuart Lyness

The research, which surveyed 209 people in Scotland, asked the public how important hearing was for a happy and healthy life on a scale of one to ten. Over 70 per cent gave it a score of eight or higher, and just over a third (37 per cent) responded with the highest value.

Despite this, the survey found that 67 per cent of people don’t remember having their hearing checked, while only 15 per cent reported having it checked in the last two to five years.

Additionally, when asked if they have noticed more problems with their hearing during the pandemic, 77 per cent responded that they had noticed no further changes.

House of Hearing have been providing specialist hearing care for over 50 years, with free comprehensive hearing tests available at its new clinic on Melville Crescent in Edinburgh.

Senior Audiologist Stuart Lyness at House of Hearing, said: “These results demonstrate that while people know how important hearing is to have a happy and fulfilled life, there seems to be hesitation when it comes to proactive care.

“It’s great to see that so many people haven’t noticed a difference during the pandemic, but without regularly getting your hearing checked, you will never be 100 per cent sure. Given this, we always recommend getting your hearing tested every two years, increasing this to every year after 70 years of age to ensure you aren’t missing out on any aspect of your life.”

One long term patient, Jim Anderson, a 74-year-old retired physics and maths teacher, first approached House of Hearing five years ago. While Jim’s hearing loss wasn’t severe, it was enough to make him realise that he couldn’t actively participate in conversations with his family or fully enjoy listening to his eclectic taste in music.

Jim said: “I had found myself disengaging from conversations and I had resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn’t be able to hear what others were saying, so I stopped paying attention. This was really isolating. I had seen the impact of hearing loss on my own mother, so I knew I needed to find a solution.

“The team at House of Hearing have completely re-introduced me to social situations and have helped ensure I enjoy my life again. Perhaps it’s cheesy to say, but the hearing aids and treatment I have received has been truly life changing. Walking out of the clinic for the first time after being fitted with the hearing aids was like walking into a different world.”

Stuart added: “Ultimately, we want to drive home the message that many people will experience some form of hearing loss throughout their lives, but for most people, this doesn’t have to affect their quality of life. We also know the pandemic has likely led to an increase in self-management of issues such as excess ear wax. These should always be managed by a professional as otherwise you run the risk pushing the wax further into the ear or damaging the eardrum.

“At House of Hearing, our specialists are all registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and members of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA) to ensure the best care for every patient. We would encourage everyone to consider visiting for either a consultation to assess their wax removal requirements or a free hearing health assessment.”

To find out more, visit www.houseofhearing.co.uk