Hearing Loss, Deafness and Hearing Support

• Finding it difficult to hear conversations clearly
• Struggling to hear when there is background noise
• Regularly asking people to repeat themselves
• Turning the television or phone volume higher
• Finding telephone conversations difficult
• Missing doorbells, alarms or announcements
• Feeling tired or stressed from concentrating on conversations
• A child not responding to sounds, or experiencing difficulties with speech, learning or school

Hearing often changes slowly, so it is very common for another person to notice someone’s hearing difficulties before they do — a partner, friend, relative, teacher or colleague. If someone close to you has mentioned it, it is worth taking seriously, even if everything sounds normal to you.

Possible causes include:

• Age-related hearing changes
• Long-term or sudden exposure to loud noise
• Earwax build-up
• Ear infections
• A perforated eardrum
• Certain medicines or medical conditions
• Injury to the ear or head
• Hearing conditions present from birth

Please do not try to work out the cause yourself. The same symptoms can come from very different causes, and some need treating quickly. A GP, pharmacist, audiologist or other qualified hearing professional can examine your ears, ask the right questions and advise you.

• Contact a GP if your hearing is gradually becoming worse.
• A GP may examine your ears and refer you to an audiology or hearing service for a full hearing test.
• Some pharmacies and opticians offer hearing checks.
• Children may be referred to specialist paediatric audiology services.
• An online hearing check may indicate whether further testing is sensible, but it does not replace a professional assessment.

It helps to take someone with you, and to write down your main difficulties beforehand — for example, group conversations, the telephone or the television.

Earwax build-up or an ear infection can sometimes cause temporary hearing problems, a blocked feeling, earache or ringing. These often settle or can be treated.

• Do not put cotton buds, fingers or other objects into the ear. They push wax further in and can damage the ear.
• Do not use ear candles or ear-vacuum products.
• Ask a pharmacist or GP for advice before trying anything.
• Ear drops may not be suitable for someone with a perforated eardrum or certain ear conditions.
• Not every GP surgery provides earwax removal, so you may need to ask what local NHS services are available.

We do not give treatment instructions or medicine doses. Please follow the advice of the pharmacist, GP or hearing professional who has examined the ear.

• NHS hearing aids are normally supplied as a free long-term loan.
• NHS batteries, repairs and aftercare are generally free.
• A charge may sometimes apply if an NHS hearing aid is lost or damaged.
• Hearing aids make sounds louder and clearer, but they do not restore perfect hearing. Most people need a few weeks to get used to them.
• Some people may be assessed for a cochlear implant or another hearing implant.
• Helpful equipment can include hearing loops, television amplifiers, amplified telephones and flashing or vibrating doorbells, alarms and smoke alarms.
• For batteries, repairs or adjustments, contact the hearing service that supplied your hearing aid.

Hearing aids can also be bought privately. If you choose that route, ask clearly what the price includes — aftercare, adjustments, repairs and any ongoing costs.

Tinnitus means hearing sounds that do not come from an outside source. These may include ringing, buzzing, humming, hissing, whooshing or throbbing. It is common, and for many people it comes and goes.

• See a GP if tinnitus is regular, getting worse, or affecting your sleep, concentration or mental health.
• Request an urgent GP appointment if the tinnitus beats in time with your pulse.
• Treatment and support depend on the cause, so a proper assessment matters.
• Hearing support, sound therapy, counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy may help some people to cope better.

We cannot promise that tinnitus can be cured. Many people do find it becomes less intrusive over time, especially with the right support and any underlying hearing loss treated.

Small changes make a big difference to how easily someone can follow a conversation.

• Face the person while speaking.
• Reduce background noise where possible — turn off the television or move somewhere quieter.
• Speak clearly at a normal pace. Do not shout.
• Make sure the person can see your face and mouth, and keep your hands away from it.
• Repeat or rephrase information when needed, rather than saying the same words louder.
• Write important information down.
• Use text messages, email, captions or speech-to-text services.
• Ask before assuming how someone prefers to communicate.
• British Sign Language may be someone’s first or preferred language.
• Family members, carers and professionals should speak directly to the person, not only to whoever accompanies them.

Support you can ask for

• Reasonable adjustments — employers, services and providers may need to make changes so a deaf or hard-of-hearing person is not put at a disadvantage. Examples include written instructions, captions on meetings, a quieter room, or contact by text or email instead of by telephone.
• Access to Work — a government scheme that may help with the cost of support or equipment at work, such as communication support or specialist equipment.
• Communication support at medical appointments — you can ask the surgery or hospital in advance for a British Sign Language interpreter or other communication support, and ask them to record your communication needs on your record.
• Local authority sensory-support services — many councils have a sensory or deaf services team who can assess needs, advise on equipment such as flashing or vibrating alarms, and point you to local groups.
• Support for children — schools, local authority services and specialist teachers of the deaf can help with classroom support, equipment and learning. Ask the school about their support arrangements and, where needed, an education, health and care assessment.

• Use suitable hearing protection around loud machinery, music or other high noise levels.
• Keep personal music at a comfortable level.
• Take breaks from noisy environments.
• Follow workplace hearing-safety instructions and use the protection provided.
• Seek professional advice if noise exposure is followed by pain, ringing or a change in hearing.

Noise damage builds up quietly over years and cannot be reversed, so protecting hearing early is worthwhile at any age — including for children and teenagers.