Research commissioned by audiology experts at House of Hearing has revealed that even though the majority of Scots believe hearing is important to having a happy and healthy life, over 60% don’t remember ever having it checked.
The research, which surveyed 209 people in Scotland between 26 and 27 July, including 28% from Edinburgh and the Lothians, asked the public how important hearing was for a happy and healthy life on a scale of 1-10.
Over 70% gave it a score of 8 or higher, and just over a third (37%) responded with the highest value (10). Despite this, the survey found that 67% of people don’t remember having their hearing checked, while only 15% reported having it checked in the last 2-5 years.
Additionally, when asked if they have noticed more problems with their hearing during the pandemic, 77% responded that they had noticed no further changes.
Senior Audiologist Stuart Lyness, 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% sure. Given this, we always recommend getting your hearing tested every 2 years, increasing this to every year after 70 years of age to ensure you aren’t missing out on any aspect of your life.”
House of Hearing has been providing specialist hearing care for over 50 years, with free comprehensive hearing tests available at its new clinic on Melville Crescent.
The new clinic is fully equipped to provide patients with access to the highest quality audiological facilities. The most comprehensive hearing tests and aural care is available in dedicated soundproof consulting rooms with fully qualified Audiologists using the latest equipment.
House of Hearing also recently launched a new private ENT service, the first of its kind in Scotland, at its new clinic in Glasgow. This clinic will also be the first private clinic in Scotland solely dedicated to providing specialist ENT, Audiology and Aural Care Services, in partnership with local ENT consultants, Clyde Consulting Rooms.
Melanie Jackson, Clinical Lead and Head of Nursing at House of Hearing said: “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.”
House of Hearing is the only ENT nurse-led wax removal team in Scotland and their clinic in Edinburgh is the only wax removal service in the country registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
The Glasgow clinic is also expected to be registered in the coming weeks.
For more information, visit https://www.houseofhearing.co.uk/