Hearing loss in lockdown

The current Public Health situation requiring quarantining and physical distancing impacts all of us in various ways.

 We have noticed how incredibly hard it is to hear someone speaking to you wearing a mask ,if you have partial hearing. None of us realise how important it is to read another persons lips and facial expression.

Not being able to hear properly affects you ability to interact with remote technologies, further making you feel cut off and lonely.

Here are our tips for better hearing during this time…

• Try and be face to face when communicating wearing a mask, following Government guidelines on distancing

• Try to minimise background noise

• Speak clearly, and avoid talking rapidly

• Make sure the background light is good

• Use captions on the television, headphones when you can

• Check the batteries on your hearing aids, you should be able to collect new batteries from your GP

• If you regularly suffer with a build up of ear wax, try applying a couple of drops of Olive oil to the affected ear once a week

• Avoid using cotton buds as this further impacts ear wax, increasing deafness