Graham Walker of Walker Hearing Clinic offers advice to those who may be concerned about hearing loss which may be affecting them or someone they know
ADVERTORIAL
By Graham Walker
Clinical Audiologist, Walker Hearing Clinic.
Consultants Private Clinic, Cork University Hospital
Brookes Pharmacy, Bandon
This is the first in a series of articles written to raise awareness as to the importance of your hearing health. Hopefully it will give you a greater understanding of what hearing loss is, the causes, signs, symptoms and how to get diagnosed.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss can be described as the diminished ability to hear sounds like other people do. Today, hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. The HSE estimates that 8% of Irish adults have a ‘significant disabling’ hearing loss.
What causes hearing loss?
There are many reasons why you may acquire a hearing loss including: Getting older (presbycusis); exposure to loud noise; complications at birth; certain infectious diseases; genetic causes; chronic ear infections; ototoxic medication.
How can I get diagnosed?
If you suspect that you or someone close to you, is suffering from a hearing loss/hearing-related issue, it is easy to get lost in the various different eventualities. Getting stressed about what you will do if you are diagnosed can be counterproductive and upsetting. The most important thing to do in the immediate term is to go for a hearing consultation with a qualified professional that you have researched.
The newly refurbished Walker Hearing Clinic at Brookes Pharmacy, Bandon has been operating for over seven years. I have studied audiology in (the prestigious) Aston University and have experience with both the public and private sectors. We guarantee that your hearing care will be delivered discreetly and professionally. We are unique in the way we work because we are independently owned and should you need it, we can provide you with technology from a range of suppliers across the market. This is not the norm in the Irish industry.
Services provided By Walker Hearing Clinic at Brookes Pharmacy, Bandon include: Wax removal via micro suction (a less invasive, more comfortable way of removing stubborn ear wax as opposed to ear irrigation); diagnostic hearing consultations; hearing aids; hearing protection; tinnitus consultations.
It takes, on average, 10 years for a person to go for a hearing test from the time that they have noticed that they have a problem. Waiting to get diagnosed can have negative consequences.
If you are concerned about your hearing please contact Walker Hearing on 023-884-1136 to arrange a consultation. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
