Unlike whisky, wine, balsamic vinegar and George Clooney, your hearing doesn’t improve with age. Just the opposite, in fact. Thanks to a common condition called presbycusis (age-related hearing loss), many people gradually lose their hearing over time. It can be exacerbated by several factors, including noise exposure, viral or bacterial infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain medicines.

1 in 3 adults between the ages of 65 and 74 have a hearing loss and nearly half of people over 75 have trouble hearing, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Where should you go for help?

Visit your local Hummingbird Hearingcare clinic and speak to one of our fantastic, friendly audiologists. They are trained to address ear-related concerns, including hearing loss.

We can evaluate and advise you on the best treatment for hearing loss and related disorders, such as balance disorders and tinnitus. Audiologists are also licensed to dispense hearing aids and provide what’s known as auditory rehabilitation.

Many people experience hearing decline for several years — often a decade or more — before they seek help, and they get used to not hearing certain sounds that they may not even realise they’re missing.

Getting fitted for a hearing aid “isn’t as simple as turning on a switch. If you have a new device, your world will be full of sounds you may not have heard for a while. People often need training and practice to get used to their device and improve their listening.

See an audiologist if you:

• Have noticed changes in your hearing.
• Want to purchase hearing aids or need help programming your existing ones.
• Have tinnitus.
• Have balance problems.