Hearing impairment affects many people at different stages of their lives. 55% of people over 60 years of age have some degree of hearing loss, rising to over 70% of people by the time they reach 70 and 93% of people 81 years and older. This shows that if your hearing is deteriorating it isn't unusuall at all. Hearing loss can affect your quality of life and it's never too late to do something about it, so if you have any concerns book an appointment for a free hearing test and talk to one of our qualified hearing aid audiologists who will be happy to help.

Most hearing loss is caused by the ageing process, however regular exposure to loud noises, heredity, and some illnesses can also cause hearing loss. Around 90% of all cases of hearing loss are because the microscopic hair cells in the cochlea (or inner ear) become damaged which limits their ability to detect soft, higher frequency sounds and means that they cannot send a complete signal to the brain. As a result, it becomes difficult to understand the consonants that allow us to understand speech. Also see How our hearing works Types and causes of hearing loss

The first sign of hearing loss is a difficulty in hearing certain sounds or tones clearly. For example, you may be unable to distinguish similar sounding words or hear higher pitched voices, such as those of children. Other signs include difficulty with cross-conversations, hearing at a distance such as in meetings, listening to the TV or radio, or hearing in large buildings where there may be echoes such as in churches or auditoria. Also see Take our online hearing questionnaire Symptoms of hearing loss

If you think you have a hearing loss, the first thing you need to do is have a free hearing test at your local Amplifon branch. It may be that a build-up of wax or an infection has temporarily affected your hearing, in which case our hearing aid audiologist can advise you on the best course of action. All our hearing aid audiologists are trained to identify cases where a medical opinion or treatment is required, so they would refer you, if necessary, for treatment by your GP or at your hospital's Ear, Nose and Throat department. If your hearing loss isn't due to these problems, then our hearing aid audiologist will be able to recommend hearing aids suitable for the level of your hearing loss and your lifestyle. Also see Symptoms of hearing loss Book a free hearing test

There may be many reasons for difficulty in discriminating speech from background noise and this is usually an indication of sensorineural hearing loss. A hearing assessment will reveal the cause of this problem and properly prescribed and fitted hearing aids will normally provide significant improvement. Also see Types and causes of hearing loss

A sudden or rapid loss of hearing can be devastating. Without knowing who has advised you that nothing can be done as yet and why they said this, it is difficult to give you definite advice. However, if your hearing loss has stabilised, there should be no reason why you cannot be helped by appropriate technology which may be hearing aids depending on the extent of your hearing loss. It is possible that you may experience some recovery of your hearing over time but it is impossible to predict whether this will happen. Unless you have been advised by an ENT Consultant or, possibly, your GP that nothing should done as yet, I would suggest you consider making an appointment at your local Amplifon Hearing Case Centre so that your hearing loss can be assessed and personalised advice given. If you are distressed by the rapid deterioration in your hearing, which would be entirely understandable, I would also suggest that you contact the Hearing Link Helpdesk. This excellent charity has a great deal of experience of helping people to cope after a sudden or rapid change in their hearing. Their website for information is:- http://www.hearinglink.org/about-us/ask-us/

It is generally accepted that our hearing worsens with age. Not only have older people's auditory system been exposed to noise for many years but also, as we age, all our facilities deteriorate, including our hearing. A free hearing test will quickly establish if you do have a hearing loss and our hearing aid audiologist will then be able to recommend suitable aids to improve your hearing. Regular hearing tests and Aftercare will ensure that any deterioration in your hearing is picked up quickly so that your hearing aids always provide you with the best possible hearing improvement. Also see Take our online hearing questionnaire?

As a result of continuing advances in hearing aid technology, you may benefit from a hearing aid with the technology specifically designed for this type of hearing loss. Unless you suffer from total or profound "nerve" deafness, you could gain considerable benefit from wearing properly prescribed hearing aids. Also see Book a free hearing test

From what you have described, you may have a blockage in one or both ear canals which is usually caused by an accumulation of ear wax. I would suggest that you have your ears examined either by your GP or, if you use hearing aids, by your hearing care professional.

'Deafness' usually implies a severe or profound hearing loss that only affects a minority of the hearing impaired population.

Never poke anything into your ears. The lining of the ear is delicate and can easily be damaged. To keep ears clean, wash the visible part of the ear and behind the ear using a little soap. Then wipe the soap away with rinsed fingers and dry with a thin towel. Don't use cotton buds to clean ears. They can irritate the ear canal and push wax back inside, making it more difficult to remove. Don't immerse ears in bath water as body bacteria may enter your ear canal and could cause an infection. A drop of medicinal olive oil inserted into each ear once a week for people with dry, flaky skin helps to lubricate both the skin and any earwax, encouraging natural movement of wax out of the ear. Don't ignore ear problems; they won't improve without proper treatment. The longer an ear problem is neglected, the longer it may take to treat. If you experience any loss of hearing, whatever the possible cause, get it checked. We offer a comprehensive hearing assessment and expert advice completely free of charge. Use earplugs to protect ears from dust and loud noise. There has even been some research to suggest that antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and betacarotene, supplements that contain magnesium, or even a glass or two of red wine from time to time, help to minimise noise-induced hearing loss. Also see Hearing aids - your questions answered Protect your hearing

This is a not uncommon phenomenon called the 'Paracusis of Willis'. It is thought to occur with certain causes of hearing loss because in the presence of background sound people raise their voices. This mobilises the ossicular chain of bones in the middle ear and generally indicates conductive hearing loss, usually caused by otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the middle ear), which may respond to surgery. Also see How our hearing works Types and causes of hearing loss

Provided there is no discharge or active infection, it is possible to use a hearing aid beneficially. However, the type of hearing aid system must be carefully chosen to ensure that your ear canal is well ventilated. This needs more personalised advice and I would strongly suggest that you make an appointment at your local Amplifon Hearing Care Centre.

Noise, such as ringing in your ears when there is no external source for it, is called tinnitus. Tinnitus takes a variety of forms: the noise may be heard in one ear, both ears or in the middle of the head; it can be constant or it can come and go, and it may be high or low-pitched. It is not an illness or a disease in itself, but it is often a symptom of a problem with the ear. Your first step should be to seek the advice from your GP. In some cases the problem can be managed with relaxation exercises and there are also specialist hearing aids available that provide soothing tones to "drown out" the noise. The British Tinnitus Association provides support and authoritative information about tinnitus, much of it written by medical professionals or clinical researchers. Their support network can also put you in touch with other people who have experienced tinnitus. After you’ve seen your Doctor, if you also have a hearing loss, you may wish to discuss options available to you and have your hearing tested. One of our Amplifon hearing aid audiologists in your local branch would be happy to help. He can give you a free hearing assessment and discuss tinnitus and the solutions in detail with you. If needed, he can prescribe suitable hearing aids that can help you manage your tinnitus more effectively. Kind regards, Amplifon

The sensation of something moving in your ear could be caused by a number of reasons. The fact that you can relieve the sensation by using a cotton bud to scratch it might indicate a small lesion in the tissue of your ear canal. We recommend that you visit your GP who can examine your ear and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Remember the old adage - never put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow! (We don’t advise using cotton buds in the ear). I hope this helped, kind regards, Amplifon

From your question it sounds as though you realise that it is difficult to provide hearing aids for anyone who cannot be available for a hearing assessment, which, as you probably know, involves more than hearing tests. Nevertheless, it may be possible to help your uncle. Firstly, you could consider a communication device for your uncle which is a general amplifier worn in a similar way to a MP3 player. This option has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that it would provide variable amplification so your uncle could adjust the volume to suit his needs and, as it worn with ear inserts or small headphones, a personalised fitting isn’t necessary. The disadvantages are that it provides general amplification which doesn’t take into account your uncle’s hearing loss and it would be a larger, less convenient device compared to personally worn hearing aids. You would find this type of equipment to be significantly lower in cost than hearing aids, so there would be less risk if your uncle did not find it to be helpful. It's worth checking is a product called ‘Conversor’:-http://www.conversorproducts.com/ The secondly possibility would be hearing aids and could be the more effective option for your uncle but the lack of information about his hearing loss will limit the options. Almost all hearing aids are programmable based on hearing test results. So, it would mean estimating the degree of hearing loss based on information about how much your uncle can hear and how much someone speaking to him needs to raise their voice. It would be important that any hearing aids being considered have a volume control and, because an individually made earfitting cannot be supplied, the fitting should be behind-the-ear and supplied with a choice of standard earfittings. So, for these reasons and many more, obtaining hearing aids for your uncle without being able to see him, will carry more risk of limited benefit to him. We hope this helps and if at anytime your uncle is in any of the 18 countries worldwide where we have branches we would be happy to help. You can find a list of all the countries we are in on the link here: http://www.amplifon.co.uk/information/worldwide/ Kind regards, Amplifon

Depending on your prescription, a CROs or BI-CROS system may benefit you. This is where sound from the ‘unaidable’ side is transferred into the hearing aid on the other side. We’d advice that you make an appointment to have a hearing test at your local Amplifon branch where our hearing aid Audiologist will assess your hearing and discuss with you the most appropriate solutions, such as if you would be suitable for this type of system. Kind regards, Amplifon

There are generally two types of problem which hearing aid users can experience when using the telephone. The first one is the whistling sound of acoustic feedback when the telephone is brought near to the hearing aid. The problem of feedback is best solved by use of a ‘T’ or ‘telecoil’ setting which most hearing aids have. This can be set up by one of our audiology professional but it will only work if your telephone is ‘hearing aid compatible’. All Amplifon branches have a selection of telephones which are compatible with the ‘T’ or ‘telecoil’ setting on hearing aids. The second problem which can arise is not hearing clearly when listening to a speaker on the telephone. Many digital hearing aids have or can have a telephone listening programme which one of our audiology professional can set up for you. However, if you have not experienced this problem previously, it could either be that your hearing loss has changed or there is a fault with your hearing aids. If this is the nature of the problem, one of our audiology professional would check your hearing aids and/or re-test your hearing. It is possible that your telephone has developed a fault or you need some additional amplification from the telephone itself. Again, all Amplifon branches have at least one type of amplifying telephone which you can try, and see if it makes a helpful difference. If you’d like to visit one of our branches to see our range of amplified phones and talk with one of our Hearing Aid Audiologists, who would be happy to help, please click on ‘Branch Locator’ at the top of the page and enter your postcode to find our branch nearest to you. Hope that helps you. Kind regards, Amplifon

There are several options to improve telephone listening with hearing aids. The first option depends on whether one or both of your hearing aids has a telecoil or ‘T’ programme. If they do and the telecoil programme has been activated by your hearing care professional you will need to have a telephone which is compatible with hearing aids. Such telephones are not expensive and you should be able try one at your local Amplifon Hearing Care Centre. Telephone listening with the ‘T’ or telecoil programme is usually very successful. The second option is to ask your hearing care professional if you can have a programme set up in your hearing aids as an ‘acoustic telephone’ setting. This works well for many people but generally not as well as the ‘T’ programme in the first option. The third option very much depends on the type of digital hearing aids that you have. Many more advanced hearing aids are capable of Bluetooth or wireless connectivity with mobile phones and sometimes with landline phones. Again, your hearing care professional should be able to advise you. The fourth and final option is to have an amplifying telephone. Even with today’s advanced technology hearing aids, these are still popular with many people. Your local Amplifon Hearing Care Centre would be able to give you necessary advice about most of these options.

The natural shape of the outer ear (the Pinna), and the natural bend in the ear canal help to prevent rain or water from potentially damaging the eardrum. Everyday wind noise should not pose any risk for our hearing health. However excessive wind noise maybe a greater risk, particularly if there is a sudden and significant change in pressure such as in skydiving or putting your head out of the car window while travelling at speed. If you are concerned about your hearing I recommend that you book an appointment to have your hearing tested with one of our hearing centres. At the top of the page you will see the words ‘Branch Locator’ where you can enter your postcode and this will return a list of your nearest Amplifon branches. Kind regards, Amplifon

Never poke anything into your ears. The lining of the ear is delicate and can easily be damaged. To keep ears clean, wash the visible part of the ear and behind the ear using a little soap. Then wipe the soap away with rinsed fingers and dry with a thin towel. Don't use cotton buds to clean ears. They can irritate the ear canal and push wax back inside, making it more difficult to remove. Don't immerse ears in bath water as body bacteria may enter your ear canal and could cause an infection. A drop of medicinal olive oil inserted into each ear once a week for people with dry, flaky skin helps to lubricate both the skin and any earwax, encouraging natural movement of wax out of the ear. Don't ignore ear problems; they won't improve without proper treatment. The longer an ear problem is neglected, the longer it may take to treat. If you experience any loss of hearing, whatever the possible cause, get it checked. We offer a comprehensive hearing assessment and expert advice completely free of charge. Use earplugs to protect ears from dust and loud noise. There has even been some research to suggest that antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and betacarotene, supplements that contain magnesium, or even a glass or two of red wine from time to time, help to minimise noise-induced hearing loss. Also see Hearing aids - your questions answered Protect your hearing

This problem is called tinnitus and hearing aids can often help as people with a hearing loss often suffer from this condition. Your first step should be to seek the advice of your GP, however if you also have a hearing loss, then your hearing aid audiologist can prescribe suitable hearing aids that can help you manage your tinnitus more effectively. Also see Tinnitus

Providing that your hearing loss is mostly confined to the middle ear, you should have a good chance of hearing well with 'bone conduction' hearing aids. These work by transmitting amplified sound through the mastoid bone to the inner ear, so by-passing the affected middle ear. These types of hearing aids are most commonly designed as part of a pair of spectacles. Also see Types and causes of hearing loss

Most good quality hearing aids will have adaptive, directional technology designed to focus more on a speaker than any surrounding noise. Background noise cannot be eliminated but it can be suppressed if the hearing aid system is programmed correctly. If you want to research this online, I’d suggest a search using ‘directional hearing aids’.

We offer a wide range of hearing aids from the world's leading manufacturers at prices to suit everyone's budget. The cost of a hearing aid depends mainly on the type of hearing loss you have and the variety of different situations that your hearing aid will need to cope with. The more varied the situations and lifestyles, the more sophisticated the hearing aid's technology needs to be. At your hearing test we will advise you on the various options available to you and the most appropriate level of technology required for your individual hearing loss and lifestyle.

Everyone's hearing starts to deteriorate from an early age but especially from 50 onwards. So if you are having any hearing difficulties at all, it is worth having a free hearing test with one of our qualified hearing aid audiologists. During the test we can establish whether your hearing problems are due to medical reasons or simply 'wear and tear' (age or having worked in noisy environments are the usual causes of wear and tear). If you have not already seen a specialist and your hearing problems are due to medical reasons, we will refer you to an appropriate medical specialist, usually your doctor, for further investigation. If they are due to wear and tear we will discuss the results of the hearing test with you and discuss the options available.

The initial consultation and test is quick and easy and your results are available immediately. This consultation is intended to be an informative, helpful and stress-free meeting with your hearing aid audiologist. He or she will ask you about the history of your hearing loss, explore when and where you have most difficulty with your hearing and the type of situations that your hearing aids will need to cope with. The hearing aid audiologist will examine your ears and carry out full audiometric tests. Based on the information you provide and the test results, he will be able to recommend whether hearing aids will help you and the most appropriate ones to improve your hearing. During the test you will be in an acoustically controlled consultation room with the hearing aid audiologist who will check the health of your outer ear and, if they are healthy, he will continue to conduct a comprehensive hearing test. He, or she, will place a pair of head phones on your ears, ensuring you are comfortable, and will play a series of tones to you at different pitches through the headphones. The hearing aid audiologist will ask you to respond to the sounds you hear by pressing a button and he will plot these on a chart called an audiogram. This will tell us if there has been any damage to your hearing and, if so, which part of the ear is damaged and to what extent. The hearing aid audiologist will then discuss with you the best options available. You will also have the opportunity to experience how hearing aids look, feel and sound. This part of the consultation will give you a real understanding of just how much sound you have been missing and the potential benefits to wearing hearing aids. Also see What happens during your free hearing test?

Due to the thoroughness of the test and the complexity of your hearing system, the full consultation usually takes up to one and a half hours.

We recommend somebody attends with you because: A loved one may assist us in understanding the situations where you experience hearing difficulties Some people find it more comfortable to have a family member or a friend with a familiar voice with them Hearing a familiar voice can often demonstrate the difference a hearing aid may make to you During your assessment your hearing aid audiologist will give you a great deal of information and discuss with you the best hearing aid for your hearing loss and lifestyle - having someone with you can help you to remember all this detail afterwards.

While it is beneficial for someone to attend with you, please don't worry if there isn't anyone available. You can still come for a hearing test and we will explain the results and discuss the options with you.

Your hearing test will always be carried out by one of our fully qualified hearing aid audiologists.

We would expect that you could get an appointment at your local branch within a matter of days. If you have any difficulty obtaining an appointment please email us or call us on 0800 44 33 44, and we will help you find an appointment to suit you at a branch near to you.

Click here to find your local branch

If mobility is a problem, we offer a home visit service where one of our qualified hearing aid audiologists will visit you to test and assess your hearing.

Our comprehensive hearing test is completely free and without obligation.

Whilst I can certainly understand why you have asked this question, there is in fact a very good reason why most hearing tests are conducted in very quiet environments. Whilst there are many types of hearing test, the most usual is used to find hearing thresholds, normally called an audiogram. The threshold of hearing is the faintest sound which can be heard over a range of frequencies and both by air and bone conduction methods. The results indicate the extent of any hearing loss and usually identify the part of the auditory system which has been affected. The environment must be controlled to ensure the accuracy of the tests and fluctuating levels of background noise would invalidate the results. Some hearing tests are conducted in the presence of noise but the source of the noise is usually a recording. Such tests normally are used to assess speech understanding in noise for comparison with speech understanding in quiet. Hearing aids are often assessed by a comparison of results in both quiet and noisy conditions. However, in order to establish hearing sensitivity levels and to be able to compare test results taken at intervals, very quiet conditions are essential.

I would suggest that you have a more complete hearing test which would involve more test frequencies and include bone conduction testing. An examination of your outer ears should also be undertaken. Based on the information you have provided, there is very mild hearing loss but I would not be concerned about this as it is only slightly outside average normal limits for your age. However, another more complete hearing test would result in more information on which a professional opinion could be based and your hearing is certainly worth looking after. If you would like more personalised information, I would suggest that you make an appointment at your local Amplifon hearing care centre. Kind regards, Amplifon

Yes we do offer a free trial period. The free trial period last upto 21 days and you are under no obligation to take the free trial or purchase at the end of the trial. The best course of action would be to book a hearing test at your local Amplifon branch and our Audiologists will advise you of your options.

Amplifon's free Lifetime Aftercare programme looks after your hearing and your hearing aids for life. This unrivalled programme of support includes a regular assessment and evaluation of your hearing, expert help and advice and demonstrations of new hearing aid technology to ensure you continue to get the most out of your hearing. Once your hearing aids have been fitted, your hearing aid audiologist will arrange your programme of free Lifetime Aftercare to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit from your aids and that they continue to work at maximum efficiency. The hearing aid audiologist will also advise you on how to take daily care of your hearing aids to maintain their performance and what to do when batteries need replacing.? During your regular six monthly Aftercare appointments, we offer expert help and advice, new technology demonstrations and a 5 Star Service check which includes: Cleaning or replacing tubing and adjusting your hearing aid contacts Cleaning the hearing aid casing and microphone duct Checking for acoustic feedback Checking your hearing aid performance A free pack of hearing aid batteries We will also assess your hearing on a regular basis to monitor changes in your hearing aid to ensure your hearing aids continue to give you the best possible hearing improvement. Also see Free Lifetime Aftercare?

Amplifon offers a wide choice of hearing aids in many styles with the latest technology to suit your every requirement. This includes customised In the ear hearing aids where nothing is worn behind the ear. These types of hearing aids are not typically available within the NHS and, where appropriate, are often preferred by hearing aid users for their more discreet appearance. We also offer an unrivalled Aftercare programme that includes a regular assessment and evaluation of your hearing, expert help and advice, new technology demonstrations and a 5-Star Service Checks. So you know you are in very safe hands. We recommend that you come back every six months for your Aftercare appointments so we can adjust your hearing aids to ensure they continue to provide you with the most effective and comfortable hearing experience?. You can also arrange an appointment to see a qualified hearing aid audiologist at your local branch? between your Aftercare appointments and at a time to suit you should you have any concerns.

Because we want you to be completely satisfied we guarantee you won't buy cheaper anywhere else.? We offer a wide range of hearing aids using the latest technology to suit your hearing requirements, your lifestyle? and your budget and our hearing aid audiologists will be happy to discuss and advise on the right hearing aid for you.? Also see Our Price Promise

Amplifon offers a wide choice of hearing aids in many styles with the latest technology to suit your every requirement. This includes customised In the ear hearing aids where nothing is worn behind the ear. These types of hearing aids are not typically available within the NHS and, where appropriate, are often preferred by hearing aid users for their more discreet appearance. We also offer an unrivalled Aftercare programme that includes a regular assessment and evaluation of your hearing, expert help and advice, new technology demonstrations and a 5-Star Service Checks. So you know you are in very safe hands. We recommend that you come back every six months for your Aftercare appointments so we can adjust your hearing aids to ensure they continue to provide you with the most effective and comfortable hearing experience. You can also arrange an appointment to see a qualified hearing aid audiologist at your local branch between your Aftercare appointments and at a time to suit you should you have any concerns.

Amplifon are the world leaders in private hearing care and we offer a wide range of digital hearing aids from the world's leading manufacturers including ReSound, Siemens, Widex and Phonak. If you choose us, we'll continue to care for your hearing needs. Once your hearing aids have been fitted, our hearing aid audiologist will arrange your programme of free lifetime Aftercare to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit from them and they continue to work at maximum efficiency. To make sure that your hearing aids are working at their best for you, we recommend that you come back every six months for your Aftercare appointment which includes and a 5 Star Service Check. 5* Sevice Check includes: Cleaning or replacing tubing and adjusting your hearing aid contacts Cleaning the hearing aid casing and microphone duct Checking for acoustic feedback Checking your hearing aid performance A free pack of hearing aid batteries Kind regards, Amplifon