Overview

Hearing is one of the most important senses which allows us to perceive our surroundings, communicate, create connections, learn, and enjoy meaningful activities. Hearing loss is a prevalent condition that impacts millions of individuals worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 1.5 billion people – or 1 in 5 of the global population – experience it in some form. This condition is characterized by a diminished ability to hear clearly, resulting in challenges in understanding speech and engaging in conversations.

The instances of hearing loss rises significantly with age, affecting 25% of individuals over the age of 60 and 50% for those over 75. If you’d like to see more statistics on the prevalence of hearing loss, you can find them here: https://journals.lww.com/ear-hearing/fulltext/2024/01000/hearing_loss_prevalence,_years_lived_with.24.aspx

Ultimately, untreated hearing loss affects quality of life, often leading to isolation. It has been associated with serious conditions such as depression, anxiety, dementia, and reduced mobility. 

https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing
https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/highlighting-priorities-for-ear-and-hearing-care

Hearing loss can result from various factors. What are the common causes?
• Ageing – The natural aging process can lead to a gradual decline in hearing sensitivity. It typically begins around age 50 and affects high frequency sounds. It manifests in difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments.
• Noise exposure – Prolonged exposure to loud noises, such as loud music or machinery, can damage the structures of the ear, resulting in hearing loss.
• Medical conditions – Some medical conditions like ear infections or ear-specific diseases can contribute to hearing loss.
• Genetics – Genetic factors can also play a significant role in hearing loss, usually for severe or profound hearing loss.

Usually, the first signs of hearing loss are difficulties understanding speech in challenging situations, such as speaking with multiple people or in environments with a lot of background noise, like crowded restaurants. Other symptoms may be perceiving speech as mumbled or too fast, needing to ask for repetitions, and complaints from family members.
People close to you will often notice your hearing loss before you do. Hearing loss may also cause listening effort – the feeling that you have to strain to understand speech and that conversations cause fatigue.
Consult a health provider when you notice one or more of these symptoms. They may recommend an ENT exam to check the physical condition of the ears and get a referral for a professional diagnostic hearing test, performed by an Audiologist.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-and-hearing-loss/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15118025/
https://cdn.vanderbilt.edu/vu-my/wp-content/uploads/sites/2512/2019/11/04131010/Hornsby-2013.pdf

A hearing test, or audiometry, measures the softest sounds a person can hear in different tones and in speech sounds. During this test you may hear very soft pure tone sounds, ranging from low frequencies (bass) to high frequencies (treble). You may be asked to signal when you hear them. You should initially hear the sounds via air-conduction headphones to determine the threshold of hearing. Then, if hearing loss is detected, the sounds could be delivered via a bone-conduction transducer to locate the site of the damage in the auditory system. The hearing test may also incorporate speech reception tests, which indicate the softest speech sounds you can hear, and word recognition (or discrimination) tests. Here, speech may be presented at a comfortable level, and the Audiologist could measure how many sounds you can hear clearly.
The outcome of the test may be an Audiogram, a visual depiction of your hearing capability. The graph specifies the hearing threshold for different frequencies for the right and left ear. An audiologist can interpret these results and determine the existence, degree, type, and shape of your hearing loss.

There are three types of hearing loss, depending on the location of the damage. These types differ in their causes and treatment options.
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common and is generally caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways to the brain. Common causes include ageing, exposure to loud noise, and certain medical conditions. Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent and cannot be medically or surgically corrected. Hearing aids can usually help with this kind of hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer and middle ear. Possible causes are ear infections, earwax blockage, fluid in the middle ear, or a punctured eardrum. If you think you may have conductive hearing loss, we recommend you see a doctor, as this type of hearing loss can often be temporary or medically corrected.
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive components.

If you have any of the problems listed below, please see a doctor who may refer you to an (ENT):
•   Your ear has a birth defect or an unusual shape
•   Your ear was injured or deformed in an accident
•   You saw blood, pus, or fluid coming out of your ear in the past 6 months
•   Your ear feels painful or uncomfortable
•   You have a buildup of earwax, or you think something could be in your ear
•   You get dizzy or you have a feeling of spinning or swaying (called vertigo)
•   Your hearing changed suddenly in the past 6 months
•   Your hearing changes: it gets worse then gets better again
•   You have worse hearing in one ear
•   You hear ringing or buzzing in only one ear.

Hearing loss is not just an issue of reduced sound perception; it has profound effects on various aspects of life:
•    Communication: Hearing loss can lead to difficulties understanding speech, especially in noisy environments or when conversing with multiple people. People with hearing loss may feel isolated or left out of conversations, affecting their social interactions.
•    Psychological and Emotional Impact: Hearing loss can lead to feelings of frustration, embarrassment, and anxiety. It may contribute to a reduced sense of self-esteem and self-confidence.
•    Cognitive Effects: Research suggests a link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline, including a higher risk of conditions like dementia.
•    Reduced Quality of Life: Hearing loss can limit participation in social activities, hobbies, and other interests, leading to a reduced quality of life.
•    Occupational Challenges: Adults may notice an impact on performance, which could lead to professional setbacks.
Listening assistants can be a solution for some people, and can have a significant impact on all these areas. They can enhance their engagement with others, reduce their listening effort and fatigue, aid communication, and effectively improve their overall quality of life.

Nuance Audio™ Plus are meant to provide amplification and ease of conversation for adults 18 years and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment loss, helping them hear speech more clearly in challenging situations.
Let’s dive into some of the unique features of Nuance Audio™ Plus.
 
• An invisible hearing solution. 
One of the main reasons for that is stigma – people sometimes think that using hearing aids makes them look less capable, or older, than they are. This is a real barrier to improved quality of life. Nuance Audio™ Plus offers the benefits of a hearing aid with a discreet design. Our hearing technology is not visible to the naked eye. What you see is a stylish pair of eyeglasses–the fast-acting sound system is built into the temples and completely unnoticeable.
 
• A real improvement in understanding speech in noisy environment
A very common complaint of hearing aid users is that they have difficulty understanding speech in noisy surroundings, even while wearing their hearing aids. 
Our discreet solution is easy to use and allows you to amplify your preferred sound source when facing it, enhancing it over the background noise, when using the Frontal mode which uses beamforming directional microphones. 
One of the most effective ways to improve speech understanding in noisy environments is to separate the speaker you want to listen to and the rest of the environment. Hearing aids are limited in their ability to do so. Our Nuance Audio™ Plus feature an array of multiple microphones embedded in the temples, as well as advanced directional algorithms that are able to capture the sounds you want to hear. Our technology offers you the best solution in noisy situations with up to a 44% improvement in speech understanding in background noise. (Can we make this claim?)
It's important to emphasise that Nuance Audio™ Plus are not limited to assisting those with hearing loss. Their effective support extends to various scenarios, including noisy restaurant dinners or business meetings. Nuance Audio™ Plus serves as a booster, which can enhance enhancing everyone's experiences in such situations.
 
• An effortless journey
A known barrier to hearing aid adaptation is the effort involved in purchasing, fitting, and adjusting to hearing aids. Nuance Audio™ Plus offers an innovative Approach to hearing rehabilitation. This discreet and stylish Italian-designed smart eyewear ensures a uniquely smooth experience. Prioritising user convenience, Nuance Audio™ Plus are readily available at OPSM, Laubman & Pank, EyeQ, My Local Optometrists and more your local eyewear store,  (can we make this claim) making them easy to access, use, adjust, and manage. An intuitive Nuance Audio™ App, mobile Application, will assist you with choosing the best sound for you, supporting independent user changes anytime, anywhere, eliminating visits to the healthcare clinic as you gain complete control over the device’s sound configuration.
 
• Improved quality of life
Consistent use of hearing aids has a positive impact on the quality of life by enhancing social participation, engagement, and relief from the cognitive effort associated with hearing difficulties. Nuance Audio™ Plus eliminates common barriers such as stigma, cost, effort, and functionality, making it an increasingly Appealing choice. Specifically designed for individuals with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, Nuance Audio™ Plus offers a hassle-free experience comparable to wearing regular glasses. This wear-and-go solution includes personalised prescription lenses and delivers amplified, clear, and natural sound. The comfort and ease of use encourage users to wear Nuance Audio™ Plus throughout the day, providing consistent auditory stimulation for the long-term maintenance of proper hearing function.