What it's like to be deaf for an entire day

For hearing people it can be difficult to understand what it is like to be deaf.

To understand what it would be like I volunteered to be ‘deaf for a day.’

To carry out this experiment I had my ears blocked using soft foam plugs at the hearing centre in Specsavers, Coleraine by audiologist, Joanne.

My instructions were to carry on my normal routine and to see how I managed when my hearing was impaired.

When I left Specsavers, the first thing I noticed was the absence of background noise. As I walked through the town on a busy Friday afternoon I could hear nothing.

I felt anxious about how the day would unfold now I had been plunged into a world of silence.

At the hearing centre I was told how everyone’s hearing will deteriorate at some stage, as we get older the cells in our inner ears lose their efficiency affecting the sounds that can be heard.

Typically, it is the higher frequencies we lose first, making it difficult to recognise speech from background sound. Initial signs of hearing loss can include ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.

Hearing experts recommend that people over the age of fifty five get a hearing test every two years and these tests can be carried out at any Specsavers.

Those having a hearing test will be seen by a professional hearing aid audiologist whose aim is to find the best solution for individual hearing loss.

People who find they have a hearing loss are sometimes apprehensive about wearing hearing aids and think they are ugly and uncomfortable.

However hearing aid technology has evolved greatly in recent years so that today’s models are slimmer, lighter and more discreet than ever before. The aids are made for each individual’s needs and are tailored fit for comfort.

Throughout my experience I found many everyday tasks challenging, simple things like answering the phone, ordering a drink in a cafe or crossing the road.

By the end of the experiment I found myself feeling frustrated by the wjole experience.

I often had to ask people to repeat themselves several times and I was conscious that when I was talking I was shouting as my own voice sounded loud in my head.

The day made me appreciate how difficult many things can be for people with hearing difficulties. But help is out there.

For more information on hearing tests contact Specsavers on 02870326346