I recently misplaced a contact lens and had to wear my glasses for several days while waiting for the replacement lens arrived. While I was very self conscious of my glasses, it was interesting that very few people commented on them. Glasses are so commonplace that nobody thought to mention it, and what mattered most was my attitude to the glasses.
I mention this because of recurring comments I have heard from some of our patients who have had an appointment with us and are being offered a solution to their tinnitus which involves wearing a hearing instrument – or digital noise generator system. This should be good news – using hearing instruments with well programmed sound therapy can bring a reduction in awareness of tinnitus symptoms over time and improved hearing when it’s needed too.
Sadly, being prepared to use hearing instruments isn’t something all patients will take up. Many people who could benefit from this Tinnitus Desensitisation Therapy treatment choose not to go ahead because of the stigma that they feel is associated with the wearing of hearing aids.
Leaving tinnitus untreated because of others attitude to a hearing aid is very sad and will cause greater problems with hearing loss and tinnitus over time.
Is it possible that there are some celebrities or public figures who can be brave enough to stand up and say ‘I need a hearing aid and I’m going to wear one!’– just as many of our public figures happily wear glasses?? Would a celebrity volunteer please step forward!
