Loud sounds damage ears!

Listening to loud sounds damages sensory cells in your ears. This can lead to noise-induced hearing loss or ringing in the ear (tinnitus).

 

You could be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss if you regularly:

• work in a noisy place,
• listen to audio over head/earphones,
• visit places with amplified music e.g., nightclubs, concerts, or fitness classes.

 

 

 

 

 

Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent

Hearing loss due to noise cannot be reversed.

People with hearing loss can benefit from hearing devices and rehabilitation services.

 

 

 

 

 

But, noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented!

Safe listening practices can prevent hearing loss. The louder you listen, the shorter the time for listening safely.

By turning the volume down or protecting your ears, you can listen for longer without harming your hearing.

 

 

 

 

Adopt these simple safe listening behaviors:

 

• Keep the volume down

Set your device’s volume level to no more than 60% of maximum.

Use well-fitted, and noise cancelling headphones.

 

• Protect your ears from loud sounds

Wear earplugs in noisy places.

Move away from sources of sound, such as loudspeakers.

 

• Limit time spent engaged in noisy activities

In a noisy place, take regular breaks in a quiet area.

Limit daily use of personal audio devices.

 

• Monitor listening levels

Use apps to monitor your sound exposure.

Choose devices with built-in safe listening features.

 

This World Hearing Day, RAYOVAC® is sharing stories from our real-life hearing heroes. Five ordinary people living ‘Life Without Limits’, Bethan, Danny, Alfie, Jake and Karen reveal how their hearing aids help them to get more out of life and we celebrate all that is possible with the right hearing solution.

COVID-19 Important Information About Our Practice

As you know, at Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres we have always been focused on the health and safety of our patients and our team and now is no different. We will continue with our Covid-19 protocol and safety measures past the 24th of February, even though the government is lifting Covid restrictions in England.

Please be advised that this guidance does not apply to healthcare settings and by law, we are still required to follow the guidelines set by NHS England.

We are considering our governments guidance and the concerns from our patients and the members of our team, especially those who are vulnerable.

Therefore, we kindly ask all our patients and visitors to respect our decision and continue to follow our Covid-19 safety measures whilst in our practices. Please rest assured that every procedure we have put in place has safety and peace of mind at its very core.

We ask all our patients and visitors to wear face masks whilst in our practices, our Covid-19 assessments will take place before your appointments and restrictions on attendance will be in place if you have tested positive at the time of your appointment.
The whole team at Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres thank you for your continued cooperation with our Covid safety measures, your customer loyalty and your caring response to all we do.

 

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Explore the new Starkey Evolv AI hearing aids

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Evolv AI hearing aids boast our most exceptional Starkey Sound yet. With up to 55 million personalised adjustments every hour, Evolv AI is expertly designed to automatically deliver realistic and genuine sound quality in every listening environment so you can hear and enjoy life.

A style crafted just for you.

Exceptional sound quality in a full line of our most innovative hearing aids. That’s what we call effortless hearing.

From our smallest to our most powerful, Evolv AI offers a complete line of our most advanced hearing technology. Compared to previous technology, Evolv AI provides an additional 40% reduction in noise energy designed to reduce listening effort. Effortlessly enjoy every moment with the hearing aids that fit seamlessly into your lifestyle.

When it comes to better hearing innovation, you can expect effortless.

 

Effortlessly connect to better hearing.

A complete line of the world’s most innovative hearing technology connects you to your favourite moments.

Evolv AI offers friendly AI paired with our newest and most advanced connectivity ever. With improved connection, more Android connectivity than ever before, and our best sound quality, you can experience and enjoy your favourite TV, music and conversations. A full line of hearing aids automatically connected to your lifestyle makes better hearing effortless.

 

Introducing 2-Way Audio.

Hear and connect effortlessly with hands-free conversations.

Now, Evolv AI hearing aid microphones pick up and stream your voice directly back to iPhone and iPad,* allowing you to seamlessly talk hands-free.

*Compatible with iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and later, as well as iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation), iPad Air (4th generation), and iPad mini (6th generation).

 

 

To find out if Evolv AI is right for you, contact us to book your hearing assessment today at your nearest practice.

 

Are you looking for a hearing test in Pershore, Redditch, Evesham, Kidderminster or even Droitwich?

Worcester and Stratford Hearing Centres are just a short drive away.

Find out which of our two practices is closer to you and book your hearing assessment today.

Do You Know The Difference?

 

There are many aspects to consider between NHS and private hearing care and systems and hearing care.

Among the most important ones are:
•   Waiting times
•   Style
•   Technology
•   Continued Care
•   Costs

Digital hearing instruments can make a real difference in the quality of life for people that are struggling with their hearing, but choosing whether to get a hearing aid through the NHS, or privately, is a difficult decision.

You can book an appointment to see a hearing specialist for a private hearing test, which consists of a full evaluation of your hearing and ear health, at both our hearing aid centre in Worcester and our Stratford Hearing Centre. You will be shown the inside of your ear on a video otoscope, a pure tone audiogram will be performed to show the hearing thresholds and then a speech in noise test to establish a level of real world effective hearing.

 

During this consultation the audiologist will explain the difference between NHS or private hearing care and answer all your questions.

 

Director of Audiology, Tom Dixon says “We offer bespoke hearing solutions for each person that comes into our practice, no two people are the same. Therefore, no two cases of hearing loss are the same. That is why we don’t provide anything off the shelf. The most important part of a patient’s journey to better hearing isn’t just fitting the hearing systems, it is the continued care and support so they can improve and enjoy their life.”

 

Are you looking for a hearing test in Pershore, Redditch, Evesham, Kidderminster or even Droitwich?

Worcester and Stratford Hearing Centres are just a short drive away.

Find out which of our two practices is closer to you and book your hearing assessment today.

 

Christmas is the most magical time of the year, but also the most challenging one for people with hearing loss.

During this special season, after a very difficult couple of years; we are all looking forward to being with the ones we love, the ones we haven’t seen all year… do not let your hearing stop you from enjoying your family and friends this Christmas.

 

Celebrations often happen in large groups, in busy restaurants, with a lot of people talking over one another and music playing, all at the same time. Conversation can be challenging for most people, but if you’ve got a hearing loss, these noisy gatherings can be very frustrating, daunting, unenjoyable and something to avoid.

For people with hearing loss, it’s often at these social occasions where their unaddressed hearing loss can cause them to feel particularly isolated.

Even when surrounded by family and friends their hearing struggles can cause them to feel left out of the conversation and fun.

 

Here are 7 tips on how to hear better this Christmas:

 

1.   Remind your family and friends that you have a hearing difficulty. Being open about it will remind them to slow down, speak up and be more attentive to your needs.
Extra tip: Ask them to face you directly when speaking in noisy environments for extra support.

2.   If you are attending a dinner, pick a strategic spot at the table. Sit in a position where you can see most people’s faces. Seating in the middle of one side of the table rather than at the very end of a long table can be more beneficial to engage in one to one conversations and also follow what is going on around you.
Extra tip: Pick a seat where there’s a wall behind you. This helps cut down on distracting noises around you.

3.   Don’t feel bad about asking people to repeat themselves. It is much better to get the message right than try to pretend you have. This can lead to awkward moments!

4.   We all love a Christmas Carol, but trying to follow a conversation with loud music on can be hard if you have a hearing loss. Remember it is ok to turn the music down a little if it is getting in the way of enjoying the conversation with your loved ones.

5.   Mingle! Having a conversation with two people at a time is much easier than trying to engage in a large group conversation. Move from one small group to another, another benefit to this is having more meaningful interactions.
Extra tip: You can always go around offering canapés or drinks if you feel awkward while mingling.

6.   If you suspect you have a hearing loss but haven’t had a hearing assessment before, book an appointment with one of our audiologists a few weeks before Christmas, don’t leave it until next Christmas to do something about it.

Your hearing is not just for Christmas, it’s for life. At Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres we are here to support you throughout your journey to better hearing.

7.   Relax and have a good time! Don’t suffer the silence, enjoy this festive season with your loved ones and let them enjoy you!

 

 

Santa can’t bring you hearing… but Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres can!

 

 

We specialise in the worlds finest, most discreet, natural sounding private hearing aids, with technology that helps you focus on speech in noisy environments, even around the Christmas table with all the family. We offer so much more than hearing aids, we are the centre and the team that look after you.

 

Your hearing is not just for Christmas, it’s for life.

 

Are you looking for a hearing test in Pershore, Redditch, Evesham, Kidderminster or even Droitwich?

Worcester and Stratford Hearing Centres are just a short drive away.

Find out which of our two practices is closer to you, book your hearing assessment today and take advantage of our Special Offer throughout December and book an Initial Assessment for £35 (Normal price £95), let us help you enjoy the sound of this festive season and all the ones to come.

Take our 3-minute online hearing test

In just a few minutes we can give you an idea of how well you’re hearing

Start your journey to better hearing at home with a free online hearing test.

We know how difficult it must be to realise your hearing is not what it used to be and taking the big step of booking a hearing test.
You can take our online hearing test in a quiet room, discreetly, it takes 5 minutes.

This will give you a quick idea of how well you are hearing before you come to see us for a full diagnostic hearing assessment with one of our qualified audiologists.

Are you looking for a hearing test in Pershore, Redditch, Evesham, Kidderminster or even Droitwich?

Worcester and Stratford Hearing Centres are just a short drive away.

Find out which of our two practices is closer to you and book your hearing assessment today.

 

 

Dear Loyal Customers,

 

As you know, at Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres we have always been focused on the health and safety of our patients and our team and now is no different. We will continue with our COVID-19 protocol and safety measures past the 19th of July, even though restrictions are changing in social settings.
We are considering our governments guidance and the concerns from our patients and the members of our team, specially those who are vulnerable.

Therefore, we ask all of our patients to respect our decision and continue to follow our COVID-19 safety measures in our practices. Please rest assured that every procedure we have put in place has safety and peace of mind at its very core.

We will be constantly educated and informed by our governing bodies’ facts, figures and protocols; by listening to our patients and our team. We will inform you when changes to your patient journey take place as we navigate these uncertain times.

Meanwhile, we kindly ask you to wear your face masks while you are in our practices, our COVID-19 assessments will take place before your appointments and restrictions on attendance will be in place if you have travelled abroad.
The whole team at Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres thank you for your continued cooperation with our safety measures, your customer loyalty and your caring response to all we do.

All our very best,

Tom, Victoria & the team at Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres

 

Please remember to bring a mask to your appointment

On Thursday 15th July England’s Chief Nursing Officer Ruth May clarified that:

“Face coverings and social distancing measures will remain in place across healthcare settings so that the most vulnerable people can continue to safely attend hospital, their GP surgery, pharmacy or any other healthcare settings for advice, care and treatment.”

 

 

Scientists estimate nearly 15% of people with the virus suffered tinnitus and nearly 8% suffered hearing loss.

 

Hearing loss and other auditory problems may be strongly linked to coronavirus, new research suggests.

Scientists estimate 7.6% of people infected with COVID-19 experience hearing loss, while 14.8% suffer tinnitus. They also found the prevalence of vertigo was 7.2%.

 

The researchers, Professor Kevin Munro and PhD researcher Ibrahim Almufarrij from The University of Manchester and Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, compiled data from 24 studies that identified an association between coronavirus and auditory and vestibular problems.

“If it is correct that something between 7% and 15% are having these symptoms, that’s something we should take very seriously,” Professor Kevin Munro, said director of the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness. ”There are big implications for clinical services if this means there could be a big increase in the number of people coming forward.”

Hearing problems can be caused by other viruses – including measles, mumps and meningitis – which damage sensory cells in the inner ear.

It is not known why COVID-19 can cause these issues and researchers believe a wide variety of people have been affected. “There are some people who say the symptoms are ongoing. There are others who say it seems to have settled down a bit so there are lots of unknowns right now,” Prof Munro said.

The researchers’ data primarily used self-reported questionnaires or medical records to obtain coronavirus-related symptoms, rather than the more scientifically reliable hearing tests.
They are now conducting a more detailed clinical study which they hope will accurately estimate the number and severity of COVID-related hearing disorders in the UK. Professor Munro, is currently leading a year-long UK study to investigate the possible long-term impact of COVID-19 on hearing among people who have been previously treated in hospital for the virus.
His team hope to accurately estimate the number and severity of COVID-19 related hearing disorders in the UK, and discover what parts of the auditory system might be affected. They will also explore the association between these and other factors such as lifestyle, the presence of one or more additional conditions and critical care interventions.

 

A recent study led by Professor Munro, suggested that more than 13 per cent of patients who were discharged from a hospital reported a change in their hearing.

 

Ibrahim Almufarrij said: “Though the evidence is of varying quality, more and more studies are being carried out so the evidence base is growing. What we really need are studies that compare COVID-19 cases with controls, such as patients admitted to hospital with other health conditions”.

“Though caution needs to be taken, we hope this study will add to the weight of scientific evidence that there is a strong association between Covid-19 and hearing problems.”Professor Munro added: “Over the last few months I have received numerous emails from people who reported a change in their hearing, or tinnitus after having COVID-19.

“While this is alarming, caution is required as it is unclear if changes to hearing are directly attributed to COVID-19 or to other factors, such as treatments to deliver urgent care.”

If you have been affected by COVID-19 and are experiencing hearing problems, please contact us to book a hearing assessment using the form below.

Sources:
International Journal of Audiology / Sky News / The University of Manchester

 

We have come to the end of an unprecedented and challenging year. We want to thank all of our customers for respecting the coronavirus measures we have in place in both clinics. We are so happy to say that in a recent survey 100% of customers have felt safe and protected whilst in either clinic.

We are so grateful to everyone who has taken the survey and left us a review, it has really made a difference to all of us. Your kind words have encouraged us to do better every single day and have also helped potential customers to take a leap of faith in us to help them on their journey to better hearing.

This holiday season is unlike any other, to cap off a year unlike any other. Throughout this season, and as we move into a new (and hopefully better) year, we wish you moments of peace amid the difficulties, connections with family and friends even if they can’t be in person, the warmth of memories from holidays past, and wonderful glimpses of the joy that still lives under the surface.
May the holiday season end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year.

Merry Christmas & Happy New ‘Hear’!

Tom, Victoria & the whole team at Worcester & Stratford Hearing Centres.

 

 

Holiday Hours

Our last day of clinic will be Wednesday December 23rd.

We will be closed from Thursday December 24th until Monday January 4th.

We look forward to seeing you in the new year at our normal hours, Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m.

 

Dear Loyal Customers,

We just wanted to address our customer base after the announcement made by the Prime Minister on Saturday evening. We are officially on the list of essential services, will not be closing down this time and will continue to offer our full range of services. Ear wax removal, hearing tests, hearing aid fittings, hearing aid servicing and repairs will all still be carried out during this time with the COVID-19 safety measures and PPE worn at all times. The government have recognised the need for people to be able to access hearing and vision services and have actually encouraged people to attend their health care and medical appointments. We have the same best practice safety measures and full PPE in place we have had since we reopened in June, which have been responsibly adhered to by all our customers since we reopened.

All appointments are being carried out as planned. If anyone would like to postpone their appointment until 2021 then we would ask that you contact us as soon as possible as we are trying to accommodate customers as best we can into the diary for next year.

Unfortunately due to this recent development and the continued uncertainty around the pandemic we are not going to be able to go through with our intended move to our new practice. So, on a positive note we will be staying in our current location in Worcester city centre. We are going to look at making best use of the current space and reconfiguring things around to create and extra consulting room and give us a little more space upstairs.

This is going to be a very difficult time for many people and businesses, again. We thank you for your continued support and want to reassure you all that we are here if you need us. It is important to remain positive in this challenging time. The Virus will not beat us! Regardless of how the situation evolves we will endeavour to look after our loyal, valued customers.

Stay safe and very best wishes,

Tom & Victoria