1. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE1
10 MYTHS
ON HEARING LOSS
The 10 most common myths surrounding hearing loss exposed

2. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE2
There are a wide variety of perceptions on how our ear
works out there
Is our hearing like leaking plumbing?

3. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE3
Or like an orchestra that stopped playing?

4. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE4
Or is our ear canal like the entrance of a cave with
stalagmites preventing the sound from flowing through it?

5. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE5
This is how we hear
1 2 3 4

6. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE6
The most common reason for hearing loss is damage to
the hair cells in the ear
Healthy hair cells Damaged hair cells

7. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE7
Some signs pointing towards a hearing loss…
«I can still hear pretty well, but
sometimes I can’t make out quiet
voices…»
«I am starting to avoid social situations
with a lot of background noise because
I find it so tiring.»
«I have difficulty following shows on
TV, people complain about the volume I
set it at.»

8. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE8
Resulting in problems understanding language

9. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE9
Especially sounds in the high frequencies

10. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE10
Resulting in various coping strategies requiring a huge
effort
 Reading lips
 Filling in the gaps in what we
understand
 Scanning our memories for
helpful hints

11. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE11
Behind-The-Ear hearing instruments (BTE)
Cochlear implants
In-The-Ear hearing instruments (ITE)
Lyric extended-wear hearing instruments
As of today there is no cure for damaged hair cells. But
there are solutions for almost all types of hearing losses

12. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE12
Sources: Hearing Aid Sector Report Vontobel, 2010
However only a small percentage of people affected by
hearing loss choose to do something against it
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Mild
Moderate
Moderately Severe
Severe
Profound
Aided Unaided

13. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE13
So what keeps people from getting a hearing aid?
I only have a slight hearing loss.
I do not need a hearing aid!
MYTH 1

14. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE14
People with a mild loss experience a significant
improvement in quality of life with a hearing aid!
Source: Eurotrack
 Improved communication
 Better social life
 Better relationships at home
 Easier to participate in group
activities
FACT:
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
Communicate
more
effectively
Social life Relationships
at home
Ability to
participate in
group
activities
Sense of
independence
mild-moderate hearing loss severe-profound hearing loss
Perceived impact of hearing aid

15. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE15
I enjoy going to the
cinema, concerts or
theater more than
before.
A hearing aid can drastically change the quality of life even
for people with mild hearing loss
n (HI) = 915. Percent of top3 boxes (a little / significantly / very much so)
Source: “Hearing is Living” study, 2011
68.2%
My social life has
improved since
wearing a hearing
aid.
My relationship has
improved since
wearing a hearing
aid.
My quality of life
has improved
since wearing a
hearing aid
76.6%
63.4% 61.6%

16. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE16
Hearing aids are big and clumsy!
MYTH 2

17. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE17
Wrong! Today’s hearing aids are available in a wide
range of shapes. Some can even be worn «invisibly»
inside the ear.
FACT:

18. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE18
And did you know that there is a hearing aid that is 100%
invisible and can be worn for up to 4 months at at time?

19. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE19
Hearing aids are really expensive!
MYTH 3

20. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE20
 Improved relationships
 Improved productivity at work
 Self-esteem
 Happiness
Wrong! Good quality hearing aids cost less than a cup
of coffee a day
FACT:

21. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE21
And you don’t even have to pay for it all by yourself…
GC to insert additional information on
reimbursement in their country here

22. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE22
Hearing aids do not work well
MYTH 4

23. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE23
Today’s hearing aids can help focus on speech in noise
FACT:

24. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE24
Insert SR animation here
…hearing high-pitched sounds…
FACT:

25. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE25
Insert FlexControl animation
…or adapt automatically to the current hearing
environment...
FACT:

26. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE26
Hearing aids are only for old people
MYTH 5

27. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE27
Not true! The largest group of people affected by
hearing loss are the baby boomers
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
80+
Mild
25-39
Moderate
40-69
Severe
70-94
Profound
95+
Hearing
loss
Age
FACT:
1'812'515 245'445 122'722 122'722
3'614'329 522'070 130'517 783'105
9'224'097 2'676'635 267'664 133'832
15'917'576 5'574'582 557'458 111'492
20'432'701 7'369'275 993'610 496'805
16'529'659 16'067'910 1'879'642 60'634
5'976'530 18'806'582 4'287'511 1'169'321

28. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE28
They are in the prime of their lives with plenty of fun-filled
years ahead of them…
30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s
Second Careers Volunteering
Retraining/Back to School
Caregiving
Travel
Time for leisure and sports
Re-Marriage & 2nd Families
Empty Nesting
Parenting Teens
Grand parenting
Life stage mosaic

29. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE29
A hearing aid will make me
unattractive to my partner
MYTH 6

30. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE30
Research shows that just the opposite is the case…
Source: «Hearing is Living» study, 2011
«I receive more attention
from my partner since he
has been wearing a
hearing aid.»
«I am glad that my
partner wears a hearing
aid.»
«Our relationship has
improved since my
partner has been wearing
a hearing aid.»
81.0%
40.0%
37.9%

31. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE31
It’s enough to wear just one
hearing aid!
MYTH 7

32. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE32
 Understanding of speech
 Understanding in groups & noisy situations
 Ability to tell the direction of sound
 Sound quality
 Listening comfort
Source: Kochkin «Binaural hearing aids, the fitting of choice for bilateral loss subjects»
Wrong! Research has shown that hearing well with
both ears significantly improves:
FACT:

33. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE33
If I wear a hearing aid my ears will
become lazy.
MYTH 8

34. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE34
 The brain is just like a muscle
 A untreated hearing loss causes a change
in the hearing center of the brain (auditory
cortex)
 This makes it harder to understand
complex sentences
 Hearing aids should therefore be fitted
early not only to improve hearing but also
to preserve the brain.
Source: Peele, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, «Mild hearing loss linked to Brain Atrophy in Older
Adults», The Journal of Neurosciences, 2011
Recent research suggests just the opposite!
FACT:

35. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE35
There is no link between tinnitus and
hearing loss
MYTH 9

36. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE36
Wrong! It is estimated that around 90% of people with a
tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss
FACT:
Source: American Tinnitus Association

37. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE37
Taking a hearing test is long and
expensive
MYTH 10

38. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE38
A full audiometric assessment only takes around 30
minutes
FACT:

39. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE39
Why don’t you get one right now?
Your options:
 Free hearing screening here and now.
 Take an online screening on www.hear-the-world.com
 Come and see us for a free test!

40. 10MYTHS_GBPAGE40
Thanks for your attention!
QUESTIONS?