Consonants are the most important ones when it comes to understanding what is being said, these are the higher frequencies of sound and when hearing gets worse due to a gradual loss this is the frequency which is generally affected.

As a result of this loss the person suffering from hearing loss will begin to fill in the gaps for the sounds they miss which in the beginning can cause a lot of frustration and misunderstanding.

How hearing loss affects your partner

Someone with hearing loss of this kind might be very reluctant to admit that they do have a problem with their hearing and might often blame their partner by saying that they aren’t speaking clearly or that they mumble.

This can be frustrating for the both of you but your partner will be struggling to come to terms with their hearing loss as it begins to affect different areas of their life. Areas that are affected by the hearing loss are:

• Your partner may find it hard work to chat.
• They won’t be able to fully relax due to them constantly having to concentrate on what is being said.
• They start to feel isolated and begin making excuses not to go out socially with friends.
• They may be frustrated if they cannot hear their own voice correctly and they begin to raise their voice.
• Their speech may begin to slur if they can’t hear themselves.
• They may become agitated at loud noises such as the vacuum cleaner.
• They may complain that you are shouting at them or talking too quietly and whispering.
• They may be able to hear bells, whistles or ringing in their ears.
• They may feel unbalanced or dizzy.

What you can do to support them

While it might be frustrating for your partner it will also be frustrating for you too but it is important to understand what is happening to your partner and to be there for them, you can support them by:

• Trying to be patient.
• Don’t try to do everything for them this takes away their independence and can make them feel useless.
• Don’t leave them out of the conversation or speak for them.
• Encourage your partner to talk about the problem.
• Encourage your partner to go about their daily activities and attend social events.
• Don’t let your partner apologise to people for their problem.
• Speak clearly and a little slower but not too slow.
• Encourage your partner to get a hearing test.