A Colwyn Bay woman has spoken of her experience of hearing loss as part of Deaf Awareness Week May 3-9.

In the UK alone, 1 in 5 people experience it and according to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), more than 40 per cent of those over 50, and 70 per cent of over 70s have a hearing loss.

Hearing loss can lead to isolation, emotional distress, and depression during the recent pandemic social distancing has reduced the ability for those with hearing loss to communicate, with mask-wearing resulting in muffled speech and the inability to lip read.

Hearing loss can also increase the risk of dementia by up to five times, but evidence also suggests that hearing aids may reduce these risks.

Many more people could benefit from hearing aids than are currently doing so – only around 40 per cent of people who need hearing aids have them.

Sandra Pierce, aged 57, of Colwyn Bay, said: "I started to notice my hearing was getting worse when I could only hear parts of conversations, I found it really hard to concentrate. I would get really tired and I suffered from the worst headaches.

"I was gradually losing my confidence and became very anxious in certain situations. Convincing myself that I did not need to go out and declining invites because going out with hearing loss was so challenging. I was starting to run out of different excuses, avoiding various functions like networking meetings and lunches with friends.

"So, I began staying in more, sometimes I did not have the energy to put on a brave face. It was very isolating, and I started to feel really depressed and shed many tears."

"The feelings of frustration and worthlessness got too much, I was genuinely on the verge of giving up," said the mum-of-three.

"Then I decided to get my hearing tested, and that’s when things started to change. When I got my new state-of-the-art Oticon Opn hearing aid fitted from Hidden Hearing I went to the nearest coffee shop to test them. I could not believe it, I was absolutely thrilled, I could hear all the sounds from the noisy coffee shop with such clarity. Also, it connects to my phone via Bluetooth, it’s a game-changer!

"I no longer live in fear of the phone ringing. Over the past two years my confidence has returned and more. I’m now the senior manager of Tropic Beauty and run a coaching group for 32 ladies through my business. This is something I would never have done before; I also meet Alan Sugar. I’ve now got my sights firmly set on achieving a platinum executive position."

She added: "Solving my hearing loss and switching life back on has been one of the best things I’ve ever done! I want to inspire others who have hearing loss who have no hope, even if I only inspire one person who is struggling to regain their confidence, then I have succeeded.

"It is important to raise awareness of hearing loss and let people know that is it normal and nothing to be ashamed of. It’s imperative we stay connected and live life to the full."

Take Hidden Hearing’s free online hearing test at www.hiddenhearing.co.uk/news