<\/p>\n
Hear Me! is an exhibition presenting invisible impact of hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness. Through powerful personal stories, poetry, photography, and ink drawings, we bring to life the invisible challenges faced by many. This unique experience invites you to explore these conditions in a new light, connecting with the struggles and resilience of those who live with them every day.\u00a0<\/span> <\/p>\n By 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss, and at least 700 million will require hearing rehabilitation (WHO,2024).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Currently, 18 million adults in the UK are deaf or have hearing loss. Over the last year,\u00a0two thirds of our communities have experienced negative attitudes from others.\u00a0We can all play our part to be more deaf aware, both at work and in daily life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To learn more about hearing research conducted at The University of Manchester, Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD)<\/a>\u00a0click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Silence of the Photograph (by Sheila Fidler, \u00a0Jenna Ashton, Elaine Lockton, and Gavin Perry)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Documenting the lived experiences of hearing loss.<\/p>\n Participants who have direct experience of hearing loss were invited to be photographed by Anatomy Projects using a 150-year-old camera. Adopting a slow traditional, performative portraiture process that invites the subject to \u2018meet the cameras gaze\u2019 and to participate, in ways that are particular to who they are,<\/em> in the making of the photograph. It is perhaps all too often in a medical context that the individual is obscured by the condition. The project created spaces where the person and their account of their experiences was central.<\/p>\n Supporting the photographic sitting – all participants were invited to tell their story and engage in one-to-one conversations with audiology students. The supporting text comes from these conversations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Anatomy Projects (Gavin Parry & David Penny)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”VIKTORIA LOW Interviewed by Fahima Rob” open=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n Dear Parent\/ Guardian,<\/em><\/p>\n I am sorry to once again inform you that Viktoria is not concentrating in her classes and seems to always be preoccupied. Her attention in class is poor and she does not extend any effort towards her studies. We cannot accept such behaviour and request that you have a discussion with Viktoria about her behaviour and the standards expected of her.<\/em><\/p>\n Yours regretfully, <\/em><\/p>\n Mrs Butler (Headmistress) <\/em><\/p>\n I have always felt out of the loop, especially at school. Why did I always, always <\/em>feel like I\u2019d understood something just a second too late; heard the punch line of a joke after everyone else had understood and laughed; answered someone after too long a pause? What was wrong with me? Are they right \u2013 Maybe I just don\u2019t try hard enough?<\/em><\/p>\n Finally discovering that I had a hearing loss was a sort of paradox; it was both a solution and a problem. It allowed me to make proper sense of my past – understanding how it affected my self-esteem and self-perception. It also created the difficulty of explaining my hearing loss to others and how to get them to accommodate me.<\/p>\n Being hard of hearing often meant that I was not afforded the common courtesy of being included in a conversation. \u00a0<\/span>Did my hearing loss mean that I had to accept that I would no longer hear parts of conversations, indulge in idle gossip, experience the intimacy of a whisper among friends<\/p>\n While having hearing aids helped, it would never be the same as actually hearing. <\/em>Normal hearing is effortless, it\u2019s an unconscious act, and it\u2019s taken for granted. With \u2018hearing\u2019 with hearing aids, you are actually listening \u2013 you\u2019re straining to make sense of the sounds around you. It\u2019s not the same thing.<\/p>\n See, that\u2019s the thing with a hearing loss, you lose your spontaneity, and you gain uncertainty. You can no longer hear a joke and just laugh; you must concentrate to make sure you catch the punch line, wonder if you\u2019ve heard it right and then risk laughing while still feeling unsure. Sure, it probably takes a few seconds longer, but people don\u2019t realise is how very crucial those few seconds are, especially when you\u2019re trying to connect with another person.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll tell you something: once people are able to accept themselves then it becomes easier to ask others to accommodate them and speak more clearly, to ask to sit at the front in classes or concerts. It took me 8 years to be able to finally say, \u201cI have a hearing loss, I can\u2019t hear you, please don\u2019t take it personally\u201d and I can\u2019t help but wonder if anything would be different had I accepted my \u2018disability\u2019 as a part of myself earlier.<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”MIKE KUSHNER Interviewed by Francesca Owen” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n I was born blind so my lack of seeing has never been a problem for me. I had a mild hearing loss from a young age, but I always relied a lot on my hearing,<\/p>\n My hearing deteriorated significantly at the time my mother, who was also my carer, was moved to a nursing home. This was a very stressful time and I do think it that it was this and her subsequent death that really exacerbated my hearing loss.\u00a0 <\/span>This was a time of struggle for me, there was a lot to get used to.<\/p>\n When I first got the cochlea implants, I found it frightening at first. My support worker said I jumped a mile the first time I heard something. But I quicky started to have a conversation with the implant team which was an amazing moment for me.\u00a0 <\/span>My support worker was in tears because she was overcome by the experience. For a while after I first got them, everyone sounded Australian!! I now think that people sound like they should, or how I imagine they do sound.<\/p>\n There are things I miss about being deaf \u2013 I can get very tired with the implants \u2013 the other day I had two people around and afterwards I was absolutely shattered \u2013 I took the implants out to relax for a bit\u00a0 <\/span>– it was lovely\u2026.. But I don\u2019t do this very often. Don\u2019t misunderstand me, the positives of the cochlea implants far override the negatives \u2013 for instance, the new friends I have made since having the implants would have been a lot more difficult to make without them.<\/p>\n Another really precious moment for me was when I realised I could hear the birds.\u00a0 <\/span>I didn\u2019t think I would ever been able to hear that \u2013 it took me took me awhile to understand what the sound was.<\/p>\n The blackbird call is my favourite.\u00a0 <\/span>To me it\u2019s like the bird wants a \u201cfew more minutes\u201d. It\u2019s a sound I find lovely. I always look forward them coming back every spring.<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”BERNADETTE MARY CARR Interviewed by Zahra Dumbuya and Nazeerah Ali” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n Bernadette has always had a slight hearing loss but had managed to \u2018just get on with life\u2019. Eventually her family persuaded her to go for a test as they felt that her hearing was deteriorating profoundly and told her they would turn the television off if she didn\u2019t get it done!<\/p>\n She used to pity herself and wonder why this had happened to her. However, after meeting other people at her lip reading class, she now feels fortunate as she knows things could have been much worse had it happened at a much earlier stage in her life, which would have affected her more signi\ufb01cantly. Bernadette likes to wear her hearing aids as it makes her feel more at ease with her hearing.<\/p>\n Bernadette\u2019s family is very supportive with her hearing loss. They make an extra effort by coming closer to her when speaking and saying things twice. Whenever she speaks, she feels she talks much louder than normal. She has a large family \u2013 ten children, fourteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren.<\/p>\n Bernadette used to work as a home-helper by day and as a waitress by night. Although she retired at the age of 65 she continued to work, both as a cleaner, and as a volunteer at the Manchester Royal. She only stopped when she was 83 years old.<\/p>\n She couldn\u2019t go outside without her hearing aids, as she wouldn\u2019t hear a thing., but she\u2019s quite confident with normal social interactions \u2014 she likes to do her own shopping and when she needs to speak to the cashier she is always within a range where she can hear them to communicate effectively.<\/p>\n On the other hand, she used to enjoy going to dances and concerts, but now worries that she would feel isolated, as she wouldn\u2019t be able to hear people above the background noise.<\/p>\n There are past familiar places that Bernadette no longer visits due to her hearing loss, but on special occasions or holidays a member of her family will accompany her, something she really appreciates, although she is aware she cannot have a family member present with her at all times.<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”JUSTINE BROWNLOW Interviewed by Bella Probyn-Powell” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n I had Meningitis in 1997 so it left me profoundly deaf since I was 26. I lived with my boyfriend. I was working – I\u2019m a nail technician so luckily, it\u2019s not a job I need to be using the phone or anything.<\/p>\n The Meningitis also affected my balance, so\u2026 I don\u2019t know how to explain it. When you\u2019re walking, if there\u2019s some words on the wall you could read them even though your body is moving, but when I\u2019m walking, everything else moves. I\u2019ve not got proper control of my eyes.<\/p>\n My walking was affected\u2013 I was wobbling all over the place, it\u2019s not so bad now\u2026 but still bad when it\u2019s dark outside, I need to hold on to something. It\u2019s like, you know when you\u2019re drunk and you feel a bit top heavy, that\u2019s what it feels like. But I\u2019ve now become more used to it.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think anyone really understands how hard it is. I don\u2019t know\u2026 you miss out on a lot. When people are talking there are things that I don\u2019t pick up on, just minor things, so if someone was to say \u201coh they said this\u201d, it wouldn\u2019t mean anything. People don\u2019t understand how it isolates you, just struggling. I don\u2019t think people understand how lonely it can be. You just deal with it don\u2019t you?<\/p>\n A thing that bothers me is that people can think I\u2019m quite ignorant because someone might say something to me, and I might not know they\u2019re speaking. It bothers me that people think I\u2019m being rude.\u00a0 <\/span>Because you can\u2019t tell from my appearance, I try and tell everybody \u201cI can\u2019t hear well, I can\u2019t hear well\u201d. \u00a0<\/span>For example, I was at a course the other week and I emailed everyone beforehand to say: \u201clook I can\u2019t hear well but if you want my attention, please tap me \ufb01rst\u201d. \u00a0<\/span>I try and let everybody know.\u201d<\/p>\n It has helped me with my communication skills- it\u2019s brought me out of my shell a bit. I\u2019m now not bothered about saying to someone \u201cI can\u2019t hear\u201d.\u00a0 <\/span>Before I was quite shy, but now I\u2019ve got to tell people\u2026 there\u2019s no two ways about it. \u00a0<\/span>When I do tell people, I have found that in general they do what they can to help.<\/p>\n After the Meningitis I was profoundly deaf and I was told I won\u2019t get my hearing back, I got assigned a social worker\u2026. something to do with bene\ufb01ts because I was so ill.\u00a0 <\/span>She tried to convince my dad to leave me as a deaf person. To keep me deaf, and not have the operation. My Dad was furious with her\u2026 I can\u2019t really remember much about it, but he said he nearly chucked her out of the house. Anyway, when I was in hospital my Dad was reading the newspaper and there was an article about cochlear implants. I didn\u2019t know anything about them nor did my Dad. Because he saw the article, he mentioned it to the Meningitis consultant. He put him in contact with Richard Ramsden, he\u2019s the top ear man in Manchester. They wouldn\u2019t have offered it to me if my Dad hadn\u2019t followed it up. This was a long time ago – cochlear implants are quite common now. When I came out of hospital after having Meningitis it was only a couple of months later that I went back in for the implants.<\/p>\n So I\u2019ve not really lived as a \u201cdeaf person\u201d.<\/p>\n I\u2019m \ufb01ne in one-to-one conversations, but if there are a few people in the room, and everyone is talking, I struggle to follow what is being said\u2026Like going out\u2026 if it was a really noisy pub or club I struggle. You learn to deal with it\u2026 You can\u2019t hear anyone in clubs anyway!<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”MARGARET LIVERSEY Interviewed by Abdullah Sultan and Maimona Baig.” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n Listening to music. Socialising with friends and family. Using the telephone. Continuing working. Going out for meals. These are all basic daily essentials that many of us take for granted, as we could never imagine life without them. There are 800,000 people in the UK who deal with profound hearing loss every day. Margaret is one of them.<\/p>\n Speaking to Margaret gave me an opportunity to really understand some of the human consequences of hearing impairment.\u00a0 <\/span>As an audiology professional of the future, I believe a patient\u2019s experiences could be improved by showing a touch of empathy and understanding about how individuals can be deeply affected by hearing loss.<\/p>\n Margaret comes from a background of nursing and of looking after others. She worked for the NHS as a ward sister in burns and recovering plastic surgery unit. The gradual deterioration of her hearing came as quite a shock to her, and ultimately, led to her being unable to work. This became the beginning of Margaret\u2019s struggle to deal with her impairment and its consequences.<\/p>\n One factor that stood out to me most was how isolated individuals can become once diagnosed as hearing impaired. Many find that friends begin to \u2018\u2019drop-off\u2019, as Margaret claimed. Margaret has overcome profound difficulties alongside the hearing deterioration and most of her time now is spent mastering the art of lip-reading.\u00a0 <\/span>Alongside the hearing aids, this has reformed her communication skills and helps her cope with daily \u2018battles\u2019, such as crossing roads and listening out for announcements on trains and so on.<\/p>\n I really cherished experiencing this snapshot of someone\u2019s personal experience of hearing loss, and I valued the honest advice given by Margaret herself. Our chosen career involves meeting countless individuals. I believe that part of helping them to cope with their condition is to understand the full extent of how this psychologically and physically affects them. Simple social interactions may just involve asking them about their day or remembering key facts about them so they can feel more comfortable opening up about their impairment \u2013 resulting in a closer patient-clinician relationship. Crucially, I believe that we need to be cautious that stereotypes of deafness do not generalise the hearing-loss experiences.<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”MERLYN BOWEN Interviewed by Ayesha Kalam” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n When 66 years old, Merlyn Bowen suddenly lost his hearing.<\/p>\n He thought his world was going to collapse.<\/p>\n The sudden loss came as a surprise as he had never suffered from tinnitus and had no family history of hearing loss. Losing balance while walking was one of his first symptoms. One day while at home, he realised he couldn\u2019t hear the TV, and by the time he had an appointment with the audiologist he couldn\u2019t hear at all. . His journey through hearing loss was definitely not what he expected.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think you\u2019ll put hearing aids on and everything will be fine, but no. It\u2019s not.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Using a hearing aid the first time felt strange and confusing. He could not distinguish where certain sounds were coming from \u201cI had to learn to listen all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n He noticed his brain started reacting differently \u2013 incidents like focusing on the subtitles of a movie would make him think he could follow and hear clearly. The pronunciation of any new or foreign words people used had to be learnt and he felt like a small child learning how to speak. Talking to people on the phone for more than a minute had become impossible for him. In terms of music, he was able to sometimes \u201cpick up\u201d the beat of a song he hadn\u2019t heard before but wouldn\u2019t be able to know for certain if it was a fast or slow beat. Songs and people he was familiar with prior to his hearing loss were easier to follow. Talking to strangers, however, took time to get used to and was \u201ctricky business\u201d.<\/p>\n For Mervyn, accepting hearing loss is a mixture of positive action and self-motivation. He said there was no point waiting for a miracle to change things back to how they were \u2013 but to accept you were now a different person. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>His hearing loss had a great impact on his job. As a psychiatric nurse listening to the patient \u2018straight and plain\u2019 was crucial as if you missed the smallest detail in a patient\u2019s opinions and views, it could have serious implications.<\/p>\n Eventually after regular checkups from the medical team, he was told he would not be able to continue working and so he retired. This was a really difficult time for Merlyn as he had thoroughly enjoyed his work.<\/p>\n A father of two, he expressed how his loss made him feel like a different person among his family. He couldn\u2019t sit or have a proper conversation with his daughters and eventually communicating via texts became the norm. People found it hard to cope with a friend becoming deaf. \u00a0<\/span>Friends would always try to nurse him, but he valued his independence and didn\u2019t want anyone\u2019s pity. He asked people for help when he needed it but wanted to do as much as he could himself.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m only deaf when I go out. When I\u2019m at home I\u2019m not\u2019 he said with a laugh. Merlyn is inspiringly positive and never lets his hearing loss affect his approach to life. When asked about whether he was used to wearing a hearing aid, he replied \u2018Sometimes I don\u2019t even remember they\u2019re there\u2019. However, his hearing loss impacted on his love of driving \u2013 he found driving very uncomfortable, without his sense of hearing and the concentration he had to employ to compensate for this, drained him.<\/p>\n He said that the main problem a lot of deaf people face is when dealing with health professionals. Each patient is different, and their degree of hearing loss varies on such a wide range, they should be dealt with each as an individual. Merlyn explained that whenever his hearing aid was adjusted, it was like going back to the beginning once again, and that it took time to adapt to any new changes. He compared it to tuning a radio, and how significant it was to reach the right wave. Doctors were often the worst culprits and would continue talking to him without even realising he couldn\u2019t hear them.<\/p>\n During the initial years of hearing loss, he joined many courses run by local authorities for those with hearing difficulties and helping them learn how to cope. This enabled him to meet others facing various degrees of hearing impairment.<\/p>\n This was a truly positive experience and it provided him with the skills and the confidence to cope with hearing loss in a \u201cdifficult world\u201d.\u00a0 <\/span>It also allowed the opportunity to see how others coped with deafness and to realise there was \u201clife after deafness\u201d. \u00a0<\/span>Merlyn went on to train as a challenge deafness facilitator.<\/p>\n Merlyn was very passionate about making videos. Hearing loss evidently affected this hobby, as he was unable to edit sounds and speech accurately. After using hearing aids, he developed a new obsession with solving puzzles. He says this newfound pastime is beneficial as it helps keep his brain stimulated. Staying positive, Merlyn mentioned that he had already begun working on videos once again.<\/p>\n Merlyn said his hearing loss has made him appreciate life more, and that if you try to do the best you possibly can, you will survive. There are plenty of encouraging people you will meet in the world, and no matter how vastly the world has changed and evolved in speech and language, \u201cthere are always good people around to help.\u201d<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”RICHARD HOYES Interviewed by Stewart Routledge” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n I first lost the hearing in my right ear in my mid 20’s. At first it was thought to be Meningitis, but no action was taken at the time. When I was 30, I experienced a sudden hearing problem in my left ear as well. This improved partially over a short period whilst I was on medication. The hearing loss in both ears was then found to be due to NF2, Neurofibromatosis type 2, which are benign growths usually on both hearing nerves that transmit sound to the brain. As a result of the initial improvements in my left ear I did not require a hearing aid for a further five years. Further losses did then occur over time, and I began to use a left side hearing aid, which was sufficient for about 10 years.<\/p>\n A hearing aid on the right ear was not found to be of any benefit since any amplified sound from it was of poor quality.<\/p>\n As the hearing in my left side was not perfect and became progressively worse, I would sometimes misinterpret what people were saying. I used to be employed as a chartered chemical engineer for BP and before retirement in 2009,<\/p>\n I managed to find ways of working without too many problems. I could manage one-to-one conversations, but it was difficult speaking on the telephone. Colleagues at my workplace noticed the deterioration in my hearing before my family did.<\/p>\n I became increasingly dependent on my wife for hearing at home and with friends, where she would cover me in difficult situations. Sadly, she died of cancer in early 2010, so this led to further difficulties for me including depression, and the frustration of not being able to hear what was being discussed.<\/p>\n I found that social situations were particularly challenging especially meetings in large rooms where there is background noise. If I was positioned too far away from the person speaking, this created difficulties as well. Mixing with people was hard. People who are in my situation tend to bottle things up and don\u2019t like to admit deafness. Where possible I tried to behave as normally as possible. There were several ‘tricks” I had; I tended to try to dominate conversations (as I speak better than I hear) Out of desperation I would sometimes try to change the topic if I felt I had lost the thread of the discussion.<\/p>\n Although I have not attended any lip-reading classes, testing has proved that I have subconsciously made use of it through trying to determine what was being said, therefore becoming an “oralist”. I came to realise the importance of turning my back against the sun, as this makes it easier to lip read when the sun is shining against the person\u2019s mouth. I can follow speech more easily alongside accompanying text, such as subtitles or following a textbook.<\/p>\n I tend to use the internet and email to communicate. This was, and still is, ideal for me: People with normal hearing use these methods of communication regularly. I use a mobile phone for sending texts, but not for making phone calls.<\/p>\n Having hearing loss can make a person such as myself feel isolated. I felt that having hearing loss made me miss out on things and I lost a sense of pride. Lack of motivation became a problem for me.<\/p>\n I had a cochlear implant fitted in July this year, which has helped me tremendously, but it does not totally replace hearing as it once used to be. The problems previously mentioned still apply, but to a lesser extent. In terms of the amount of speech I can hear, recognise, and understand,<\/p>\n I would say that after having the implant my ability has risen from approximately 20% to 80%. There is still much room for improvement. I knew and understood from the outset that response to the implant is an ongoing journey from sounding like “duck” to “human\u201d and I am told that this is normal. For me it was more of a step change to improved hearing rather than a ramp change.<\/p>\n I still have issues using the telephone, as it is hard to follow conversations, but it is much easier if the person on the other end has a familiar voice. I was advised that I could benefit from further auditory training; this is currently being investigated. Without doubt though, the implant has already improved my confidence and motivation.<\/p>\n I miss music, as this is still difficult to interpret clearly. I was told that the implant was primarily for speech recognition and that applying them to music is another step up on the gradual learning curve. The two factors here are identification of pitch (i.e. tuning into the correct frequency for identifying the right musical note precisely) and recognising the quality of sound due to different harmonics from various musical instruments. Again, this takes time to learn and to familiarise. I have been advised to start with small ensemble music like a folk duet as opposed to a full symphony orchestra. Progress is slow but moving forwards. As with speech, once the brain has recognised what it is hearing then it locks on and tries to fill in the gaps.<\/p>\n In terms of performing music as opposed to just listening to it, one instrument that I played before starting to become deaf was the bassoon. As a solo woodwind instrument, with a large orchestral setting and where the performer is responsible for intonation, this is definitely a difficult hurdle to overcome quickly. Singing has more potential, but the singer must be able to sing accurately in tune, which can be difficult. Playing something like the piano, which I do like to improvise on, is possibly the easiest starting point since pitches are fixed from the tuning of the strings.<\/p>\n As my progress with the implant continues, I am hoping to get involved in more external social and work activities, possibly including some charity work and music in the future.<\/p>\n I am confident and hope the implant will continue to improve my life.<\/p>\n Text taken from longer interviews with people with lived experience of hearing loss.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n How to communicate with someone who is deaf or has hearing loss.<\/strong><\/p>\n Three simple ways to start:<\/strong><\/p>\n More communication tips available here<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Technology & Assistive Devices: Empowering\u00a0people with hearing loss and tinnitus.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hearing aids<\/strong> come in different shapes and sizes, but all work in a similar way. They use microphones to pick up the sounds around you. A processing chip adjusts the sound digitally. The sounds are then amplified and played into your ear.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Your hearing aids are specially programmed to match the results of your hearing test.<\/p>\n More information about hearing aids and cochlear implants \u00a0available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n Living with Dizziness: Lived Experiences (by Debbie Cane)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Polly: \u2018One of the main issues I faced then, and continue to face now, is that I look as if I\u2019m back to normal. Except that I\u2019m not!! \u2018” open=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n Polly: My Dizziness Attack<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018They would come on with no warning.\u00a0 I might be cooking, or at work for example, and suddenly the room would start zooming around my head and all I could do was to lie down on the floor with my eyes shut.\u00a0 If I moved the vomiting would begin.\u00a0 It\u2019s difficult to describe how completely out of control of my body I felt during those vertigo attacks.\u00a0 It was completely terrifying.\u00a0 The attacks would last for three to four hours and would include the spinning vertigo, sweating then going very cold, vomiting, and what I will politely call bowel urgency.\u00a0 It was like being on an extreme form of fairground ride that I hadn\u2019t asked to go on, and for which there was no \u2018please can I get off\u2019 button.\u2019\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Polly was eventually more or less bed ridden, and had to give up her job. She has received treatment meaning the acute symptoms have gone but she still has 3pd symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Polly’s full story:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n My story began when I was aged 56.\u00a0 Picture this: I was out one evening at a meeting in a remote village hall.\u00a0 I had gone there with friends.\u00a0 As the meeting came to an end, I suddenly felt very strange, unlike any feeling I\u2019d ever experienced before.\u00a0 I had no idea what was happening.\u00a0 Without moving my head, I asked my friend who was sitting next to me to take me to the ladies\u2019 toilet.\u00a0 When I got there the room began to spin violently and I started vomiting.\u00a0 This continued for about two hours until eventually the friends I\u2019d come with called 999 and an ambulance took me to hospital.\u00a0 I was seen by a doctor and told I probably had crystals in my ear, and then I was discharged.\u00a0 Although I didn\u2019t realise it at the time, that was the beginning of a long and unpleasant journey into the world of balance disorders!\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t know what to make of what had happened that evening.\u00a0 Although I did have some further symptoms in the weeks afterwards, I had no further significant attacks for over three years.\u00a0 During that time I\u2019d seen an ENT consultant on a six-monthly basis.\u00a0 He\u2019d diagnosed me with Meniere\u2019s Disease.\u00a0 I asked why I was continuing to be seen when I felt basically ok, and he told me that Meniere\u2019s tends to come back.\u00a0 I convinced myself that I would be one of the lucky ones for whom it never returned . . . <\/em><\/p>\n In 2019 the attacks began again, usually when I was stressed or over-tired, but sometimes for no apparent reason.\u00a0 They would come on with no warning.\u00a0 I might be cooking, or at work for example, and suddenly the room would start zooming around my head and all I could do was to lie down on the floor with my eyes shut.\u00a0 If I moved the vomiting would begin.\u00a0It\u2019s difficult to describe how completely out of control of my body I felt during those vertigo attacks.\u00a0 It was completely terrifying.\u00a0 The attacks would last for three to four hours and would include the spinning vertigo, sweating then going very cold, vomiting, and what I will politely call bowel urgency.\u00a0 It was like being on an extreme form of fairground ride that I hadn\u2019t asked to go on, and for which there was no \u2018please can I get off\u2019 button.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n I had more and more attacks over the next few months.\u00a0 I managed to carry on with my job (as a psychological therapist) for a while, but as time went on things became more serious.\u00a0 I was unable to eat much (partly out of fear of having a spin attack within a few minutes of finishing a meal then vomiting it straight up again), and I lost over a stone in weight.\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t leave the house unless I had my sick-kit with me.\u00a0 Eventually I was more or less bed-ridden and my consultant recommended that I have a steroid injection through my eardrum as this was likely to stop the vertigo attacks.\u00a0 I had two of those injections.\u00a0 Whereas they did reduce the severity of the attacks, they continued to occur and they increased in frequency.\u00a0 It was then recommended that I have a different type of treatment called Gentamycin.\u00a0 This is an antibiotic which is toxic to the ear.\u00a0 It\u2019s given to deliberately chemically kill off the balance organ (the labyrinth) in the affected ear.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n I went ahead with the Gentamycin treatment as I realised I had no choice.\u00a0 It made me very, very unwell.\u00a0 Whereas most people who have it adapt within about six weeks, for some reason my brain couldn\u2019t compensate or adjust to it. The only way I can describe it is that it felt as though 70% of my brain had been removed.\u00a0 It did stop the vertigo attacks (thank God), but it caused a different set of symptoms which were even more incapacitating.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t really do anything and spent about two years lying on the sofa.\u00a0 I had to quit my job which upset me as despite being demanding I\u2019d really enjoyed it.\u00a0 During that time I was also diagnosed with a condition called Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness or 3PD for short.\u00a0 Fortunately, as the months went on after the Gentamycin treatment, I started to function better again.\u00a0 I put back on 1\u00bd stone of weight (which I was happy about) and I was able to drive again.\u00a0 I started spending time with my grandchildren again, so long as it wasn\u2019t for long periods of time.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n One of the main issues I faced then, and continue to face now, is that I look as if I\u2019m back to normal.\u00a0 Except that I\u2019m not!! \u00a0My GP says I have an invisible disability and I have to admit that he\u2019s right.\u00a0 I have good days and bad days.\u00a0 On good days I can feel and look almost normal, although after three years of being unwell it\u2019s difficult to remember what normal actually is!\u00a0 On bad days I feel as if I\u2019m wading through treacle.\u00a0 I have a headache and brain fog.\u00a0 I can\u2019t think or do anything and it\u2019s difficult to join in conversations.\u00a0 The room doesn\u2019t spin anymore but it still lurches sometimes and this is scary.\u00a0 I tend to not accept invitations much now or organise meet-ups with friends as I know that 1) they will be difficult for me to cope with, and 2) even if I tell the person\/people I\u2019m going to be with that I\u2019m still not functioning properly, they don\u2019t understand.\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t have understood either if this had not happened to me!\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n Having a balance disorder has given me insight into a condition that I\u2019d barely heard of, let alone experienced.\u00a0 Whereas almost everyone has had the experience of being a bit dizzy or unbalanced at some point in their life, a balance disorder such as severe Meniere\u2019s Disease is nothing like that!\u00a0 It\u2019s completely terrifying, creates huge amounts of anxiety, and affects every aspect of life.\u00a0 I hope that it never happens to any of you!\u00a0 But if you ever do come into contact with someone with this type of condition, do listen, and be curious, and don\u2019t assume that you know what or how they\u2019re feeling.\u00a0 Above all, don\u2019t dismiss what they\u2019re describing as just a bit of dizziness or being all in their head.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n Thank you for listening to my story!<\/em><\/p>\n Polly <\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”%22Every Flavor of dizziness%22 by Marilyn Lockett” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n I think over the last twenty-four years I have experienced every type of dizziness from gripping vertigo, drop attacks, continual daily dizziness, tinnitus and deafness.<\/span><\/p>\n I have bilateral Meniere\u2019s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Dizziness is with me all the time and was severe enough that I had to medically retire from my job as a critical care nurse and also rendered me unfit to drive. This often invisible symptom weaves into everyday life of someone like me, as our vision, movement and senses are constantly working, even when our eyes are shut (this is also unpleasant).<\/span><\/p>\n Equally the loss, grief, fear and anxiety that go alongside with these symptoms can be equally as distressing I feel. But what was once the menacing enemy that attacks me is now viewed in a friendly manner, something that needs love, compassion and support. It\u2019s here where my Mindfulness practice has become a solid foundation of my practice as I work with each moment in a softer dance rather than a continual fight.<\/span><\/p>\n Each moment of awareness gives me the opportunity to open up to the experience of dizziness, nausea, tinnitus and deafness rather than to restrict in fearful patterns. Below are ways I cooperate with the way my body works and over time and application I can say have truly made my life both happy, meaningful, loving and joyful.<\/span><\/p>\n Now I invite the dizziness to accompany me on my day as I know we have to work in harmony together. I am now mostly a lot more at ease within my body despite it significant challenges and Mindfulness is that place of stability that I can keep returning back again and again. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n Living with Tinnitus: Lived Experiences (by Diana Terry and Dominic Gately)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n Tinnitus\u00a0is the perception of sound in the absence of an external source, which can be permanent or temporary. This can take the form of a ringing, roaring, hissing or buzzing sound, it can be intermittent or constant, affecting one ear or both.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Diana Terry – Deafness is not Silent” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n My hearing loss began when I had measles but nobody really noticed till I went to<\/p>\n school. I had two ear operations as a child and I have worn hearing aids since I was<\/p>\n about 25. After being a school teacher and lecturer I became an artist. When you<\/p>\n meet me, as many people tell me, I don\u2019t look deaf.<\/p>\n The drawings are a selection of a series where I removed my hearing devices and<\/p>\n drew the sensations and noises of hearing loss. Deafness is not silent. I understand<\/p>\n that if someone has damaged hearing then tinnitus is almost certainly part of<\/p>\n their experience.<\/p>\n It can be interpreted in a variety of ways but the experience is vivid and personal.<\/p>\n Some of the experiences can be put into words. In order to communicate with the<\/p>\n hearing world it is necessary to use words to describe the experience of tinnitus and<\/p>\n people are encouraged to use examples like aeroplanes taking off.<\/p>\n The process I used at the start of the sessions when I began drawing my sounds<\/p>\n were more abstract, trying to convey the sensation to myself as I never imagined<\/p>\n them being seen by anyone else. The words were, amongst others; jagged, sharp,<\/p>\n black gunk, dizziness, buzzing and squishy. These were only a starting point, but<\/p>\n direct tinnitus to drawing rapidly took over.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”The Noise Begins: A Piece of Audio in Two Parts.” open=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n The Noise begins is an App created by PhD student Dominic Gately as a response to his own experience of tinnitus. It is an experiment, an attempt to create something beautiful out of something debilitating. It is about tinnitus, and is also a sonic escape from tinnitus, inspired by research.<\/span><\/p>\n More details about The Noise Begins here<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n Acknowledgments: This exhibition was supported by SHS Social Responsibility fund, Hearing Health Biomedical Research Centre, and ManCAD.<\/p>\n written by Karolina.Kluk@manchester.ac.uk<\/a><\/p>\n SHS Director for Social Responsibility<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″][\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_nav in_same_term=”off” prev_text=”Previous” next_text=”Next” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ locked=”on”][\/et_pb_post_nav][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.17.6″ locked=”on”][\/et_pb_comments][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related posts” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ locked=”on”]<\/p>\n
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\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-athena-swan\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2024\/09\/Mike-Kushner-232x300.png\")
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This is a story of happiness and survival.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-athena-swan\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-14-at-01.06.10-300x174.png\")
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<\/p>\nRelated<\/h1>\n
Related posts:<\/h3>
E-mail and Zoom advice during COVID-19 time<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
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<\/a> <\/li>\n