Figures published in the UK, in July 2011, show that more than ten million people, or one in six, now have some form of hearing loss. Nearly four million are aged between 16 to 64, over 40 per cent aged 50 upwards, increasing significantly to over 70 per cent for people above the age of 70.

With a total of around 1.1million with some form of hearing loss in the 16-49 age group, over 36,000 or three quarters, are affected to a profound level more commonly associated with industrial deafness as well as the ageing process.

In addition, there is an estimated figure of 150,000 deafened adults in the UK. Individuals can become ‘deafened’ – also known as acquired profound hearing loss (APHL) in variety of ways. Most commonly, noise induced hearing loss occurs from hearing damage inflicted by exposure to excessive noise levels over a long term period in the workplace. Other causes are often as a result of an acoustic trauma (exposure to a sudden loud noise), infection, or ototoxic drugs (affecting the inner ear or auditory nerve).

A higher proportion of men than women will develop hearing loss from the age of 40 onwards, almost certainly to have been caused by a long period of exposure to high levels of noise in their workplace. However, the situation reverses above the age of 80, when more women than men possess hearing loss due to women living longer than men on average.

As a result of the increased longevity of an ageing population, it has been estimated that there will be over 14 million people with hearing loss within the next 20 years, and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), will be a more prevalent condition than diabetes and cataracts.

A delay in addressing hearing loss problems, which on average can be as long as ten years, is mostly because individuals “get used” to working in a raised level of surrounding workplace noise ( often without regulation ear protection), fail to recognise their deteriorating ability to hear clearly, or deny to themselves or others they have a problem.

Another common assumption is that loss of hearing naturally occurs anyway with advancing age and can too easily be used to explain away hearing difficulties actually caused by repeated exposure to excessive noise levels.

Unfortunately, some 45 per cent of people who have been fitted with hearing aids state that their GP failed to refer them to an audiologist for a hearing examination when hearing difficulties were first mentioned. A 2010 EU survey of around 15,000 people revealed that nearly a half of UK respondents who had hearing loss “ did not know if they could get hearing aids through the NHS”.

Anyone, of any age, who notices they might be experiencing difficulty in hearing less clearly than usual should not delay and must seek hearing advice at the first opportunity.