A woman from Biggleswade has shared the huge impact a common health issue has had on her life, as a new report reveals millions across England are missing out on vital treatment.
Audrey Houghton, 70, has recurring ear wax build-up which affects her hearing; an issue she has had since she started using hearing aids around 20 years ago.
RNID’s Stop the Block campaign is urging the Government to step in to ensure everyone who needs wax removal can access it on the NHS.
Audrey Houghton, 70, has recurring ear wax build-up which affects her hearing; an issue she has had since she started using hearing aids around 20 years ago.
RNID’s Stop the Block campaign is urging the Government to step in to ensure everyone who needs wax removal can access it on the NHS.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00It was, going back about 20 years ago, I found out that I had a hearing problem because I
00:14used to work at the local school and it was getting a bit awkward hearing the children,
00:21adults, so I had hearing aids fitted and that was fine.
00:29Then it did start deteriorating over time.
00:35I used to go and have a syringing at my local GP.
00:39It was a great help to have that syringing because when you are wearing hearing aids,
00:47the wax builds up more in your ear.
00:51They stopped doing that at the GP surgery.
00:56I had to go elsewhere but I had a bad experience with that and it really put me off doing any
01:04more about it.
01:06It sort of knocked me a bit and I didn't want to go anywhere.
01:10I used to help at the need project at the food bank.
01:14I had to give that up because of my hearing.
01:18I gave up my QFIT class.
01:21I gave up going out socialising.
01:26I didn't even want to go to church, which I always looked forward to.
01:31I did try all the self-management over-the-counter drops.
01:38Some seemed better than others but really nothing seemed to work.
01:43I still kept getting the infections all the time and it was so frustrating.
01:49The people around me were noticing a change and they did say to me, you have to get something done.
01:59My daughter encouraged me a lot to get something done about it.
02:04This was after three years of suffering in silence actually.
02:12Well, literally suffering in silence.
02:16So I was glad that I had my daughter to encourage me to go and sort it out, which I did at my
02:27local hospital in Bedford.
02:31The consultant there, he understood and he helped me a lot.
02:37He cleared the wax from my ears and now I'm getting back into normal life, enjoying life again.
02:48I don't have to give up.
02:52You don't have to live with it, just get the help.
02:56Get the help that you can.
02:58We all need that help and support.
03:01I encourage people to write to their local MP.
03:05You can download a template from the RNID website.