National UK Deaf Awareness Week 7-13 May 2007

[Astro]

I also don't understand why bars and pubs have the music on so loud that you can't hear other people talk. After all, surely the point of going to these places is to socialise and talk to people? - though I've heard it said they do it to prevent conversation and so encourage people to drink more.

It's true. Also free peanuts/salty snacks on the bar to give you a thirst.
I have a 50 per cent hearing loss and these places are too loud for me.

The dancer I know who has significant hearing loss also has the problems of lip reading in reduced light etc. He still wears earplugs to protect his hearing when dancing.

I sometimes have to put tissue paper in my ears if there is too much bass.

Anyone who dj's or work in a noisy enviroment are usually recommended to wear earplugs to protect their ears but most people ignore this and complain about tinnitus or ear problems later on, a Shame really.

I spent years in loud night clubs, ruined my hearing.
Some DJ's have custom made earplugs.
In fact off the shelf ear plugs don't really protect.

[philsmove]

Can I suggest any reading this thread who has a hearing loss, serious consider a hearing aid

Any embarrassment of wearing an aid, can be lot less than misunderstanding someone

So how you can tell if your have a hearing loss

your friends stop talking to you, they get fed up, with you misunderstanding what they said

[Astro]

Can I suggest any reading this thread who has a hearing loss, serious consider a hearing aid

I have two new digital hearing aids off the NHS. They are miles better than the old analogues. But not perfect by any means.

Sometimes an MJ venue has the DJ's volume 'capped' This means the DJ cannot turn the music up if it is too low for you (usually due to complaining neighbours). I usually have to avoid those places.

However if I do go I wear one hearing aid and can hear ok except some places with ancient speakers which are non compatible with digital.
I just need to avoid fast dances and leads who love windmills and moves around the head area. If it fell out it would soon get trampled underfoot. They cost over £1000 each (free on NHS)

Alternatively I can dance all night near the speakers. As a female follow this is tedious as I have only a small area of leads to pick from. Also I'm a sitting duck for yankers.
Plus the speakers are usually near the stage which is overcrowded - usually with hotshots and other deaf people.

Most deaf dancers can hear the beat easily, it is the melody, vocals and top notes we strain to hear if -
1. the volume is low,
2. it is not tuned in right
3. there is too much bass, not enough treble.
4. some tracks have a lower volume. In fact some tracks's volumes vary within the track itself.
If we can't hear the whole range of notes, then it's hard to dance with musicality.

[Husky_Cat]

I wear a hearing aid even if i am fully deaf, I find it so hard to hear the music when the teacher is teaching as the microphone drowns out the music so i end up relying on the lead to show me the beats in their dancing.

However, i have to say the DJs at my venues are great, can hear the music but cos i am very very very very used to feeling the beats through the vibrations that i am having difficulty stopping that and relying on my hearing aid to do that for me!

I only just got my digital hearing aid in feb so i will work on it in time. Before that, i never had hearing aid since i was 13 yrs old (teen rebel threw away analogue hearing aid lol)

[Astro]

I wear a hearing aid even if i am fully deaf, I find it so hard to hear the music when the teacher is teaching as the microphone drowns out the music so i end up relying on the lead to show me the beats in their dancing.

I've never been able to hear the teachers. A deaf guy could stand at the front, but we girls being the minority, usually have to move round. Don't worry Husky Cat, even people with perfect hearing can't hear the teachers.

[fletch]

I've never been able to hear the teachers. A deaf guy could stand at the front, but we girls being the minority, usually have to move round. Don't worry Husky Cat, even people with perfect hearing can't hear the teachers.:wink:

I have this problem when i'm giving my classes, I try and be sensitive to the members who have hearing problems, but with a class of 60'ish its difficult when there is more than one person talking, I do try to keep saying did you get that point 'so & so'? so they don't miss to much

[Astro]

I have this problem when i'm giving my classes, I try and be sensitive to the members who have hearing problems, but with a class of 60'ish its difficult when there is more than one person talking, I do try to keep saying did you get that point 'so & so'? so they don't miss to much

The RNID says one in 7 people have some form of hearing loss, so statistically in a class of 60, you could have 8 who can't hear well fletch.

Those stickers we see everywhere tell if there is a loop system for hearing aids. Some venues have one. Find out if it is -
A. switched on - don't wait for people with hearing aids to request it, cos a lot prefer to hide their deafness.
B. working - often they don't work.
c. if the venue does not have one, you could put in a request for one.
d. If there is a sticker, don't assume there is a loop system. I once went undercover in a well known super market which had the stickers, but did not have the equipment.

[Stuart M]

There is the spinoff issue of domestic music volume - the hearing damage caused by loud volumes in pubs and clubs is no doubt contributing to people turning the volume up on their home sound systems.

We've unfortunately got a new neighbour who whacks the volume up, and it won't be long before we proceed to getting the local authority involved - a couple of friendly requests haven't resulted in a change of behaviour.

[DavidY]

Just came across this website which has a bunch of high-pitched tones to play - how high can you hear?

I reckon you need decent speakers and/or soundcard to hear the higher ones - on my laptop speakers it seems to play lower frequency harmonics for some of them -which don't really count.