By Penelope Woods, MAudSt, MAudA (CCP), BMus, is a Masters Qualified Independent Audiologist and Hearing Health Advocate serving the Redlands Community.
She’d seen five different professionals. Each had their own tests, their own scans, their own opinions. But none had taken the time to explain what it all meant.
When this patient first walked into my clinic, it had been months since she woke one morning to find the hearing in one ear gone. Just gone. She did the right thing – sought help immediately, was referred to specialists, completed all the assessments and treatments. ENT, MRI, audiologist, back to ENT. She had been through the public hospital system and visited a major chain hearing clinic. The diagnosis was clear: the hearing loss was sudden, irreversible and permanent. Medically, there was nothing more to be done.
But no one had ever told her why. Not in a way that made sense. Not in a way that helped her feel whole again.
This is more common than you’d think. When hearing loss occurs suddenly, it’s frightening. You feel robbed – of clarity, of confidence, of control. And when explanations are clinical or rushed, patients can feel like passive observers in their own care. For this woman, no one had connected the dots between what her body was doing and what her heart was feeling.
At A Better Ear, we do things differently. We’re a locally owned, independent hearing clinic here in the Redlands. That means we’re free to spend the time it takes to look at everything – reports, scans, test results – and translate them into plain English. More importantly, we connect those facts with the real emotional and social consequences our patients are living with.
When I explained to her what had happened, how it related to the symptoms she felt, and how hearing rehabilitation could help her regain confidence and connection, it was like a weight lifted. She left not just with a plan, but with hope.
She could see how her hearing could improve – not medically, but practically. Her social life, her ease in conversation, her sense of independence. All of that was within reach again.
What made the difference wasn’t the technology. It was the time, the explanation, the empathy.
Hearing loss isn’t just a medical issue. It’s a personal one. And when we treat the person, not just the problem, outcomes are better – because people feel informed, respected, and empowered.
If you or someone you love is struggling to make sense of hearing changes, we’re here to help. At A Better Ear, we listen – so you can hear.
