Nine years ago, Alison’s life as a busy freelance jazz, gospel and session singer was turned upside down. “I suddenly lost a lot of hearing in my right ear,” she recalls. “Back then I never gave my hearing a second thought. In literally a few seconds, all that changed.”
Photograph by Lucy Toms
She spent the following year visiting different doctors, desperately hoping to recover her ability to hear normally. During that time, performing became an enormous struggle. “I couldn’t hear the other singers or musicians very well, and one ear was a semitone out of tune. I also had terrible tinnitus and hyperacusis — hypersensitivity to loud sounds.”After 12 months, she received a diagnosis of permanent, irreversible nerve damage.
Reaching Out for Support
Alison’s first step towards help came through the Musicians’ Union, who referred her to the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme. This gave her an hour-long assessment with an audiologist at Musicians Hearing Services. “It was such a relief to offload my worries and questions onto a professional who truly understood the realities of being a musician with hearing problems.”
The Right Hearing Aid Changed Everything
Following this, Alison received a specialist musicians’ hearing aid funded by a grant from Help Musicians. “This was way better than my NHS hearing aid in musical settings — the difference was like night and day. I could hear other musicians loudly and clearly on gigs, without the horrid distortion I got from the NHS hearing aid. Without this hearing aid and the skill with which it was fitted to my exact needs, I don’t think my career would have survived.”
Continuing Hearing Care and Expert Support
When the time came to upgrade her hearing aid last year, Alison returned to Musicians’ Hearing Services. “Every audiologist I’ve worked with there has had an excellent understanding of my needs as a singer and has worked tirelessly to optimise my hearing aid. The aftercare is amazing, with as many free follow-up appointments as you need to get things right.”
Breaking the Taboo
Alison now speaks openly about her hearing loss, hoping it will encourage others in the music industry to seek help early. “In the music industry, hearing loss is a taboo – but I’ve chosen to be very open about mine. I always advise other musicians to seek help at the first opportunity if they notice anything weird about their hearing.”
If you’d like to find out more about hearing aids to suit your specific needs please call us on 020 7486 1053 or complete our contact form.
