Bathurst to receive greater access to cochlear implant treatment

After years of hearing aid use, Peter Sergeant received a cochlear implant operation in January.

But instead on needing to travel to Sydney for pre and post-operative treatment, Mr Sergeant was able to receive care at Bathurst's Advanced Hearing Solutions, with owner Matthew O'Neill working in conjunction with Sydney-based audiologist Dakota Bysouth-Young to make it possible.

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Mr Sergeant received treatment locally via tele-health, and after months of care, he said the implants are starting to achieve their desired effect.

"The implant has given me is hope, because I was a pretty active person prior to going deaf," he said.

"I'd used about four sets of hearing aids in the past to fix the problem, but eventually gave up, and I hadn't considered cochlear implants in the past because I thought they were only for children."

"In the last month, I've experienced exponential improvement in my ability to hear and I know things will continue to improve as the implant continues to teach my ears how to recognise sound again."

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Mr Sergeant said the ability to remain in Bathurst for treatment has only added to the value of cochlear implants.

"Prior to my treatment, cochlear implant patients had to travel to Sydney once a month for adjustments post-surgery," he said.

"I've been set up on a computer with the software required to assist in the adjustment process and from Sydney, they've been able to support my treatment over the internet."

"It will never beat face-to-face treatment however, which is why its great to see Matt [O'Neill] looking to expand Advanced Hearing Solutions here in Bathurst in the new year."

Advanced Hearing Solutions is set to move to a new location in early 2021, allowing the audiologist to make room for another specialist to bring a greater level of care to hearing impaired patients locally.

Mr Sergeant, who is a prolific author and public speaker, said the treatment has allowed him to safeguard his profession.

"I've run thousands of workshops and seminars over the last 50 years and when you can't hear properly, you can't pick up the nuances in how others express themselves," he said.

"You can speak as per normal, but without the ability to pick up on the feelings of the audiences, it's difficult to present effectively."

Mr Sergeant said deafness can impact an individual at any given time without warning, and that it's essential for everyone to monitor hearing as closely as skin for anything out of the ordinary.

"I suddenly went deaf one night out of absolutely nowhere; that was 15 years ago and after a few years of deafness, I'd have rather lost an eye than my hearing," he said.

"It's a struggle to identify sounds and their point of origin, which can make everyday living incredibly difficult."

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"There's a case for hearing loss being hereditary from generation to generation, but working environments and recreational activities certainly play a part."

"In my case, I was a keen participant in water sports and rifle shooting [without earmuffs], grew up on a farm around tractors and machinery on a regular basis and listened to loud music at parties, so it's no wonder I went deaf."

"So if I can give any advice to younger people, control the volume on your headphones and sound speakers and always wear hearing protection when working around loud noises."

Mr O'Neill said the Bathurst community is at greater risk of hearing impairment than many due to the use of noisy equipment for farming and hunting.