LONDON, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Hearing loss can strain marriage as well as communication, a survey released in Britain Saturday found.
A third of respondents to the study carried out by HearingDirect.com said their increasing difficulty hearing had led to domestic arguments, The Daily Telegraph reported. More than 1,000 people over 40 with deafness were questioned.
HearingDirect makes hearing aids and similar devices.
The hard-of-hearing partner often feels that their spouse does not understand how they suffer, the poll found.
But the deaf person's reluctance to recognize their problem and deal with it is also a major source of stress.
One in 16 said their partner had threatened to leave unless they got their hearing sorted out.
The survey found that one in five of the 9 million Britons estimated to have some degree of hearing loss had lied about it to friends and family. Two-thirds also admitted faking their way through conversations, while half said they had become depressed and isolated.
