Health Versus Wealth With Dr Ben

Audiology clinic owner and clinical audiologist Charmain Leek was diagnosed with MS 17 years ago. But that doesn’t stop her working a 55-60-hour week. Charmain is an example of a hard-working business owner who is spinning many different plates in her personal and professional lives, battling many different challenges and coping with stresses from the various demands on her time – by working long hours and neglecting some aspects of a healthier lifestyle. Two nearly grown-up daughters, a husband not in the best of health, her own diagnosis of MS, plus the demands of 2 pets, dog walking at 6.30am before she chases to the office – all add up to a super-busy life as she runs her own audiology business in Worcester.

Charmain believes the Covid pandemic created extra hearing issues for patients. Post-Covid, many patients think they have wax problems, but on inspection, there’s none. She believes fluid in the middle ear is often Covid-induced. There’s been a Tinnitus rise since the pandemic, she says. She caught Covid herself and now maintains a busy workload with the influx of patients. What about taking breaks for lunch? “I never take a lunch break,” she replies, “but there are a lot of eaten apple cores in my car.”