Posted on 06/16/2016 8:44:46 PM PDT by pfflier
I have reached the point where it is time to get a hearing aid. I assume that many Freepers have been through the experience that I am only entering and I value your experience and advice.
I already have had physiological testing and there is no obstruction or other problem associated with the ear canal, eardrum and other physical structures.
My hearing loss is classic "bi-nodal". I am losing it in two different hearing ranges but primarily in the very high range (soft sounds like "S" and "T" are simply gone) with only moderate mid range loss. There the sounds are just muffled. I find it very difficult to single out a conversation through the background noise.
Researching hearing aids online, I recognize there is a wide range of hardware capability at an equally wide range of prices. Some of the less expensive aids online are available through chain stores like Wal Mart and some are available only through big brand name vendors but at big brand name prices.
This is where I need the help. Is it wise to test the lower end aids to see what I like best then move up? Are the low end ones comparable in any way to the big name ones? Conversely, are the big name ones over priced or over rated?
Thanks for an “outside the box” suggestion. For a few years now I have been wearing headphones listening to the TV. Now, no one complains how loud it is and I can understand what Bernadette is saying in Big Bang Theory episodes.
That’s interesting. My 25 yo son has severe hearing loss in one ear, diagnosed as otosclerosis (”overgrowth of bone” on the stapes/stirrup). The only solution is surgery, which they now describe as inserting a prosthesis. I’m surprised to hear that they did this 50 years ago, since my son described the treatment as having developed in just the past few years.
I did extensive research and concluded Phonak was the best. And you can get it at Costco for 1/2 the cost of a regular audiologist.
Gotta trust someone who goes by “aimhigh”. Thanks
If you buy Phonak, get the Compilot and TV attachment. It allows you to send the TV sound directly to your hearing aids. it also allows you to Bluetooth your smartphone and send the sound directly to both hearing aids. If you have music on your smartphone, you can beam it to your hearing aids, and no one else can hear it.
No one has mentioned the Personal Sound Amplifiers for a couple of hundred bucks. I thinking of trying them. I have two of those 4000 jobs from Oticon and after a dozen or so ‘adjustments’ I still can’t hear my wife [she has a weak voice].
Haven’t tried the VA. I’m 90 from WW II so that seems like a good idea.
Thanks to all. This site is one of the reasons I like Freeping.
This is from a Google Search:
A stapedectomy is ear surgery that can be done to treat hearing loss caused by a problem called otosclerosis. Otosclerosis causes a buildup of bone around the stapes (stirrup bone). The buildup of bone keeps the stapes from moving normally, resulting in a type of hearing loss called conductive hearing loss.
Ear Surgery for Hearing Loss: Stapedectomy - Summit Medical Group
www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/aha_stapedectomy/
When my Grandfather had the surgery they took a sliver of bone from somewhere else in the body and cut a new replacement stapes (stirrup bone). Nowadays it appears that they have high tech prosthetic replacements for the stapes and use lasers to vaporize parts of the diseased bone.
Being a Hard Rock Coal Miner in the last century before ear protection even existed provided a perfect patient for the new surgery back then.
Thank you.
My son’s been delaying the surgery in part because the procedure sounded so new, so perhaps this will give him more confidence in moving forward.
I just got mine less than two weeks ago, and still am not quite accustomed to them. They are helpful in that I miss fewer words than I used to, especially without contexts.
I told Mrs. JimRed that since I can no longer pretend not to hear her, she’d better get ready to be offended by honest answers!
Enlisted underage, did we? I'd like to blame my hearing loss on the BOOM of the 5" 38s on my ship, but we didn't train on them that often and never fired a shot in anger. Besides, in my 20s and 30s I worked in loud night clubs a lot.
How do you avoid inadvertently switching profiles when you put them in or remove them?
Just a year, caused a little trouble with Social Security nothing serious.
I see a couple mentions of tinnitis. I have had severe tinnitis for 48 years from blast damage along with some levels of hearing loss in all ranges. The VA told me 20 years ago that hearing aids would be no help so they gave me 10% service connection rating for the tinnitis and 0% for hearing loss. Have they come out with tinnitis aids now that won’t muffle whats left of the hearing and is it worth another try with the VA ?
It’s just a matter of getting used to them. There is a small pull tab for pulling them out, feels totally different than the mode-switching button. Switching modes back to what you want them to be is trivial, I change modes all the time on purpose. I’ve never given any thought to avoiding it.
I have the In The Ear type they are one piece and cover the ear canal entrance held in by the ear lobes. I notice I don't check to make sure they are still there like I did my over ear set I started out with. Also they are lower maintenance than over the ear ones. I just replace a filter in each one easy to do takes 15 seconds and that's it. Another factor is I wear glasses. The over the ear ones were sharing space and it was getting crowded LOL.
Was looking for something else and ran across this old thread.
I was shot in the head RVN 1969, lost most of my hearing then.
Around 1996 a hearing impaired friend, said that the newer technology might help me. He recommended Easter Seals; around Chicago hearing is one of their main programs.
Easter Seals, very nice, no push, take your time...
They explained that using aides was like learning a new language and takes time.
They also said that most aids end up in a drawer, unused.
They sent me out like a student on assignment, noisy restaurant talk with others, movie theater, church, car...
After each assignment they would make adjustments, until we felt it was at the limit of the aids.
With the first aids, the noise canceling was superb.
“But you sure do hear the air leakage from the windows, the AC”. I needed near silence to hear speech, they took care of that.
Now with my newest set, OH MY!I can HEAR!
They can adjust the directions that I want to recognize speech, Bluetooth and many other functions... AND THEY ARE WATERPROOF!!! My previous ones; one drop of water and send them in for repair.
The only thing they cannot do is dampen loud noise(SHOOTING), like the electronic muffs.
Before 0bamacare, I had gold plated insurance, paid for everything, now not so much.
Everyone has different requirements, this what I use:
Phonak Bolero over the ear, TV Link and remote mic.
ask Hillary ...
And that is how I landed on this thread!!!
Her new hearing assist device.
I’m not over the hill but i can see the valley below.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.