Posted on 06/13/2017 5:02:03 AM PDT by Kaslin
It’s a micrphone, speaker, amplifier and battery. Once upon a time it was an impressive bit of technology to fit it in your ear canal, but not anymore. There is no reason why it should cost thousands of dollars.
Sure there are (reasons). Lobbyists have Millions of reasons...
I agree.
In all seriousness, “presbyaccusis” is age related hearing loss. “Presbyopia” is age related loss of near vision due to hardening of the lense (or more specifically lose of compliance). No reason these cheap amplifiers couldn’t be sold at WalMart right next to the cheap reading glasses. Except, of course, the protection on the monopoly the industry enjoys.
Bingo.
I’ve got some expensive ones ($5000 out of pocket since Ins doesn’t cover hearing loss help) but there are cheap OTC ones available. I have some.
I’ve pondered how hearing loss is made fun of without any thought to offending anyone. It’s just another form of racism, but is socially acceptable.
I know people who use CPAPs. They have to have a prescription for those. But the machine is little more than an air pump.
It is also not legal to sell them used. So follow that money trail.
This is exactly right.
While I don't particularly like paying through the nose for these things - and then paying again for the inevitable repairs - there is more to a modern programmable hearing aid.
Based on those frequencies where my hearing is deficient, the aids are programmed to amplify only those frequencies and only as much as necessary to match hearing of the other frequencies.
This is MUCH better than applying the same amplification across the board which ends up over-amplifying many sounds, resulting in an overall sucky experience.
Huh?
hmmmmmm, I think they get to pocket Millions of reasons.
My opthalmologist tells me to just keep using the dollar general glasses.
I’m too stubborn and cheap to buy hearing aids, but would sure consider the OTC option for that too.
The VA provides my AIDS now (30% disability, they even send me a check every month [well, not send - deposit]).
However for my almost entire carer I had to put up with extreme hearing loss.
What bugs me is that the audiologist can never really get it set right. It would be much better if I could adjust the volume, bass and treble myself much as on a car radio. From, say, my smart phone...
The other gripe I have is that sometimes after 50 years of not hearing the high frequencies, I’m not interested in hearing them. Just turn the volume up for God’s sake.
ARE THERE ANY FREEPERS WITH EXPERIENCE WITH CHEAP HEARING AIDS ?
Let's get THAT conversation rolling ...
I have tinnitus AND bad hearing.
Great information. I would recommend that anyone with tinnitus, ringing and vertigo check with an ENT physician. Mine probably saved my life. After I suggested I needed the “Eppley maneuver - he said; ‘no, you are to have an MRI of your skull. Good decision.
I also have hearing aids, which I don’t always wear because when you talk to yourself, you know what you are saying;) tee hee!!!
see my post #16
You can buy a DSP (digital signal processor) in a tiny, embeddable form-factor for quite cheap.
I don’t understand the outrageous costs for something like this.
http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/processors/dsp/c5000_dsp/c55x/overview.page
My husband wasted $3,000 many years ago on a hearing aid and then another $500 on another one about 15 years after he bought the first one, because he stopped wearing them. I am tired of having to yell at him and keep tell him to wear his f******g hearing aid
Bluetooth.
There is probably a great fear among audiologists that people could be fitted for an ear-piece and then completely tune in the generic component with their smart phones.
On a slightly different topic...live-music pro-audio, the sound-man used to need miles of cable, racks of gear, and a giant remote soundboard, and an onstage monitor board, and some monkeys to help him set it all up. Now, most of that has largely been eliminated.
He needs an onstage “box” to which he connects all the mic and signal inputs, as well as all the outputs to the amplifiers. Then he can walk around the crowd area using his “tablet” with a free software app that can control the whole show. The screen has several views of mixing boards, EQs, cross-overs, monitor boards...everything needed...all virtually wireless.
There could be a “smartphone app” that allows the “patient” to dial-in their own tiny high-tech hearing aid. Since it’s their own hearing, and no one else can hear exactly what they do, once trained they can probably do a better job than the audiologist.
(It has probably already happened)
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