Hearing aid selection.

[Redneck in training]

I got a viral ear infection about three months ago. I was completely deaf on right ear for about two months. My hearing recovered to large degree in both ears but it is not the same as before. I hear people talking but I don't understand everything I hear. My wife is type A with patience about 1 msec. It frustrates her immensely when she say something and I ask What did you say. I found the hearing aid selection overwhelming. So my question is what is your experience and/or what would you recommend. Money is no object.

 

[RNeumann]

Our family has had great luck with Costco. The last one was similar in that he could get about anything. His ENTH MD suggested Costco as well.

 

[Oldtink]

I feel for ya Redneck. I went through the same thing with the wife.
I think the biggest challenge is finding a professional audiologist, or group, that can work with you. Hearing aids have become so advanced in the last 10 years with features like noise canceling and speech recognition that they deserve professional attention. IMO.
I personally bought Hearing Aids for Hearing Loss - Starkey Hearing Aids and I love them but it took my audiologist and myself about a month to get them tweaked to my liking.

 

[1965]

I think you have the same as noise induced hearing loss which is what I have from working in a noisy factory. I can not hear high range sounds which is where most women speak. I can here men's voices ok. I had it for about 11 years before I got the Starky's mentioned by Oldtink. I was afraid hearing aids were going to sound like a tin can or old walky talky, I was amazed at what I could hear again, birds, frogs water trickling. You likely need the behind the ear style as I have. I agree with the visit to an audiologist to get what is right for you.

 

[RalphVa]

I went upstairs and checked my hearing aid box. It's Resound. Seems wrong. I had an in-the-ear type first that was different from the looped, behind the ear ones I have now. The first one (in-the-ear) was not good. Had back feeding when you covered your ear (and this was the only way you could tell it was working); so, couldn't use with a telephone.

These I have now are mid price models, about $2300 each, in both ears. The audiologist had done a couple different programs. One kinda kicks up the volume about 3 dB and cuts out some background noise. I use it in crowds and meetings. Another program just cuts out background noise. Works in the bowling alley. She also checked my tinnitus by matching level and frequency. It's 85 dB. These also play a tune when you push the battery compartment back in with a new battery or from having laid them aside for a while. That's important. There are 2 or 3 ways they can not work other than a dead battery. Oh, they sing out "battery" two times before the batteries go dead. A good audiologist will do all this for you. After the first year, she brought me in to check them. Sent one at a time back for a rebuild. Don't know whether she'll be doing this for the 2nd year.

Even with all this, I don't hear like my wife. Need good eyes to read the captions on TV. Got my eyes back after a YAG on my 2nd eye to get a secondary cataract. **** doctor misdiagnosed the 2nd eye to get this with wrinkled cornea, and I struggled with my quirky left eye for 3 or 4 months before a cornea specialist said, "I don't see a wrinkle. I think you have a secondary cataract." He shot a hole through it. Can read ALL the fine print on the TV at 15-20 feet now, even pesky score sheet on ESPN.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Got my magnifying glass out to read the fine print on my hearing aid. They're Starkey. With my fixed right eye now, I can see distance like an eagle and can read up close like a professor with a monocle.

Someone mentioned Bluetooth. The Starkeys have this ability. Think you can also get a phone to work with them, e.g. transmit right to them. Same for TV, car radio, etc.

I have a friend who got free hearing aids. He's a retired marine. I'm also a veteran but didn't even check with the VA. I'd rather not deal with them as I can afford my own.

For the behind the ear ones like I have: always put the in-the-ear piece in first and push it like its pointing to the top of your ear canal. This will keep you from getting wax into the tiny inlet in the middle of the cushion. Wax will completely or partially plug the orifice. If you get one of those cushions left stuck in your ear, DO NOT try to remove it with your fingers. Have your wife get some tweezers to get it out. Otherwise, it's a trip to the ear doctor to get it removed because your fingers will push it further in. My doc said he had a patient who had two of them in his ear.

NEVER wear them when in the woods or working on your tractor. You'll most likely be wearing muffs to keep noise out on the tractor. You don't need aids. In the woods, there'll be lots of branches to hang on that loop behind your ear and yank that $2,000 piece out of your ear.

About every 6 months, you'll have to replace the filters downstream of the ear cushions. Those buggers simply will not come out with the little plastic tool they give you. You have to use a pin.

Ralph

 

[cdaigle430]

I got a viral ear infection about three months ago. I was completely deaf on right ear for about two months. My hearing recovered to large degree in both ears but it is not the same as before. I hear people talking but I don't understand everything I hear. My wife is type A with patience about 1 msec. It frustrates her immensely when she say something and I ask What did you say. I found the hearing aid selection overwhelming. So my question is what is your experience and/or what would you recommend. Money is no object.

Phonaks are very reliable, been using them since 33 (I am 50 now). Started out with Miracle ear which turned out to be its a miracle they worked. I have 7% of my hearing left in both ears.
Some things I learned the hard way-
1) Go behind the ear-will save you lots of ear aches
2) Get a dehydrater
3) Dont leave them within reach of cats-they like to play with them
4) Dont leave them within reach of dogs-they like to eat them (had to go through dog poo to recover one of mine once).
5) Dont wear them while mowing or wearing hearing protection-when you take them off they sometimes come off too.
6) Get used to subtitles while watching TV

 

[Bird]

Been wearing hearing aids since 1992. I tried the behind the ear models once for a week or so; definitely not for me, too easy to lose one. Never had a dehydrater; I wipe them with a facial tissue when I take them out at bedtime, leave the battery compartment open overnight, run the little plastic "wire?" through the vents, and brush them with a child's toothbrush in the morning before putting them in. Never had a cat and never left them down where the dog could get to them. I've always left them in when mowing, and the only time I wore heaing protection is when shooting and I left the hearing aids in then, also. And I don't watch TV that isn't closed captioned.:laughing:

The VA provided Phonak hearing aids for my brothers. I started with Beltone, used Starkey's once but they were provided by a crooked doctor and audiologist who said they were programmable when they were not, and went back to Beltone.

 

[747driver]

Are you a military veteran ? If so you might be able to get them free. I was in the Air Force 71/75. I have been to the VA to have my hearing checked. Yes I have a hearing loss by not enough to get a disability award....they rated me at 0%. With this rating the VA is going to supply me with lifetime hearing aids free. I go in a couple weeks to get them fitted. Just wanted to let you know options. Hope everything goes ok for you !

 

[RSKY]

Go to a several different places and have your hearing checked. My hearing is also bad in that I have a hard time understanding what is being said if there is any background noise. This is because of a surgery I had over 25 years ago due to Minere's Disease when a shunt was placed in my right inner ear. That is a story in itself but that is not what we are talking about. Basically a tone that sounds at a certain level in one ear, say a C note, sounds different in the other ear, maybe an E note. Makes for a hard time understanding even when you hear the voice.

The first place I went to had a 'trainee' audiologist who administered the test with the 'boss' watching over her shoulder. My results showed I needed a pair of $6,000 hearing aids. I was actually considering them when a friend at church told me to call a lady at another place and set up a test with her.

Best advice I've ever been given. Saved me $12,000!

This lady wears hearing aids. She understood the problem I was having. So she administered the same tests the first place had. After it was over she told me she would sell me hearing aids if I wanted them but they would NOT help me the least bit. I had severe hearing lost but only in the upper ranges. My hearing in the vocal ranges was well within limits. She asked where I had the first test administered and if they had a '19-year old trainee' administering the test. I told her yes and she said that having a trainee do the test somewhat insulated the company from legal threats. If pressed they could say the trainee screwed up the tests. So, at her urging I set up another appointment with her six months later. At that appointment I had the same results. Hearing aids would not help me.

The hearing aid business helps many people but it is still a racket. Beware who does your tests, beware of the large businesses who depend on volume for their income. The lady who refused to sell me unneeded hearing aids works out of a small office with herself and one receptionist. She says she does very well because her reputation for honesty and not pushing people to buy what they don't need has spread and she has people coming from neighboring states for tests.

One other thing she told me. She said that if I ever get up in the morning and have sudden hearing loss in an ear to immediately go to the nearest ear, nose, throat doctor and walk in the office and tell them what has happened. She said to overact and be hysterical if needed but to get back to the doctor. Said it was an easily reversible condition but if left untreated for a day or so it would be permanent. If you call and try to get an appointment it might take a month to get in. This happened to my sister and she did get an appointment three weeks after the sudden loss and by the time she saw the doctor it was not reversible.

By no means am I an expert on this. Just passing on my experience and information I was given by somebody I trust.

RSKY