Hearing Aid advice

[orezok]

I suffer the same high frequency hearing loss fate. Mine is from racing in everything from go carts to sprint car. Back in the 60's no one used any kind of hearing protection.

When it was time for me to get mine, I shopped around. I have very good insurance coverage and they covered 80% of anything I wanted so I went with a high quality digital set.

If you don't have insurance and have to pay your self, the best deal around is COSTCO. They carry many of the major brands at a huge discount. The hearing test is free. Go online and you can see all their products and exact prices.

The new digital aids are capable of adjusting levels throughout the spectrum. Mine I blieve have 10 different ranges. The aids are programmed on a computer to output the correct level for each of the ranges so that the aid exactly matches your loss in each range. Basically, you end up with a flat sound level, no booming at the low end, no screeching.

Go with an open ear piece. This seems to work best for me.

By the way, after you are tested at COSTCO, they will program a "tester" and you can wear it in the store for a while while shopping.

There are even brands that have a transmitter you attach to you TV or sound system that sends a Bluetooth signal directly to your aid allowing you to up your volume while you significant other has normal sound. Nice!

 

[jinman]

I worked the flight deck of a carrier while in the navy and now I work in a powerhouse with loud boilers, chillers and gensets. I have a hearing test every year and fail miseribly.

Did you get your hearing loss documented while on active duty or on your discharge physical? The reason I ask is that last year I got hearing aids from the VA that are wonderful. These hearing aids have a tiny receiver that fits behind the ear and a tiny earphone that goes in the ear. The VA supplies me with all needed wax guards and batteries are also free. They give you a form to reorder all your supplies by mail. I love my hearing aids. They don't bring back total hearing loss ranges, but I can hear high frequencies and the birds when I wear them. If you can get them through the VA, I don't think you'll ever beat the quality and service they offer.

 

[EarPlug]

Military Audiology

Hearing Aids - Military Audiology Association

 

[cdaigle430]

Hi,
I am 44 and profoundly hard of hearing, been a hearing aid wearer for 15 years.Started out with Miracle Ear-out of pocket at 1800 each-and they were the biggest pieces of crap ever made, please stay away from them

I was still in the Air National Guard and decided to visit the VA center to try and get a pair of hearing aids. They found out that I lost my hearing and gained tinitus while active Army back in the 80s and to my surprise gave me 10% for tinitus and 20% for hearing loss. Best of all, they gave me a set of Phonak hearings aids (the best brand as far as I'm concerned) and free batteries for life. It is definatly worthwhile for you to at least open up a case with the VA, even at a 0% they will provide you with hearing aids and batteries.

Hearing aids will never replace your natural hearing, just allow you to get by in the world. To get by the TV propblem with my girlfriend I use close captioning-she likes it to because it makes it easier to follow along. I am an IT guy so I am on call 24x7. I get around not hearing the blackberrry by installing a bed shaker.

As for sports-I wear them, working in the yard, I wear them. Key thing is you will sweat so at night when you go to bed let them air out. When working in close quarters, like plumbing under the sink, either shut them off or turn them down.

You cant wear them and swim so if hitting the beach-bring something waterproof to put them in.

Learn lip reading (I am still), and try to avoid conversing with crowds of 3 or more people because its much harder to concentrate and it will wear you out in 45 minutes or more.

Like I said, they will never replace your natural hearing and they will drown out the ringing only when there is noise. I still miss the sound of crickets and frogs chirping at night or the rain splattering on the roof but thats life.

 

[cdaigle430]

I did a quick search here for hearing aids and found a bunch of old threads so I thought I would ask my question in a new thread.
I worked the flight deck of a carrier while in the navy and now I work in a powerhouse with loud boilers, chillers and gensets. I have a hearing test every year and fail miseribly.

Wifey is getting sick of the loud TV and always repeating herself so she now wants me to look into a hearing aid. First off, I am only 41 yrs old. and I am not thrilled about the hearing aid idea. Also, I know I have some hearing loss but not sure if it is bad enough yet for a HA. My last audiogram shows high frequency loss and supposedly in the moderate loss range (although I dispute that finding...lol )

Could someone who has knowledge of these things give e a quick lesson on hearing aids please. some of my questions are. Why is there such a HUGE price swing? I have seen them go from about $200 to $4,000 !! Also, I am still quite active. I play softball, run, and race dirtbikes quite a bit. Is it routine to just leave the HA's in when doing these activities?

And finally, What is up with the batteries? Some say they have a 70 hour battery life. So you gotta change the batteries once every two weeks? What about tinnitus? Will a HA get rid of that God for saken humming?

The humming can only be disguised and forgotten. White noise generators can help disguise the humming\ringing when your trying to sleep or relax in a quiet room unless your to hard of hearing like me. Training and experience will help you cope with the noise by ignoring it. The good thing is to know that there is help. I suffer from tinnutus and its like somebody screeming in your ear 24x7 with no relief-cant concentrate, cant sleep, cant think-it is loud enough to drown out my inner voice. For the most part I can ignore it unless I am trying to sleep, in a quiet room or when someone reminds me of it (thanks by the way for reminding me )

I also hear pinging (like on a sumbarine sonar), clicks, wirrs, incoherant voices and of course vertigo.

 

[dmccarty]

Our youngest has hearing loss and we had to buy hearing aides. $5,000 for two. OUCH!. She needs the HA when there is back ground noise so she does not wear them all of the time. Multiple tests over time said she has some hearing loss at certain frequencies. We went to a Doctor to get the HAs. It was quite a bit of money for the HA's but we have been back multiple times to the Doc to get the HA adjusted so I think they were worth it from that point of view.

Having your hearing tested by someone who is NOT going to be selling you the HA would be a good idea.

Later,
Dan

 

[Gale Hawkins]

America Hears worked in my case for a few years now.

 

[Jim Shooz]

I've got a pair of behind the ear ReSound X-plore. I think they are from Denmark , $5000 the pair. Batteries (312) last about 10 days. The earbuds with the ReSound have opening slots which allow a lot of feedback (whistling) particularly when driving. The sound bounces back from the closed window. I have ear-buds from another manufacturer (can't remember) which are completely closed and reduce the feedback somewhat.

The 5k cost covers battery supply and 5 years annual re-check. During re-check the volume at about 6 frequency levels are re calibrated and reset. I have no day to day control over volume. There are four programs available and I am using two. One gives me everything and the other filters out background noise. There are two microphones. one forward facing and the other rearward. The rearward ones create a lot of noise when there is wind blowing across them so it pays to wear a cap when it is windy.

 

[LMTC]

Ditto on Costco.

 

[foggy1111]

I suffer the same high frequency hearing loss fate. Mine is from racing in everything from go carts to sprint car. Back in the 60's no one used any kind of hearing protection.

When it was time for me to get mine, I shopped around. I have very good insurance coverage and they covered 80% of anything I wanted so I went with a high quality digital set.

If you don't have insurance and have to pay your self, the best deal around is COSTCO. They carry many of the major brands at a huge discount. The hearing test is free. Go online and you can see all their products and exact prices.

The new digital aids are capable of adjusting levels throughout the spectrum. Mine I blieve have 10 different ranges. The aids are programmed on a computer to output the correct level for each of the ranges so that the aid exactly matches your loss in each range. Basically, you end up with a flat sound level, no booming at the low end, no screeching.

Go with an open ear piece. This seems to work best for me.

By the way, after you are tested at COSTCO, they will program a "tester" and you can wear it in the store for a while while shopping.

There are even brands that have a transmitter you attach to you TV or sound system that sends a Bluetooth signal directly to your aid allowing you to up your volume while you significant other has normal sound. Nice!

^^^ My experience too! Cosco is the real deal when it comes to aids.

First.....I bought a set costing over $6500 by our local hearing aid store. Was a bad experience. I hated them....and after trying to wear them for several years I gave up on them. I always felt like I was in another room when I wore 'em. Not good.

Not wanting to spend too much again...yet needing to do SOMETHING....I read online about Cosco. Went in....did the exam....and tried some no-risk aids. I got digital BTE (behind the ear) aids. Bingo! They are GREAT. I have several programs available for different situations (wind, low volume, high volume etc). I wear mine in most activities....except swimming. :thumbsup:

Help with my (bad) tinnitus too. Hearing aids serve to "mask" the ringing in my situation. My batteries will last for about 2 weeks and are a non-event. As said....keep a few spares in your wifes purse or your car.