Hearing Loss Report & Aid Recommendation

[GoodGuy]

Guys & Gals...
I've posted in the Safety Forum about how important it is to be wearing hearing protection & here in this forum I'm attaching a .jpg of my hearing report a couple weeks ago. I would ask the TBN Members to take a look at this report & explain what it shows & what their recommendations as per personal experience would be for aids & any other information they would be kind enough to share. I think this topic affects a great number of people & should be an interesting thread.
Regards
Eric

 

[Bird]

Eric, I don't think I'll try to interpret your test results, but I'm afraid you're on the way to being where I am already. I first went to an ear, nose, & throat specialist, and his audiologist, in 1981; not because of a hearing loss so much as because of tinnitus. At that time, he said he could tell that I had exceptionally good hearing in my younger days (and he was right), that I did not need hearing aids yet but that I would some day (right again). I finally got a pair of Beltone hearing aids in 1992 in Virginia Beach, VA ($900 each). We were traveling full time in an RV at the time and I figured I could probably find a Beltone dealer almost anywhere if I needed to. They were "in the ear" aids, but fairly large and visible, but had easy to use volume adjustment just with one finger while wearing them. Personally, I didn't mind the fact that they were visible and didn't mind the small children who asked what that was in my ear every once in awhile. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif They had a two year warranty and after about 3 years, and after we quit traveling, I started having to take first one then the other to a Beltone dealer in Waco, TX for repairs. Each one would require repairs about every 8 to 12 months. And the Beltone dealer dropped the Beltone line in favor of Starkey. They said that Beltone required any Beltone dealer to sell Beltone only and they wanted to sell more than one brand. But they could send my Beltones to Starkey for repair, and did a couple of times. And then that dealer went out of business.

From what I've read and heard, the "normal" lifespan of a hearing aid is about 7 years. So, in 2001, when mine were 9 years old, I went to see an audiologist in a doctor's office. For that 9 years I had dealt only with audiologists with no connection to any particular doctor, and hearing exams were "free". So this time the audiologist, who said the exam was free, said I had pretty severe "nerve damage", and of course, I knew my hearing had continued to deteriorate. Naturally, she wanted to sell me some digital hearing aids for $2,500 each, but said she had "programmable" Starkeys for $1,000 each and that's what I bought. Now, I did not even see the doctor but I still got a big bill for an "office visit" and I've since learned that these Starkeys are definitely NOT programmable. They're small, usually no one notices that I'm wearing them, and they'll provide plenty of volume, although certain frequencies are too loud while I cannot hear and/or understand others. And the only volume adjustment requires a magnifying glass and a special tiny wire tool that serves as a screwdriver.

So, I certainly agree with you that everyone should wear hearing protection. Much has been said on TBN about the dealer being more important than the brand when shopping for tractors. I think the same can be said for hearing aids. Try to find an honest and competent audiologist, and try to take care of what's left of your hearing.

Good luck.

 

[JimR]

Are you looking for hearing protection or hearing aids? Shooters muffs work real well for hearing protection. As far as aids are concerned, I can't help you on that issue yet. My wife asays that I could use them. I see from your test results that you are about where I am in the hearing department. One thing I can say is that you should be wearing your hearing protection when using your tractor or any other type of loud tools. This also includes electric saws, chainsaws, leaf blowers, mowers and almost every type of power tool you own. Once you start to lose your hearing you will understand where I am coming from.

 

[SteveH_CT]

I take it you've worked with some loud equipment - I even find working on the tractor gets loud after a while. I wear a hardhat that has drop down ear protectors - I figured that I would protect my gourd while I save my hearing. I also found that I can work a lot longer if I'm not fatigued from noise.

 

[RICHARDG]

You guys,,,,,,,safety is a good thing,but,,,no body needs a hard hat unless something may hurt there head,,,had to wear them to many times for no reason other than it was the rule,,,if you think you need personnel protection to keep your self more safe,,than wear it,,but don't try to make it the norm. for those of us who manage to work safely without them.. As far as hearing protection goes,,,as we get old,,,stuff goes,teeth fall out,hair falls out,our eyes wear out,,naturally,,,,sounds like the race cars ,if any thing hurt you hearing,,tractors had nothing to do with it,I bet... thingy

 

[Egon]

From some dim recess in the miniscule storage bin residing twixt my ears I recall reading an article on hearing loss. This article was about a hearing loss study on people who lived away from all modern day noise. It indicated the old usually had very little hearing loss as compared to the equivalent age living in urban centers. Veracity of the article cannot be proven.

Hard hats offer much more than just protection from falling objects. For some shinny patted individuals they occlude the harmfull rays of sunshine. Fitted with a suitable liner they make one of the warmest wind proof winter hats going. In some cases the ear muffs are excellent for keeping ones ears warm. In rain they do not become sodden and cold. They even channel rain away from the back of the neck.

And best of all; properly adjusted they allow one to lay down for a nap with a properly supported neck.

There are many verifiable studies relating hearing loss to loud noises. Decibel rates and time exposure are well linked.

Egon

 

[RICHARDG]

Egon,,wear your hard hat to keep YOUR head warm,dry,and take your naps in,,its still a free country,more power to you and all that stuff,,,but I'll find other more suitable to me head gear to accomplish all of the above,,,except naps,,,I like to do that bareheaded....As far as hearing loss due to loud noises,,no doubt,long exposeure to a loud enough noise will hurt your hearing,,,question is,,how loud,,in what range of sound,,and for how long? And,I'm sure its like anything else,,it depends on the individual,,,you won't find anymore old individuals who grew up without modern noise,,unless they were over 100,to do any comparision tests anyways,,and if you went back 100 years or so in time to study those people,,you would find that most did not live over 65 or 70,[thats why retirement was set for about that age,,they figured most people would be dead by about then],,people are now living longer,,but just cause you keep the engine running,don't mean some pieces might not wear out.. thingy

 

[Egon]

Your ears; crank it up to the 130 decibel level for hours on end and enjoy.

There are people living in remote areas [ there are remote areas oustside the US ] who have not been subject to the noise levels most of us see in an urban enviroment.

Egon

 

[RICHARDG]

My point too,,,take care of yours and I will[or will not],take care of mine,land of the free and all that,,oh,,forgot,your from,,,well,, thingy

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There are people living in remote areas [ there are remote areas oustside the US ] who have not been subject to the noise levels most of us see in an urban enviroment. )</font>

There are some areas like that inside the US, too, Egon. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Where we lived for 8 years, just 60 miles south of Dallas, the only noises were 2 to 6 cars or pickups a day going by in front of the house, birds chirping in the daytime and coyotes howling at night. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif And now, I'm right under the flight path at the north end of the DFW airport so we have jets taking off or landing every few minutes. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif