Hearing problems?

[RalphVa]

On August 1, I had another hearing test that shows significant hearing loss. Worst is that my understanding is only about 60%. I knew all this before the test, of course.

Here's a note I sent a very helpful audiologist about some success I found without spending $5,000 each on Phonak aids plus $1700 on a remote mic.

I went ahead and ordered these two, $240 total:

Here’s probably the best amplifier to ear buds: rechargable, microphone that one could place beside TV or beside or on your chest. Amazon.com: Neosonic Rechargeable Hearing Amplifier to Aid TV Watching, Wireless Neckband Headphones for Seniors & Adults, Conversation Assist Device with Remote Microphone Noise Cancelling - NW10 : Health & Household This is the Neosonic.

Rechargable with head phones: Amazon.com: Hearing Amplifier Rechargeable Hearing Aid Device Personal Sound Amplifier PSAP for Ears,Seniors,Adult,with Headphone,Directional Microphone : Electronics This is the “Iroger”.

Right now, I’m sitting at my computer listening to the TV on the other side of a wall using the Neosonic necklace device with its remote mic sitting under the TV. It is GREAT! It cuts out a little bit when I go into my little kitchen, which is on the other side of the bathroom from the TV. For more general use walking around the house, the built-in mic on the necklace works well. The remote mic works essentially the same as the “roger” mic that works with the Phonak. You can plug it directly into jacked devices like the TV, but it’s easier to move about without the line tether. If there is some background noise around where you have it, plugging it in would eliminate the background noise.

I just opened up the Iroger stuff and briefly tried it out. Absolutely unsuitable. It is similar, with a smaller box, to the one you had me try in your office. The mic on it is supposed to be directional to minimize noise and has an extendable line that you can put between the box and the mic, but does not act as a remote one. The box just does not amplify enough. I’m recharging it fully to see if that helps. Doubt it will.

The ear buds on the Neosonic are more comfortable than the “stuffed” ones on hearing aids and don’t leave me with a “stuffed” feeling when I remove them. Wish I had the option of the head phones.

 

[Doofy]

Since we are now able to buy hearing aids "Over the Counter" hopefully, those exorbitant prices will also drop. We should also be seeing new innovations and technologies in hearing aids soon too! The Wife swears that amplifiers can't hold a candle to actual hearing aids. I guess your type of hearing loss also is a factor in what works.

 

[oldnslo]

I tried an amplifier a few years ago that hung around my neck and it was awful for my use. It picked all the scratching noise as it slid across my carr hart jacket. Was always in the way while trying to work. If sitting stationary it did work ok in blue tooth directly to hearing aides.

I too am curious on how the over the counter will affect prices and how the OTC units will compare to audiologist fitted and tuned units. If I remember correctly my aides have 8 levels of frequency that can be tuned to your hearing loss vs amplifying everything. My loss is high frequency so those are turned up while lower frequencies are barely amplified.

I guess if it works for you don’t try and fix it..

 

[workinonit]

I've been close to deaf for 30 years. Every employer I've had has performed annual hearing tests on me and I've spent untold hours with doctors trying to prove that my hearing loss is not attributed to industrial noise. I've tried dozens of different types of hearing devices. Phonak is by far the best one I've had. I just got my third set and I have been amazed at how much superior these are from anything else I've ever used. The gain can be cranked up to improve volume as well as clarity. They also have an equalizer built into the app that you can customize them for different types of hearing situations. These aren't $200 amplifiers but a piece of amazing technology. They have improved my quality of life 100 fold and made it possible for me to continue to work until I decide to retire. I have been down the exact road you are traveling and let me just say, don't waste your time. You will get those amplifiers and they may help some but probably not. If your audiologist is trying to sell you a remote mic, they don't have a clue what they are doing. You don't need a remote mic. I have the TV Link and like it a lot. I had it with my last set of Phonaks and still use it but any bluetooth device will work with the aids and TV.

 

[PNHuber]

I have a 10% hearing loss at high frequencies and a 60% loss at low frequencies. A simple amplifier will just kill me with too much high frequency noise and not help with low frequencies. A good set of modern hearing aids let your audiologist adjust frequencies differently throughout the ranges even to adjust each ear differently. Add to that the ability to Bluetooth to your phone to make adjustments in different environments is a life changer. Still does not bring things back to real life but makes a huge difference. Been wearing hearing aids now for 17 years.

 

[cwbyeng1300]

Internet search for Phonak P-70 will bring a result for $1357.00. I paid audiologist $6k for mine.

 

[oosik]

I have "selective" hearing. Works great for me.

 

[mrmikey]

Internet search for Phonak P-70 will bring a result for $1357.00. I paid audiologist $6k for mine.

Same model as mine, paid for by WCB was CAN$ 2,500, just noticed today, exact same thing at Costco was CAN$ 1,400

 

[RalphVa]

I have a Neosonics $140 necklace hearing amplifier with a small remote mic. Love it. Volume can be cranked up without the thing back feeding like an amplifier that an audiologist let me try in her office. She also set up a pair of Phonak hearing aids programmed to fit me after I sent her a copy of my hearing test. She demoed a $1700 "RogerOnIn" remote mic that is about 3 times bigger than the little Neosonics one. The Phonak aids, very expensive along with the RogerOnIn, worked essentially the same as the Neosonics.

I don't have the rubbing issues while working because I do not use it while working. Generally want to keep sound out of my ears and often am working with ear muffs.

This Neosonic works great in the car and should work fine for church attendance whenever we ever get back to it (doing online for over 2 years). I don't have any meetings any more to attend to worry about how something works for me in meetings.

I bought another amplifier similar to the box connected to head phones that the audiologist had in her office. It was called "IRoger". Completely unsatisfactory. Volume could not be cranked up enough, and the mic on the little box made lots of background noise. Sent it back to Amazon for a $99 refund.

The Neosonic uses ear buds. They do not give my ears a "stuffed" feeling when in place and after I take them out like hearing aids do.

I have very significant hearing loss and understand only 60% of what is heard. My doctor says I'll probably be eligible for cochlear implants in a couple years. Have otosclerosis, which had been repaired but seems to have grown over some parts over the years such that some bone transmission is better than by air.

Despite all this, the Neosonic works great.

 

[/pine]

99% of my hearing problem wouldn't exist if people wouldn't mumble...!

And one peeve of mine is when watching TV/Movies...it really sucks when the background music or effects are so loud you can't understand the dialog...!

 

[workinonit]

$1400 is about right. Prices have been dropping for several years now. Every set I've bought was cheaper than the last set since 1981.

 

[workinonit]

If those amps work for you that's great. Most people with severe hearing loss waste their time with amps. My hearing loss is different frequency loss in each ear. You can't tune amps for that. Just be careful with those. They can cause worse hearing loss than what you already have.

 

[mrmikey]

And one peeve of mine is when watching TV/Movies...it really sucks when the background music or effects are so loud you can't understand the dialog...!

Yup, I agree with that. I was watching a series for a couple years ago and the last year they changed something that the background music was louder than the dialogue, I couldn't even watch it.
I bought a set of the behind the ear ear buds, After Shokz, I find them great for certain shows on TV, don't know why I can understand the dialogue better with them but I can.

 

[/pine]

Yup, I agree with that. I was watching a series for a couple years ago and the last year they changed something that the background music was louder than the dialogue, I couldn't even watch it.
I bought a set of the behind the ear ear buds, After Shokz, I find them great for certain shows on TV, don't know why I can understand the dialogue better with them but I can.

I get so disgusted sometimes I just watch something else...but if I'm really interested I will mute the TV and turn on CC...(used to do that when watching 'King of the Hill' so I could understand what Boomhauer was saying)

 

[lman]

My wife was trying to find a cricket in the garage yesterday. She was trying to track it down by the sound and wanted me to help her. I couldn't as I can't hear crickets anymore. That sound is the same thing I hear constantly from tinnitus. She also mentioned noise coming from a cicada a few weeks ago that I couldn't hear.
Are there any aids that will help with that?

 

[RalphVa]

99% of my hearing problem wouldn't exist if people wouldn't mumble...!

And one peeve of mine is when watching TV/Movies...it really sucks when the background music or effects are so loud you can't understand the dialog...!

Same problem. Have no problem hearing the news on TV with the Neosonic remote mic, but movies have so much other extraneous noise that I cannot make out the dialog. Fortunately, I have the captions.

 

[workinonit]

My wife was trying to find a cricket in the garage yesterday. She was trying to track it down by the sound and wanted me to help her. I couldn't as I can't hear crickets anymore. That sound is the same thing I hear constantly from tinnitus. She also mentioned noise coming from a cicada a few weeks ago that I couldn't hear.
Are there any aids that will help with that?

I think each case is different but the Phonak's thjat I have absolutely assist with frequency loss. I have different loss in each ear so my 2 aids are tuned completely different for each loss.

 

[mrmikey]

What I like about the Phonak is their app that you can use to tune the aid as you like it. I use it also when I have to wait in an office somewhere, I use the bluetooth function to listen to the radio, audiobook, podcast, or whatever.

 

[oosik]

I enjoy - Law and Order. But this year the background is so darn loud - it's really hard to make out the speech.

 

[Deere Dude]

My TV is always on mute and is always on closed caption. 10 years ago I bought a Sennhauser set of TV ears and I can have TV sound driven into my ears while my wife sits and quietly does her puzzles. Love it. If I do listen to straight TV everything seems muffled. For some reason even though I listen to the sound acceptably I still find myself reading the CC.