I spent 36 years and some change in the US Army, the VAST majority of that tenure, was in Special Operations. Riding in airplanes, helicopters, shooting... a LOT... and getting blown up a few times, my hearing is shot. Blast over pressure ruptured by left ear drum and I have insufferable tinitus.
The Army gave me some "top of the line" hearing aids, before I retired. I must admit, they do work well... but, they are the behind the ear type, with the little speaker that rests inside the ear canal. I can't seem to make it through the day wearing them, they make my ears itch so bad, and the little silicone "pods" (speakers) cause my ears to make excess wax.
Doing some research, there is a trend saying that if you have hearing loss, and can use hearing aids to help, this is being championed to combat early onset of Alzheimer's. Now, take that with a grain of salt, but if you think about it, hearing loss leaves sensory input areas that the brain is used to, now it is dormant in those frequencies. Interesting concept but I don't know how accurate it is.
My Audiologist told me that it would take 6 to 8 weeks of wearing them daily, to "re-train" my brain to tune out background noises. My hearing chart looks like a mountain range with peaks and valleys...
Just some input from a dude that is hard of hearing, and doing his best to get used to wearing these things. (((As I sit here scratching my ears)))
