Hearing aids

[supton]

Note, not looking for medical advice. Just words of advice.

Decided to have my hearing checked this year, as I know I have hearing loss, but wanted actual numbers (having long lost any readout from testings done years ago). Audiologist thought I could benefit from aid(s). My first inclination was to brush it off, as I'm doing just fine... but she's a paid professional while I'm not.

Yesterday I got something in mail, from their office, about some upcoming thing with a hearing aid specialist and limited slots for appointments. It smells fishy to me, but I'm a paranoid sort. No obligation to buy, etc. Wife thinks I should go, so I will, but I like being prepared when I can be.

Are there things I should be wary about, before going in? Like, watch out for selling you on ___. Like extended warranties for cars, I’m sure there’s more to hearing aids than what they tell you in the store. I’ve done a bit of googling, can read on the various types, am still doing so. Only thing I’m seeing is battery life and initial cost.

FWIW I’ve worn glasses for over 30 years, my reluctance has to do with cost and the fact that I’m getting along. I have one good ear and only moderate loss in the other. The only person I can’t hear is my wife, and I think that’s unrelated…

 

[skyactiv]

Be extremely careful. My aunt was in a pharmacy to pick up a prescription where they had someone approach her for a free hearing evaluation. She fell for it and was given 2 hearing aids to try out with a 30 day money back guarantee if she didn't like them.

The hearing aids gave her TINNITUS. She didn't need the hearing aids and she now deals with ringing in her ears every waking moment.

 

[AZjeff]

Go to a Costco hearing center before you buy anything anywhere else.

 

[GMBoy]

First thing - if you need them get them. I wear them and regret all the years I didn't wear them because I missed so much and it was a struggle for my family....second - use a reputable hearing aid dealer not beltone or others like that. I recommend top grade units made by Phonak, Siemens etc.....and get fully digital only. Analog is worthless. Do your research. You can PM me if you need any help.

 

[supton]

Go to a Costco hearing center before you buy anything anywhere else.

Bit of a drive (67 miles each way, not too bad on the days I'm in-office), will keep that in mind.

 

[Passport1]

I inherited a new pair of Miracle Ear from my brother. He never wore them. I have a moderate loss in the right ear. I'm tempted to have the local Miracle Ear shop fit and adjust them. They were pretty $$. Also got a 10% rating for tinnitis and hearing loss from the VA. I understand they will assist me with the devices free. Wife keeps raggin' on me to do something. She knows I'm not just ignoring her.

 

[Nukeman7]

Bit of a drive (67 miles each way, not too bad on the days I'm in-office), will keep that in mind.

Be sure to call the COSTCO hearing center and make a hearing test appointment before driving 67 miles. They are usually booked up for 2 or 3 weeks in advance. Best bang for the bucks for the free 1-hour exam and Kirkland hearing aids (made by Phonak). They also have Siemens, Philips and other brands.

 

[wwillson]

As you probably know, I have used hearing aids for years. My next door neighbor is an experienced ENT. I asked her about my tinnitus and after a fairly long conversation, she recommended I come in for a thorough test by an audiologist in the office. The hearing aids *could* help the tinnitus, so I gave it a chance. The audiologist is a very experienced AuD (Doctory of Audiology) and is a true professional. I did have low hearing, especially the high tones. Both the Dr. and the AuD said the hearing aids may help the tinnitus, but there is no guarantee. The both recommended I use hearing aids for my low hearing, because when you have low hearing your brain doesn't hear words completely or correctly and you will lose word recognition and annunciation. Yes, your brain will forget words, because you don't hear them correctly and it makes people even harder to understand. It's a negative feedback loop. This convinced me to get hearing aids. Luckily, the hearing aids do help my tinnitus quite a bit, so I'm very please.

 

[97prizm]

Note, not looking for medical advice. Just words of advice.

Decided to have my hearing checked this year, as I know I have hearing loss, but wanted actual numbers (having long lost any readout from testings done years ago). Audiologist thought I could benefit from aid(s). My first inclination was to brush it off, as I'm doing just fine... but she's a paid professional while I'm not.

Yesterday I got something in mail, from their office, about some upcoming thing with a hearing aid specialist and limited slots for appointments. It smells fishy to me, but I'm a paranoid sort. No obligation to buy, etc. Wife thinks I should go, so I will, but I like being prepared when I can be.

Are there things I should be wary about, before going in? Like, watch out for selling you on ___. Like extended warranties for cars, I’m sure there’s more to hearing aids than what they tell you in the store. I’ve done a bit of googling, can read on the various types, am still doing so. Only thing I’m seeing is battery life and initial cost.

FWIW I’ve worn glasses for over 30 years, my reluctance has to do with cost and the fact that I’m getting along. I have one good ear and only moderate loss in the other. The only person I can’t hear is my wife, and I think that’s unrelated…

I've had hearing aids since the end of 2019, and it has changed my life. Definitely see a specialist as they can give you the ins and outs of various types/brands. I was bent on in-ear but due to my ear canal being on the small side she advised against it. I ended up with Signa brand and they are so small most people don't notice I even have hearing aids. They are noise cancelling and recharge in a dock, meaning no tiny batteries to mess with. I just had them serviced under warranty as the batteries were starting to not last as long.

 

[benjy]

i too have weak hearing + mostly do OK but depending on the persons Enunciation it varies. that said there are lots of options + prices coming down due to newer laws + non prescription models at a fraction of the price + IMO like most medical stuff price gouging is RAMPENT IMO. i will research + learn but in no hurry as i hear most things + people

 

[wrcsixeight]

My 85 YO dad, has had poor hearing for 50+ years, and had put off hearing aids for far too long, for all the regular reasons, and regrets the delay.

He, now, has a cochlear implant. The second one. Second Surgery, as the first had some tiny percetage of the connectivity between internal and external devices, basically faulty, but not, because of legal reasons... you have no recourse.....luck of the draw......Oh well.....

.
The second cochlear implant helped greatly going from perhaps hearing 15% to 45% of what is said.
His Smartphone can hook into it and he understands 80%+ of what is said on the phone, instead of less than ~30% face to face.

It is actually easier to communicate with him via phone, than face to face where he can also read lips.
Anything requiring precision requires I write it down.

He has complained since day one with hearing aids, then the cochlear implant.

He always wanted to be able to adjust what sound was increased and which were not, by himself, but a 15 minute audiologist visit every 8 months, was supposed to take care of any need for any such need to experiment with the parameters of what HZ sounds were amplified vs those which were not.

This last statement induces his rage, and mine.

Want to adjust what is amplified, what is not?....

We can fit you in 13 weeks, from next Tuesday......., maybe.

Want to do this yourself, sorry, you are too stupid and cant possible understand, set up an appointment, where because you cant hear well enough to understand our questions, and we dont really care anyway, , we are unable to perform any meaningful adjustment, but be sure to set up a return appt with the receptionist though, but you are 85 and will be dead soon anyway so ........OMG will that clock hit 5 already?

Perhaps it is different if Medicaid is not picking up a portion of the bill, and max profit motives cant break down the barrier between best for patient vs best for max profit for the overschooled.

My hearing is going downhill too, but I doubt I'll care enough to deal with the absolute BS currently involved in the whole process.

Its supposed to be easier now, but no doubt 'easier' means less immediate profit, and therefore, whats the point?

 

[k1xv]

There is an old joke from the 1980s about the man who spent all of his time on the telephone calling 900 number sex lines. He wound up with "Hearing Aids"

(Sorry!!)

 

[supton]

As you probably know, I have used hearing aids for years. My next door neighbor is an experienced ENT. I asked her about my tinnitus and after a fairly long conversation, she recommended I come in for a thorough test by an audiologist in the office. The hearing aids *could* help the tinnitus, so I gave it a chance. The audiologist is a very experienced AuD (Doctory of Audiology) and is a true professional. I did have low hearing, especially the high tones. Both the Dr. and the AuD said the hearing aids may help the tinnitus, but there is no guarantee. The both recommended I use hearing aids for my low hearing, because when you have low hearing your brain doesn't hear words completely or correctly and you will lose word recognition and annunciation. Yes, your brain will forget words, because you don't hear them correctly and it makes people even harder to understand. It's a negative feedback loop. This convinced me to get hearing aids. Luckily, the hearing aids do help my tinnitus quite a bit, so I'm very please.

Glad to hear they work for you. I’m starting to wonder if I don’t have tinnitus and not recognizing it, just faint high frequency ringing sometimes.

I have moderate notched hearing loss in one ear, normal in the other. 50dB loss, so it’s “moderate”. Congenital apparently, or maybe the result of many ear infections as a kid, not sure. Ear tubes twice, apparently the ENT had never seen that much thick fluid in ears before. Which meant I got to start school a year early so as to get extra speech therapy—fun times, being the runt in the class when I got older. When you don’t hear well as a kid, you don’t learn to speak well. Got the hearing fixed, got a few years of therapy, and (mostly) fine now, thankfully. But maybe aids are in closer in the future than I think—I’d rather have them and benefit, then fight and miss out. As you point out, negative feedback loops exist, and can be costly.

 

[Jimmy9190]

I am 58 years old and have been using hearing aids since about 2016. I have what the audiologists call "profound hearing loss". My right ear is a lot worse than the left and I have terrible tinnitus in both ears. When I first started with them I felt like an illiterate person who finally learned to read. My wife is very happy not having to repeat herself all the time. I would say get the hearing aids if you have trouble hearing. The main thing is to try to be as accurate as you can on the hearing test. The audiologist will use those test results to tune your hearing aids to give the most improvement in your hearing.

I had Costco Phonak hearing aids for the first 5 or 6 years, they worked fine but they ran on batteries. Newer models are rechargeable. I also had to make a round trip to Costco in Orlando for adjustments several times over the time I had the Phonaks. My right Phonak finally died a year ago. I got new hearing aids from Lively hearing aids. Everything at Lively is done online, you take an online hearing test and have a video appointment with an audiologist. Lively will then tune and ship your hearing aids to you and any adjustments are done free of charge, online via Bluetooth. There is also an app you can use on a smart phone to switch different listening profiles and adjust the volume of the hearing aids. I got the best ones they have, cost was about $1,800.00, which was still less than half the price of Costco. They make a huge difference in the quality of my personal and professional life. I don't have a source for verification but the Lively doctor told me their hearing aids are made in the same factory as Costco/Phonak. They look a lot alike.

Lively/Jabra has a web site at https://www.jabraenhance.com/?redirect=true for more information.

 

[BHopkins]

I inherited a new pair of Miracle Ear from my brother. He never wore them. I have a moderate loss in the right ear. I'm tempted to have the local Miracle Ear shop fit and adjust them. They were pretty $$. Also got a 10% rating for tinnitis and hearing loss from the VA. I understand they will assist me with the devices free. Wife keeps raggin' on me to do something. She knows I'm not just ignoring her.

View attachment 146986

A couple thoughts.

First, consider how old the hearing aids that you inherited from your brother are. Hearing aid technology is constantly improving. You may not want to put good money after bad, to get them set up for you.

Second, I have heard that the VA has great benefits for hearing aids. Have you looked into that?

 

[frankbee3]

Supton, I see that you are in New Hampshire. I have recent experience in getting new hearing aids. There are things that you need to be aware of. Keep and eye out for shady practices. Things like “Looking for candidates to try out latest advances in hearing aids“, or “limited opportunities“ etc.

There are lots of things that you want to research before signing the paperwork.
I recommend that you look at a YouTube channel called Dr. Cliff, AuD. He gives lots of information about how to find a good outfit and what to watch out for. It will take time on your part, but will be well worth the effort. Dr. Cliff has a video about best practices.
In my opinion, Dr. Cliff has too many videos and it takes some time to find the one that is on the topic of interest.

If you want to message me, I can tell you about a bad and later good experience getting hearing aids here in NH.

 

[wwillson]

First, consider how old the hearing aids that you inherited from your brother are. Hearing aid technology is constantly improving. You may not want to put good money after bad, to get them set up for you.

This is a great point. My previous hearing aids were Widex Evoke and my new hearing aids are Widex Moment. That's one generation in technology and the difference in sound reproduction accuracy is very noticeable. It's not that the Evokes were bad, they weren't, but the Moments are sound processing works of engineering art. I suggest to get the latest technology.

 

[PimTac]

Here is an alternate source to Dr Clif.

 

[benjy]

since my hearing is only "weak" i might try a set of cheapos as if any one i talk to only needs to increase their volume + enunciate decently, something my girlfriend does NOT do! unlike my sister thats often too loud, but her hubby has weak hearing also.

 

[ARB1977]

I’m lucky my hearing is pretty sensitive. I’m around commercial airliners as my job. Been in aviation since 2002. Always wear ear plugs and ear muffs. Don’t listen to very loud music.