Non M/C Hearing aids

[RSV Angel]

I went this week for a hearing test. I knew that I had a High frenquency loss since that is why I had a medical discharge from the Army.

It has gotten worse over the years and my wife ,daughter and even my son/n law were on me to get it checked.

I have "ski slope" moderate to severe loss. The higher the sound the worse it is.

Now the question is the Audiologist recommended some 16 channel digital aids for 2000 each. I have done some searches online and have found some companies with12,16 & even 32 channel ones for about 1/2 this price. But I have no idea whether these other companies are better or worse since I'v had no experience with aids before. They all show 45 days trial periods,and have anywhere from 2 to 3 year warrenty.Anyone here have any experience with hearing aids and have good or bad things you know about em?

I may end up having to spend 4000 on a set but that would buy a lot of toys if I didn't have to spend that much.

TIA

Craig

[hillrider]

Try the Costco at Town Center. Great prices and the lady seems to know what she's talking about. Experience speaks.

[Mavrick]

About a year ago I bought a 32 channel recommended by the specialist at my ENT Doctor. It can be adjusted to eliminate wind noise etc. and tuned to the frequency where you have the loss. The price on mine was about 2500 so I opted to only get one. It has made such a difference I have never regretted spending the money. It fits behind the ear with a clear tube running into the ear. I do not remember the brand. Find one that can be tuned to your loss and it will be the best purchase you have ever made.

 

Mavrick

[Snarley Bill]

my mother inlaw bought two miracle ears at sears. they were $7200.00 and on sale she got them for $5200.00 well she never wore them cuz she could'nt figure out how to put them in. last month she passed away and i got the hearing aids. they are brand new, and they fit in my ears perfect. i could not hear very good with them so i went to sears and got a free hearing test. then the doctor cleaned my ears and plugged the aids into a computer and downloaded the results of my test and reprogramed the volume and frequency. it was really amazing. they are the kind that go in your ear and you can hardly see them. my right ear is really bad . i can hear great now , but only wear them to watch tv so i don't blast linda out of the house. the total cost of reworking them was $280.00. such a deal. i think the cost of hearing aids is rediculous. huh, is alot cheaper. bill

[Snaggletooth]

Hey RSV Angel.

 

I have the same type of loss. It started as a "sudden hearing loss" about 6 years ago. I had normal hearing until the morning I woke up and could barely hear my daughters voice. It was severe and at the time there were no hearing aides that were strong enough to make up for the loss completely. I spent weeks working with ENT clinics, audiologists and the Boys Town Insitute here in Omaha. The audiologost I chose is fanastic to work with. He had me on 90 day trials with a number of different types of aides that gave me something to work with. He kept changing aides and was stalling hoping a company would come up with a stronger model that would help. And they did, eventually.

 

The problen with the "slope" type loss is being able to match the aide to the loss level. The multi channel digitals are the only thing capable of that. Analogs only ampify everything and they make the problem worse as far as I'm concerned. Look at a digital set with as many channels as you can afford and with extra power for future adjustments.

 

The units I use now are only 4 channels but had enough power so I didn't have to have them "maxed out" all the time. In the last 1 1/2 years I have lost more and I'm at the point where I'm looking at having the implants done on both sides. I'm at a 75 percent loss with that steep slope from low to high.

 

So currently I am decideing on rather or not to spend the bucks, about $4,900, on another set or stick it out until I can get the surgery done. It's a tough call.

 

So with that said my advise is this. Find an audioloigist that will do a full evaulation and work with you on trying several different models until you find one that works best for you. I went through 5 differnent sets over a year until we got something that worked. He never charged me a dime until I made my choice and has provided me great service over the last few years. Buy the best warrenty you can as these things are expensive to repair. A simple crack in a housing can run $250.00 or better to repair. I sent mine in before the end of my warrenty for a check over and they ended up replacing one completly and doing major repairs to the other side. Saved me a couple grand. The noise cancelling feature is great at some things and sucks at others. Wind noise is not going to go away. Beleive me. I ride without the aides most the time. The ear molds are a critical issue when it comes to comfort and hearing clearly also. A bad fit on the molds and you will deal with all kinds of whining and whistles.

 

When the time comes to buy make sure you purchase a heated "drying box" and a couple of sets of "sweat bands" that cover the hearing aide bodies. Moisture will kill these things in no time.

 

So I will say with this type of loss there is no cheap way to fix it. Costco, WalMart, or mail order is not going to provide what you need. I have friends with handfuls of "inexpensive" options that didn't cut it. I got a couple myself.

 

Best of luck. Feel free to ask any questions if you want.

 

Mike

[1rooster]

I went this week for a hearing test. I knew that I had a High frenquency loss since that is why I had a medical discharge from the Army.

It has gotten worse over the years and my wife ,daughter and even my son/n law were on me to get it checked.

I have "ski slope" moderate to severe loss. The higher the sound the worse it is.

Now the question is the Audiologist recommended some 16 channel digital aids for 2000 each. I have done some searches online and have found some companies with12,16 & even 32 channel ones for about 1/2 this price. But I have no idea whether these other companies are better or worse since I'v had no experience with aids before. They all show 45 days trial periods,and have anywhere from 2 to 3 year warrenty.Anyone here have any experience with hearing aids and have good or bad things you know about em?

I may end up having to spend 4000 on a set but that would buy a lot of toys if I didn't have to spend that much.

 

 

 

 

I got my hearing aids from the VA hospital and didn't cost me one cent.If your problem was due to the military then you really need to get to the VA and schedule a hearing test.Our VA hospital in NC takes good care of its veterans.

[Ladybug69]

Hi,

I have worn hearing aids for what seems like forever (35 years or so) but finding a good audiologist/hearing aid dispenser can be maddening. Yes, they cost way to much but see if you can find someone who will offer unlimited hearing aid batteries for the life of the aid. That and a good warranty will help make swallowing the expense much easier. I can't answer your question about channels but I can add that with a severe to profound loss don't let anyone scam you into thinking you can get anything other than a behind the ear hearing aid. I've tried all of the available sizes in recent years and with that level of loss the behind the ear aid is the only one that will give you the power you need without getting feedback. If you have the loss in both ears get two hearing aids, it really makes a difference. The digital programable aids are wonderful and can provide you with settings that can be even be successfully worn with your helmet on. Please remember that even with the best hearing aid, your hearing will not be 100% but with a powerful BTE aid you should get close.

 

Good Luck!

[Gray Ghost]

Ditto on what 1rooster said. If your loss is service connected you are eligible to have that treated by VA. I have a pretty high tech BTE model that was issued by the Army before I got out, go back to the VA in Feb to see about getting one for the other ear. And since it is service connected, I am only out the gas and time.

[RSV Angel]

Thanks ya'll. Because of this post I also read the post mede by Gregory Gill about a year ago about his experience. I am still researching different options. I also found out that I can possibly get some thru Sams Club. I'm not a costco member so that isn't an option. Thats just one more reason I love this site;you can find out about more than just Ventures!

See ya,

Craig:bighug:

[EFudd]

Got my hearing aids about 4 years ago. Tried five different pairs and picked the one that best gave me the best hearing. Three modes normal, narrow bandwidth for speech in noisy environments, and telephone pickup. There were noticeable differences. Still took some months until the fine tuning was complete. Not perfect but they help a lot.

[RossKean]

Interesting post and responses. I also have significant hearing loss and some tinnitus but am not quite to the point of getting hearing aids.

 

The title says "Non M/C" but I wonder how much hearing loss is the result of our favorite past time? My bike isn't particularly loud (Venture with stock pipes) but I definitely notice additional ringing in the ears after a long ride. Combination of engine noise, road noise, wind and tunes is likely far more volume than what is good for the ears. I generally wear a full-face helmet but I think I will invest in some decent earplugs for this season. Its probably better to protect what hearing I have than to require electronic hearing assistance.

 

I hate the foam plug type of earplugs as I find they hurt after awhile. Can someone recommend something that can be worn comfortably with a full-face helmet for an extended period of time? Don't really care how much they cost (within reason). They'll be a lot cheaper than hearing aids!

 

Thanks

 

Ross

[EFudd]

Many audiologists make/can get made custom ear plugs like the custom hearing aid molded piece but for hearing protection, molded ear buds like emergency services use for their radios, etc.

[GG54172]

Check out my post here: http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20067

 

 

I still really enjoy having my ears "work"

 

If you have any questions, email me.

[Scooter]

I've had my hearing aids for over 3 years now. I have profound hearing loss and one thing that I learned while researching hearing aids is that when your hearing begins to go, your brain over a period of time looses the ability to process certain sounds and once the brain looses that ability, it is gone forever and can never be rehabilitated. So, if you let it get too bad, then hearing aids won't do you any good.

 

I got my hearing aids through an outfit online that works with local hearing clinics. www.hearingplanet.com They were great to work with and had interest free financing for a year. The local ENT had a slightly lower price which Hearing Planet matched. Avoid chains such as Beltone and Audibel the reason being they are much more expensive and the equipment is comparable to what you'd get at your ENT. Other than that, you do get what you pay for.

 

I work in a noisy environment, so I got a little higher end aids which have different programable modes for different situations. Money well spent.

 

The BTE (Behind The Ear) aids are the most reliable, while the further into the ear canal you go, the more prone they are to needing servicing of some sort.

 

If you think that you might need hearing aids, then you do. Don't tolerate bad hearing until you think that it's finally gotten to the point that you think that you can finally justify the expense. The improvement in the quality of life for you and your family is well worth it.