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It would seem that age is catching up with yours truly and I think I am going to have to get hearing aids. My hearing has gotten progressively worse over the last several years. If it was just me, I'd not do it, but mrs busydog is getting tired of the volume level I need to hear TV, etc.
Anyone here have them and can share info on how you have adjusted to them--also any thoughts on which of the several kinds are best?
Pardon?
Sorry, no advice, but if you do need them PLEASE wear them around people. My Dad and Mil both need them and have them, but don't like wearing them. It makes conversation with them almost intolerable.
The new generation of digital ones are supposed to be excellent.
Daughter (age 11) has had one for the last few months, is is a neat unit and quite small behind her ear in a nice pink colour (other colours available).
She has found it great and now realises how much she should have been hearing, she can hear conversations that she is not meant to aswell. The hospital are great and can program the unit to react differently and adjust it in many ways.
To show how discreet they are, I found out at christmas that my sister has had them for 2 years with out me knowing...
I've worn one for 7 years now.
My advice would be go to your doctors and get a referal for a hearing test, and go down the NHS route first.
All NHS hearing aids are digital now and don't look too bad. I can't see the benefit of handing over several thousands of pounds for something you can get for free*
Best advice would be that if you do get one - wear it all the time! That way you get used to it and it feels odd when you are without it.
I can't see why people choose to be deaf at certain times, and not wear them.
(*I'm 46 and not vain - an 18yr old may have a different opinion!)
Yes, I have the NHS specials
for my hearing loss and tinnitus.
They are wonderful and are hardly visible.
The only problem I had was the in ear bud thing kept popping out.
My audiologist took moulds of my ears and got some custom made hook silicone fittings. Now they are perfect.
The wait to get NHS is about a year in Wales but all free. You get free batteries too.
I thought my hearing wasn't too bad until I got the hearing aids, It's amazing when you put aids in for the first time and you can hear properly for the first time in ages.
Ms Rickmeister has worn digital in the ear ones for over 10 years and they have been excellent, reliable and still adjustable now after all that time. Quite sophisticated and take a bit of time setting up to tune out background noise but they have lasted well. Think a mould was taken so they fit really well in her ears.
Batteries are available online to reduce runnung costs..
They cost a lot at the time but have proved perhaps that in this case she did get what she paid for.
May I suggest you take a look at P23+ of this:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_IKkv7afYmQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Thanks for feedback. Your comments confirm what I have read about the digital ones being the way to go.
They sure aren't cheap, and as I am in the USA, I don't expect the NHS would be kind enough to let me in 😀
I'm not vain, so that isn't an issue and I expect once I have them I will wonder why I didn't get them before.
They sure aren't cheap, and as I am in the USA, I don't expect the NHS would be kind enough to let me in
best vote for Medicare, then? or do you also see a universal health service provided through taxation an evil of socialism? 😉
best vote for Medicare, then
Finally am able to collect on that from all the taxes I paid into it for so long, but it doesn't cover hearing aids (covers hearing test, etc,) 😥
If any of you wear them when riding, do you have any issues with wind noise? I have read that wind noise can be bothersome, but maybe the new digital ones have been able to handle that better.
You wouldn't ride in them. Unless you get waterproof ones. And the wind noise would be bloody awful.
Unless you get waterproof ones
Generally not so much of an issue in New Mexico 😆
After the realisation that I really have trouble hearing Kip Jr when she faces away especially with ambient noise (plus annoying tinnitus) I got referred via GP.
Turns out I have familial deafness, high frequency but not so bad they'd recommend hearing aids. Have since discovered that 3 of my female cousins all have hearing loss, one so bad she needs hearing aids but won't wear them.
I'm curious how they have helped others with tinnitus as I thought you just had to put up with that.
Oh, and I'm 41 so not bothered by vanity anymore!
Generally not so much of an issue in New Mexico
You don't sweat in new Mexico? 😉
Iolo - what's the effect on tinnitus? Does it do whitenoise or something?
I have a white noise generator built into the hearing aid. It's set at the same volume as the tinnitus so it kinds of neutralises the noise (not totally but much better).
Try something like [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Ideas-Naturecare-Tinnitus-soothing/dp/B004ZDLJZI/ref=sr_1_2?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1421342182&sr=1-2&keywords=white+noise ]this[/url] to see if i works for you at night. I was given one by audioloigy so maybe you could get one to try.
You wouldn't ride in them
my mate rides in them. dunno about wind noise. sorry if that's not helpful?!
You don't sweat in new Mexico?
Yeah, but I ride so fast it dries instantly 8)
I don't know what the market is like in the US, but in the uk the prices vary hugely.
Some unscrupulous suppliers will sell hearing aids for £5k tha can be found for half that elsewhere.
Don't bother with the ones you stick right in the ear CIC (completely in canal). The ones to look at IMO are RIC (receiver in canal) these are very small units behind the ear, with a thin wire going into the ear, connected to a tiny speaker. The separation of the mic and speaker helps the performance. The more you pay, the more programable they are, and the more fancy options.
They are all digital.
Make sure you can return for refund if not happy.
Big names are Seimens, Phonak, Widex, and others.
I've been wearing hearing aids for >20 years now and I definitely ride with them in (otherwise I can't hear anything!) My aids are made by Phonak, who lead the way, really, in all hearing aid tech as far as I can work out.
Regarding riding with them: modern aids do have wind block features and I don't believe I've actually broken any hearing aids due to water exposure in the entire time I've worn them. I used to do a lot of (salt water) dinghy sailing and while there were many occasions where I had to put my hearing aid on the Aga to dry, they always worked after a new battery was put in.
My only advice if you do ride in hearing aids is to replace any user-replacable microphone filters regularly (I replace mine every other month). They are there to help stop wind amd dort getting to thr mic, but do get clogged up. Not replacing them can degrade the sound quality significantly!
52 and seriously thinking about getting a GP referral - rather that than shell out the £3k privately!
also suffer from tinnitus so interested in the above.
I'm about to get one later this month (NHS), following sudden hearing loss in one ear about 10 years ago. I have had tinnitus permanently seen then and struggle to hear conversations with any background noise.