2. misc-audio
  3. 1358439413

Hearing Aid Confusion

Help! I've recently started looking for a hearing aid, but I'm confused by the different information and advice that I've received from audiologists, an ENT specialist, and online literature from manufacturers. My recent audiogram has confirmed what I already knew: that I can use hearing aid help in speech recognition. But I also would like improvement, if possible, in listening to my two channel audio system. (The weakest component in my system is now me.) Some audiologists have told me that I can get a hearing aid with a music "program" that will boost my enjoyment. Others have told me that hearing aids are great for speech recognition but that I should turn the aids off (and even remove them) when listening to music. Who to believe? And if there are aids that actually help in music listening as well as speech recognition, what are the brands and models that I should explore? Any advice from audiophiles with a knowledge of hearing aids would be greatly appreciated.
kusina
krell_man
827 posts
 

My wife got a pair of hearing aids a couple of years ago. The technology has advanced tremendously from her mother's and sister's hearing aids.

They measured my wife's hearing in each ear, and then programmed each hearing aid to boost the different frequencies as needed to restore her hearing.

They do it in 2-4 gradual steps, since it does take a while for a person to adjust to what they're hearing that they couldn't before.

Chuck
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Have you ever tried inner ear headphones? I'm pretty sure that some of the good ones can be custom made for you.
photon46
1,089 posts
 
My wife has had many years experience dealing with hearing loss, hearing aid purchase decisions and audiologists. First of all, soliciting advice about hearing aids isn't quite like seeking audio advice. Everyone's problems are unique and my solution isn't going to be your solution. You REALLY need to find a competent audiologist that's up to date on understanding available products and applying the right technology to your particular hearing issues. This isn't as easy as it should be if my wife's experience is any indication. For the last set, she went through three businesses before finding an experienced dispenser who was completely up-to-date with available products that prescribed the right aids (Luckily, Florida law dictates that refunds be given for aids that don't work out for the patient.) Hopefully you live in a locale that provides the same protections because you may well need to try multiple aids to find the right ones for you. Good luck to you!
learsfool
1,215 posts
 
There is no universal solution, Photon46 is correct. Everyone's ears are different, and you need to figure out what works best for you by trial and error. You should definitely go by what an audiologist recommends, what worked for a fellow audiophile may be very wrong for you.
mallen123
110 posts
 
possibly off topic, but if your hearing loss is due to otosclerois (middle ear bone no longer working due to hardening), it can be fixed with surgery.

I've had both my ears done and don't need hearing aids as a result.
The surgery is called Stapendectomy, and they replace the middle ear bone (stapes) with a metal prosthesis.

Only takes about 45 minutes and you go home hr later.
More to discover