Questions on hearing aids.

[the skipper]

My wife thinks she needs a hearing aid. Her left ear has been giving her problems for years now. It's fluid in her ear that just won't drain and she thinks a hearing aid will help her.

Can anyone here offer any advice on hearing aids? This is a totally new area for me.

But, on the ;side, I no longer think she's just ignoring me. ...I hope.

thanks.

 

[Hyfi]

Selective Deafness

Is it fluid or wax? My wife uses drops of Garlic Oil to loosen things up and come out because she has undersized ear canals.

If it's really hearing loss, there are lots of options and styles these days, not like a choice of one like years ago.

 

[John James]

I would try and solve the fluid problem before spending moola on aids.

 

[the skipper]

I would try and solve the fluid problem before spending moola on aids.

I hear ya. (no pun intended) I'm trying to get her to see an ENT. We've just moved here and are still trying to sort out our medical providers.

The last ENT she went to in Jersey told her to take some decongestant and wait so she's kinda skeptical about them.

but, thanks. I'll show her this thread when get some more responses. If more people say this, it might get through.

 

[John James]

Tell her that if the fluid runs into the aid and shorts out the battery, magic smoke will come out of her ears!

 

[nasadowsk]

See a competent ENT. Have fun finding one. Most aren't very good, and often will try to blame the patient for any issues they have.

Fluid in the ears can cause hearing issues. Get that fixed first - you might find out that the rest of the issues go away.

 

[bobsvinyl]

I've been wearing hearing aids for several years. They have helped my hearing, but you have to start by seeing a qualified audiologist. They can determine what your wife needs. Hearing aids are very expensive and batteries and flexible domes and wax guards add to the cost. She may have something that can be surgically or medically corrected.

Whatever you do, don't just buy a hearing aid from some company online. Each ear canal is different and the rubber dome that goes into your ear has to be pretty accurate for a snug fit. I hope you can find a good audiologist near you.

 

[Pio1980]

I hear ya. (no pun intended) I'm trying to get her to see an ENT. We've just moved here and are still trying to sort out our medical providers.

The last ENT she went to in Jersey told her to take some decongestant and wait so she's kinda skeptical about them.

but, thanks. I'll show her this thread when get some more responses. If more people say this, it might get through.

Good initial advice. If no joy, step 2, see an eent.

 

[richamor]

I would make sure I exhausted all avenues to get the hearing (or lack of) fixed before I considered hearing aids. Like teeth there simply is no substitute for your ears. I've been wearing aids for about 5 years, and although the ones I wear now are better than the last, they still aren't perfect. And they're expensive, time consuming, and a general pia.

Please.....convince the wife to see a competant ENT specialist. If it is a fluid problem those expensive hearing aids won't be worth squat. I truly wish I didn't need to wear mine.

 

[Redikilowatt]

Never a bad idea to see a professional (ENT). However, my general physician prescribed prescription Flonase and OTC Claritin (loratadine) for a similar issue once. Worked within a week and luckily it isn't a chronic problem for me.

Good luck! I know how annoying it can be.

 

[Hyperion]

After having gradually deteriorating hearing for about 5 years, I finally went to see a doctor who referred me to an audiologist. She tested my hearing and said I have 'mild to moderate' hearing loss, and prescribed hearing aids. I got them on Monday last, they are really small and unobtrusive, and I am having no problems with them. I haven't done any 'serious listening' with them yet (tonight maybe), but overall I am quite happy with them. Suffice to say, if those little feckers give me any trouble, and half a chance, I'll re-cap them in the twinkling of an eye.

 

[vinowino]

HHmmm, so your "wife" is having hearing problems, and it is "her" left ear? ok, is that the ear with the cap over it?

 

[Pio1980]

I'm presently going thru some stuff with middle ear problems, had generic Flonase recommended to help drain it, but no permanent joy so far. Stiff sounds dull, indistinct and distant, something like head under water. Also tinnitis hiss.

 

[tubed]

I'm presently going thru some stuff with middle ear problems, had generic Flonase recommended to help drain it, but no permanent joy so far. Stiff sounds dull, indistinct and distant, something like head under water. Also tinnitis hiss.

These guys seem quite sure poorly functioning thyroid is responsible.

 

[dosmalo]

My wife has had congenital hearing loss since 13 and wears Oticon. They are so small that when she has her hair pulled up (only around the house) they are barely visible and I don't even notice them.
She visits the audiologist roughly once a year for a tune up and is good to go after that. Also, she turns them way down or off when I'm playing with the stereo.

 

[Route 66]

I've been wearing hearing aids for several years. They have helped my hearing, but you have to start by seeing a qualified audiologist. They can determine what your wife needs. Hearing aids are very expensive and batteries and flexible domes and wax guards add to the cost. She may have something that can be surgically or medically corrected.

Whatever you do, don't just buy a hearing aid from some company online. Each ear canal is different and the rubber dome that goes into your ear has to be pretty accurate for a snug fit. I hope you can find a good audiologist near you.

Hey Bob, I've always wondered how the sound of a person's audio system changes once they start wearing hearing aids. Can you pass on any little insight?

 

[trinhsman]

Hey Bob, I've always wondered how the sound of a person's audio system changes once they start wearing hearing aids. Can you pass on any little insight?

I can pass on what happened to me. I got mine about a year ago. Really was dragged kicking and screaming to get them, because I didn’t want it to affect what I heard on my system. It took a little while, but now I prefer to listen with the aids on. Just sounds better to me now. I got Starkey, because the model I got had a music program that was developed with pro musicians input. Well worth it IMHO. Not cheap, but if you shop around first you can find a deal.

 

[bobsvinyl]

Hey Bob, I've always wondered how the sound of a person's audio system changes once they start wearing hearing aids. Can you pass on any little insight?

I've posted this before, but I've found wearing the aids has greatly improved my listening experience. I tried listening to music without them and I then put them in while I was in the same position and the change was night and day. The only down side is that CDs now sound better to me than vinyl does. That's a small price to pay to keep being able to enjoy the music.

 

[Pio1980]

They can definitely help fill in stuff that has gone missing and unheard.

 

[Andyman]

I've been wearing them for over a year and still getting used to them. The music sounds shrill and harsh to me, but that's because I have a loss down to around 4K, and am accustomed to dull music w/o highs. In general speech and non musical listening, there is much more clarity in what I hear though; things like this keyboard clacking when I type right now.
So I keep reminding myself what I am hearing now is what is real and complete, not the muffled music I grew accustomed to the last 40 years.
FWIW. most aids won't extend beyond 8K as they are mainly designed for understanding conversation and not enhancing ones musical listening, so if you have a mild loss or rolloff, they may not be of much help, but odds are if you believe you need them due to conversational issues, you loss may be substantial. And also bear in mind that octaves are doubling of frequencies, so my loss down to 4K isn't an 80% loss in 20-20K, but more like a 30% loss of 2 1/2 octaves, one of which is restored.