If you are considering hearing aids

[Green Bean]

I can remember losing my hearing in 2nd grade when I couldn't hear the teacher calling out spelling words. I got in trouble if I looked up. LA schools- gotta love 'em, NOT!

I've had hearing aids since I was 21 yrs old. The new ones are so much better at clarity. I just wish insurance would cover them. I bought my current set 6 yrs ago from Costco. I love that if the wires need replacing, they will do it on the spot for free. My hearing without aids is so bad that I am pretty much deaf in all pitches with a few I will never be able to hear with or without hearing aids.

I tried a pair that made everything sound like a badly dubbed Japanese movie. I would encourage you to try a different brand. Each is slighty different.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Green Bean

[Lawyer&Mom]

On 8/9/2023 at 11:32 AM, PeterPan said:

Have you worked with an SLP who specializes in hearing loss? Ds uses as part of his team an SLP who works on auditory processing of language (which is what you're describing) who had previously worked in the deaf/hoh community. She's METICULOUS about language processing and can isolate every sound, every everything and has worked to get him not only processing it but in lots of situations. She is really precise in a way I hadn't seen before. They told us that when the hearing goes down the processing of the language goes down, resulting in the need for speech therapy for language processing. 

I have not.  But I wonder how relevant the auditory processing aspect is with unilateral loss.  Because I have one “good” ear, my brain does auditory progressing all the time.  Would my brain suddenly forget how just because the input is coming from my “bad” ear?  I suspect for me it is just the nature of my loss in my bad ear.  I have pretty severe loss in some of the common speech frequencies.  

[Lawyer&Mom]

On 8/9/2023 at 11:28 AM, kokotg said:

That's interesting! I remember when my kid was first diagnosed with his unilateral loss, the ENT told us a hearing aid wouldn't help (and I read that in a lot of countries they pretty much never use hearing aids with unilateral loss), but his audiologist was adamant that he should get one. And it definitely seemed to help and he preferred wearing it to not once he got used to it. I wonder if it has to do with age (he was 5)--how easily one can adapt to it?

The kind they recommend these days for unilateral loss, at least in cases like mine where straight amplification doesn’t help understand speech, actually sends the sounds from your bad ear over to your good ear.  I wasn’t keen on having radio waves crossing my brain, particularly when I’m doing okay.  I don’t know that it would harm me, but I don’t see the need to take the risk for a potentially unnecessary benefit.  I would love to try it out, but you have to order a pair and then return it if you don’t like it, and that just seems like a hassle. 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Lawyer&Mom

[Resilient]

1 hour ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

I have not.  But I wonder how relevant the auditory processing aspect is with unilateral loss.  Because I have one “good” ear, my brain does auditory progressing all the time.  Would my brain suddenly forget how just because the input is coming from my “bad” ear?  I suspect for me it is just the nature of my loss in my bad ear.  I have pretty severe loss in some of the common speech frequencies.  

I've read (but don't ask me where...) that even with unilateral, you want to have things evened up with 2 hearing aids.  I looked into it as I have mismatched hearing loss and those hearing aids are expensive!! I wanted to save some $$$ if I could.  "Nope" was the answer to that.  

[Resilient]

1 hour ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

The kind they recommend these days for unilateral loss, at least in cases like mine where straight amplification doesn’t help understand speech, actually sends the sounds from your bad ear over to your good ear.  I wasn’t keen on having radio waves crossing my brain, particularly when I’m doing okay.  I don’t know that it would harm me, but I don’t see the need to take the risk for a potentially unnecessary benefit.  I would love to try it out, but you have to order a pair and then return it if you don’t like it, and that just seems like a hassle. 

I have two friends who did this, with the radio-beams or whatever, and it just didn't work for one of them and the other one loves it.  Go figure.  

 

[kokotg]

2 hours ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

The kind they recommend these days for unilateral loss, at least in cases like mine where straight amplification doesn’t help understand speech, actually sends the sounds from your bad ear over to your good ear.  I wasn’t keen on having radio waves crossing my brain, particularly when I’m doing okay.  I don’t know that it would harm me, but I don’t see the need to take the risk for a potentially unnecessary benefit.  I would love to try it out, but you have to order a pair and then return it if you don’t like it, and that just seems like a hassle. 

This was...around 15 years ago now, but my kid's was just a standard hearing aid in one ear. He hasn't worn one in years, though...I can't remember why he stopped, but at some point we left it up to him and he didn't want it anymore. If he hadn't been having such severe social anxiety issues, I'm not sure he would ever have worn one. I've asked him about it recently, and I guess it affects where he chooses to sit in classrooms and that sort of thing, but for the most part he doesn't seem to think about it much these days. 

[Lawyer&Mom]

4 hours ago, kokotg said:

This was...around 15 years ago now, but my kid's was just a standard hearing aid in one ear. He hasn't worn one in years, though...I can't remember why he stopped, but at some point we left it up to him and he didn't want it anymore. If he hadn't been having such severe social anxiety issues, I'm not sure he would ever have worn one. I've asked him about it recently, and I guess it affects where he chooses to sit in classrooms and that sort of thing, but for the most part he doesn't seem to think about it much these days. 

I very rarely remember I have hearing loss.  So much of what I do to accommodate it has become automatic.  Walk with my good ear facing my companion, never use my phone with my bad ear, always sit in front of a classroom etc. etc.  I was diagnosed as a toddler, I’ve never known any other way. 

[zimom]

RE:  Unilateral hearing loss.  Like any hearing loss there can be different levels.  Often we will find a 'dead' ear, with essentially no usuable hearing so in that case, no a traditional hearing aid on that ear will be of no benefit (although there is something called a CROS hearing aid that transmits to the other hearing ear, but will avoid that discussion for now).  Many individuals have just a partial hearing loss in one ear that is helped greatly from a hearing aid, such as my daughter.   

One of the tests that should be performed during any routine hearing test is speech discrimination in quiet.  This is the test where they have you repeat a series of one syllable words back to them at a comfortable hearing level for you.  If you miss most of the words, it is usually an indicator that your success with amplification might be limited.  "Most" patients will at least score 50-100% on this test, but if they score 0-20% or so, then they need to be really counseled that although a hearing aid might give them an awareness of sound, it will have limited benefit of understanding speech, even in quiet situations.    Note:  This is NOT an auditory processing test.  

[zimom]

PSA:    Dogs LOVE hearing aids.   Please make sure you are keeping your hearing aids out of reach of your dogs.   I can't tell you the number hearing aids that have been eaten by my patient's dogs.   

I think it is a combination of them smelling their owners on them, and occasionally from leaving the hearing aids on/batteries engaged and the dogs hear a high pitched whine coming from the hearing aids.    

Most hearing aids come with a one year loss and damage policy from the manufacture.  Ask your audiologist about purchasing a 2nd and 3rd year if you are more prone to issues.  

 

[Laura Corin]

Just now, zimom said:

PSA:    Dogs LOVE hearing aids.   Please make sure you are keeping your hearing aids out of reach of your dogs.   I can't tell you the number hearing aids that have been eaten by my patient's dogs.   

I think it is a combination of them smelling their owners on them, and occasionally from leaving the hearing aids on/batteries engaged and the dogs hear a high pitched whine coming from the hearing aids.    

Most hearing aids come with a one year loss and damage policy from the manufacture.  Ask your audiologist about purchasing a 2nd and 3rd year if you are more prone to issues.  

 

Yup. Husband had one chewed up by the dog. Same dog chewed my son's retainer.

[zimom]

18 hours ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

The kind they recommend these days for unilateral loss, at least in cases like mine where straight amplification doesn’t help understand speech, actually sends the sounds from your bad ear over to your good ear.  I wasn’t keen on having radio waves crossing my brain, particularly when I’m doing okay.  I don’t know that it would harm me, but I don’t see the need to take the risk for a potentially unnecessary benefit.  I would love to try it out, but you have to order a pair and then return it if you don’t like it, and that just seems like a hassle.

This is known as a CROS hearing aid.   It is usually 50/50 if a patient likes it as an adult.  We, and many other places will offer a 100% refund if you do not like or want to keep the hearing aids during your trial period (30 or 45 days) so if you ever decide to do so, find someone that will offer a 100% refund.   Ordering them is really not a big deal, they call the company and they arrive in a few days.   But yes, it will take you a few visits for fitting, and optimizing during this trial period and your willingness to give them a try.   

BTW, I no longer practice so am certainly not trying to sell you anything LOL.  Just educate.  

[zimom]

4 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Yup. Husband had one chewed up by the dog. Same dog chewed my son's retainer.

My german shepherd has eaten numerous pairs of my glasses, and remote controls.  I'm sure it is the same thing, he smells my hands on them.   Fortunately we did not have this dog when my older daughter, who has the hearing aid, lived at home.  She is old enough now not to leave it laying around when she is here.   Although I frequently see the kids AirPods laying on the couches and not in the cases, he hasn't eaten them yet!  

[zimom]

On 8/9/2023 at 10:49 AM, wintermom said:

I know I've got issues with wax build-up and small, very curvy ear canals

This is where style of hearing aids is important.  I would really recommend the small ones that fit over your ear and a small tube that goes down into your ear.  Some have the 'speaker' at the end of the tube inside your ear, avoid that (receiver in the canal)!  You would have issues with wax on the speaker and possible kill the speaker.  If you had all the components in the small part above your ear it would be the most durable.   The small tube in your ear could easily be cleaned if it became plugged with wax.   This is what I have on my own daughter as it is the most durable and lasts the longest.   For a severe hearing loss one generally will have to go with a larger hearing aid behind the ear and and actual ear mold inside the ear, but the first style works well for mild to moderate losses.  

[wintermom]

9 minutes ago, zimom said:

This is where style of hearing aids is important.  I would really recommend the small ones that fit over your ear and a small tube that goes down into your ear.  Some have the 'speaker' at the end of the tube inside your ear, avoid that (receiver in the canal)!  You would have issues with wax on the speaker and possible kill the speaker.  If you had all the components in the small part above your ear it would be the most durable.   The small tube in your ear could easily be cleaned if it became plugged with wax.   This is what I have on my own daughter as it is the most durable and lasts the longest.   For a severe hearing loss one generally will have to go with a larger hearing aid behind the ear and and actual ear mold inside the ear, but the first style works well for mild to moderate losses.  

Great points. Thanks!

[Lawyer&Mom]

43 minutes ago, zimom said:

 "Most" patients will at least score 50-100% on this test, but if they score 0-20% or so, then they need to be really counseled that although a hearing aid might give them an awareness of sound, it will have limited benefit of understanding speech, even in quiet situations.    Note:  This is NOT an auditory processing test.  

I scored a 26%, which seemed ridiculously high, given how garbled everything sounded during the test. No traditional hearing aids for me.

[PeterPan]

On 8/11/2023 at 5:25 PM, Lawyer&Mom said:

I have not.  But I wonder how relevant the auditory processing aspect is with unilateral loss.  Because I have one “good” ear, my brain does auditory progressing all the time.  Would my brain suddenly forget how just because the input is coming from my “bad” ear?  I suspect for me it is just the nature of my loss in my bad ear.  I have pretty severe loss in some of the common speech frequencies.  

You could ask an SLP who specializes in deaf/hoh. I've used a *lot* of SLPs with ds over the years, but this one is really different in how she understands language, processing, etc. I suspect your situation would be very comprehensible and get you straight answers with the right person.

[Tree Frog]

On 8/9/2023 at 12:40 PM, Lawyer&Mom said:

Hearing aids don’t work well for all kinds of hearing loss.  I have significant unilateral loss, and struggle to understand speech in that ear.    But when the audiologist amplifies the speech all I hear is just really loud nonsense.  For now I’d rather go without.  (For now. As I age, I’m starting to lose the residual hearing I have.  Hearing aids are probably in my future!)

My mom has hearing loss in one ear. She has tried multiple hearing aids because she would like to hear, but none help. Her audiologist told her that with the kind of hearing loss she has, hearing aids probably won't work. Her mother also had the same kind of hearing loss and eventually progressed into dementia. I think I may also have some loss. I find myself asking others to repeat themselves frequently because I miss some of what is being said. 

[Rosla]

I've recently discovered that I have a hearing loss and need to wear hearing aids. of course, I'm upset. Having looked through this thread, I realized how many people also have this problem. And it is very sad, though we all can happily live with it. 

[Laura Corin]

6 minutes ago, Rosla said:

I've recently discovered that I have a hearing loss and need to wear hearing aids. of course, I'm upset. Having looked through this thread, I realized how many people also have this problem. And it is very sad, though we all can happily live with it. 

Honestly,  I'm enjoying them. I hope you do too.  I've worn glasses for 45 years, and this is not so different. 

[Laurel-in-CA]

FYI in the US, hearing aids can be obtained for free for kids under age 18. (I have a friend whose daughter had severe hearing loss.) Also FYI, the hearing aids sold over the counter now for around $200 are ok for mild hearing loss but not for anything worse.

My insurance covered the exam....then the audiologist quoted me $6500!! And then I went to Costco and they said $3000 (different brand). And then I went to a local network where they gave me FREE loaners (dh was unemployed at the time) and eventually I paid $4000 for hearing aids for moderate to severe hearing loss. They are a big help, although large groups with lots of chatter can still be difficult. I love that I can play my phone or audiobooks directly into my ears via the hearing aids without disturbing anyone else.

[bookbard]

There was a beautiful article about hearing aids and hearing loss in the Guardian: ‘I thought of all the times I’d had to shout and my heart shrivelled up’: life with my hearing-impaired father | Family | The Guardian

I looked up the deal in Australia after I posted - I think I was overly simplistic. It looks like the Aust govt will cover your first one and you can't get another one for five years, but apparently you can if the audiologist fights for you. Anyway, it is always best to find a good audiologist, because it is expensive if they get it wrong.