Hearing Aids

[TinnitusJeff]

@dh42...to address your questions.
1 and 2) Sounds artificial at first. "Tinny" sounding until my tinnitus specialist made some adjustments.
3) Yes I wear some made by Oticon. Sound therapy included.
4) You took an Iphone hearing test? What? Go to a reputable audiologist and put the phone down....well make the call first. I'm 46 and have hearing like a 65 year young man. Rereading your comment I'd say go get retested by a reputable audiologist.
5) "Seem" to hear fine. If your hearing loss is moderate to severe, you're missing much more than you think. You sound like me in my denial mode. What made me want to get them? Missing things my daughter or son say to me when they are sitting right next to me(yes, I have young kids and in my mid 40s), hearing the leaves rustling and I could go on.
6) If taken care of, I do not see how such an expense should be incurred every 5 years. Did a professional tell you this?

Cost for me? $800 out of pocket which includes 6 months of therapy (with a human) and includes the sound therapy too.

 

[dh42]

TJeff,
I had the initial test done by a reputable pro. I just meant I took the iphone one and it seemed to basically correlate.

That $6000-7000 price is what I have been quoted for the really good ones - not sure of the brand names.

I'm also into audio/video, so sound quality is very important for me.

 

[Katherine M]

I wore the hearing aid for about an hour in the store and I could tell it improved my hearing a lot. I never thought I had a hearing loss until I was tested after the tinnitus started. (4 months go) When I took the hearing aid out, I was surprised at the difference in my hearing. Things weren't as crisp and clear. However, it didn't cover the high pitched, annoying ringing in my ear. I've been reading and people have said after wearing it for a week or so, it does mask it enough to get some relief. I'm considering it.
I noticed on Sam's website they sell some for $300 - 400.00. Does anyone know if those will do the same thing?

 

[Katherine M]

TJeff :Cost for me? $800 out of pocket which includes 6 months of therapy (with a human) and includes the sound therapy too.

I'm pretty new to this. Is the hearing aid you're wearing different from the one Costco and Sam's sells? I don't know what you mean when you say "Includes sound therapy." I never heard that and the guy that adjusted the hearing aid never said anything about sound therapy. I want to make sure I'm checking into the right ones.

People have told me if I go to an audiologist, it would cost double what Sam's charges.

Thank you.

 

[GregCA]

I had the initial test done by a reputable pro. I just meant I took the iphone one and it seemed to basically correlate.

Same here. I've had many audiograms done in the past few months by audiologists (i.e. pro), and they are very close to what I get with my iPhone app.
What the iPhone app won't give me, however, is bone conduction thresholds.

 

[TinnitusJeff]

@Katherine M - What is sound therapy? - http://www.ata.org/managing-your-tinnitus/treatment-options/sound-therapies Link is from the American Tinnitus Association should give a you a great overview.

I recommend you go to a reputable audiologist that knows about sound therapy for tinnitus and avoid the guy that "..adjusted the hearing aid and never said anything about sound therapy..."

Cost...do you have insurance? If you find a reputable audiologist, let them know what you found at big box stores and see if you could save money by purchasing the aids there but get support from your audiologist.

Good luck to you.

 

[Katherine M]

Jeff, Thank you so much for the information!

 

[william adams]

My ENT didnt even show me the results of my hearing test but said I didnt need a hearing aid but had loss in the higher frequencies. I noticed at night the crickets { REAL CRICKETS} I could hear in my left ear but not in my right. So more hearing loss in my right ear but the T sounds like it comes from my left. My T is very high pitched and hear it evrywhere except the health club and in the shower. I tried on my brother in laws hearing aids and could hardly hear my T at all. From what I read above I should just wear one hearing aid in the bad ear to balance out the sound. Am I understanding this correctly ?

 

[GregCA]

From what I read above I should just wear one hearing aid in the bad ear to balance out the sound. Am I understanding this correctly ?

You should use a hearing aid in any ear that has loss that you notice and want to correct. If that's both ears, then so be it.
You can't borrow a hearing aid from someone else to try: they are targeted to their specific ear (singular). It won't match your ear (unless you have exactly the same losses).

 

[dh42]

I guess I am going to try a hearing aid or rather "test" one out. I want to get TRT therapy, but have been told by a couple of TRT experts that my hearing loss requires a hearing aid (with white noise)for the TRT to be effective in regards to the sound therapy. I wanted to just go with sound generator ear piecess, but am told my hearing loss will only cause my brain to increase the gain and make it even more difficult to hear without an aid.

Sigh. I don't want a hearing aid, but will at least try it out. I'm also into home theater and high end audio; I expect the hearing aid to make it sound like crap and artificial. Although I suppose I can remove it for movies.

 

[brad 23]

Hi
I injured my right ear scuba diving two years ago. I suffered 50% hearing loss and severe tinnitus in that ear. Last year I bought a hearing aid with a setting for tinnitus (the background noise sounds like a wave rolling in on the beach). It is the only thing that has helped for me. My tinnitus is reduced about 60 to 70% when I am wearing it and it of course also restores full hearing to the damaged ear. I would strongly recommend trying it to anyone who is dealing with severe tinnitus. Brad

 

[BuzzyBee]

I've had conductive hearing loss in one ear for 10 years and tinnitus for 3 months. The hearing loss never bothered me, but the tinnitus sure does. After several recommendations, I bought a hearing aid today. When I put it in my bad ear I can actually hear. That part works. However, I can still hear the tinnitus humming away with the new amplified sound. Will amplifying the sounds I used to not be able to hear really dampen the tinnitus perception at some point and if so, how long does it take? I'm afraid I'll wear the hearing aid all day, will notice the tinnitus about as much as usual, then have it the tinnitus spike WORSE when I take out the aid at night. Is this irrational or can that happen? Is wearing the hearing aid all day really worth the discomfort? Not that it's a super uncomfortable hearing aid -- quite the opposite. I just hate having something in my ear all day along with the tinnitus.

Also, can the hearing aid disrupt the process of of habituation? Being that I'm on month 3, I like to think that in 15 months I'll be habituated, hearing aid or not.

I hope all this makes sense. Whether or not to wear the hearing aid tomorrow is stressing me out more that leaving it out and just listening to the tinnitus.

 

[GregCA]

I've had conductive hearing loss in one ear for 10 years and tinnitus for 3 months.

What is the cause for your conductive hearing loss?

 

[BuzzyBee]

What is the cause for your conductive hearing loss?

I had a cholesteatoma that was wrapped around all the incus and malleus and partially draped over the stapes. My doctor was able to leave the stapes, but he removed the incus and malleus. So I can still hear a little a little bit out of the ear since I have no sensory loss, but without those two bones I'm not going to magically re-gain hearing. The thing is, the loss never really bothered me at all since my other ear does all the work. I figured I'd end up getting a hearing aid at some point -- maybe when my right ear started to go, but I was happy with my level of hearing.

Getting rid of the tinnitus is my main goal, and the audiologist suggested that amplifying the sounds I am missing in my left ear will decrease the perception of the tinnitus.

I'm wearing the aid right now even though it's morning and my tinnitus is at its lowest. It's amplifying the typing sounds on my keyboard, which is really funny. Not sure I like this. I actually don't like a lot of noise and prefer covering my ears, so it will be weird to go outside.

And my other fear is that when I take this thing off, the tinnitus will come back even louder than before. That's the anxiety talking of course, but maybe it is warranted?

 

[swc5150]

I mentioned it either in this thread or another, but one my PA production managers is getting complete relief from his T when he wears his hearing aids.

 

[GregCA]

I had a cholesteatoma that was wrapped around all the incus and malleus and partially draped over the stapes. My doctor was able to leave the stapes, but he removed the incus and malleus.

Understood.
Did you ever consider surgery to reconstruct the ossicular chain? Without the incus & malleus I'm surprised you hear anything at all. I mean there's just a gap in the mechanical transmission...

The other thing to look at is a bone anchored hearing aid.

I wonder if some of your T is due to a "wiggling stapes"...

 

[BuzzyBee]

Understood.
Did you ever consider surgery to reconstruct the ossicular chain? Without the incus & malleus I'm surprised you hear anything at all. I mean there's just a gap in the mechanical transmission...

It took multiple surgeries to remove the cholesteatoma, and since I felt okay with my level of hearing, I said no to reconstruction and figured I'd get a hearing aid if and when needed. It's been 10 years. I could get prosthetic ossicles now, but there's more scar tissue and more risk of nerve injury (taste nerve, facial nerve, etc.). Facial nerve and taste nerve injury is almost scarier than tinnitus.

I don't think it's a wiggling stapes, but you never know. All of this was set off by an outer ear canal infection and a mastoid cavity cleaning in which the doctor had to pull a hardened layer of wax out of the cavity (my ear can no longer clean itself, so I have to have it cleaned every 6 months by an otologist).

Sorry if that's too much information. Maybe it will help someone out there with an open mastoid cavity with tinnitus .

As for the hearing aid off, I tried to wear it outside and everything was so loud! Someone went by in a souped up car and revved their motor. I nearly jumped out of my skin.

 

[GregCA]

It took multiple surgeries to remove the cholesteatoma, and since I felt okay with my level of hearing, I said no to reconstruction and figured I'd get a hearing aid if and when needed. It's been 10 years. I could get prosthetic ossicles now, but there's more scar tissue and more risk of nerve injury (taste nerve, facial nerve, etc.). Facial nerve and taste nerve injury is almost scarier than tinnitus.

OK. Maybe a BAHA then? I don't think it messes with the middle ear.
It sounds like you are quite used to the way your hearing works right now, so maybe it's unwise to "poke the bear".

 

[Ashley Edwards]

I've been reading about how hearing aides help with tinnitus. Wondering how to go about getting one. I'm in the U.S.

 

[gotyoubynuts]

I've been reading about how hearing aides help with tinnitus. Wondering how to go about getting one. I'm in the U.S.

You need to find an audiologist, there should be plenty in every city. Book an appointment and ask for hearing aid evaluation.

 

[william adams]

Sounds like your best deal on a hearing aid is Sams Club or Cosco. They charge about half what some of the smaller companies charge...

 

[GregCA]

I've been wearing a hearing aid in my right ear for about a week now. It doesn't help me with my T. It helps a bit with the hearing of course, although not as much as I thought it would.
It has a T program that adds some kind of narrowband noise supposed to help mask my T a bit. That doesn't work at all either, which isn't surprising since the only input into the hearing aid to create the "T masker" is my audiogram data.
My T may be just too loud for any type of sound therapy. I was in a restaurant this evening, and I was measuring environment loudness with an app on my phone - it was oscillating around 80 dB. And there I was, with my T clearly cutting through all that noise of dishes and conversations... I have very little hope for any kind of therapy that relies on masking.

In short, I'm not sure I'm a good candidate for HAs. I got the entry level, and even that is $1,200 - none of which is reimbursed by my insurance. I'm still in the trial period, and may be able to try some adjustments/optimizations with my audiologist. We'll see. Too bad it's not working out well for me.

 

[BuzzyBee]

In short, I'm not sure I'm a good candidate for HAs. I got the entry level, and even that is $1,200 - none of which is reimbursed by my insurance. I'm still in the trial period, and may be able to try some adjustments/optimizations with my audiologist. We'll see. Too bad it's not working out well for me.

Same here. Despite the weird anatomy of my ear canal, I did indeed find a skilled audiologist who was able to make impressions of my unusual ear canal. She did a great job. I got a pair of custom made ear plugs as well as a hearing aid. I love the ear plugs and wearing them for a while seems to relax me which in turn dims the tinnitus somewhat. The hearing aid did the opposite, and I was constantly monitoring the T which seemed to make it worse.

So maybe down the line I'll need the hearing aid, but I am not a candidate quite yet. Glad I tried it, though.

To answer the question about finding an audiologist, I will say that my father has been very pleased with Costco, and I believe the brand they sell is the same one used by several independent audiologists. I found my audiologist using a Google search, reading the reviews and then having a consultation.

 

[Caz N]

Hi. I woke up one morning four months ago with ringing in my ears and a reduced level of hearing. Fast forward four months and Ive managed to get a hospital appointment to see the audiologist for hearing aids. Ive read various stuff that recommends open ear hearing aids for tinnitus. Whilst I know they aren't available on the NHS I wondered whether anyone was using the hidden hearing aids that fit right inside the ear and, if so, would you recommend them. Many thanks.

 

[ReyKalinic]

Hi. I woke up one morning four months ago with ringing in my ears and a reduced level of hearing.

did you get at least a steroid therapy to try a recover?
it seems too superficial the way in which it was recommended that "cure". hearing aids are not a cure. Maybe help to cope but only in selected people and after exclusion of others causes. At least a clean MRI....

 

[FP Guy]

I have had tinnitus for 20+ years. I got the hearing aids with the masking sound about a month ago. Insurance covered part of the costs. The costs for exam, hearing aids an follow up was $3500. They are the Phonak brand.

Some days with them are much better than others. Overall, I am pleased with them. There are some days where the tinnitus is so loud, I don't think a jackhammer on the skull could dampen it out.

I have the HAs that play a "pink" noise. They have 3 levels of sound that can be played. One for everyday sound, one when it is slightly louder and one that is quite loud. I also was shocked to learn how much my hearing loss played into my day. It was always deemed as minor, but it was very disorienting the first few days. I was hearing things that I had not heard in years - the car doors locking, the sound the door handle makes at home when opening or closing, etc... Things of that nature, I had just not heard, or not heard clearly in years. So it was unusual to hear those kinds of sounds again.

Overall, I am pleased with the audiologist and the use of the hearing aids.

 

[Caz N]

did you get at least a steroid therapy to try a recover?
it seems too superficial the way in which it was recommended that "cure". hearing aids are not a cure. Maybe help to cope but only in selected people and after exclusion of others causes. At least a clean MRI....

I got virtually no help. My doctor just told me that there is an 8 month waiting list to see an ENT consultant in my area so I had to pay and go privately. It was a two week wait to see the EN consultant who just said, oh yes you have tinnitus. The MRI scan was clear and the hearing test showed a marked loss of hearing compared to the results of a hearing test I had two years previously. I asked my gp about steroids but he said he'd need to ask the ENT consultant - and the consultant still hasn't replied. I'm guessing that after 4 months its a bit late now anyway.

 

[ReyKalinic]

I got virtually no help. My doctor just told me that there is an 8 month waiting list to see an ENT consultant in my area so I had to pay and go privately. It was a two week wait to see the EN consultant who just said, oh yes you have tinnitus. The MRI scan was clear and the hearing test showed a marked loss of hearing compared to the results of a hearing test I had two years previously. I asked my gp about steroids but he said he'd need to ask the ENT consultant - and the consultant still hasn't replied. I'm guessing that after 4 months its a bit late now anyway.

Forgive me but I must say for your feeling better . .. change doctor. thankfully mri are clear . I wish you all the best.

 

[Stewie]

Ah. I too have wondered of this, due to my deafness when i was super little, had tubes in my ears, the works. I have wondered about this. Thanks for posting the information..

 

[newarrior]

Gonna get my 1st pair soon--still live in USA but hope to move to Thailand ?Pros USA: Costco has the best prices--and they will pretty much replace or repair damaged or missing devices for free.. Cons: In Thailand my warrantee of course won't work....Pros Thailand: Cost probably higher but any sort of warrantees will be honored.



Would love to hear pros/cons of buying in the West vs Thailand and what your experiences have been in Thailand i.e. prices, repairs, service quality, where to buy, where to fix, warrantee/replacement policy ?



Thanks ! Dave