Hearing Loss: Come introduce yourself and connect with others

@jutkele Happy that the Philips aids from Costco are doing well for you. The skill of the person fitting hearing aids is very important to getting good results. Some of the big box companies have very skilled employees in their hearing aid department. Some don't.

It's an interesting industry. There are only 5 or 6 manufacturers of hearing aids, but many brands and models. We folks with hearing loss really got dissed in 1965 when Medicare's statutory exclusion was established: Written into the SS Act that year & unchanged since, coverage for hearing aids was excluded. Sadly, private insurers for the most part followed suit. Hearing loss was framed as a 'normal' part of aging rather than a medical condition. That pushed hearing aids into an 'elective' category. It also furthered the stigmatic attitude that only old people had hearing loss.

That stigma has prevailed although it's getting better. Still, many people do not get hearing aids because they don't want to look old. Some of the commercials for hearing aid on TV focus on that....grow your hair out....only buy hearing aids that are invisible, etc. Shouldn't the focus be on what they can do realistically? Manufacturers have even removed helpful options so their products can be smaller. 🙁

There is nothing better for a person with hearing loss than to have access to the technology that can help them enjoy life. So pleased to know you're thrilled with your new hearing aids. I hope the provider shared information with you about options like telecoils and Auracast connectivity.

Julieo4

@julieo4
Coincidentally, I had my first Auracast trial in a brand new theater today. My hearing aids do have both Auracast and the older telecoils. It was good but not great. Some of the players seemed to be having trouble with their mics, too. Maybe the whole audio system of the new theater needs adjusting.

Julieo

My Philips hearing aids do have both telecoil and Auracast connectivity. I had the chance to try Auracast this afternoon in a brand new theater. Good, not great. Some of the actors seemed to have trouble with their mics so maybe the whole audio system needs adjusting.
@jutkele

@jutkele It is going to take a while for Auracast to be regulated and perfected. Telecoils work very well in looped venues. It's good to know you have both in your hearing aids. Venues that have spent $ to include loop systems to be compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are not likely to jump over to something news. So, it's good to have both options.

Julieo4

@julieo4
Good to know about Auracast. Thanks. @jutkele

I see a post that isn't recent, but I wear hearing aids, and I still have an awful time with consonants, like K, S, P, B, S and a few others although those are the worst. If it's one of those people that hate for others outside the conversation, just tell them outright, if you want to talk to me, talk louder, or I am going to ignore you. Sorry, but I guess I have done about all I can do on my end. My friend has the implants by Cochlear. He swears by them. I also have bone cancer and suffer with pain, which takes a bit of my memory just to to deal with it. My hearing is so bad that I repeat what the others say to their annoyance. I tell them I am just telling them what I heard. Sort of a lot to deal with.

I had a serious Cholesteatoma issue in my right ear back in 2018 and had surgery to clean it up. The surgeon then went back in to attempt to fix my hearing. The surgery did not work, and I am basically deaf in my right ear. I wear a special hearing aid in both ears. Since I can’t hear from my right ear, I have a transmitter hearing aid in my right ear. Its function is to carry sound to my hearing aid on my left ear, which allows me to hear sounds from my right side. It helps but is not perfect. It really does not work in noisy restaurants, large rooms, etc. Very frustrating!

I have had hearing loss for about 20 years but more seriously since 2010. Things sounded as if I was underwater, was told I have eustachion tube disfunction. Dr placed tubes in my ears however every couple of years they would fall out. He gave up and said there were holes present anyway and they were no longer needed. I then bought hearing aids. Hearing tests show I have reversed hearing loss, so I can hear high tones but have trouble with low, miss hearing thunder, have very hard time hearing men, my poor frustrated husband. Family get angry with me at times because I'll nod a lot as if I heard what was said when I did not, but I worry about irritating people so bad. I am also surprised how when at the Dr or hospital, drs act as if I am the only person who has trouble hearing, surely they see some patients with hearing loss! Volume is not the problem so it irritates me when people shout. I just can't tell the consenants apart, especially if I don't know what is being talked about. I try my best.

@jnieman i’ve recently started introducing myself to DOCTORS and others by saying, “I’d like you to know that I’m hearing impaired. I need you to speak somewhat slowly, rather than loudly and try to remember to face me.“ I also say I appreciated their help. What are strikes me funny? Is that people react by saying “Oh I’m sorry.” it would make so much more sense to say something like, “good to know. That’s helpful.“ One can dream.

@jnieman Are your hearing aids helping you? I hope they are well fit. Reverse slope hearing loss is less common but not totally uncommon. Today's high quality hearing aids can be adjusted more to accommodate...though still not perfect.

It's a sad reality that medical professionals don't have much education in how hearing loss affects a person. They need in-service training done by people with hearing loss who are willing to share information. All of us have to be proactive in doing that personally but far too many hide the reality of hearing loss because they are embarrassed. Stigma is our enemy.

You are correct, consonants are the sounds that go first with progressive hearing loss. Vowels give speech power but consonants give it meaning. An interesting way to share that with people is to take a 4 syllable word and ask people what it is w/o consonants. Let them see the vowels. Then let them see only the consonants it's pretty amazing words like I_ _O_ _ I_ _ E In context helps in conversation but not always. Here it is with just the consonants. _MP_SS_BL_ It's an amazing exercise when done with a sentence too.

It helps a lot to understand how to explain hearing loss.

Julieo4

@julieo4 that is interesting thank you for pointing that out