Any recommendations on bone conduction hearing aids?

Posted by lucylou77 @lucylou77, Jun 25 8:11am

Hello, I have dealt with hearing loss my entire Life. My left ear is totally dead It was diagnosed as nerve deafness way back in elementary school and I am now 79. Hearing in my right ear has diminished over the years I guess due to the aging process. Anyway, I’ve been wearing phonak hearing aids in both ears for about the last 10 years. I noticed about two years ago that they just weren’t working that well. I’ve been to a few different EMTs. Had various MRIs. I am not a candidate for a cochlear implant. So… My question is has anyone used the over the ear bone conduction hearing aids? If so, what brand? OTC?Positive or not?

I really appreciate your feedback

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marem60 | @marem60 | Sep 21 6:52am

I just received a surgical abutment for a PONTO BAHA which will be used after the bone heals for approximately 8 weeks. I am 66 years old and have had the severe/profound loss from a childhood illness. I have single sided deafness with some conductive hearing loss on my other ear.

The audiologist had a ‘try before you decide’ Oticon BAHA aide on a headband to see if it would work for you. I was amazed how clearly I could hear just using the sample headband. That made me decide to go through with the surgery.

Hang in there and hopefully you will find some answers. Find a good ENT & audiologist to work with.

Take care.

billhalliday | @billhalliday | Sep 24 12:04pm

My wife bought OTC over the ear for $50 and they were terrible.

robert66 | @robert66 | Sep 24 12:26pm

Had surgery in 2018 in right ear for Cholesteatoma. Surgeon went back in for second surgery to restore hearing but it failed. Pretty much deaf in my right ear. Wear hearing aids, where the right one carries sound to my left ear. Pretty frustrating.

longingtohear | @longingtohear | Sep 25 8:25am

I can relate to your frustration. Had 2 surgeries for same issues in 2025 and worse than before the surgeries.
Was also told a device attached to bone in back of head would help. I’m skeptical. Anyone using this type of device?

Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Sep 25 2:20pm

You may want to consider the cochlear implant option if you're having poor results with hearing aids. Single sided deafness is fairly common. Medicare does cover cochlear implants for SSD more now than it used to.

Trying bicross hearing aids is a good thing to do first. As explained by Robert66, that involves a transmitter on the deaf side that sends sound to the ear that hears well.

Over the counter (OTC) non prescriptive hearing aids are only helpful to people with mild hearing loss. If you try them make sure you can return them if they aren't helping. Trial time for products like that tend to be very short. Buyer beware!

Julieo4