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I'm completely new to the world of hearing aids. Advice please.

Posted by omegaman17 @omegaman17, Oct 28, 2021

I'm completely new to the world of hearing aids. I have one month left a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance and I want to get a new hearing aid while I can. I am limited to a budget of $2500. I have tinnitus. I have tried my wife's hearing aids that she purchased at Cosco and I have two problems with them. The first is they don't feel very secure when I put them on. It feels like they could come off pretty easily. The second problem is I don't like the flimsy earphone piece that fits near the ear canal. It would seem to me that I could solve both of these problems if I could get a hearing aid in the old-style. A little bit larger with more of an earplug versus the two that points into the ear. Also the audio that comes through my wife's hearing aid seems a little scratchy and distorted. Any recommendations?

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Mentor
Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Oct 24, 2023
In reply to @trevorchaee12 "Started with my first set of hearing aids at age 50. My audiologist for the next..." + (show)
@trevorchaee12

Started with my first set of hearing aids at age 50. My audiologist for the next ten years kept insisting that the reason I was not hearing well was because it was necessary to upgrade my aids After being on my third pair of Phonak aids and was still not able to hear, I answered an ad to participate in Phonak research. On my first visit to the research lab I was given a hearing test and my old aids were programmed by them. I actually started crying as it was the first time I could hear in 10 years. Now at 76 years old, I advise that you make sure that you have an audiologist that is proficient in diagnosing and programming your hearing sids properly. Contact the manufacturer of your product and get a recommendation. Always purchase a Phonak product and with proper care it has not been necessary to purchase new from 5 to 7 years.

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There is no doubt that the skill of the person who is fitting a hearing aid is extremely important. It's confusing because of the layers of 'professionals' in the hearing healthcare field. Some are called 'Hearing Instrument Specialists'. They may have no more than a high school diploma and have served an apprenticeship. Some are called 'clinical audiologists'. Depending on the licensure regulations in your state, they may have a bachelor's degree or master's degree in audiology/communication disorders. Then there are 'doctors of audiology' who have earned a doctorate level degree in the field. They have the letters AuD after their name. Then, of course, we have the ENT specialists who are medical doctors who specialize in ear, nose & throat issues.

Interestingly enough, understanding hearing technology and being able to properly fit and program a hearing aid doesn't always go by 'degree'. On the other hand, understanding the many complexities of hearing health including medical issues that may cause hearing loss is more apt to be diagnosed and understood by someone with a doctorate degree.

I wonder what kind of experience/education the person who fit those hearing aids when you were in your 50s had. It sounds like that person was rather inept. I guess this is the reason why we have learned that it's OK to shop around and to open up to learning from other people who have hearing loss. Their experiences can be very helpful. It's also important to understand that everyone's hearing loss is different.

REPLY
1 reply
trevorchaee12 | @trevorchaee12 | Oct 24, 2023
In reply to @julieo4 "There is no doubt that the skill of the person who is fitting a hearing aid..." + (show)
@julieo4

There is no doubt that the skill of the person who is fitting a hearing aid is extremely important. It's confusing because of the layers of 'professionals' in the hearing healthcare field. Some are called 'Hearing Instrument Specialists'. They may have no more than a high school diploma and have served an apprenticeship. Some are called 'clinical audiologists'. Depending on the licensure regulations in your state, they may have a bachelor's degree or master's degree in audiology/communication disorders. Then there are 'doctors of audiology' who have earned a doctorate level degree in the field. They have the letters AuD after their name. Then, of course, we have the ENT specialists who are medical doctors who specialize in ear, nose & throat issues.

Interestingly enough, understanding hearing technology and being able to properly fit and program a hearing aid doesn't always go by 'degree'. On the other hand, understanding the many complexities of hearing health including medical issues that may cause hearing loss is more apt to be diagnosed and understood by someone with a doctorate degree.

I wonder what kind of experience/education the person who fit those hearing aids when you were in your 50s had. It sounds like that person was rather inept. I guess this is the reason why we have learned that it's OK to shop around and to open up to learning from other people who have hearing loss. Their experiences can be very helpful. It's also important to understand that everyone's hearing loss is different.

Jump to this post

I highly recommend Dr Cliff on YouTube. What to look for in a proper hearing test.
All of his videos are very informative. He himself has hearing loss and samples and gives reviews on every hearing aid available. He even rates the best each year.

REPLY
trevorchaee12 | @trevorchaee12 | Oct 25, 2023

Everyone has a different hearing loss and aids must be programmed to your specific needs. If your wife is happy with the audiologist she sees, make an appointment. They will address all of your concerns. You are over the first hurdle, which is recognizing that you need hearing assistance. You will be amazed at how much your life will improve.

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