Old people get in here. j/K
I've abused my ears a little to much over the years I guess. So its time to do something about that I guess. Any advice? Who to see, where to go, just order something off line, walmart ????? Thanks and What? That's my favorite question

 

In my experience from what I have heard this is an item you really need to do some research on and get a quality Item. Background noise seems to be a big factor in my experience with my mother in law who wears them. Sorry I can't be more help.

Kc

 

I have hearing loss in my right ear from a lot of unprotected shooting when younger. I went to an audiologist a few years ago and got a top notch digital hearing aid that was mapped to my hearing loss. The audiologist told me I was at the lower threshold of hearing loss (not too severe) where that it may not help, it might just drive me crazy. It drove me crazy and I could not hear or understand any better. Now I really need some correction as I cannot understand anything anyone says if there is background noise. You should see an audiologist and get them to test you. Dont go to Walmart. You need to have something that only amplifies the range of your hearing loss, not all of the frequency spectrum, you can only do that with a digital hearing aid that is mapped to your specific frequency loss.
If you have buzzing in your ears (tinitis) you should go to an ENT doctor. My sister had that an she had a stapendectomy where theY replaced the middle ear bone (stapen) with a piece of titanium. Cured the buzzing and she can hear great now. She says the bro-in-law cannot sneak farts past her now and her kids cannot talk about her.
I agree with Kevin that you dont want to scrimp or shortcut on this. From "what I hear", you really get what you pay for.
This is all great advice from the guy that is too lazy to do anything about his own problem.
WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

 

One of my best friends is an audiologist. I will show him this post

 

TYPE LOUDER PLEASE ..

 

I hope he doesnt bust me for advising without a license.
Although I am a licensed professional geophysicist.

 

LOL, pat from what I've heard (pun intended ) from him over the years he will probably agree with your post 100%

 

Good stuff Patrick. I do have ringing in my ears also. I've always heard that there is no cure for tinitis. I guess you just have to go to the right doctor.
Whats funny is people around me know I have a little trouble hearing but they don't speak up so I can hear them. I tell them don't get upset with me that I can't hear, Get upset with yourself for knowing and not speaking up lol

Thanks for the input Gents

 

What is a ENT doctor? I have had that since I was a little kid and it drives me insane in a quiet room or even If I am watching TV I hate this ... It also sounds expensive

 

Patrick is exactly correct. Definitely see an audiologist. I could give a long, heart-warming story, but the bottom line is that my son was diagnosed with infant hearing loss. He was given an ABR, which is a test where they play sounds into your ears and measure your brain activity as it responds to those sounds. They were able to determine exactly what frequencies needed the most gain, and amplify those frequencies to the proper level while only giving other frequencies the slight correction that may have been needed. For example, my son couldn't hear high or low sounds, but could hear most in the middle. He needed more help on the high and low pitches, but if we just went to Wal-Mart and got an amplification device, the middle frequencies could've been way too loud to tolerate.

I'll share this pic of a really proud dad when he knew his son could hear for the first time. (Sorry it's so big, thought I was adding a thumbnail)

 

Ear Nose Throat. I think hearing aids "cure" tinitis, but the stapendectomy restores natural hearing if you are a candidate.

And Glenn, I have the same problem with not getting my coworkers to speak up. Especially the youngs ones, and double for the girls. Drives me crazy.

 

oh its just not my coworkers, My Wife is the worst. She will face the other way while I'm 20 feet away and try to talk to me. I usually turn the other way and mumble something obscure. Its kinda fun sometimes. Great picture John

 

This is the Kind of stuff that you stay away from! SOUND ADVICE!

https://www.hearingaidtv.com/Default.asp?
,
,
,
,

 

but it comes with a nifty cleaning brush

 

Here's what my friend the audiologist said, " Ok I read it. From what I gather he does need to get tested at all costs. Avoid online stuff like costco or anything that maybe be considered too good to be true. The person needs to know what they are looking to accomplish. Hearing Aids are not like glasses you can't just put them on and boom they work. It's rehab for the mind because we hear with our ears and listen with our brains. Meaning that all we are doing is increasing signal strength so that the brain can put the words together. Also when choosing a hearing aid, if at all needed, lifestyle is the biggest thing to take into account."

 

About the only thing I know about them is that they're expensive. My mom's hearing has never been very good, but over the last decade it has really deteriorated. Finally talked her into getting hearing aids last year and IIRC they were about $6000.

 

Hearing aids won't help tinnitus - that isn't their purpose (I have tinnitus, only in the right ear ---- anyone else hear that chain saw? - it is constant, and that is what it sounds like, first time I noticed it I thought someone was cutting a tree down).

I also wear hearing aids. When I first got them I couldn't believe the difference. Going out with a group used to be a real pain because the conversation was lost on me, I couldn't understand what was being said and it was all just a buzz. After the hearing aids I could be part of the group.

But like was said, you have to go to a professional and get tested. Hearing aids don't just increase the volume, they are programmed to increase the correct pitches so that you get better understanding. And they can be programmed to ease the background noise.

After the tinnitus started I went to the ENT and they re-tested me. My hearing loss has increased significantly since 2009 so I'm waiting now to see if the insurance will allow me to get a better set of aids early due to the changed circumstance.

I have the Rhapsody over the ear type. Most of my friends and family don't even know I have them because they have the clear tube coming from the back over the ear and really aren't that big. I have had them adjusted a couple of times at the office to "dial in" the aids, and then had them adjusted again to the new test from the ENT. It is better, but not quite like when I first got them yet, still working on the new prescription to get it where I need it.

It was one of the best things I did though. There are benefits to it also, like when we took two of our granddaughters to Niagara Falls last year. You can imagine a several hour trip with two 8 year old girls giggling in the back seat and other noise. I just reached up, pulled the aids out and all was quiet LOL - my wife just looked at me and said "lucky"

As far as price, one of my friends told me just last week that his brother has a hearing aid shop (they do the testing, fitting and programming). He said that the mark up on aids is pretty big so don't be afraid to ask "can you do any better" if your insurance doesn't cover them.

 

Great Pool Of Knowledge from the everhelpful TMS family. I have a bad ear as well but have done nothing about it yet. Background Noise makes it very difficult to hear a phone conversation. That's why I always took my parts calls in my office.

Kudo's

KC

 

absolutely good stuff. Thank-you everyone! I will ask my doctor if she knows where I can go for testing. We do have a couple of places around here I can go to.
What did you guys pay for testing and hearing aids?

 

Around here most of the hearing aid dealers offer free screenings I noticed. My health insurance covered my screening as well as the hearing aids so I'm not sure what the cost was now since all I had was a small co-pay.