Hearing aids

[PaulSecteur]

Hi,

My Dad has had his hearing aids for about 3 years, and hates them. He worked in a noisy factory all his life and also has a bit of tinnitus.

He say his hearing aids are OK for normal conversation and watching the TV, but if there is a high pitch noise - usually knives and forks on plates, plates being put on the draining board then these seem over-amplified and are really painful. I thought he was taking the P and using that as an excuse, but having tried them he is right.

Does anyone know if this is something all hearing aids do, or is it just the cheap ones (my dad wont go into detail about where or how much he paid). I suspect he just got the cheapest ones so he could tell my Mum he has got them, he hates fussing over this sort of thing - he was the same with glasses.

Is it possible to tune the hearing aids to amplify the sounds he needs, but not the ones he doesn't?

Thanks for any help.

Paul.

 

[Tim Hall]

Paging @kimble, Kimble to the induction loop enabled phone please.

(She's an infrequent visitor here, but is very knowledgeable about this sort of thing. She's very knowledgeable about all kinds of thinfs.)

 

[Oldfentiger]

I've had hearing aids for over two years, also with some tinnitus. I've lost some ability to hear higher frequencies.
My hearing aids were supplied by the NHS so cost me nothing.
They were programmed via a laptop to fit my needs. I wouldn't describe any sounds as over amplified or painful at all (apart from when the missus is expressing displeasure at summat).

 

[numbnuts]

I've got two NHS hearing aids, right ear can't hear sod all well very little, left ear OK if there is no back ground noise, I just can't get on with them been back to see them to have them adjusted but still the same I was told you'll get use to them so far a BIG fail.

 

[Over The Hill]

Wifey has had a range of hearing aids for one ear. She reports that they are much better of late (on NHS) and as above, they should be able to be set up on the computer to amplify just the range needed.
However, it is quite common for older people to lose their high range of hearing and so they may be set to pick up that range. May just be a shock to then hear it.

They are far from perfect and does irritate her by the evening sometimes.

 

[postman]

As one who uses two hearing aids.My first pair have just been retired.They were eight years old.They had the full plastic ear piece,which made my ears itch.But after eight years they were falling apart.Loose connections were making them whistle.So about November i requested another hearing test.I was found to need replacements.
These new ones are far better,made by PHONAX with a tulip insert,so much lighter.they are superb.

Now for those of you with hearing problems.Get to see your Doc,because hearing aids are going to be very hard to get on the NHS,Some people are only getting one,and some health authorities are refusing altogether,forcing people to go private,costing two and three thousand.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I have a pair of hearing aids and have no real problem with either TBH.

Both are the new style NHS ones in silver with the soft rubber inserts so no bulky moulded pieces in your ear.

As stated above they should be tuned to the frequencies the individual is missing. When I got my first one it was a very strange noise sensation when it first tuned in but you very quickly get used to it.

FWIW I was told by the NHS that their aids use the same digital internal technology as private aids, so therefore the only reason to pay £££££'s privately v's £0 with the NHS is vanity

 

[furbo]

Hearing Aids are brilliant things but take some getting used to and do have some limitations.
NHS aids used to be large , uncomfortable and prone to feedback(squealing) but are now only slightly behind the expensive private offerings.
Depending on your type of deafness it can be possible to have small, light behind the ear aids with a narrow, almost invisible tube connected to a silicone earpiece, these are much more comfortable than the mould type which is much bigger and fills the outside of the ear canal
Hearing with the aids is much improved and devices such as a loop can stream sound from TV or telephone directly to the aid.
I find that high pitched sounds can be uncomfortable and wind noise on the bike remains a problem.
Most important is to get the aids the best they can be for you, this may need a few trips to the clinic to fine tune the aids to the individuals needs and the tubes and earpieces for comfort. Tell your dad to persevere, it'll be worth it in the end

 

[Smurfy]

Does anyone know if this is something all hearing aids do, or is it just the cheap ones (my dad wont go into detail about where or how much he paid). I suspect he just got the cheapest ones so he could tell my Mum he has got them, he hates fussing over this sort of thing - he was the same with glasses.

If he didn't get NHS ones, he might be reluctant to talk about the cost, as the really good ones cost over £1000 each. Fortunately NHS bulk buying and the fact that they don't need to make a profit from patients means people can get a fairly good NHS device for nothing. However, as others have noted, some NHS trusts are restricting supply for those that only have a slight or moderate hearing loss. If anyone thinks they might need hearing aids, best to get in quick before any more NHS trusts cut back on hearing care.

 

[byegad]

I had an NHS one for 4 years, I have tinnitus in one ear and found making out speech difficult. This worked well, and I was blown away by the change ot made to my life.

Last summer it packed in and I went to Specsavers and got two fitted. They are absolutely fantastic. The difference between the new ones and the old one is at least as big as the difference I noticed when I got the first aid.

I have 4 modes to choose from, and chose to have Normal, Clear Speech Forward, Music and Outdoors as the four. I had a choice from 9 or 10 modes to have installed.

They are behind the ear (BTE) and I get up, put on my glasses, insert the aids and am good for the day. I never take them off unless I'm in the shower or baths. Volume control and appropriate mode selection means I'm rarely stumped for hearing. The old NHS supplied one had no controls at all and I could get overwhelmed by a wall of sound in a noisy environment making me effectively deaf to speech. This has not happened with the new ones.

The OP suggests the aids are set with too much gain at the top end and as has been mentioned above, if like me you've lost the top end of your hearing (I have little or no natural sensitivity above 4k Hz.) then a loud clatter of cutlery will come as a shock at first.

I had been cycling for 10 years with deteriorating hearing before I got the first aid and my abiding memory is of my first ride with the aid when I heard Skylarks for the first time in many years! It really did move me to tears.

 

[Smurfy]

The difference between the new ones and the old one is at least as big as the difference I noticed when I got the first aid.

Could that be explained by a change from analogue to digital?

 

[Dave7]

Hi,

Does anyone know if this is something all hearing aids do, or is it just the cheap ones (my dad wont go into detail about where or how much he paid). I suspect he just got the cheapest ones so he could tell my Mum he has got them, he hates fussing over this sort of thing - he was the same with glasses.

Paul.

Could you type louder please as I cant hear you
I was struggling to hear high pitched sounds e.g. birds singing etc. so I got a NHS hearing aid. It is very good and cured THAT problem but caused others..........in crowded rooms I had to switch it off and when out walking/playing golf the wind sound is horrible. I have almost stopped wearing it now.

 

[vernon]

Could that be explained by a change from analogue to digital?

I found that sticking my fingers in my ears didn't work as well as a hearing aid.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I have always had problems with hearing in that I have had hissing, ringing or sometimes a strange throbbing sound in my ears for as long as I can remember. I find it difficult to make out things if there is more than one noise, and even if there is only one sound, the hissing/ringing can get in the way!

Going into a crowded room, everythingusuallyjustbecomesonesolidblockofnoise, and don't ask me to tell you the lyrics to a lot of songs!!

I went to the Doctor a few years back, had a hearing test, passed it all because they didn't test me for what was wrong, and the so called specialist then told me I just had a cold.
A COLD??!! ALL MY LIFE??!! Do you want to phone the Guinness Book Of Records or will I?

It annoys me to think about it even now and have never been back. I KNOW I have a problem, but this guy just treated me like some sort of moron!! It wouldn't have been so bad, but he looked like some sort of grotesque teddy bear.

I am finding this thread quite interesting and would like to find out more about it all.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

if there is a high pitch noise - usually knives and forks on plates, plates being put on the draining board then these seem over-amplified and are really painful

I have the same issue with the hearing aids I've been using for some time, and they're pretty high-end hearing aids, which cost me about $5000 for the pair about 18 years ago.It's quite possible that more recent hearing aids don't have this problem, though - hopefully, like all devices they improve with time.