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OT- Hearing aids

C

coshoo

Well-known Member
I suppose this is is a little tractor related, because I'm sure much of my hearing loss is from all that tractor driving without earplugs. Its gotten to the point that I can't enjoy an old movie,
because the sound quality is not good and the dialogue is so fast that I can't hear well enough to keep up.

Any recommendations on fairly inexpensive hearing aids? I really need to get some, but don't want to break the bank doing it. I know you can get good ones at Costco, but they're a couple grand apiece.
How about Miracle Ear? Any others that you've had good experience with? I've heard the VA has good ones, but I talked to them and it appears that the cost is related to need- and I'm not real needy.

Any of those $500 specials in the Sunday papers any good? What say you?
 
I seriously doubt the inexpensive one will do what you want. I have a pair of Starkeys for what they tell me is "profound" hearing loss. $3K each and they don't help with anything coming from a speaker. I hear the sounds but can barely make out words. Fortunately, my former employer pays for them and I bought a device that plugs into the TV audio output and sends send it directly by radio signal. They all say "sound just like natural hearing" but I don't think any of them do.
 
They may not be much good, but my uncle got a 30x thing at Walmart for $20. It really helped him a lot. He wears it all the time and can carry on a conversation.Use to have to yell to talk to him. They are always up near the checkout when they have them in stock. It may work for you or it may be worth a try. Tommy
 
My father tried just about every "hearing aid" advertised on TV & in the newspaper. Ones that went in the ear, looped around the back of the ear, wireless head-phone type, little boxes with microphones that fed to an earpiece, etc. None of them worked. He had an expensive set from a hearing doctor that worked well when they were adjusted correctly, but he was supposed to go in every year and get them re-adjusted. He thought the doctor was just trying to get a little more money from him, so he stopped going in. Yet he spent a tidy sum over his last 3-4 years on all of theses heavily advertised models. After he died, there were no less than 20 different hearing devices that he had picked up, tried, and then gave up on. I think if you have true hearing loss, the less expensive ones can't do much for you. Maybe they work if you only have a slight loss, but even then, some are just like the numerous other gadgets that they try to sell folks.

I don't know if any of the ones he tried were Miracle-Ear.

Good luck, I know with any of them, it takes some time to get used to them.

Steven
 
Forgot to add that I used TV Ears for a while. They worked good but my hearing continued to deteriorate. One ear is much worse and there is no side to side control. If it's mainly for TV I'd say try em.
 
I will agree with Mike. I have been deaf in my right ear since childhood. Just recently I lost the hearing in my left. I have a Phonak hearing aid for my left and it helps greatly. As explained to me by the Doctor at Ohio State as you age you don't process sound as quickly and have trouble hearing all of the words. Thus we read lips and depend on closed captioning. Cochlear implants work the best but are way to pricey for most all of us.
 
I can't recommend a brand yet, but my day is coming!

I can advise you though, be very, very weary of the big name, full page ad in the news paper, TV advertised hearing aids.

They use horrible tactics, bait and switch, deception that borders on fraud and elderly abuse!

Just went through this with my mom. She had my wife take her to one of those places. They soaked her for over $5000 for something that she rarely uses, and is not happy with them.

Her biggest complaint is they are too loud, and the only way to get them adjusted is to make an appointment to see the audiologist. Then he sets them to what he wants, not what she is comfortable with.

She finally gave up, she "didn't want to bother those nice people anymore, they are busy with others".

It's a real racket, that's why insurance won't pay anything for them!
 
I had a set of Resound brand aids for about three years from '97-2000. Could adjust the volume and could switch to another "setting" that was good for TV. Stopped wearing them because I'd average $50 a month getting them cleaned and adjusted, along with new molds. In a couple of months I'm set to get a pair of Oticon brand aids that my insurance pays $3000 of a $4400 total. Just need to get the $1400 together and see how they work out.
 
I got mine through the VA and they even updated them after a couple of years. They furnish batteries and all supplies. There was no inquiry as far as financial need. I made an appointment at the nearest VA facility that had an Audiology Department and they gave me the hearing aids. If you are a Veteran, you qualify.
 
You need to know what type of hearing loss you have.

Mine is at the high frequency end so I have to have frequency shift hearing aids - when I can afford them.

Volume alone won't work.
 
That just irks me to hear that the va won't pay 100%. I am not a veteran but after all you guys have done for us and we tax payers won't pay for your hearing aids. Are you kidding me?
 
I probably spent $8k looking for a pair that work. I just gave up. My main problems are 3:

1. Frequency deficiency is -90 dB (deci-Bel) at 2k-4k Hz....frequency of the female voice....but the loss came from employment (and I loved my work and would do it again in a heartbeat), not the need to ignore wife's "honey dos". No aid available higher than +30 dB.
2. For a deaf person, words run together and you have to hear the whole sentence and register it to understand what was said....if possible.
3. Background noises and especially low frequencies the are transmitted easier through the bones in your skull drown out conversation. If you have the automatic gain control type the background noise shuts down the gain and you can't hear the speech anyway.
4. Wind is always a nuisance.
5. They are a PIA to put up with, both hygiene and the tickle in your ear, oh gee what did i do with them, oh gee I didn't realize my batteries are dead, oh gee these batteries are out of date ode. oh gee I need some yellow ones and the store only has red and brown...won't fit.
6. etc. etc. etc.

Oops, did I say 3?????

Oh a Decibel, from Encyclopedia Britannica: "One decibel [(0.1 bel), aka a dB] equals 10 times the common logarithm of the power ratio. Expressed as a formula, the intensity of a sound in decibels is 10 log10 ..."

It's like a power ratio of 3dB is a change of 2:1 (up or 0.5:1 down doesn't matter the polarity), of 10 dB is 10:1, of 20 dB is 100:1, 30 dB is 1000:1......my hearing was -90 dB 1,000,000,000:1 below normal with 1 being normal hearing and believe it or not I could hear quite well considering.....amazing critter the human ear.
 
You mentioned Costco, so I recommend that you go there and have a free hearing exam ... that lasts about an hour. They are very thorough and will give you data on your hearing loss. So you will know what you are dealing with. Assuming that you have a significant hearing loss, they will recommend one of the several hearing aid brands that they carry. They will then program the aids for your specific hearing loss and let you walk around the store to see what you think. If you like what you hear .. you can order a pair for pickup about a week later. If you don't like them you can just return them and leave. Either way they will give you a report of your haring loss.

If you buy a pair they will fit them on you when you take delivery and you can return however many times you wish in the future for adjustment .. at no charge. Their aids have a 6 month return time where you can get your money back if you are not satisfied.

All of their hearing aids are very low priced compared to other companies that sell aids. About three months ago I went through the above process and bought a pair of the Costco Kirkland 'KS8's hearing aids for $800 each. These are very high quality with all of the modern features. You can perform some functions using a smart phone .. especially using an iPhone. Though a smart phone is not required.

Lower end hearing assistance devices, called PSAP's, can help for some kinds of hearing losses. I used two eBay purchased Siemens Lotus 12P's (about $100 each) for several years and I thought they were helpful. My KS8's are major improvement and I like them .. if a person needs hearing aids, I recommend that they be considered. Hearing aids requirements, benefits and usage are very subjective. So people will be very strong supporters of their brand .. kinda like tractor colors here!

Good luck!
 
I have a pair of Starkeys for 2 1/2 years now. I generally do not wear them at work (still work around LOUD machinery and still use hearing protection as the hearing aids made the sounds in the working environment too loud)They work best when at home and places where there is a lot of background noise.I tried some of the low budget ones but they were just amplifiers and did not adjust for the deficiencies in frequencies that I have. Yes, tractor related..... worse in left ear as it was always turned towards exhaust when pulling implements and looking back!
Good Luck!
 
I'm in the same boat as you.i have a smart tv got it about a year ago.i bought a pair of head phones that connect to the tv wireless now I can hear every word very plain.i had to have the tv up as loud as it would go 100% just so I could hear what was going on in the movie.the wife was about to go crazy. I would highly recommended them.
 
I'm not sure where you got your information F.B. but the V.A, paid for mine 100% and since my hearing loss was associated with the noises I had in ther military, I now get a pension along with the hearing aids. I have been very pleased with V.A. for several years now, they've been pretty darned good to me. Keith
 
What, is my most used word when talking to my wife. I can hear a lot of people, but the wife speaks so soft, unless she is angry, then the Italian comes out, and I can hear just fine. I do need hearing aids. Stan
 
all depends on your hearing lose. I'm death without my aids, and there ain't no cheap one that work for me. Pair I got 3 years ago cost me $4200 for both.
 
(quoted from post at 14:28:35 05/02/18) I seriously doubt the inexpensive one will do what you want. I have a pair of Starkeys for what they tell me is "profound" hearing loss. $3K each and they don't help with anything coming from a speaker. I hear the sounds but can barely make out words. Fortunately, my former employer pays for them and I bought a device that plugs into the TV audio output and sends send it directly by radio signal. They all say "sound just like natural hearing" but I don't think any of them do.
Click to expand...

Mike I couldn’t say it any better. Mine are Audible, made by Starkey. I’m supposedly profound too. The hearing aids do amplify the sound but the word and sound recognition isn’t there.
 
The VA set me up with a pair of ReSound hearing aids that can be controlled by an app through my Iphone. all phone calls are shunted through the aids and are much clearer. Same with videos on the phone. I told the audiologist I still had difficulty understanding dialogue on the TV, so he ordered a small box that plugs into the TV for me. It transmits the Tv sound to my aids. We set the TV volume to suit my wife, then I set my hearing aid volume to suit me and everyone is happy.

My VA rated disabilities include a 10% rating for hearing loss, so I get the VA hearing benefits. I don't know how it works for vets with no VA rated hearing loss.
 
I got the best ones Costco had in December, and I'm not real impressed! I am going to a different store this summer and see if they think they are tuned right. I know a lot of folks with hearing aids, no one is really satisfied. If we only would of known to protect our hearing when we were young! What they say[ To soon old, to late smart!]
 
The VA gave me a set 8 years ago when I really didn't need them. No cost to me, but they would have been $7000 on the market. I had 30 days to return them but my wife threw a fit and insisted I keep them. Still have them and don't use them.

I had a hearing test at the VA a year ago, and they now say I don't need them. My wife doesn't believe them.

However--my wife now needs to wear aids. And she drives me nuts. Feedback in her ears causes her to speak more softly than normal without realizing it. So, she yells at me and says I have a problem if I ask her to repeat herself. Also, I have to ask her to repeat herself sometimes because background noise drowns her out. Same result. I tell her if I can't hear her voice because of a hearing problem, I also wouldn't be able to hear the noise that drowned her out, but she doesn't buy it.

Grr.
 
Are you a member of the American Legion? I am, and my wife's first pair of aids at Miracle Ear were discounted from $7400 down to $4400 with a discount the AL had. That's when I decided the dues to AL was a good investment.

She can control her current aids with her cell phone.
 
check your insurance if you have any, mine pays $2500 towards purchase of hearing aids every 3 years.
 
I wore hearing aids from the early 70s to the around 1992. because a dr said I needed them. WS LUCKY cause my insurance paid for them. mMy wife set up an apt with a hearing specialist after I told her I thought it was funny I could pop my ears and for a few seconds my hearing would be great. His assistant did a hearing test and said I failed but she says it not permant damage. The min dr came in and said I needed tubes in my ears. He told me why and my hearing would be a lot better I asked him how long it would take ad he said 15 minutes. He proceeded to put tubes in both ears and I thought the world was exploding. haven't heard so much noise in 25 years. I quit wearing them but in 2013 I did get a nice pair of aids through the VA. Don't always wear them but they do help when I am around several people. My advice to any one who has a hearing problem do your research on the net. Find a hearing specialist cause if you have permant damage there is not much they can do but it might not be permanent but rather physically and the may be able to fix some of it. I would never go to beltone. cosco or any of those places rather to a ear specialist. Just my story. May not work for every one.
 
OK VA may pay for your hearing aids or may pay part of the cost depending on level of disability and weather or not the hearing loss is service connected. My aids are free, hearing loss was associated by VA with me being on tanks from 74 to 96. They work well and VA gives me all the bits needed to keep them in shape.

Rick
 
I am on my third different brand, all top of the line digital. Have Oticon now, much better than
the others, but pricey. The technology keeps getting better.
 

It may not help you but may for someone you know google

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (put your state on front of it)
NC Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

https://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/hearing-loss/deaf-services

This is not a tax payer service :shock: everyone pays into it, Its a tax you pay on your phone some kind of FCC charge. Caption phones are also available FREE I got one for my mom she loves it, I do also... The phones are not income based I found out about the hearing aid and phone from mom's hearing aid doc.... The catch on the phone is you need WiFi with a USA IP address.

http://captioncallphone.com/
 
I would actually make an appointment with a VA Audiologist and get them to determine that you need the hearing aids. That's what I did and they paid 100%. They even updated mine last summer and my cell phone comes through on my hearing aids so I can actually hear my phone and the conversation now. Before, talking on any phone was a problem.
 
Search for Etymotic "Bean" You use them like Walmart reading glasses.... only when you need them. This company designs the aids for musicians, a very reliable company. Has 2 settings, one amplifies all sound, the other only amplifies high frequencies. I only have one and move it from ear to ear, whichever side I need help. About $300, as I recall. Read instructions and spend time fitting them. Work for me! Good product.

Bill
 
I flunked my last DOT because of hearing, they told me I could get it back with hearing aids.I had been retired for a year was 71 yrs. old Got a hearing test they turned it in to SAIF went where I had worked
for 38 years a very noisy environment filed a form Saif interviewed me, gave me $7000 hearing aids
lifetime service,batteries and upgrades plus a hefty cash settlement.
 
I remember now- its based on degree of the disability that's service related, combined with need if service disability rate is low. I'd have a hard time proving mine is service related, as I was never in combat or a noisy environment.
 
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