Hearing aids. Anyone wear them, contemplating needing them?

[awa355]

When I'm on the phone, my wife is always telling me to keep my voice down. It must be that if the other person sounds quiet to me, then I must think I sound quiet to them.

If I make eye contact with someone, I can usually tell by their body language that I am speaking too loud.

Geez! with hearing loss, eye sight dimming, teeth falling out, hair falling out, heart attacks, strokes, dementia, arthritis, not getting your leg over the pillion seat any more, growing old may be an achievement, but comes at a cost.

[awayatc]

Noisy workplace, motorbikes and tonnes of ammo in military have taken their toll....
tinitus ringing in my head like a world war 2 radio set.
cant hear anybody in noisy setting, don't bother trying anymore...
Have become even more anti social then before.
dreading visit for hearing loss assessment, but will go.....

very isolating.......

[Padmei]

Well that was interesting.
Got a phone call for a telemarketer for a free hearing test @ Bays audiology.
Went along expecting a bad test & a sales pitch for a new hearng aid.

On the scale of hearing I marked mine as about a 4/10.
Test came back as a lil low around the 1000hz in one ear but well within the range of normal hearing. They said they'll give me a call in a couple of years for another test.

So after all my moaning my hearing is actually OK. Never would have thought that.

[Moi]

... So after all my moaning my hearing is actually OK. Never would have thought that.

The usual male hearing problem - selective hearing...

I'm told I have it...

[Ocean1]

Well that was interesting.
Got a phone call for a telemarketer for a free hearing test @ Bays audiology.
Went along expecting a bad test & a sales pitch for a new hearng aid.

On the scale of hearing I marked mine as about a 4/10.
Test came back as a lil low around the 1000hz in one ear but well within the range of normal hearing. They said they'll give me a call in a couple of years for another test.

So after all my moaning my hearing is actually OK. Never would have thought that.

Same problem with eyesight. By the time mine was testing under 20/20 I thought I was half blind.

[pete376403]

Many years of hearing aids to the point they were no longer effective, followed by a cochlear implant, which is just astonishing. According to the testing I have the frequency responses of a teenager, which is the time when normal hearing peaks, after which it's all downhill. Would love to get the other side done but thats $50k I dont have.

Biggest thing I found from both the aids (initially) and the CI - how noisy, really loud, everything is. The continuous racket takes a lot of getting used to. Normally you would have a lifetime of getting used to extra noise and ignoring it, but when it's suddenly turned back on after many years of not noticing - that can be difficult.

Stick with it though, and be thankful that you can, if need be, turn the racket off, which is something people with un-assisted hearing don't get to do.

[TheDemonLord]

Not me - but my Dad has really bad Tinnitus and has been wearing hearing aids for the last 10 or so years (after much Nagging and yelling from my Mum).

He has the ones that are synced to his Phone - which initially were great, but over time he still has issues.

If you talk to him on the Phone, you wouldn't notice a problem.

Talking to him in person - You need to be in the same room, looking at him and clearly enunciating your words. In direct conversation without much background noise - he's not too bad, the big things are when we have all the family together and simple questions like:

"Dad, would you like a Cup of Tea?"

Where he isn't aware that he's being talked to and so doesn't stop what he's doing and focus on the conversation.

However the initial period when he went from no hearing aids to a set of hearing aids was like night and day for the first couple of years - My Mum in particular was happy at being able to hold a conversation at a typical volume.

My suggestion would be (from the other perspective) is that for the sake of the people around you, don't delay.

[Oakie]

I've had mine for 15 months. I went to the audiologist just to satisfy Mrs Oakie who had this strange notion I had hearing loss. Turned out she was right. I thought that everyone was just talking quieter and that the tv volume was failing.

It didn't take long to become comfortable with them physically in my ears. Probably a couple of weeks although it made it easier when I changed the size of the rubber ear bud thing for a smaller size. Took a bit longer to get used to using them I guess. I have a phone app so can change the mode and then adjust settings within the mode. I still struggle getting the best setting for some environments though ... the worst being ordering takeaway food because of all the noise going on behind the server. Bay Audiology have been really good though with little tweaks to improve the aids. Oh. I did buy a dehumidifer to stop moisture buildup and run them through that every night. Made a big difference as mine were being affected by moisture.

[roogazza]

My eyes are a bit fucked but the ears are fantastic at 70 odd. I think I'd prefer the other way round?


Have a mate with a Cock Implant (50 grand as someone said). The bugger switches it off at night.
(can't hear nuttin ! like door knocks or phone!) I said what if the house is on fire ???

[pete376403]

My eyes are a bit fucked but the ears are fantastic at 70 odd. I think I'd prefer the other way round?


Have a mate with a Cock Implant (50 grand as someone said). The bugger switches it off at night.
(can't hear nuttin ! like door knocks or phone!) I said what if the house is on fire ???

There is that. I hope the wife will wake me up. There are smoke detectors made with super bright flashing lights (but you would need one where you sleep). Something that shakes the bed (besides that) could work as well

[R650R]

Had bit of early hearing loss from driving with truck window open. Early diagnosis nearly 20 years ago has seen it self cure by corrective actions. Didn’t knot possible but informed of that on last check up.

Popular channel Cross Training and enduro skills had good video on their FB about bikes and ear plugs but not on YouTube yet.
What was interesting is the experts said those noise cancelling headphones are not good for you in an environment where levels are changing often...
Even wear earplugs for the lawnmower now as the duration is a key element in exposure.

[Berries]

Even wear earplugs for the lawnmower now as the duration is a key element in exposure.

I wouldn't worry about it, dark winter an all.

[R650R]

I wouldn't worry about it, dark winter an all.

That's a potentially unpleasant but eminently survivable event