Anyone with only high frquency loss who uses a digital hearing aid - Hearing Disorders Message Board

AngelaA · 05-21-2004, 07:04 PM

Just wanting feedback from anyone who uses one of the newer digital hearing aids. I went to the audiologist and was diagnosed with minor high frequency loss in both ears, but worse in left ear. She is recommending aides for both ears. I am only 35 so am not very comfortable with the idea of wearing hearing aids. I know many of my friends will make fun of me. After going to the audi I realize I have been "faking it" for years; I have been lip reading as I have trouble hearing words when there is background noise. I fake it by just saying uh-huh when I am asked questions. I also can't hear the telephone if I have the water running in the sink. I know that sounds stupid but it is a real problem because it angers my friends I don't hear the phone ring. Is the cost of the aids worth it? Is there much benefit for me to get them at my age and fact the hearing loss is only in one frequency range?

Biblophile · 05-23-2004, 08:05 PM

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She is recommending aides for both ears. I am only 35 so am not very comfortable with the idea of wearing hearing aids. I know many of my friends will make fun of me. After going to the audi I realize I have been "faking it" for years; I have been lip reading as I have trouble hearing words when there is background noise. I fake it by just saying uh-huh when I am asked questions. I also can't hear the telephone if I have the water running in the sink. I know that sounds stupid but it is a real problem because it angers my friends I don't hear the phone ring. Is the cost of the aids worth it? Is there much benefit for me to get them at my age and fact the hearing loss is only in one frequency range?

Angela, I am 24 and have worn aids since I was a toddler. I know they seem like an "old person" thing but the fact of the matter is that the majority of people with hearing loss, are relatively young, and the majority of them don't qualify for AARP membership

Hey...if hearing aids made you look old I'd always not get carded down at the packy (New Englandese for liquor store) but I'm always asked for ID!

Maybe you should look into Self-Help For Hard of Hearing people,(SHHH) which is a national support group for people of all ages (including kids, teens and young adults!) with hearing loss.
I know hearing aids are expenisve. (especially digitals!) It doesn't sound like you desperately need them...even people with perfect hearing don't always hear 100% in background noise. You may want to take advantage of the 30 day trial period and see how you get on with aids. A few words of advice....
Experiment with different brands, types (analog,digital etc) and styles (CIC, ITEs, BTEs and so on) and see which ones you hear best with. It's a very indivdual thing. Don't let vanity dictate which aids you buy. Despite what advertising tells you, BTE aids are not that noticable. Lots of people don't even notice that I wear BTEs (and I have the cool colored ones with cool earmolds!) Hey...at least they aren't body worn aids or ear horns!

Avoid Miricle Ear and Beltone. They are franchcises so they tend to push very expensive aids and doodads that you might not even need. They also spend a lot of money on advertising, so as a result their aids are very overpriced. Their audis tend to be diploma mill types and not really all that knowledgeable about hearing aids or hearing loss. Finally, get another opinon from an experianced audi. If you're near a big city, or school for the Deaf go consult with the audilogy department there! You might not even need hearing aids.
You might want to get a flashing light alert system for your telephone, even if you don't get aids. I'm pretty sure they sell them. Try Harris Commuications.

AngelaA · 05-23-2004, 11:14 PM

Biblophile-Thanks for the info. If you don't mind I have some more questions as I am not coming up with much info with online searches. The audi I went to seemed very well versed in hearing loss, more so than another audi I had seen an year earlier from the university who didn't seem to even know what hearing difficulties only with background noise was all about. Anyway this new audi apparently only sells one brand which I can not find on the Internet. She had a poster of the models on her wall ...called Canattas I believe. Know anything about those? I forgot to ask her, but does wearing aids and the canal being blocked create a favorable environment for bacteria to breed and cause ear infections? If I get hearing aids I will only consider the CIC completely in the canal style as I don't want anyone at work knowing about them or it could cause me discrimination. Also here's another reason...I don't want my parents to know I have them. My dad who acknowledges he has a hearing loss thinks I am "wimping out" at 35 when he said he is going to tough it out as long as he can without hearing aids. He is 65 now and he is near impossible to have a conversation with except in the car or at home. He has medical insurance that would easily pay for a nice pair of hearing aids if he wanted them! Meanwhile my mom, who does not believe in going to the doctor for anything, doesn't care whether I can hear or not, she told me she doesn't want me to get hearing aids. So I figure the best thing is to get the invisible hearing aids and be able to hear well again yet not upset the family. Do you know what is the least visible brand that works well? Also how much expense are the batteries in a year's time and how long do they last?

Biblophile · 07-08-2004, 08:22 PM

Sorry it took me a while to get back to you. However you might not really need hearing aids if your loss is just mild. Many people with mild losses don't wear hearing aids. Maybe a good idea would be to buy a flashing light signaler for the times when water is running and you can't hear the phone. Maybe also get a phone that has a loud low pitched ringtone. Check with your hearing aid dispenser.

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Do you know what is the least visible brand that works well? Also how much expense are the batteries in a year's time and how long do they last?

Nope...sorry I am a fan of BTEs. I do know that CICs break down constantly...earwax problems, mechancical failures and that sort of stuff...I think CICs are also the most expensive....don't know how much batteries for CICs cost but for BTEs they are expensive (around $8.25) and last around two or three weeks.

tinawall · 07-10-2004, 09:52 AM

Angela,
I can understand your concerns about hearing aids. I am 35 years old and was recently diagnosed with otosclerosis. Luckily, I only have hearing loss in only one ear. The doctors have all told me that I could choose to do nothing if the hearing loss did not bother me. I chose to get a hearing aid because I was tired of feeling like a moron because I only caught parts of sentences.

I have a canta 7 BTE (made by GN resound). It was very expensive and I'm not going to lie to you, there is DEFINITELY an adjustment period to wearing a hearing aid. I really like the digital because I had to keep having adjustments made and with the digital that I have, the dr just hooks it up to their computer and makes the changes.

I have been going to a doctor of audiology. You might want to see if there is one in your area. They have more schooling than an audiologist.

Good luck and I hope everything works out.

P.S. My 66 year old dad also has hearing loss (in both ears) and he probably thinks I'm ridiculous for getting a hearing aid...but I don't care. One thing to remember is that being 35, we are usually in more variety of environments than older people and therefore have more "need" to get some help for hearing loss.

Tina