Need To Get A Hearing Aid

H-impaired2

Hi, I have had hearing aids for about 2 years now and I remember when I first got them, how incredible it was to hear things that I had never heard before. My car was really noisy! The mall played background music! Just walking down a street was a cornucopia of sound. You don't really notice how bad your hearing is because it is normal to you or the loss has happened so slowly that you just adjust without being conscious of it.

My audiologist told me that the more expensive hearing aids don't necessarily work any better than less expensive ones. He did recommend digital hearing aids to me. I tried digital hearing aids that cost about $3000. each and then I tried hearing aids that cost about $1200. each. I found no real difference in sound quality. I think you expect the higher priced ones to work better but I was quite disappointed with them. My cheaper ones work just as well and my pocket book isn't empty!

You do have to realize that hearing aids will never take the place of your natural hearing but I could not function without mine. Good luck in finding ones that work good for you. After the period of adjustment is over, you'll be really glad you have them. Hearing aids will allow you to participate again!

pa235

Thanks for the reponse. I feel like the old saying, deaf in one ear and cannot hear out of the other. I just do not know wher to go for an aide, do you go to beltone or a place like that or where?

Linda

__________________
pa235

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Biblophile

Hi Linda!
I am hoh myself (born that way) and have been wearing aids since I was three. (I am now 25) As an almost lifelong consumer of hearing aids, I can say that the best brand for someone isn't nessarily the best for someone else. You have to experiment and see which aid works for you. What I reccomend is taking advantage of the 30 day trial period, and start with a basic analog BTE and then work up in sophistication from there. Do NOT...and I repeat do not let vanity dictate your choice of aids....BTE aids are not as noticable as people think they are. The smaller aids are just a way to rip off people. They are not powerful enough for more then a very mild loss.
Also don't automaticlly think that digitals are better then analogs. A top of the line analog aid can be just as good as an expensive digtal aid! A really good brand is Phonak...I've only been wearing them for less then a year, but they are the best aids I have ever worn! Another good brand is Oticon.
Do not buy those crappy mail order aids or go to a hearing aid dispenser or go to Beltone or Miricle Ear. Mail order aids are primative and amplify every and anything. Hearing aid dispensers and Beltone / Miricle Ear type places suck. They are trained to push expensive models that might not be appropreate for your loss. Go to an independant audilogist (not part of a chain) Some good places to get audilogical services are schools for the Deaf, specialized hospitals, clinics etc. .....You may want to contact Self Help For Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) They can guide you to services in your area. Hope this helps!

Biblophile

Wow...yeah my posting took...my computer froze up and I was afraid that I'd lost it! Anyway, from the way they are portrayed you'd think that a BTE aid would be as noticable as one of those old fashioned body aids with the harness. They are NOT that noticable. I have short hair and nobody even really notices my aids....and no, they are not an old person/old lady thing. I remember a stat from somewhere that said about 60% of hearing aid wearers are under 60ish. There are even KIDS who wear hearing aids!!!!!
I know a lot of people are concerned about cosmetics....but it is NOT something to worry about...a hearing aid won't make you look old. Hey, if you're worried, you could get a colored hearing aid...they have hearing aids in all different shades of the rainbow (mostly targeted towards little kids but I do know of many young adults who wear the colored aids)