Hearing Health and Hearing Aids

[olbriar]

I considered bringing an old hearing aid thread back to life, but as tech has evolved, I thought I would leave the past in the past. Here is a link to the old thread that isn't completely without information:
Hearing Aids and Android
I bought my hearing aids in February of 2020. They have been a good tool through the years but they have had problems. I've had a few hardware problems and had the most recent problem repaired today. I had the right receiver fail and fortunately they had a replacement. The biggest problem I've had with my aids is they have only partially worked with Android after a rev upgrade in 2021. The aid manufacturer refused to address the problem and Android ignored it. Between the lack of solid communication between phone and hearing aids and the fact that they are pretty much at the end of their life expectancy, I have scheduled another hearing test and plan on getting some new aids. I will go through Costco for my test and aids again. They have treated me right and they have no incentive to sell products. Your hearing is their only concern.
My appointment isn't until next month. I'll know more about how the aid industry has evolved in the last five years and hopefully the products available are far more compatible with Android now. I hope to have some positive posts to share.
No matter how the industry has progressed, I strongly advocate having your hearing tested and investing in aids if you have a hearing deficit. Ignoring poor hearing is just as detrimental to a healthy and enjoyable existence as ignoring poor vision.

 

[Milo Willamson]

I also bought them around maybe a few other years back then that, and after my Widex I had let us say about maybe a spell or two ago, and for the first time, was riding in the car with my mother's boyfriend, who normally mubbles, but his voice was so crystal clear, his slight german voice but he also has that high pitch like my voice has. And was able to listen to every word.

 

[PitCarver]

I'm nearing to the time that ill be looking into an audiologist soon. Everyone seems to want to push the mini invisible inner ear ones. Personally, I'm not vain enough to need/want something other than the behind the ear models.

 

[olbriar]

I'm nearing to the time that ill be looking into an audiologist soon. Everyone seems to want to push the mini invisible inner ear ones. Personally, I'm not vain enough to need/want something other than the behind the ear models.

I have behind the ear aids. Being ashamed of hearing aids is as ignorant as being ashamed of glasses.
A person should be embarrassed by being too vain to get some hearing assistance. The inability to follow conversations and asking people to repeat something should not happen when it can be helped. One of my parrot's favorite things to say is huh. That is entirely my fault. I put off getting aids way too long. I was the joke of my friends and family and didn't even know it. My wife would make me shut my office door so she could hear her TV over mine. I did not realize how annoying I was. After getting aids I was overwhelmed by sounds I hadn't heard in years and had simply forgot they existed. And here is the frightening fact, I ignored my hearing loss for so many years that I lost the ability to tune into speech while ignoring ambient sounds. According to my audiologist, I likely had significant hearing loss as a young man and the decades without exercising sound isolation, I lost the ability to use it. To sit at a large table that has multiple conversations going on, and someone across the table is talking to me, it is nearly impossible for me to follow. It is a voice in the crowd.
That is my motive for stepping up on the soap box and tell everyone that if they think they have a hearing deficit..... seek help! Putting it off can cause problems that can't be fixed.

 

[Milo Willamson]

I know the feeling, after so much swimming and a lot of tubes when I was a child, I waited forever and ever to get the right technology advances to get my behind the ear ones that are flexable aids, I had molded ones, they turned out really well until maintainence also wax got the better end to that story, I have an audiologist ap on Tues.. Yay I will pick up some wax guards too.

 

[Steven58]

I have an Ebay hearing aid contact where you can save money.

 

[PitCarver]

I know the feeling, after so much swimming and a lot of tubes when I was a child, I waited forever and ever to get the right technology advances to get my behind the ear ones that are flexable aids, I had molded ones, they turned out really well until maintainence also wax got the better end to that story, I have an audiologist ap on Tues.. Yay I will pick up some wax guards too.

I had tubes put in 3 times, but as an adult.