Anyone on the forum using a Hearing Aid?

Sherardp

I know it maybe a silly question, but I just found out my mother really needs these things. My point in asking is can I buy these online and if so is it recommended. I have the slightest clue as where to begin but from talking with her I know she prefers the BTE design. I just want to buy her the very best so from looking at the top of the line from Siemens, that will hit me for around 3k or so. If any one has any info they can share please do so. I really appreciate this. Being that I'm the only child, I have to do what's needed so if I have to fly back to the USA to handle this at least I know where to start. Thanks again all.

thsmith

I do not use them but my mother in-law has the Siemens and likes them. My grandmother had some but were not very good and would not use them which seems to be a common issue. They have to be good enough to work for people to stick with them, kind of a no-duh statement but I guess with hearing aids you get what you pay for otherwise you are wasting your money.

nooshinjohn

What?!?:D

Sherardp

nooshinjohn wrote: »

What?!?:D

That's exactly what I get when I speak to her on the phone at times. But thanks for the valuable input.

concealer404

nooshinjohn wrote: »

What?!?:D

Glasses, John. You need glasses.

shawn474

I don't wear them, but was involved when my granddad needed them. He always says that they are very different for each person. What works great for one person might not work at all for others. Depending on the extent and type of hearing loss, the aids can work really well or not at all. He must have went through 10 or 12 different pairs before settling on one that he could comfortably use.

concealer404

But seriously... does she have insurance of any kind? It's been a more and more common occurance that insurance companies will pay for the first hearing aid, or at least a portion of it.

If that's the case, take her to a contracted hearing specialist and see what they recommend. Doubtful that they would recommend anything inferior, since typically they're just in it for the exam, and they give a "prescription" to buy elsewhere.

Sherardp

thsmith wrote: »

I do not use them but my mother in-law has the Siemens and likes them. My grandmother had some but were not very good and would not use them which seems to be a common issue. They have to be good enough to work for people to stick with them, kind of a no-duh statement but I guess with hearing aids you get what you pay for otherwise you are wasting your money.

Yeah I'll do some more research on it and go from there. After reading a tad bit it seems Siemens has allot of advanced offerings.

NJPOLKER

I am sure hearingimpared does :eek::p:D:):p:cool::eek::D;)

nooshinjohn

concealer404 wrote: »

Glasses, John. You need glasses.

You are correct sir.:cool: But I am to proud to admit it for now. On the hearing aid side of things, I know my grandmother (96 this year:)) has a pretty good one that she got from Miracle Ear, but I do not know if they made it themselves or farmed it out to somebody else. I need to call her anyway so I will ask her about it and bost up some info later.

Sherardp

concealer404 wrote: »

But seriously... does she have insurance of any kind? It's been a more and more common occurance that insurance companies will pay for the first hearing aid, or at least a portion of it.

If that's the case, take her to a contracted hearing specialist and see what they recommend. Doubtful that they would recommend anything inferior, since typically they're just in it for the exam, and they give a "prescription" to buy elsewhere.

Yeah she has insurance and i advised this, so just waiting to see where we go from there.

concealer404

Sherardp wrote: »

Yeah she has insurance and i advised this, so just waiting to see where we go from there.

Gotcha. Let me know if the insurance company gives her any hassle. I can pull up the medical policies associated with it and go from there, since they tend not to differ much between companies, and chances are likely she has insurance with my company anyways.

sucks2beme

Could we make a list of member shat should be wearing one??????????

mhmacw

hey sherardp, if i might make a suggestion. look at the top line hunting ears! youd be amazed at how well they work and are designed for low level listening so they wont squeel in the woods. if you just found out she needs one i bet her hearing isnt horrible yet. for 500 bucks its worth giving a try if the 3 k out of poket is the other option. i dont mean to say buy inferior because trust me the hunting ones are anything but cheap. however they are available over the counter so the pharmacies dont get to jack the price.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390073421673&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXI8&GUID=4ea845851260a0e202b4eaa4ffca4698&itemid=390073421673&ff4=263602_263622


just for starters! take care, dan

ryanjoachim

I used to have those monstrously-large hearing aids in both ears when i was a kid. I'm going back in to a hearing specialist to have my ears checked for the first time in 15 years.

When I was a kid I had my inner-ear completely replaced, which helped get me off the hearing aids, but I think i'll be going back on them soon. I'll have a chat with the doc and relay his suggestions back here.

hearingimpared

The best thing to do is go to a place that specializes in hearing aids and have her tested then fitted for the one that feels most comfortable to her. They use some type of molding material and insert it into the ear so as to get the proper fit then make a custom hearing aid for her. I use a partial inner ear one but would like to try the inner canal type.

hearingimpared

NJPOLKER wrote: »

I am sure hearingimpared does :eek::p:D:):p:cool::eek::D;)

Yep but not for awhile. I don't like the fact that when in a room full of people I can hear all the ambience noise such as clothes rustling, people breathing, people swallowing, shoes shuffling, etc which drowns out peoples voices. I've tried all different settings and still don't like it. I spent $1200 on thing about six years ago and have just stopped using it.

Besides I've had this problem since I was a small child and I'm used to compensating with my good ear.

BTW :p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

madmax

You should ask this question in one of the cable debate threads, probably more knowledgeable people there on this subject...

nooshinjohn

My grandmothers hearing aid is an Emotiva Micro XPA3000:D:p;)...


seriously though, hers is a Miracle Ear ME-1... she says she loves it and has had no troubles whatsoever.

edbert

Both my dad, uncle and grandfather have hearing aids and love them. My uncle actually runs the store(I forget what brand it is). She needs to first see an audiologist to get the complete spectrum of hearing checked to see where in the frequency range she lost hearing. Some stores will actually have an audiologist that they work with so that they take all the measurements that they need. Then they digitally enhance only the frequencies that she needs boosted instead of all of them like the old hearing aids used to do. Granted, it costs more, but well worth it and it actually helps to preserve the portion of her hearing that is still good.

Edit: My family uses ReSound. My uncle also said that he has been getting good reviews from people using Phonak as well. Let me know and I will pass on any other questions.

gdb

You might send her an amplified telephone in the meantime, they DO work.;)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=amplified+telephones+hearing+impaired&aq=1&aql=&aqi=g10&oq=amplified+t

George Grand

sucks2beme wrote: »

Could we make a list of member shat should be wearing one??????????

You can put me on that list. Deaf as a stick. I'll get one the day I can't hear somebody shooting at me.


One of the founders of Acoustic Research, Edgar Villchur, went into hearing-aid research after selling AR to Teledyne. That was the only thing he ever had to do with audio after selling AR. So if I get one I'm probably going to look for one of Ed's.

hearingimpared

George Grand wrote: »

You can put me on that list. Deaf as a stick. I'll get one the day I can't hear somebody shooting at me.


One of the founders of Acoustic Research, Edgar Villchur, went into hearing-aid research after selling AR to Teledyne. That was the only thing he ever had to do with audio after selling AR. So if I get one I'm probably going to look for one of Ed's.

I wonder if he's considered using mini tubes in his hearing aids for a much warmer sound and ballsier lower frequency response?:D

hearingimpared

I do want to point out that hearing aids are best for people who have severe hearing loss. As I pointed out above for people like me who have diminished hearing loss (in my case just one ear) they are just annoying.

concealer404

hearingimpared wrote: »

I do want to point out that hearing aids are best for people who have severe hearing loss. As I pointed out above for people like me who have diminished hearing loss (in my case just one ear) they are just annoying.

Yep. I'm in the same boat. I have diminished hearing in both ears. That said, i don't seem to have lost any spectrum, i can hear all the lows to highs, but the last time at my checkup, the doctor was a bit confused.

george daniel

I wear two of the behind the ear with the little tube that fits in your ear,,I had my hearing checked about 3 years ago,and based upon the results,this is what I ended up with,,they cost about 2500.00 for the pair.Good luck.

hearingimpared

george daniel wrote: »

I wear two of the behind the ear with the little tube that fits in your ear,,I had my hearing checked about 3 years ago,and based upon the results,this is what I ended up with,,they cost about 2500.00 for the pair.Good luck.

George, did you read my post about ambience noise? If so do you have that problem with the style of hearing aid you use?

NJPOLKER

hearingimpared wrote: »

Yep but not for awhile. I don't like the fact that when in a room full of people I can hear all the ambience noise such as clothes rustling, people breathing, people swallowing, shoes shuffling, etc which drowns out peoples voices. I've tried all different settings and still don't like it. I spent $1200 on thing about six years ago and have just stopped using it.

Besides I've had this problem since I was a small child and I'm used to compensating with my good ear.

BTW :p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

You didn't say anything about people farting :eek:

hearingimpared

NJPOLKER wrote: »

You didn't say anything about people farting :eek:

I didn't think I needed to as I was always wondering what the explosions I kept hearing was. I thought I was just hearing things again!:D

Resamith

Probably need new batteries:)