Ken Dryden Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 I've been wearing hearing aids for a few years. though more consistently since switching from the ones requiring battery changes every two weeks, whether you used them much or not. My use bluetooth to connect to my iphone, which is a great convenience. If you'r on Medicare, your plan may cover part of the cost, though most insurance for working folks usually don't cover hearing aids for adults, just kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 4 minutes ago, Ken Dryden said: If you'r on Medicare, your plan may cover part of the cost, though most insurance for working folks usually don't cover hearing aids for adults, just kids. The only Medicare that might cover hearing aids is Medicare C, aka Medicare Advantage. There are pros and cons to this type of Medicare, so a user should research the long term implications thoroughly before deciding. My group health plan while working actually did cover hearing aids, and quite generously. So I got them about 6 months before retiring. Glad I did. All this talk about "not needing" to hear higher frequencies is nonsense, btw. Every instrument's tones contain overtones that go up,up, up. Not hearing those gives you a dulled sense of the instruments true sound. I know that my life would be significantly less pleasurable if I could not hear the fullest possible range of cymbal overtones, or the higher overtones made by a vibrating reed, or...on and on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 (edited) 1 hour ago, mikeweil said: That may or will result in improved hearing but will not show you any deficiencies compared to your hearing capacities at age twenty without suffering from rock concert PAs. Agree that an audiologist check is the way to go, for an initial check of each ear. The ultrasonic treatment would be appropriate if at least one ear was bunged up, which is the suspicion with one of mine. Certainly, the ultrasonic treatment options seem to have come a long way over the last decade or two - using ultrasonic wand with spoon to extract the gunk out (alert to those of sensitive disposition..) Over here the NHS used to cover that sort of treatment but these days it tends to be a private option. Fortunately there seem to be lots of specialist clinics offering the service. Edited January 16 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 Here in Germany NHS covers ear cleaning, and only doctors are authorized to do so. Audiologists look into your ears, but when they discover the gunk they send you to the doctors, who also have to inspect and approve the functioning of your hearing aid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 (edited) 17 minutes ago, mikeweil said: Here in Germany NHS covers ear cleaning, and only doctors are authorized to do so. Audiologists look into your ears, but when they discover the gunk they send you to the doctors, who also have to inspect and approve the functioning of your hearing aid. Germany has an NHS? 😐😀 Audiologists are licensed to do the tests and trained/licensed, I believe, to use the ultrasonic cleaning tools. If that sort of service was made 'doctor-only' here it would probably never get done (no further comment..) Last time I had it done under NHS coverage it was actually done by a registered nurse. Edited January 16 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 The last audiologist I went to was many years ago... probably 35 years back now... and even then, my right ear had a significant dip in the mid-to-upper audio frequencies. I think the graph showed a pretty good suck out at 8,000 Hz. I'm wondering if hearing aids would even help with that or if they would improve my tinnitus or make it worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 6 minutes ago, bresna said: The last audiologist I went to was many years ago... probably 35 years back now... and even then, my right ear had a significant dip in the mid-to-upper audio frequencies. I think the graph showed a pretty good suck out at 8,000 Hz. I'm wondering if hearing aids would even help with that or if they would improve my tinnitus or make it worse. I've no doubt they can be set to boost that signal for you, as well as any other area you may have lost acuity on. but the question of whether it also boosts tinnitus noise as well, making it worse,, is an open one. If there's a Sam's near you, you could get an audio test and see, and test how current models do, in about 30 minutes or less. Mine cost $1900 including standard warranty (1 year). I believe three months to be certain you like them or you can return for full refund. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 6 hours ago, sidewinder said: Germany has an NHS? 😐😀 My mistake, of course it is a different system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 Whatever you do, get the ear wax removed. It makes a huge difference. Follow-up with a few drops of mineral oil in each ear 1-2 times / month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Dryden Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 I knew that I had some tinnitus, but what sent me over the edge was wearing headphones during a membership drive. The nearly stone deaf board up punched a prercorded spot by a staff member previously in commercial radio. She recorded it at tooo high a volume and he had her potted too high. I tore my headphones off with that volume, but the damage was done, my ears have been ringing contnuously at much louder level since that incident. No amount of wax claening will undo the damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stompin at the Savoy Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 I was able to very significantly improve my hearing a few years back by removing a lot of wax that had accumulated in the forty odd years since I had them cleaned in college. But at 70, following the usual pattern, my mid and high frequency sensitivity is waning. I've been compensating by boosting mids and highs with equalizers when listening to music for the past few years. It's probably time to go get a hearing test and see if hearing aid might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 I got a ton of wax removed from my ears last year by an ENT, and I was hoping it would make a big difference in my hearing, but when the ENT asked me if I heard the change, I had to say no. He just said, "You're probably so used to it that you don't hear the difference. Then his nurse gave me a hearing test, and the results were I had mild hearing loss. That was a relief to me considering the thousands of gigs I played throughout my life. I was afraid it was going to be much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rostasi Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 Hearing aids and tinnitus: the aids make the person less aware of the tinnitus by improving their ability to hear and communicate because it reduces the annoying feeling that the tinnitus sound is covering up other sounds and voices. When someone has hearing loss, their ears get less input from external sounds, which makes them more aware of their tinnitus. This lack of sound input can also change how the auditory parts of their brain work. Tinnitus is often caused by the brain trying to adapt to this reduced sound input. However, when hearing aids are used to amplify external sounds, they can provide enough stimulation to the auditory system to reduce the perception of tinnitus. This can also help the brain adapt in a way that reduces the tinnitus in the long term by restoring normal neural function. About ear wax: Back in 2020 when I had Bell’s Palsy for a month, near the end of that time, I got really anxious because I was quickly losing my hearing in one ear. It turned out to be the first time in my life that I had a wax problem. Doing research, I discovered that everyday activities like chewing and talking cause earwax to naturally dislodge from inside your ear during your day. With one side of my face paralyzed, not only did I notice no forehead lines on that side of my face, but since there was a lot less activity on that side (possibly none), I had this incredible sudden buildup of wax. I’ve been told a number of times that my hearing is excellent for my age (about 20db average across until it falls a bit starting at the 10K range) and I kind of surprise myself (and a couple of audiologists) sometimes with what I’m able to distinguish at long range or even in mixed audio. My wife and I agree that she is the “eyes” of the family (being an artist) and I’m the “ears.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted January 20 Report Share Posted January 20 I started using HAs last year. Pretty much in the same boat as many of you. I was having more and more trouble hearing high frequencies which is a problem with speech, music and especially noisy situations like restaurants. I'm sure much of it originated from WAY too many loud concerts over a long period of time without protection. Unfortunately my insurance covers the audiologist and hearing tests, but doesn't cover the hearing aids. I have what's considered mild to medium hearing loss. I knew 'prescription' HAs weren't going to be cheap, so I was nervous about the cost. I did a little research on the new generation of Over The Counter ones, which are definitely cheaper, but ultimately decided I should go with whatever the experts recommended right now. After all, my hearing's at stake! As it turned out they were about 1/2 as expensive as I thought they would be: ~$3,000 for a pair of Widex Moments. OTCs are about 30% less than that. These are rechargeable and come with an App that allows you to use different settings (set by the audiologist) in different situations. And you can also make your own adjustments. I think these are supposed to last 3-5 years before the battery wears out and I have to get a new pair. Hoping by then that OTCs will be even cheaper and I'll have enough experience to be able to intelligently evaluate them then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted January 20 Report Share Posted January 20 A couple of observations. I suffer from tinnitus. I’ve had it for 20 years. As @Ken Dryden more or less said, once you’ve got it, you’ve got it. It doesn’t go away. When I first found out I had it, I wanted to take the pipe as there was little relief from it and I couldn’t sleep. However, my boss told me that his father, who had served in the artillery duting WW II contracted it but over time it became background noise. That helped and that has been what’s happened with me. If you don’t concentrate it on so much — easier said than done — you will be fine. I’ve had hearing aids since 2017 (Oticons) and they’ve made all the difference. I recently replaced them because the technology has improved. Luckily insurance paid about 60% of the price but I still paid about $2000 out of pocket. The new ones allow you to stream to your TV, which is helpful, and adjust to crowd settings so you can hear what people are saying in crowded environments. I recommend going to an audiologist and getting them personally fitted because they will service what they sell. I know some places like Costco sell them. I’d avoid buying it from there. One of my doctors bought them from there and when he needed service he couldn’t get it. He wound up going to an audiologist and getting a new pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gheorghe Posted January 24 Author Report Share Posted January 24 Discussing with my fellow musicians at the studio session last weekend , when we did a break I got it confirmed from them that their hearing got worse after decades of playing, again I got it confirmed that that´s whats happening. Craftmen get their back hurting, miners get their lungs f....ed up, musicians their ears, that´s a fact. In the studio the only who I have had little problems understanding what he says is the blood young alto player, who is fantastic and got tons of talent , why I spotted him, but he seems to be a bit shy and in aw of that unit of older musicians that he doesn´t speak loud enough. But if I told him to speak into my right ear it was okay, and anyway what counts is what he blows, and that´s loud and strong and beautiful !!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 I got hearing aids about 10 months ago. I take my hearing aids out when listening to music through good quality Sennheiser headphones. From what I read and was told, hearing aids are not designed for hearing high quality music the way one hears music from high quality headphones. What thoughts do other hearing aid users have on this topic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 2 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said: I got hearing aids about 10 months ago. I take my hearing aids out when listening to music through good quality Sennheiser headphones. From what I read and was told, hearing aids are not designed for hearing high quality music the way one hears music from high quality headphones. What thoughts do other hearing aid users have on this topic? Only that headphones - the kind typically used in a work environment for the phone - never worked well with a behind-the-ear Aid. I don't know high quality headphones but for me to use one and retain hearing aids anyway, it would need to be oversized and fit well over the ears. My current aids have the ability to be finely adjusted across the spectrum like an equalizer but I rarely use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 Don't usually use headphones or other such things, but on the rare occasion I do, the hearing aids come out. A conflict of interest, so to speak. I do leave them in for household listening though, and they do help there. They also help with live music. The EQ flexibility helps, as do (adjustable) presets used to filter out background noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 I have an appointment in May (1st available) with an audiologist followed by a visit with the ENT doc. We'll see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 48 minutes ago, Kevin Bresnahan said: I have an appointment in May (1st available) with an audiologist followed by a visit with the ENT doc. We'll see what happens. Good luck Kevin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 I don't know how old everyone is, but it is my understanding that age-related hearing loss has to do with the neural pathways between the ear and brain, and not with the ear itself. Can hearing aids do anything for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted February 9 Report Share Posted February 9 1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said: I don't know how old everyone is, but it is my understanding that age-related hearing loss has to do with the neural pathways between the ear and brain, and not with the ear itself. Can hearing aids do anything for this? The result is always that your perception of specific frequency ranges is impaired. Hearind aids simply amplify these, just as an equalizer does. Well, they are adjusted like an equalizer! BTW I read a report by some HiFi enthusiast who was extremely dissatisfied with listening to music even with the highest quality hearing aids, but solved the problem with an braodband equalizer that he adjusted to his needs. Only that this kind of thing is despised by hard core audiophiles ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rostasi Posted February 9 Report Share Posted February 9 While hearing aids can't reverse neural changes, they can help the brain better process the sounds that it does receive. The brain has a certain plasticity that can learn to interpret sounds more effectively with the help of hearing aids, thereby partially compensating for the changes in neural pathways. It doesn't necessarily "fill in" the missing audio, but actually, thru amplification, improves the brain's ability to process speech and other sounds, even if the neural pathways are not as efficient as they once were. The brain learns to interpret the amplified signals more effectively, which can improve comprehension and the ability to distinguish sounds in complex auditory environments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted February 9 Report Share Posted February 9 3 hours ago, Kevin Bresnahan said: I have an appointment in May (1st available) with an audiologist followed by a visit with the ENT doc. We'll see what happens. You will hear music a lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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