Do I need a hearing aid?

Forums › Health and fitness › Do I need a hearing aid?

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SnapperQ

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#3034224 9-Feb-2023 21:03

You may not get any benefit from a hearing aid. I thought I was going deaf, with exactly the same issues as you, and was resigned to needing at least one hearing aid (and worrying about how much it would cost). When I went for a hearing test, it turned out that my hearing was almost 100%

The issue was with signal processing by my brain (can't remember the exact medical term): my ears were working fine, but my brain was struggling to filter out the irrelevant sounds. Apparently this is quite common with older people, but can affect the young as well.

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#3034225 9-Feb-2023 21:09

SnapperQ:

You may not get any benefit from a hearing aid. I thought I was going deaf, with exactly the same issues as you, and was resigned to needing at least one hearing aid (and worrying about how much it would cost). When I went for a hearing test, it turned out that my hearing was almost 100%

The issue was with signal processing by my brain (can't remember the exact medical term): my ears were working fine, but my brain was struggling to filter out the irrelevant sounds. Apparently this is quite common with older people, but can affect the young as well.

explains why the kids don't hear us

took them to doctor who whispered their name and immediate response

doc said "nothing wrong with their hearing"

MikeAqua

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#3034438 10-Feb-2023 11:16

A colleague of mine had similar issues to you. He got some hearing aids that selectively amplify the frequencies at which he hears the least sound, they also intelligently filter background noise - e.g. in a noisy cafe. They were very spendy, but have dramatically improved his life.

Movies are a different issue, because the music or sound effects are often much, much louder than the dialog. This is poor production but seems to be commonplace.

Mike

johno1234

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#3034576 10-Feb-2023 14:04

MikeAqua:

Movies are a different issue, because the music or sound effects are often much, much louder than the dialog. This is poor production but seems to be commonplace.

Glad it's not just me then!

allan

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#3034577 10-Feb-2023 14:08

To all of you in this thread who think "You don't need hearing aids, because your hearing is fine except for ...", I guarantee there are a bunch of other people in your life who strongly disagree and think you do 😀

And once you do, you'll discover cicadas are all around your garden, the TV is super-loud, you actually can hear the rubbish truck coming up the street and the car alarm persistently going off is yours - not somewhere two streets away.

As others have mentioned, all of the major players offer free/money back trials (90 days in the case of Bay Audiology who I used), so you have nothing to lose really.

johno1234

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#3034579 10-Feb-2023 14:08

MikeAqua:

A colleague of mine had similar issues to you. He got some hearing aids that selectively amplify the frequencies at which he hears the least sound, they also intelligently filter background noise - e.g. in a noisy cafe. They were very spendy, but have dramatically improved his life.

I can switch between pre-set settings on mine for "Automatic" (default), "Noise/Party" and "Television". These were setup for me by the audiologist and downloaded into the hearing aids. TBH I just leave mine on Automatic almost all the time. There's an app with which you can also tune the HAs yourself and set it up for things like left/right balance, treble/bass balance and directional sensitivity.

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Tinkerisk

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#3035686 13-Feb-2023 04:58

My hearing is very dependent on the person saying something to me and I don't think I need a hearing aid for the time being. 😎

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Geektastic

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#3059179 4-Apr-2023 22:09

I tried some hearing aids.

I am by no means deaf but I do have issues hearing people in noisy environments and tend to tune out. I have been found at events sitting quietly in the corner reading my Kindle...!

The aids certainly improved that and I suspect that I will eventually end up with some. It's a bit like when you do not realise your eyesight has deteriorated until you get glasses and can see clearly all of a sudden!

OldGeek

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#3059220 5-Apr-2023 08:28

I was in exactly the same position as @Rikkitic - a perception of hearing loss in the same circumstances. I went through the hearing tests and selected an $8k hearing aid to test. After testing for about a week I went back for a free re-calibration. The result was improved hearing but not improved enough to be worth $8k. I returned the hearing aids for a full refund after 3 weeks.

Provided you can afford to stump up for costs prior to a trial, thisd is the best way to find out whether your perceptions are a reality.

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Rikkitic

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#3059228 5-Apr-2023 08:56

I don't doubt that modern hearing aids contain sophisticated technology, but no way can I convince myself that those minuscule packages are worth anything close to $8,000 or even $2,000. Once the R&D is done, they are just clones being stamped out from the same template.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

johno1234

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#3059231 5-Apr-2023 09:22

Rikkitic:

I don't doubt that modern hearing aids contain sophisticated technology, but no way can I convince myself that those minuscule packages are worth anything close to $8,000 or even $2,000. Once the R&D is done, they are just clones being stamped out from the same template.

$9k hearing aids are a thing of the past now that the market has been disrupted by the likes of Specsavers and Costco. The tech that used to cost $9k (bluetooth, wireless recharging, digital signal processing etc) is now available for $3.5k. Basic hearing aids are under $500 as you can see here:

https://www.specsavers.co.nz/hearing/hearing-aids/digital-hearing-range-and-prices?gclid=Cj0KCQjwla-hBhD7ARIsAM9tQKtRiq0c2MXLeA_Pawq96jd60FTIcaTGdISFOgrzQiqf1p9yuzKFB3IaAqVVEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Pricing has to cover R&D as you mention, but also legal/insurance. I have had some exposure to the medical device industry and it is very much affected by the USA's FDA regulations and the cost of litigation. A hip prosthesis costs maybe a hundred bucks in marginal cost to manufacture, but the price to the consumer could be $15k. That is not all profit. It takes years of R&D, trials and red-tape to bring it to market. Then there's the cost of faults, product recalls and litigation and associated insurance. There have been several hip prosthesis recalls from several different manufacturers each costing billions of dollars to the manufacturer.

Not that hearing aids are in the same space as surgical prostheses but they do attract a massive overhead due to the FDA and the USA litigation and insurance environment.

But I digress!

The risk of social isolation and disengagement from hearing loss is real. Hearing loss is considered by many more socially debilitating than vision loss. You would be mad not to investigate hearing aids if you suspect you have hearing loss. What price would you place on being socially isolated from colleagues, friends and family?

Unless you genuinely can't stand other people and their stupid opinions. In that case, hearing loss is a gift from God!

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Senecio

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#3059251 5-Apr-2023 10:49

Rikkitic:

All a hearing aid place will do is tell me my hearing is sub-optimal, which I already know, and pressure me to buy an expensive hearing aid, which I don't want or need. I am mainly wondering how others in a similar situation feel about it. Do I actually need a hearing aid if I don't feel it is a problem. I do hear okay for most things.

I know I'm quoting an older post but feel compelled to share my experience regarding the part that I've bolded.

You might not think it's a problem, but have you asked those around you how they feel? I ask this as before my Grand mother passed away she needed hearing aids. She hated them and always refused to wear them but admitted that holding a conversation was so much easier when she was wearing them. On the other side were her family who found it incredibly tiring trying to talk to her when she wasn't wearing them. Its incredibly frustrating having to repeat yourself multiple times when you know the other person could do something about it.

Just something to consider, you don't need to wear them all the time.

MikeAqua

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#3059257 5-Apr-2023 11:04

Rikkitic:

I don't doubt that modern hearing aids contain sophisticated technology, but no way can I convince myself that those minuscule packages are worth anything close to $8,000 or even $2,000. Once the R&D is done, they are just clones being stamped out from the same template.

I'm holding out. Not because I object to the cost as a matter of principle, but because I'd be terrified of losing/damaging them.

Mike

johno1234

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#3059262 5-Apr-2023 11:18

MikeAqua:

Rikkitic:

I don't doubt that modern hearing aids contain sophisticated technology, but no way can I convince myself that those minuscule packages are worth anything close to $8,000 or even $2,000. Once the R&D is done, they are just clones being stamped out from the same template.

I'm holding out. Not because I object to the cost as a matter of principle, but because I'd be terrified of losing/damaging them.

Already lost one. Came in from mowing the lawn and one half of the pair is missing, never seen again. Had to replace the pair and throw away one perfectly good hearing aid. Home & contents insurance replaced it less the excess.

They are not 100% secure in the ear and can easily be flicked out. Facemasks are particularly bad for this. But the optional little plastic retention filaments help. The one on mine (it is a cheap replaceable plastic part) had broken so I removed it. Won't make that mistake again.

FineWine

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#3059303 5-Apr-2023 12:00

My brother has just replaced his old pair with a new pair. He is a DOC hut minder and never goes bush with them as a flick from a branch and their goes $9000. His new pair especially as he states he can no longer feel them in his ears.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

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