Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Hearing Aids
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Old 04-21-2022, 08:02 AM
bobeaston bobeaston is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rhood View Post
... I have a high frequency loss and now what I’m hearing is very annoying. Things like the paper crinkling, throwing a light switch, my feet shuffling on the carpet, etc. I am still asking my wife to repeat what she is saying which is the only reason I got them. ... What is your experience? Thanks
Yours sounds like a poor experience, perhaps with a provider that is not adept at providing what you need.

Yes, a hearing aid that compensates for high frequency loss is going to amplify sounds in those high frequency ranges and you'll certainly hear paper crinkling, clicking and whishing sounds that you've been missing. You'll also hear more pleasant sounds of nature such as crickets and birds that you probably didn't know you were missing.

Yet, your real need, speech clarity, was what you wanted and what was not delivered. There are many possible reasons, but we can reduce them to two general reasons: the device and the practitioner.

DEVICES:
There are 5 major hearing aid manufacturers. All of them have a range of devices that range in capability to provide benefit to people on a scale of hearing loss, usually denoted as moderate to profound. The starting point is a good diagnosis that matches your loss characteristics with a device that offers the correct benefits.

As an aside, this is the place to differentiate between the new wave of devices that one can buy online, versus prescribed devices fitted by qualified audiologists. The online, or "over the counter" devices are good for some people, but are usually simple amplifiers with some ability to be tuned. That tuning function is usually quite limited and while helpful for some, isn't usually very good at offering speech clarity.

On the other hand, the prescribed devices are much more capable, smarter at understanding what you are hearing, and adept at providing speech clarity, especially when properly tuned ... or "fitted" as an audiologist says.

The price gulf between over the counter devices and prescribed devices is twofold: the capabilities built into the device, and the value an audiologist provides in fitting the device. Today's prescription devices, especially at the top levels have amazing speech clarity capability. Speech clarity is the holy grail of good hearing aids and several of today's manufacturers are providing spectacular results. ...but only when properly fitted. ...and often, it is the fitting skill and long term care that you're paying the premium for.

An aside, some of the latest technology senses the difference between when you are listening to a conversation partner walking beside you, or one sitting across the table, to conversation partners in a quiet setting, or a noisy place (restaurants are the bane of every listening environment). The processing power in the devices is now very adept at sensing environments and automatically tailoring their amplification to what you need.

PRACTITIONERS
A good Doctor of Audiology can make all the difference in the results you experience. The good ones don't merely dispense their products and scoot you on your way. The good ones do very careful diagnostics, learn enough about your conditions to understand what you want, try to offer the best devices to meet those wants, and then "fit" them to your individual hearing capabilities / deficiencies. You should expect them to take multiple fitting sessions to get you there. In fact, part of the high prices of prescription hearing aids (the part no one ever mentions) includes the practitioner's cost of multiple initial fitting sessions and periodic "check-up" sessions over the warranted life of the product.

It is completely normal for a Doctor of Audiology to "auto fit" your devices initially and then let you have a week to become accustomed to them. ("Auto-fit" means having their fitting computer adjust the device output to your audiogram. It is a good starting point, but rarely the best fit.) Our brains actually take some time to adapt to the new hearing landscape. Then, come the fine tuning sessions that shape the fittings to your needs. If these are not happening or being useful, find a better audiologist.

It also helps to learn more about the entire process, what to expect, and how to get what you want. A couple of years ago, I discovered Dr. Cliff Olson, and audiologist in Phoenix who has a YouTube channel where he frequently publishes videos on all sorts of hearing device topics. He has established a set of "best practices" and has compiled a list of practitioners who follow those best practices. Find his site at Doctor Cliff, Au.D. | Audiologist & YouTuber.

My personal experience covers over 15 years of using hearing aids. My previous practitioner was a Dr. of Audiology who did a reasonable job for me and fitted devices for me that did a very good job. After following "Dr. Cliff" for a couple of years, and coming to a time where my previous devices were 7 years old and far behind modern capabilities, I sought out one of the Best Practices doctors and found one right here in The Villages. He performed more diagnostics than the previous audiologist, listened more carefully, and applied a wealth of experience to deliver results that are SPECTACULAR.

I've avoided mentioning particular brands or practitioners to keep this from sounding like an info-mercial. My intent was to help others understand some of the differences between low cost options and premium priced prescription choices. The differences can be huge, but you need to know what you are buying, what to expect, and something about how to get there. Hope this helps.

For those who want to know what devices I now use and the Dr. of Audiology that I think is the best ever, ask me via private message.
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