deaf dopers: hear my plea

In My Humble Opinion
1

And audiologists too. If you’re completely deaf, I’m sorry, wasn;t trying to be offensive.
OK it’s time I broke down and bought a new hearing aid. I haven’t worn one in a few years and need advice about which are the good ones and what to look for, what kind of places to avoid, etc. (Sears?)
What kind of reputation does miracle ear have?

Some background: I was born with nerve deafness in both ears and have worn hearing aids since I was 4. I had a miracle ear when they were fairly new to the scene and it sucked then. My starkey was incredibly reliable, survived being crushed in a car door (twice), several showers and swimming and lasted about 14 years. I don’t know what my hearing ability is but roughly 40% loss in 1 ear and 60% in the other and in different ranges (1 ear hears high tones better).

2

Well, I’m severely-to-profoundly deaf and I’m an audiologist, so I guess you’re getting an answer from both groups at the same time in one shot.

I could write for hours in response to your question, but I’ll try to summarize:

Miracle Ear and Beltone: I wouldn’t touch their products with a ten-foot pole. Not that I would have the chance, either. Miracle Ear and Beltone are not hearing aid manufacturers…they are franchises of hearing aid dealers. A hearing aid dealer is not the same as an audiologist. A hearing aid dealer is essentially a salesman who almost always works exclusively on commission (no salary)…hence they have an incentive to sell the most expensive hearing aids possible. An audiologist typically works on a salary (although there are some who also have a commission as part of their payment as well). The other big difference is the training: hearing aid dealers in many states are required to have nothing more than a high school diploma and to pass a brief training course (which may last anywhere from six to nine weeks, depending on the state). By contrast, audiologists must have at least a master’s degree in audiology, along with a number of years of internships and clinical fellowship.

The difference in education and training between the two groups simply cannot be understated. I’ve seen far too many patients who I saw after getting burned by a hearing aid dealer…the worst case I’ve seen was a person who was fit with digital completely-in-the-canal hearing aids (the most expensive hearing aids in existence) in both ears, and it turns out that he only has a mild high frequency hearing loss in one ear…and I wouldn’t have fit that ear with a hearing aid either.

You give your location as “the Peach State”, which I presume is Georgia. Look in the yellow pages under “audiologist”. Also, many hospitals have audiologists on their staff…I’d check with the hospitals first.

Don’t be shy about asking if the person you are dealing with is an audiologist or a hearing aid dealer. A few places employ both, just so they can advertise that they have audiologists on the staff.

As for what manufacturers I favor in ordering hearing aids from, I have obtained favorable results with Phonak, Starkey, Siemens, Resound, and Widex. Avoid Unitron hearing aids…that manufacturer was bought out a couple of years ago and the quality and reliability of their hearing aids took a steep nosedive afterwards. Too bad really, because for a while they made some of the best conventional behind-the-ear hearing aids around.

Certain manufacturers have their own strengths and weaknesses…Phonak makes excellent hearing aids across the board. Starkey makes very good conventional and programmable hearing aids, but their digital hearing aids leave a lot to be desired. Siemens makes good hearing aids, although some of their programmable hearing aids are pretty basic. Resound makes what I think is probably the most sophisticated digital hearing currently on the market.

As for what kinds of hearing aids may be the best for you, the answer to that is quite long and complicated. Basically, the best hearing aid for you is the one that serves your particular communication demands in the best way. There is no one perfect hearing aid out there for everyone. Part of the job of an audiologist is to consider the kind of hearing loss you have, as well as your lifestyle and communication demands, and then come up with recommendations for hearing aids.

There is a considerable variety of hearing aids out there, particularly in regards to technology. As part of my hearing aid counseling, I always give the patients a few handouts that summarizes everything I tell them with regards to hearing aid options. If you’re interested, I will e-mail them to you (in Microsoft Word format).

3

Oh, and one more thing…make damn sure that there is a return policy. Get it in writing. The exact length of a trial period may vary by state (it’s a minimum of 30 days in Oregon), but you must make sure that you will have a trial period. During the trial period you can wear the new hearing aids as much as you want and determine if they will work out for you. Typically, I see the patient for a follow-up visit at least once during the trial period, sometimes twice, so that I can make adjustments if necessary to the hearing aid and/or earmold to ensure that the patient is getting the most out of it.

4

Hey, Atreyu, do you think you could send me this stuff? I think my email’s in my Doper ID. I’m a partially deaf person, too (complete deafness in L ear, partial loss in R ear, especially in the lower register). I used to have a hearing aid for about 8 or 10 years, but didn’t wear it too much. Didn’t fit behind my ears well, for one thing, and for another it sounded too artificial. Don’t know if that was the model or if they all sound like that.

Am trying to get in to see my audiologist to get updated testing before I go off to university in September, but there’s a couple of months’ waiting list to see her. Argh. :slight_smile:

Sometimes I really, really envy Superman and his super-hearing! In heaven I get to re-watch all those good movies and listen to all those songs where I didn’t catch the lines or the lyrics the first time…

Sorry, breaknrun, I don’t have any advice for you, but if it’s OK I’ll stick around and see if you get any answers, as I could use them myself. :slight_smile: Love ya guys!

5

Done. :slight_smile:

No, they don’t. Sound quality is an issue that should have been addressed by an audiologist. Poor fit of behind-the-ear is actually one of the easier problems to fix…it is most commonly related to the tubing length.

Months? Months?!? Holy cow. Is this a clinic-related problem or because of how the Canadian health care system is set up?

6

hey Atreyu , could you email that stuff to me too? Thanks. email should be in my profile also. Good to know about the audiologist/dealer difference. I hadn’t considered it.

7

This is a timely thread, because I had just started inquiring with friends whether or not this was an item to address with my physician.

In recent years I’ve noticed that, for instance, my long time business partner would jump up and grab her cell phone or comment on a car alarm in the parking lot when I’d heard nothing. I played drums for 25 years and I’ve read that cymbals are the villain in most hearing loss associated with loud music. It’s definitely the high end that’s gone, or is going.

And I hate to keep saying, “Excuse me?”

I already knew that I didn’t have a very good idea of what to do. So, the drill then, Atreyu, is to consult an audiologist? Just go in and tell’em I know I’ve suffered some hearing loss, and what should I do? What does this typically cost (both for initial evaluation and for recommended equipment - I realize this can vary by quite a bit, so don’t feel tied to the numbers, and separate’em if you’d care to)?

8

Consulting an audiologist would definitely be advisable, given what you have reported in your post. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I’d start checking the hospitals in your area for an audiologist.

As you suspected, cost of evaluation can vary. I would imagine that the average cost of a full audiological evaluation may be in the area of $50-$75.

The costs of a hearing aid can vary tremendously. The most significant factor affecting the price is the technology level of the hearing aid. Conventional hearing aids are generally the least expensive, with digital hearing aids being the most expensive.

Very important question: Are you a veteran? If so, the first place I would contact would be the VA hospital in your area. If you’re service-connected, the cost of evaluation and the hearing aids will be picked up by Uncle Sam.

9

Atreyu, I hate to ask you to work for free, but I’m more concerned with the cost of a hearing aid. I feel like I need an evaluation, but if it should show I need a hearing aid, I really doubt I could get one anyway. I’ve only heard rough quotes, but it seems like they are all several hundred dollars, and my insurance does not cover hearing aids (few, if any, do).

I am clearly not deaf. However, I have stopped going to movies and seldom enjoy TV anymore becuase I miss too much. I’ve become a near recluse because the only way I can carry on a conversation with anyone is to be in a completely quiet room, and even then I’m frequently shaking my head with an ignorant grin on my face because I have no idea how I’m supposed to respond to someone saying, “Lskjw woeb vuuwi” to me. Today one of my coworkers rode up on the elevator with me and I couldn’t understand a word he was saying to me. This is not even an elevator with music playing. “Excuse me?” doesn’t help, either, because then instead of repeating “Lskjw woeb vuuwi” to me they just say “Osserj fiur iufwokj.” My son just says “Oh, never mind!” He slurs his words and mumbles, but surely the whole world doesn’t!

Interestingly enough, I don’t usually have trouble in church, I can only surmise because of the excellent sound sytem.

It has gotten even worse because in the last few years, I have developed a recurring acute hearing loss in my left ear, which is not only a significant loss of hearing but a great distortion of sound. My ear is “plugged up” but trying to pop it by yawning is useless.

I’ve heard some types of hearing loss are hereditary. My grandfather was very hard of hearing, but he also built railroads. My dad is very hard of hearing, but he flew jet planes. We went to stock car races as kids and then to rock concerts as teens and young adults.

But I’m rambling, because my real question is, if I cannot afford a hearing aid, is there any sense in even going to an audiologist?

10

I think that any audiologist worth their salt should be able to come up with options for you.

The first option that occurs to me is Vocational Rehab. I don’t know about Texas, but Oregon’s Voc Rehab helps individuals who could not afford a hearing aid, but need one in order to obtain (or maintain) gainful employment, get hearing aids.

Another option is spreading the cost out over a period of time. Not all places will do this, but some do.

Since I really don’t know enough about what options may exist in Texas, my best advice is to consult an audiologist and find out what options may be available. Consult more than one if you have to. Of course, this is assuming that you need a hearing aid in the first place, and that can’t be determined without a full audiological evaluation.

Note: If I ever see someone with an asymmetrical hearing loss, my first instinct is to send that person to an otolaryngologist (ENT). From your post, it appears that your left ear is significantly worse than your right ear, and so I think a visit to an ENT wouldn’t be a bad idea.