Hearing Aids

[Giggles]

So most of you probably dont know this, but I am almost completely deaf. I have gotten worse over the years. I had chronic ear infections when I was little which caused my ear drums to burst repeatedly and built up scar tissue. Over the years my hearing has just continued to get worse.

Well I am at 78% loss in my left ear and 75% loss in my right.

hubby has great insurance and I was able to get really nice hearing aids ($6900.00) my only cost was the 1000.00 deductable.

i go about every 2 weeks to continue to have them adjusted with a promise from them that they will have me hearing at 96% .

well now it seems that my ears keep plugging up. i think this is is due to having the hearing aids in my ears (well the part that goes in them..lol )

anyone else here use hearing aids and have this problem ??

 

[Pops65]

I've lost some in my left ear from years of having driving window down. I use Tea Tree Oil with q-tip too keep it cleaned out, but be very careful with using qtips.

 

[mndriver]

Sounds more like you need to see an ENT about more complicated issues than hearing loss.

And I wear them too.

 

[DrDaliah]

yes, get checked by an ENT. Wax is protective and the hearing aid will diminish that but agree with above, have and ENT check it out.

 

[Kiwi303]

I use a Oticon Chili SP5, 93% loss but can still pass a heavy truck licence medical wearing the aid. One ear is 7% the other ear is 0% remaining, I got a BIG chunk missing in the middle of the normal speech spectrum that the hearing aid compensates for.

Don't have much problem with waxing, a 3 or 4 yearly suction and an annual checkup by the GP with one of thoe ear-o-scope thingies, if he sees a lot of wax I just book in at the ear nurse for a vacuum out of the ear canal.
On the other hand I've been wearing hearing aids since I was 4 and a half years old, so my ear may well have adapted its wax production to lesser levels than someone who's spent most of their life with nothing in their ear and now has a mould plugging it up.

 

[Rigjockey]

My Dad got hearing aids too, Paid for by his benefit package. How do we get him to actually wear them? He is content on saying huh? What? Eh? Talking so low that others cant hear him obviously having to repeat himself or having others repeat themselves is not an issue.

I hate having to repeat myself to anyone.

We tried just saying nevermind and carry on, It doesn't seem to matter.

 

[mndriver]

I have also found that if I haven't cleaned them for a bit and the wax has built up, they start to itch and drive me bonkers. Clean them and they are just fine.

My oldest daughter also had recurring ear infections growing up. She eventually had 3 sets of tubes put in over time. It's been the only way for her to NOT have infections. The way her ears drain promote fluid build up and infections.

 

[Giggles]

well i dont have build up. when i went for my initial exam i thought that may be the problem..but i had NONE....and i keep them clean and know how to change the filters on them..and they clean them every appt i have too.

the right one tho when i encounter a loud noise, like water running in the sink etc it like almost shuts off...they even replaced it already (before they were a month old ) and now the SAME problem....its annoying as hell, but over all they do help.

before i got them, my last physical i was able to hear a forced whisper at 5 feet..but it was hard as hell to do...i am pretty sure i couldnt pass one now without a hearing aid....

when i was little they wanted to put tubes in my ears and my mom wouldnt let them..so who knows....

 

[mndriver]

Sounds more like levels need to be adjusted.

 

[Giggles]

these particular hearing aids have over 50,000 adjustments...i think that may have a lot to do with it, is just getting them set all properly. she told me it would take time since my brain, HA, is getting used to hearing etc (joke is on her, i dont have one)

 

[mndriver]

I got my first set and they were very tinny to me.

Then I got a different set and brand. Thes were pretty much the same sounding.

In December I went back in for a check up and had the levels adjusted. My right was too loud and tinny. Once I got them adjusted, they've actually became pleasant to wear.