Hearing loss

[GreyGhost]

Taking a hearing aid break....ears were itchy and partner is house/dog sitting for most of the day on going for the next 4 weeks while the kids are touring Europed

Might put them in when she comes back for supper pizza and a catheter precedure.
I don't need to stream into them when she is house sitting.

Decided won't sleep with them but have no issue napping if needed. I'm satisfied they work and partner wants my hearing fixed. Have 3 weeks left to reconsider anyways....likely will not.

They are brilliant for social situations...followed all conversations last night.

Partner had this from her mum. Dries and uses UV to disinfect.

PerfectDry LUX UV-C disinfection and rapid drying system

Discount Hearing Aids in Australia + FREE shipping all orders. Compare our prices, buy online and save! Signia, Oticon, Phonak, Unitron, Starkey, Widex, ReSound, Bernafon, Power One, Zenipower, Rayovac, and all trusted hearing care brands.

www.hearingsavers.com.au

Says to use daily ...I guess in the tropics that's a good idea.

I'm not convinced that exposing them to uvc repeatedly is good for longevity. Fwiw, my grandma's wore hearing aids all day everyday for many years with no sterilizer and afaik never got ear infections.

 

[Chris-CJ]

I'm not convinced that exposing them to uvc repeatedly is good for longevity. Fwiw, my grandma's wore hearing aids all day everyday for many years with no sterilizer and afaik never got ear infections.

Agree with GG's comment.
Better than UV exposure (unproven) is to follow the physical cleaning which the audiologist should have explained how to.
Most, provide a cleaning kit and replacement ear inserts.

 

[MacDoc]

Longevity of what ?? Silicone inserts ....they are pretty stable and don't see the electronics affected by 30 minute cycle of dry air and UV exposure.
I'm in no way prone to ear infections and considering the inattention I pay to the IEMs that are in and out constantly don't want to angst about it.
I'm more concerned about keeping the hearing aids dry given where I live.....the UV just comes with the kit.
I would like to find a decent ear wax removal approach other than shallow cotton buds.

from manufacturer

Disinfecting Hearing Aids with UV Light: Yes or No? – A.U. Bankaitis, PhD & Lori Zitelli, AuD

A wide range of microbes (e.g. bacteria, viruses, fungi) grow on hearing aid surfaces1,2 and audiologists and other providers should either clean and disinfect hearing aids prior to handling device…

aubankaitis.com

Manufacturer	UVC Recommendation	Product Rx?
Phonak	UVC recommended

 

[Wingboy]

Q-tips are bad. A "Murine" wax removal kit from the pharmacy is best.

 

[MacDoc]

Partner is a nurse - that's what she uses however will look at other solutions.
Murine seems popular approach but not available in Australia. More to find out.

Murine Ear

Carbamide Peroxide (6.5%)

Damn what's with the wax traps...prices seem all over the place.
I may wait until my 30 day exchange is over.
this seems good value.

This makes sense to me - I'll just keep the HAs in the charger.

For most rechargeable hearing aids, the charging station doubles as a hearing aid dryer

 

[Chris-CJ]

Agree with GG's comment.
Better than UV exposure (unproven) is to follow the physical cleaning which the audiologist should have explained how to.
Most, provide a cleaning kit and replacement ear inserts.

It is the ear wax that clogs the HAs and am not sure if UV will evaporate that residue. As far as I know (and thats not much!) removal of that necessitates pbysical cleaning and/ or replacement of the ear buds.
As for moisture, aren't HAs IP68 certified?
Whatever works best for you.

 

[GreyGhost]

I would like to find a decent ear wax removal approach other than shallow cotton buds.

Are you cleaning your ear canals or the HA's? For small passages in IEM's Shure includes a tool that is a loop of wire to cut/pull out the wax without risking damage to the driver and minimizes pushing wax in when used carefully. I am assuming your HA came with the tools required. For ear canals, I'll leave that to the medical professionals. The last time I went to see the ENT, she pulled out a huge cylinder of goo from my bad ear with a tool similar to pliers. Hurt like a biatch and there is no possible way I would ever have removed it at home.

 

[MacDoc]

I use those for IEMs. The HAs had no tools.
The audiologist removed a loose chunk from my ear...good size but he tried to clean out more around the outer edge and I yelped ...he said it was not necessary anyway.

Chris we live in tropical Australia and everything gets damp so drying is critical.
The Phonak are water resistant.

BT performance a bit iffy when on the couch ( 2.5m away from source )I which is annoying - kicks in and out. It's fine if I'm closer. Using them with the sound coming in from the sound bar into the HAs is just fine and I can hear partner and whatever else is going on. Not a bad approach.

 

[tat2]

Partner is a nurse - that's what she uses however will look at other solutions.
Murine seems popular approach but not available in Australia. More to find out.

Murine Ear

Carbamide Peroxide (6.5%)

Damn what's with the wax traps...prices seem all over the place.
I may wait until my 30 day exchange is over.
this seems good value.
View attachment 67281
This makes sense to me - I'll just keep the HAs in the charger.

Debrox earwax removal kit is from the same company, maybe that available in AUS?

 

[MacDoc]

There we go thanks...ordered

 

[MacDoc]

Really rethinking my hearing aid purchase.
I will get hearing aids but not sure of the $4500 deal...and whether the advantages of the middle level are worth it.
Amplifon ( the profider ) gets sucky reviews ( most of them do )
Unitron is the cheaper version of Phonak and same parent company ....originally Canadian out of Waterloo Ontario.
Base rechargeable model is $1650 and three year warranty ( 1 year on the Phonak without purchasing extended ).
My reading is tending to reinforce the "scammy" view of the whole industry.
I mean really if they can afford mall rents for technology ....there is a fat in the system.

Savings would be in the $3k range ....big dollars on a pension. to be continued...

Ordered a BlueTooth extender ...took some time to find Mac compatible.

Avantree DG60P - Long Range Bluetooth Audio Adapter for PS5, PC, Laptop, Mac, aptX-Adaptive and Low Latency, 24-bit HD Wireless Dongle for Connecting...

Will help the hearing aids and some help for the headphones.
Disappointed with the connectivity both to the TV and iPhone . Now I'm in a black hole in the back corner but was acceptable with the big BT cans. The HAs tho....marginal and erratic.
I do like the HAs reconnect on their own. Getting better at putting them in and out smoothly. They fire right up as soon as I put them in and I'm getting used to the buttons with my sausage fingers. Helps a bit as the App is losing connectivity so easier to hit the button to reduce volume or switch programs.

Can return entirely within 30 days and may do that and reload with Unitron from a different supplier.

Hearing aid decision driving me buggy and to a degree partner.

I’m a horror when I can't decide.

BT connectivity is iffy but think I can fix that …have a range extender on the way
However the app and the HAs keep losing connectivity which is a downer.
Even the streaming from the TV - 2 feet away just dropped out :-(

I guess it is kinda neat I can stream the media to the HAs while still hearing everything ( maybe too much ) going on around me
everything from clicking fans to crickets
hmmmm just tried putting my big headphones over my ears but not hooked up and that actually helps
So I get better clarity on the HAs and some of the isolation I get from the headphones.

Biggest concern for me is the rather dismal reputation the audiologists have …spending the kind of money and not getting good service is a concern and having to buy an extended warranty.
the other concern is 40% of people buying stop using them, and another 40% don’t use them a lot.
I suspect that might reflect people getting upper end units paid for by insurers.

This concerns me as well - 3-5 years .....fugedaboudit.

What is the expected lifespan of my hearing aid?​

Understanding the lifespan of a hearing aid is an important consideration when selecting one. Typically, hearing aids can last between 3 to 5 years. Proper maintenance not only ensures their longevity but also guarantees their optimal performance.

I will continue to use HAs - I reassured partner on that but I have a $2k option from the same supplier Phonak…as opposed to the 4.5k ones I'm wearing and that’s a chunk of change for me on a pension. grump grump .....

 

[MacDoc]

Ran the battery down to 9% today - app was not tracking hours - it said 11.5 hours but was for sure more than that as app was going off line all the time ....not happy with that.
Weird thing when working in the kitchen I get these sharp snaps like a cap gun going off in my ear....annoying.....every time any sharp sound like setting down a plate.
The streaming when close to the TV has been pretty solid. Drop outs when I hit the kitchen. zzzzz time

 

[Chris-CJ]

Finding a good Audiologist and getting HAs to match your need is a " journey". Mine took five years, four audiologists and every name-brand instrument on the market before finding something that worked.
What I use now is an improvement on hearing but am not able to find something that matches the original natural level of hearing.

 

[MacDoc]

Thanks for that insight - it helps...
Sometimes it's wonderful when it all works...other times a feel like someone if shooting a cap gun off every few seconds near my ears and I'm walking through noisy mud.
Fixing the BT drop offs will be a step forward.
Also I'd like to learn to adjust the programs myself.

 

[GreyGhost]

Thanks for that insight - it helps...
Sometimes it's wonderful when it all works...other times a feel like someone if shooting a cap gun off every few seconds near my ears and I'm walking through noisy mud.
Fixing the BT drop offs will be a step forward.
Also I'd like to learn to adjust the programs myself.

I have no idea about hearing aid bluetooth but from earbuds, I can conclusively say that some devices don't play well together. Beats fit pro plus Nintendo range is less than 6' before dropouts. Galaxy buds pro with same Nintendo range is more than 30'. Same beats fit pro with android phone, range over 30'.

 

[MacDoc]

Yeah ...BT has its issue ...there is not a really solid standard that always works. I'm going to look into the standard that all the other HA companies are using.
Good if dense info here

Understanding Bluetooth Range | Bluetooth® Technology Website

What is the range of Bluetooth® technology? The effective, reliable range between Bluetooth devices is anywhere from more than a kilometer down to less than a meter. Use the Bluetooth Range Estimator…

www.bluetooth.com

Did much better with the hearing aids tonight. Set the volume to two and the ap is working properly.
Listening through the sound bar and HAs set to two not getting annoying snaps and spikes.
Not streaming.
Autosense working better for me . -

 

[mimico_polak]

I'm early 40s, and working in construction the last 10 years has def taken a toll on my hearing. I worked with heavy equipment and even with earplugs and ear muffs on I would come out of the site with ringing sometimes due to the high level of noise.

Wife is convinced I'm going deaf, but I will def have to start looking into the options available for hearing aids in the coming years.

 

[nhoj]

Yeah ...BT has its issue ...there is not a really solid standard that always works. I'm going to look into the standard that all the other HA companies are using.
Good if dense info here

I think you need to go back to basics with your Hearing Aids. Use them for what most people do.. improve hearing during normal conversation. Forget about connecting to external devices. Setup the aids using the Bluetooth app, don't pair them with anything other than 1 phone to allow adjustment. Find a normal satisfactory setting THEN turn off the Bluetooth pairing on you phone and try using the aids for normal everyday conversation.

You seem to have chosen your Hearing Aids based on Bluetooth connectivity rather than useability. If they are working well as normal Hearing Aids they should not need to pair to any other device(s).

 

[timtune]

Wife is convinced I'm going deaf, but I will def have to start looking into the options available for hearing aids in the coming years.

You don't need an audioligist. Here's the test.
Your wife say something and you miss it. You say what and she repeats it. You miss it the second time and say can you repeat it once more. She does. You miss it again but feel too stupid to ask a third time so you just laugh and smile like you heard her.
If this happens you need them.

 

[MacDoc]

You seem to have chosen your Hearing Aids based on Bluetooth connectivity rather than useability. If they are working well as normal Hearing Aids they should not need to pair to any other device(s).

Um that will not work for me. Let's just leave it at that.
I require effective streaming through the hearing aids IF I want to hear the upper end which I am missing and I do as long as the cost is within reason.
Whether I need to spend $4500 to get that is the question.

I don't really care what most people do. I consume media up to 12-16 hours a day and most of the time I am listening with headsets/streaming....even when I'm riding.
I don't NEED hearing aids to do that, I would LIKE hearing aids which restores to some degree the lost high end and gives me some clarity in noisy environments which is 3 hours once a week.
Interactions with partner are at most 2 hours a day and have improved hearing for that is useful.

I've been in audio and computers for over 50 years as both businesses and an avocation. I've become more impressed with the technology over the past week but at the same time less impressed with the business practices and lack of longevity. The negative comments are disturbing.

Spending $4k+ every 3-5 years which appears to be the case may not be worthwhile to attempt to restore my upper end hearing.
In that case I'll opt for $2k or less solution for those few hours I need them to communicate with partner and friends and abandon fidelity.

The hearing aid business seems a bit on the snake oil end and I'm trying to sort out value for money. The fact that governments had to mandate OTC hearing aids and just recently is disturbing,

The % of people that end up not using their hearing aids or using them very infrequently is disturbing given the pricing.

The study showed that approximately 20% of adults currently do not use their hearing aids at all, 30% use them some of the time and the remaining 50% most of the time.10 June 2020

The 1 year warranty is disturbing especially in light of no repairability.

Even if I wanted to extend the useable life beyond 4 years I cannot.....so over $1000 a year.

Can you replace rechargeable batteries in Phonak hearing aids?
No. With Phonak rechargeable hearing aids, the electronics surrounding the Li-ion have been specially designed so that the battery performance will last up to 4 years.

Ugh
Now I need to look at the regular battery version with removable rechargeables.