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Hearing Aids?

Posted , 5 users are following.

sharonl
sharonl

Need Advise..

I just had my hearing tested completed and found out that I have lost 30% in one ear and 35% in the other. Because of Meniers, I was told that it was inner ear problems and I cannot hear certain contestants.

I was told that hearing aids will help especially on my bad days when tinnitus is bad. Also I was worried about my balance being off when I get the hearing aids but they suggested my balance will be better because the hearing aids will help be equal in both ears rather than the 30/35.

I was wondering if anyone else has had the same problem and if hearing aids have helped or not.

Many thanks for reading this!

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • tanney
    tanney sharonl

    Posted

    I received hearing aids (both ears) and notice that sounds are louder but not clearer. There is still sound distortion. Also, hearing aids may diminish tinnitus but unlikely to eliminate it. Questions: are you in the USA and are you a military veteran? If you are both, hearing aids are free through the VA.

    • sharonl
      sharonl tanney

      Posted

      Hi Tanney

      No, I am in Canada. But I sure appreciate your help. I will check to see what kind of hearing aids I am to get. I am hoping I can hear the consonants that I am missing.

      Wish you all the best in your health!

  • arcticblueice
    arcticblueice sharonl

    Posted

    Hey Sharon, I'm sorry to hear about your hearing loss. I am under 50 years old and have bilateral Meniere’s Disease. This wretched disease has caused so much hearing loss that I finally had to give in to getting hearing aids to hear on the phone and to listen to music. If you get good hearing aids like Miracle Ear or the equivalent, they can be customized for your hearing loss by frequency to help you hear the tones that you are missing and/or damaged for music and voices to sound more normal. If you just get a cheap pair they will just amplify all noises which would be dreadful.

    Please consider meeting with an audiologist for a hearing test first to see what your needs are.

    Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    • sharonl
      sharonl arcticblueice

      Posted

      Hi Articblueice

      Many thanks for your response. I will check to see if they can give me Miracle Ear or equivalent. It is good that they offer a free time period to try them. I appreciate your advise.

      Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as well. And of course good health!

  • mary16977
    mary16977 sharonl

    Posted

    Hi Sharon,

    I have bilateral MD with hearing loss and wear bilateral hearing aids. The brand I have are Phonak and I really like them. Is it perfect? No. Is it like natural hearing? Not quite. But they are programmed to help my hyperacusis, missing middle tones and inability to hear with lots of background noise. They help a little with the tinnitus, but it's still there. I do still notice some distortion but I can definitely hear and function better with the aids rather than without. Especially with the TV, radio and in busy environments. My audiologist said it's better to wear them because the brain is a powerful thing and the longer you can't hear certain things the quicker your brain turns off those barely perceptible sounds. You protect your hearing by wearing the aids. The first week acclimating was TOUGH for me... things sounded "tinny" and weird. I couldn't stand the sound of my own voice. I was extra dizzy (no bad attacks, just swoony) but hang tough cuz this passed. I've had them for over a year now and I got them at age 58. Best of luck to you, take good care!

    ~Mary

    • sharonl
      sharonl mary16977

      Posted

      Hi Mary

      It sounds like I am much like your situation. I am sure it will be hard to use for the first few weeks but if you can make it through so will I! I was fighting the thought of having the hearing aids and do not expect the tinnitus to disappear but I have problems just picking up certain words and sounds.

      Thanks for responding and wish you all the best as well!!

    • mary16977
      mary16977 sharonl

      Posted

      Thank you...and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!

      Also, honestly...if I don't tell people that I'm wearing hearing aids they never notice! They're so small and hidden...plus I chose a color that blended well with my skin tone. They've come a long way since the clunky big aids of the past 😃 Even though I mourn the loss of my normal hearing, it's a real blessing to be able to have the TV at a normal volume and be able to hear my kid's conversation when we are in a restaurant. I'm not saying "What??" constantly anymore. Since it's not age-related hearing loss it's a little different for us MD sufferers so aids aren't a miracle cure, but they help! It's weird for me...I can hear the background music on a TV show very loudly but can't hear the voices of the characters speaking. The aids do help with that. Again, not perfectly...but better 😃 Go get those aids and start hearing again! Take

    • sharonl
      sharonl mary16977

      Posted

      Hi Mary 16977

      Many thanks for the information you gave me. Think I will go ahead then with the hearing aids. I have never had anything in my ears before and they seem to be very sensitive but I guess it is all what you get used to lol

      I wish you a Merry Christmas and also wish you much happiness and good health. Thanks again!

  • mary16977
    mary16977 sharonl

    Posted

    Hi Sharon,

    I have bilateral MD with hearing loss and wear bilateral hearing aids. The brand I have are Phonak and I really like them. Is it perfect? No. Is it like natural hearing? Not quite. But they are programmed to help my hyperacusis, missing middle tones and inability to hear with lots of background noise. They help a little with the tinnitus, but it's still there. I do still notice some distortion but I can definitely hear and function better with the aids rather than without. Especially with the TV, radio and in busy environments. My audiologist said it's better to wear them because the brain is a powerful thing and the longer you can't hear certain things the quicker your brain turns off those barely perceptible sounds. You protect your hearing by wearing the aids. The first week acclimating was TOUGH for me... things sounded "tinny" and weird. I couldn't stand the sound of my own voice. I was extra dizzy (no bad attacks, just swoony) but hang tough cuz this passed. I've had them for over a year now and I got them at age 58. Best of luck to you, take good care!

    ~Mary

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