Help for Hearing Impairment

Hear-Hear

Bryen,

First of all, £3,300.00 is way too much for a pair of hearing aids, unless you are getting some extra special service added into some sort of package ? Current costs for basic hearing aids start from around £500.00 for a pair. A decent mid-range pair (equivalent to NHS technology, but in a choice of fitting styles) can be had for £1,000,00-£1,500.00 for a pair, and a top-of-the-range latest state-of-the-art pair of hearing aids should cost no more than £2,000.00/£2,500.00. Shop around !

Great that you have been upgraded to the Oticon Zest. The Oticon Spirit hearing aids became obsolete in mid-2010, so as the NHS are using a 3-year replacement/upgrade cycle, all SPIRIT hearing aids should have been replaced by ZEST - a massive improvement - by mid-2013.

There are many many reasons why 2 hearing aids are better than one
• Better localisation of sound – helping to decide where sounds are coming from
• Better hearing in background noise - the stereo effect helps separate speech from background noise
• Better sound quality - again, the stereo effect
• Better hearing of softer sounds - two aids will pick up those sounds much better than a sinlge aid
• The volume can be reduced considerably - less strain on the hearing nerve
• Reduced auditory deprivation - unaided ear will continue to deteriorate much faster than an aided ear

It is standard NHS practice now to offer binaural fitting where there is hearing loss in both ears.

Give the new ZEST aids a couple of months before you seek alternatives. It really is quite a good hearing aid if set up properly for you, and you will probably notice considerable improvement by the time you see the audiologist again in 4 weeks time. You cannot "push for better aids" with the NHS. By and large, there is no user-choice with NHS provision. You get what you are given. If you do want better, then you need to go private.

Data sheets for NHS-supplied hearing aids are not generally made available outside the NHS, but if you can demonstrate a need for it, the Senior Audiologist at your hospital may be willing to provide one to you. Your analogy with data sheets for a motor car would only apply with regard to hearing aids purchased privately, because you exercise 'choice' when selecting your hearing aids. A private audiologist will always provide a data sheet on request for the aids being supplied to you.

Bryen

Thanks Hear-Hear

I've been wearing the oticon zest in my left ear since Thursday. It is much better than the spirit and I can hear a lot more. However it is very loud - in both a meeting today and a video link it felt like people were shouting in my ear. When I took it out at the end of work to relax my left ear felt "spaced out", like after a rock music concert. Is this normal? Will it settle down? My spirit was loud too, why aren't aids set at the lowest setting that helps?

It is hard picking out voices in a meeting - I know I am hearing better, but it is even more tiring than when I couldn't hear half of what was said. I've been exhausted each evening after work. My head feels like it is in a "knot" sorting out all this extra sound. Is this normal too? I thought getting the high frequencies back would help in these situations? Similarly with the TV, I know I'm picking out more words, but it was more enjoyable when I just relaxed and made up bits of the story. The sound appears out of synch between my ear with the aid and the one without (both have similar hearing loss).

I'd welcome other folks experiences and how things worked out for them.

piglet4

Bryen wrote: »

Thanks Hear-Hear

I've been wearing the oticon zest in my left ear since Thursday. It is much better than the spirit and I can hear a lot more. However it is very loud - in both a meeting today and a video link it felt like people were shouting in my ear. When I took it out at the end of work to relax my left ear felt "spaced out", like after a rock music concert. Is this normal? Will it settle down? My spirit was loud too, why aren't aids set at the lowest setting that helps?

It is hard picking out voices in a meeting - I know I am hearing better, but it is even more tiring than when I couldn't hear half of what was said. I've been exhausted each evening after work. My head feels like it is in a "knot" sorting out all this extra sound. Is this normal too? I thought getting the high frequencies back would help in these situations? Similarly with the TV, I know I'm picking out more words, but it was more enjoyable when I just relaxed and made up bits of the story. The sound appears out of synch between my ear with the aid and the one without (both have similar hearing loss).

I'd welcome other folks experiences and how things worked out for them.

Hi Bryen,

Like you, I have Oticon Zest Ps (got them about 6 months ago, before that I had Spirit 3Ps). I think the Zests are good solid aids, and a huge improvement over the Spirit 3s which I never liked all that much.

It's totally normal to feel tired when you get new aids. I've been wearing aids for over 30 years now and get this feeling every time I have an upgrade. I think your brain just needs to get used to all the changes in familiar everyday sounds. Things that you normally don't notice, like the sound of the fridge or the noise your car makes, suddenly sound a bit odd, but over time your mind adapts to the changes.

Some sounds will probably continue to annoy you after a few weeks, but you can get these adjusted at a fine-tuning appointment. I reckon it took about 2 months (and a couple of fine-tunes) to feel completely comfortable with my Zests.

Also, I totally agree with Hear Hear, having two aids is so much better. I really struggle if I have to go "mono-aided" for some reason, especially in difficult situations such as meetings. I couldn't live without a volume control either, use it all the time.

Good luck

Savvy_Sue

Bryen wrote: »

why aren't aids set at the lowest setting that helps?

For some reason, the audiologists always want to set mine at mid level, and I promptly turn it down. If I want it lower than that, I can always take it out ...

Bryen wrote: »

It is hard picking out voices in a meeting - I know I am hearing better, but it is even more tiring than when I couldn't hear half of what was said. I've been exhausted each evening after work. My head feels like it is in a "knot" sorting out all this extra sound. Is this normal too?

One of my siblings said that they used to fall asleep in work meetings because they couldn't hear what was being said. Then they got a personal loop system, and started falling asleep because it was usually really boring!

So yes, I'd say it was normal.

Bryen wrote: »

The sound appears out of synch between my ear with the aid and the one without (both have similar hearing loss).

I occasionally have that problem, but more often when there's an induction loop (I LOVE induction loops!) - however I only have a loss in one ear. So my question (and Hear-Hear's too!) is why don't you have two aids, because you would probably find it better, and you would probably be able to have the volume set lower in each.

Bryen

Thanks for the support guys. You can tell I'm new to hearing aids (and also don't know much about them.)

I've got another appointment next Tuesday at the hospital - very prompt and friendly service. I just want to check what I should ask for:

1 - To have the volume control activated.
2 - To have the reference level the aid uses when it is switched on set a liitle lower.
3 - A second aid for my right ear (which has similar hearing loss). Can anyone tell me if the Zest P's work as a pair that "talk" to each other or are they independent?
4 - My NHS audiogram was taken in Feb 2009. Should I ask for a new one so the aids can be fine tuned?
5 - Is there any choice of ear piece and is one better at hearing or more comfortable than another? What it looks like isn't a problem. Currently I have a large sound tube into a traditional vented ear piece.

Thanks in advance

Savvy_Sue

Bryen wrote: »

5 - Is there any choice of ear piece and is one better at hearing or more comfortable than another? What it looks like isn't a problem. Currently I have a large sound tube into a traditional vented ear piece.

I'll leave the rest to Hear-Hear, but YES, you can get alternative ear pieces, including coloured moulds - which some people love because they are more visible, and some hate for the same reason. You can also get the traditional kind in different materials: I went from a 'rigid' one to a less rigid one, which unfortunately no-one thought to warn me would deform and not 'bounce back' if I wasn't careful. But you can also get a much bendier one which WILL 'bounce back' into shape.

However, you can also get 'off the shelf' aka 'open fit' moulds, IF your hearing loss is the right kind. They are only suitable for mild (maybe to moderate) losses, and there are different shapes and sizes for them too. The sound tube is much finer, and they are less visible.

You can't chop and change from one kind to the other, and although you can chop and change from one open fit shape and size to another, you get the best results by having the aid 'tweaked' for the different shapes and sizes. What I did was walk away with a couple of different sizes and shapes to find out what felt most comfortable, and then went back to get it tweaked to my earpiece of choice ...

Savvy_Sue

BTW, I'm going to repeat my 'top tips':

Find a lipreading class.

Use the plastic tags you get when you buy new clothes to clear wax from the tube for your hearing aids.

piglet4

Bryen wrote: »

3 - A second aid for my right ear (which has similar hearing loss). Can anyone tell me if the Zest P's work as a pair that "talk" to each other or are they independent?

Well, it depends...but probably not. The Zests come in wireless (the C or Communicate model) and non-wireless versions, and as you would expect the non-wireless are usually given out as standard on the NHS. Unlike the non-wireless ones, the Zest C's do "talk" to each other i.e. when you change the volume/programme on one side the other changes to match. Even better, they work with the Oticon Bluetooth Streamer, which is an absolutely fantastic gadget (especially for using the phone). My lovely audiologist agreed to order some wireless Zests for me because I use a mobile for work and find it really hard to hear on the phone--so if you are in a similar situation it's well worth asking about these.;)

Bryen wrote: »

4 - My NHS audiogram was taken in Feb 2009. Should I ask for a new one so the aids can be fine tuned?

Yes, my audiologist recommends a test every 3 years, sooner if I notice any problems with my hearing. You should also have new moulds every 18 months or so (assuming you have custom moulds).

Bryen wrote: »

5 - Is there any choice of ear piece and is one better at hearing or more comfortable than another? What it looks like isn't a problem. Currently I have a large sound tube into a traditional vented ear piece.

Are you having problems with your moulds? With your high-frequency loss you might be suitable for an open fit style, I believe these are available on the NHS these days. Hopefully Hear-Hear will be along soon with more information on the subject!

One final thing, do you have a T/telecoil/loop programme on your aids? If not, I would definitely ask for one, since it will give you access to a lot of very useful gadgets (e.g. hearing aid compatible phones).

Savvy_Sue

piglet4 wrote: »

Are you having problems with your moulds? With your high-frequency loss you might be suitable for an open fit style, I believe these are available on the NHS these days.

They certainly are ... I'd have thought they'd give them out as much as possible, tbh, because they MUST be cheaper than taking an impression, making the mould, fiddling with the mould, making a new mould because the old one isn't fitting well enough etc etc etc.

However they are not suitable for everyone, as I said before.

Hear-Hear

1 - To have the volume control activated.
Good idea. the software in all modern digital hearing aids includes a means of recording what is happening with the aids over time. When you get the Volume Control activated, it will record the amount of increase/decrease being applied over time. Effectively. the hearing aids "learn" your preferences! Clever indeed!! When you see you audiologist on your annual visit/annual re-test/annual re-programming, the computer will prompt the audio to re-set the 'start-up' volume to your preferred settings.

2 - To have the reference level the aid uses when it is switched on set a liitle lower.
As above. Even if the audio re-sets your start-up level a bit low, your hearing aids will "learn" your preferences over time. you then just go in to have them re-set to that preference.

3 - A second aid for my right ear (which has similar hearing loss). Can anyone tell me if the Zest P's work as a pair that "talk" to each other or are they independent?
You'll need to ask your audio that question, as I don't have the specification for Zest/Zest C with me. (I thought the Zest and the Zest C were both wireless, and the Zest C had Bluetooth as well, but stand to be corrected).

4 - My NHS audiogram was taken in Feb 2009. Should I ask for a new one so the aids can be fine tuned?
What ?? Three years ago ???? No, do not ^ask^ for this. Demand it !! Many areas have adopted the annual visit/annual re-test/annual re-programming cycle already, but some haven't. They will all be complelled to do so with effect from April 2013 at the latest, under the NHS reforms. In the meantime, you can request an appointment for re-test/re-programming at any time you wish, without waiting to be invited to do so.

5 - Is there any choice of ear piece and is one better at hearing or more comfortable than another? What it looks like isn't a problem. Currently I have a large sound tube into a traditional vented ear piece.
There is no "choice" within the NHS. The local PCT (currently) / Commisioning Consortium (from April 2013) decide what is offered to patients in their area. Choice will remain the preserve of the private sector.