Help for Hearing Impairment

browniej

moneypenny2k wrote: »

I went to see my audiologist today and he fitted my for new aids saying that they have the microphone or amplifier in the ear.

Perhaps it was Receiver in the Ear aids that were mentioned?

browniej

Hear-Hear wrote: »

browneij,

Ok, that's clearer now. You have an apparent air-bone gap in your left ear. With the differences between the air conduction thresholds and the bone conduction thresholds being so large, then the British Society of Audiology procedures require masking to be carried out. If the testing was done by a private audiologist, and masking was not carried out, then this is a serious breach. So serious in fact that a complaint to the Health Professions Council (the regulatory body) would almost certainly lead to a Fitness to Practice hearing for the audiologist concerned.

It wasn't a private audiologist - it was the NHS.

I'm wondering if I should make an appointment with Specsavers again. I last used them 3 years ago but returned the aids after a trial period as we weren't achieving any success due to my reverse slope problem. They did say to come back if I felt my hearing to be worse which, for my left ear, it definitely is.

If it was an NHS test, the same regulations do not apply, but you have the right to speak with the Senior Audiologist who must advise you of the outcome of any investigation made.

It was the Senior Audiologist who fitted the new Zest aids. He has worked with me quite a bit over the last 5 years but I'm not sure if he really took on board the most recent audiogram which I had carried out at the Institute of Hearing Research in April. I did show it to another audiologist 2 weeks prior to the fitting and she seemed to suggest there was not much difference.

I really need to get to the bottom of this.

Hear-Hear

browneij

Get to the bottom of the medical aspects of the air-bone gap (ie. conductive loss) first.

browniej

Hear-Hear wrote: »

browneij

Get to the bottom of the medical aspects of the air-bone gap (ie. conductive loss) first.

Would that not require a further hearing test with appropriate masking to prove there is a conductive loss?

Hear-Hear

Based on the evidence of the readings you provided, conductive loss has already been established. More detailed tests would normally follow, in order to determine the root cause and most appropriate treatment plan, if indeed treatment is possible. These tests would go far beyond pure tone audiometry and masking.

browniej

Hear-Hear wrote: »

Based on the evidence of the readings you provided, conductive loss has already been established.

Unfortunately the NHS are still saying my loss is sensorineural so, until I can get someone to confirm a conductive loss that is in a position to take things forward, I'm stuck.

I have a hearing test booked with Specsavers on Tuesday so will let you know what they conclude.

browniej

Hear-Hear,

Back from hearing appointment.

Unfortunately I do not have a copy of the audiogram as I was told that I could not have it until the audiologist had written his report. I suspect it will also be until I commit I'm not providing your test results - fair enough.If I choose to go down the private road and pay for aids then I would get it next time.

However from memory ( which might be a bit inaccurate) both ears are practically now the same – right ear slightly better by about 5db. Apparently my right ear has got a little worse in the high frequencies since 3 years ago – probably now down to natural age loss in the high frequencies as I’m almost 56.

Right ear is - 30dB(250) - 60dB(500) - 60dB(1000) - 35dB(2000) - 30dB(3000) - 25dB(4000) - 15dB(6000) - 25dB(8000)

More importantly the mastoid bone test ( done on left bone) follows results for my left ear with the ear phones on. He has confirmed that it is a sensorineural test which is always what the NHS have said so I can only conclude the Hearing Research have copied down some of the results wrongly when they wrote out a copy for me.

His recommendation is for 2 CIC aids with large vent and remote. He seems to think these would be better than BTE or RICs. His reasoning being what I thought was true until you corrected me earlier so I’m not sure on this.

Cosmetically they would be better but I’m not sure I would like them as even the small open ear fittings that I have annoy me and make me feel “blocked up”.

I asked on the Facebook group you sent me to and Dan does not think CICs would be suitable for me.

What do you think?

MARKMAKAVELI

doesn't matter

Hear-Hear

Would agree that RIC is probably not the way to go.

CIC should be good, as long as you opt for a decent mid-range pair (say 10 channels or more). Your audiologist has also advised large vents and I would agree totally, so as to minimise the "blocked up" sensation that you mention.

Remote control would be great. For most people, it would be a useful accessory, but given the cookie-bite shape of your audiogram, it makes a satisfactory outcome a lot more challenging. The Remote control will give you some flexibility in meeting this challenge, and I think the Specsavers hearing aids will have some sort of logging software included, so that your audiologist can look clinically at your review sessions at how you have been adjusting the sounds. He/she can then adjust the automatic settings on your aids to match your personal preferences more closely.

On the evidence of what you have written so far, I'd say you have found a great audiologist. Don't forget to talk about realistic expectations on your next visit, and do bear in mind that a 60-day or a 90-day money back guarantee is pretty much standard now, if you you are not completely satisfied.

browniej

Hear-Hear wrote: »

CIC should be good, as long as you opt for a decent mid-range pair (say 10 channels or more).

The ones he is advising have 12 or 16 channels, depending on exactly which ones I choose. He was also recommending the Siemens range as he felt the tone was softer than some others such as Starkey.

Remote control would be great. For most people, it would be a useful accessory, but given the cookie-bite shape of your audiogram, it makes a satisfactory outcome a lot more challenging.

The NHS provided me with remote control when they first issued me with Siemens aids. Now that NHS Scotland has dropped the Siemens range and opted for Oticon, no remote is available. Seems like a backward step to me.

The Remote control will give you some flexibility in meeting this challenge, and I think the Specsavers hearing aids will have some sort of logging software included, so that your audiologist can look clinically at your review sessions at how you have been adjusting the sounds. He/she can then adjust the automatic settings on your aids to match your personal preferences more closely.

Do you know anything of the Specsavers range? I know some manufacturers have now introduced an Invisible in the canal model - just wondered if Specsavers planned to.

On the evidence of what you have written so far, I'd say you have found a great audiologist. Don't forget to talk about realistic expectations on your next visit, and do bear in mind that a 60-day or a 90-day money back guarantee is pretty much standard now, if you you are not completely satisfied.

I plan to wait a bit before ordering. Scottish schools finish in 3 weeks and I really feel i need to trial them in my working environment. By the time I get them I would be almost finished for summer so that would be useless. I will order them to arrive maybe a week before starting back so that I can get used to them a bit before starting and then properly try them out at work.