Help for Hearing Impairment

Hear-Hear

Hello tehya

The comment he made that "he'd never heard of tinnitus clicking so it's not tinnitus as it is always a high pitched whistle or a hum" is absolute bunkum. He also seems to have made other errors, from what you say, and had to correct himself later on. It happens constantly in the NHS (not just in ENT and Audiology) and I suspect this sort of thing will get worse and more frequent as the NHS is wound down over the next few years. One should always, always, always seek a seond opinion if not satisfied. Far too many people don't bother. You are clearly in the minority, and have persisted, so well done you !

To answer your specific queries

- Yes the NHS does offer hearing aids to folks with mild hearing loss in both ears. If you have bilateral (both ears) loss, you should recieve two hearing aids. Many of those issued since 2008 now work wirelessly together, so having just one aid would only be half of a complete set !

- Hearing aids can be fantastic if dispensed correctly and fitted properly and if their use is explained fully to you

- They will not make other sounds louder, again as long as your hearing has been measured properly, the aids dispensed correctly, and fitted properly

- Menieres often presents as a hearing loss is the low frequencies, and may fluctuate. Other forms of hearing loss tend to be in the high frequencies. It is inadvisable to comment in detail, without knowing your case history and your test results. Best to discuss with the audiologist at your next appointment

- Open fit aids are indeed available via the NHS, but whether your PCT is prepared to fund them depends on where you live. If not, all private sector audiologists will supply open fit, if appropriate for your particular hearing loss.

Tehya

Thank you Hear-Hear, very helpful advice.

Because I wasn't happy with the appointment I requested a copy of the report (the one sent to my GP) & apparently it was in the post to me yesterday, so it may well come tomorrow, so I'll know then exactly what level of loss I have. I might just get some answers too hopefully.

Care UK are now putting up all the barriers they can regarding me seeing the first Dr again (not doing call backs, offering a 7pm appointment which they knew I couldn't take as I'm a carer) even though they promised a follow up appointment so I think I'm going to put in a formal complaint then go to my GP to ask for a referral to a hospital ENT (which is where I'd have rather gone in the first place as they are brilliant with my mum).

I've looked at my hospital's hearing centre website and they do provide the open fit aids so that's good to know. I'm just a little worried that they'll say my loss is too little for aids and I'll be left to carry on struggling to communicate properly with people I don't know.

Thanks again for letting me vent a little. No doubt I'll have many questions still so quoting Arnie 'I'll be back'.

Tehya

OMG the specialist I saw is nuts as I received his report yesterday and after telling me it wasn't Meniere's my diagnosis is........ wait for it........ left sided Meniere's Disease :shocked: along with inherited deafness of bilateral moderate / mild loss (almost symmetrical) at the higher frequencies. They didn't include the audiogram so I still don't know the actual numbers.

I received a copy of the his referral report that the audiology department at the hospital got and this morning (I really can't believe how fast this has all been) I got an appointment for the 15th August. This is for the actual fitting as they're open fit so they'll be mine to take home on the day.

They only received his referral on Monday, I got my letters yesterday and today and overall it'll be less than 4 weeks to actually getting the hearing aids. To say I'm amazed is an understatement and all on the NHS. :j

Apparently the aids are Oticon Zest and it's just the open fit thingy-ma-bob tube instead of a mould that is different. I know nothing about that at all even though my mum (she has the Zest ones too and now I've had a good look at them they're smaller than I thought. I've never really taken much notice apart from when her's make an unholy racket when they squeak really, really loudly so I'm probably going to be asking questions galore soon especially as I'm a nosy sod and like to learn as much as I can.

Again thanks for listening. Tehya

Savvy_Sue

Tehya wrote: »

I've never really taken much notice apart from when her's make an unholy racket when they squeak really, really loudly

:rotfl: for those of us who can hear it, there are few noises more annoying that a whistling hearing aid! Of course it's outside the range of many hearing aid wearers ...

LameWolf

Hello everyone.

I have a wee question that's hearing-aid related, and hope this is a sensible place to ask it.:o

I'm looking at getting an MP3 player; I've never used one before, don't even know how they work, but I'm sick of suffering tinnitus, and a bit of music might be a distraction from it.

I need something portable - it's useless putting a CD on in the lounge when I'm polishing in the bedroom, for instance.

Radio doesn't cut it because I want to strangle the presenter within half an hour of switching on, so the idea is to download my CDs and have them on an MP3 player to listen to while I clean the bungalow.

Now the hearing aid bit - I wear a single in-the-ear hearing aid, so headphones/earplugs won't be very practical. A friend of Mr LW's said he thinks I might be able to get some sort of induction loop thingy that would hang round my neck, instead of using the ear plug things. But not having any hearing problems himself, he doesn't know details.

Does anyone know if he's right? If so, will it work with any hearing aid? Where do I go for such an item? I'd like to get the MP3 player from Amazon, simply because I have quite a bit of credit with them, from doing online surveys, but would I need to get the loop thingy at the same time, or is it something I'd buy separate and it'd work with any MP3 player?;)

If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be very grateful.

ETA: I did try having a look in J0hn L£wis the other day, but they only had iP0ds, and I don't particularly want to worship at the @pple shrine.;):D

Savvy_Sue

You certainly can get some kind of induction loopy thing to wear round your neck, and you then set your hearing aid to the T position.

Not sure you'd get it on Amazon, but the Action for Hearing Loss website has this selection. And there will be more on Connevans.

StephenM_2

I use this with my cochlear implant, but it will work with any hearing aid with a T switch.

http://www.connevans.co.uk/store/viewProduct.do?id=1014343

It works great with my MP3 player, DAB radio, and PC.

Hear-Hear

The Nokia or Geemarc neck loops will work really well with the 'T' setting on your hearing. The only other option is Bluetooth streaming directly to your hearing aid, which avoids the need to wear a loop around your neck all the time. But it's only available with certain NHS models such as the Oticon Zest-C and the Siemens Impact, and with private hearing aids purchased in the last 5 years or so.

StephenM_2

If you intend to buy a neck loop, check the AOHL, Connevans and Sarabec websites for prices, including delivery costs which can be costly. Don't forget to claim the VAT exemption.

piglet4

Hi Lamewolf,

LameWolf wrote: »

Does anyone know if he's right? If so, will it work with any hearing aid?

It will only work if your hearing aid has a telecoil (and the telecoil programme has been set up by your audiologist), you need to check this before you open your wallet A lot of ITE aids don't have telecoils, most BTE aids do though.

LameWolf wrote: »

is it something I'd buy separate and it'd work with any MP3 player?

Yes, most of them plug into a 3.5mm headphone socket so they will work with any standard MP3 player.

LameWolf wrote: »

I wear a single in-the-ear hearing aid

Do you have normal hearing in the other ear? You can get headsets that have a normal earpiece on one side and an induction (telecoil) hook on the other, like this:
http://www.connevans.co.uk/store/viewProduct.do?id=4371282
I've had a few of the earhook-style headsets in the past: they are nice because you get stereo sound (unlike with a neckloop), but I find that the hooks do fall off quite easily.