Music with Hearing Aids?

RazWaz

I was diagnosed with moderate hearing loss (all frequencies but worse at the higher end) at 7 months old and given hearing aids, around the age of 12 I stopped wearing them because of serious (physical) bullying, I have mostly coped without them by lip-reading everything.

My hearing is getting worse, and so is my sight (just got my first pair of glasses) so lip-reading is getting harder, and I'm missing even more things - especially when there is more than 1 person in a room so I found I needed Aids again and just got a new pair. Still getting used to them but I'll probably go back to using them full-time like I used to as a child.

I have always loved music, but I find I'm hardly listening to it now as without my aids it's too loud for my neighbours, and with them it sounds all tinny and distorted. Someone mentioned to me that technology exists that lets you listen to music using the T/Loop setting and an MP3 player/mobile phone. Does anyone know about it? I tried over the ear headphones but that makes them squeal endlessly. In ear ones mostly work (with hearing aids taken out) but I have to be alone to use them as they totally block everything out so I couldn't hold a conversation or hear traffic so not really ideal.

I'd love help on finding something and learning how to use it, I tried searching on-line but I don't really know much about digital hearing aids as I stopped using them back when I had analogue ones. My hearing Aids are bog-standard over the ear NHS ones with a soft full mould. I think they are Siemens but no idea what model.

Something that doesn't mean more stuff around my ears would be best as it's crowded enough with hearing aids and glasses. Cost isn't too much of an issue (maybe up to £100) as I've just won my ESA appeal and have a years backpay coming soon.

GlasweJen

It depends on the hearing loss and what aids you have. Mine have a music mode which is alright but I'm now wanting a dex which will feed the music direct to my aids and then I can choose for the aids to allow the rest of the room to be turned on or off.

I think you should ask the hospital what is possible for your aids then go from there.

fin7

Google "input shoes for hearing aids" The make your aids like headphones.

I got my input shoes from the audiology at my local hospital.


Fin

brook2jack

If you have a t loop function on your aids you can use ear loops to feed music directly into them. Look on the connevans site. http://www.connevans.co.uk/store/viewCategory.do?id=189

Many modern hearing aids can be programmed for a music listening programme which balances all the frequencies evenly as opposed to picking out the ones important to speech. You should ask your radiologist as many don't routinely programme different settings on aids.

My daughter is a young musician with recently treated hearing loss. She has several different settings on her oticon zest aids and finds the hooks brilliant for listening to music from an I pod etc. She also has a blue tooth gadget that feeds her mobile phone direct into the aids on t setting which helps phone use, particularly in crowds, immensely. Again purchased through connevans.http://www.connevans.co.uk/store/viewProduct.do?id=3892140

Hear-Hear

As you have just received a new pair, they will certainly be digital. All NHS-supplied aids have been digital since 2003. If it's Siemens that you have, then it's likely to be Siemens Reflex. Take a look at the type-plate on the inside curve of the aid, and you will see exactly what you have. The Reflex is a brilliant aid, if set up properly, and if you have two of them for loss in both ears. It can indeed be programmed by your audiologist to have a dedicated 'Music' programme, if you ask for it.

Siemens Reflex aids can be Bluetooth-enabled, allowing you to stream MP3 and mobile phones etc to your aids via an accessory called the Siemens Tek. Your local NHS may or may not offer Bluetooth-enabled versions.

Explore what's available with your audiologist before you think about going privately. You will not get a pair of hearing aids for less than £500.00. (Those you see in the paper at £20.00 a throw are not hearing aids, but simple amplifiers). For an equivalent level of technology to the Siemens Reflex, expect to pay £1500.00+ at the larger national chains, rather more elsewhere.

ketisfolk

I'm the same as you, wear two hearing aids and glasses at the same time, and I wouldn't want any more guff behind my ears, busy enough as it is! I use a direct input lead, which connect to shoes that clip onto the end of my hearing aids. You can get them from connevans. I 'm not allowed to post links because I'm too new you'll have to google it.

The model name for your hearing aid should be somewhere on the body, or your audiologist should have given you the manual for them, which would also have the name.

I first set this up when I was a teenager and I still use the same thing now. It looks just like you've got a normal set of headphones on pretty much, so it doesn't draw any attention to yourself (unlike a loop around your neck), and the jack will fit into any standard MP3 player, which is often the same thing on phones these days as well. I also have a setting on my hearing aids (which comes on automatically when I fit the shoes) which switches the external mic off, so I'm only listening to the music/ phone call. Pretty awesome!

Savvy_Sue

You might all find our thread on Help with Hearing Impairment useful: Hear-Hear's a very helpful regular there and the rest of us chip in as we can ...

RazWaz

I think I'm going to go for the shoe option as the hooks look like it will be too busy behind my ear (I also wear a bandanna because of damaged skin on my forehead that I'm not supposed to expose to sunlight).

Will they work straight off, or do I need to get a music programme added to my hearing aids? Do I just make an appointment with my audiologist to get it added if I need it?

Sorry for all the questions, it's my first pair as an adult, and on the children's service my parents dealt with it all so although I'm a long time user, I'm new to sorting it all out.

RazWaz

Just looked, they are Danalogic i-FIT 71 and I've got the full moulds shaped to my ears rather than those small dome things. Probably makes no difference but they are soft rather than hard, and have a hole in them that is supposed to make my voice sound more natural.

They have a programme adapted to my hearing, a t-loop setting and a restaurant setting that reduces background voices.

fin7

RazWaz wrote: »

I think I'm going to go for the shoe option as the hooks look like it will be too busy behind my ear (I also wear a bandanna because of damaged skin on my forehead that I'm not supposed to expose to sunlight).

Will they work straight off, or do I need to get a music programme added to my hearing aids? Do I just make an appointment with my audiologist to get it added if I need it?

Sorry for all the questions, it's my first pair as an adult, and on the children's service my parents dealt with it all so although I'm a long time user, I'm new to sorting it all out.

I got my input shoes and cable free from the audiology, they set them up while I was there.


Hope that helps.


Fib

Savvy_Sue

RazWaz wrote: »

Just looked, they are Danalogic i-FIT 71 and I've got the full moulds shaped to my ears rather than those small dome things. Probably makes no difference but they are soft rather than hard, and have a hole in them that is supposed to make my voice sound more natural.

They have a programme adapted to my hearing, a t-loop setting and a restaurant setting that reduces background voices.

I don't know, but you might find one of them is OK for your music, if not you'll have to lose one of those programmes to get the music settings if you've only got 3 available.

I know my brother's music setting means that it doesn't cut out if it gets too loud (which his normal settings do), which is useful when he's doing Scottish Dancing - very disconcerting if HIS music stops before everyone else's!

Personally I use the 'restaurant' setting more than any other, I did ask if I could lose the 'main' setting, but apparently not ...