Are these the best hearing aids available?

JohnChew

The Phonak Audeo V90 - with a high street price of £2,300 - is this the best hearing aid in the world? http://www.yourhearing.co.uk/hearing-aids/phonak/audeo-v90

Savvy_Sue

Having just been to a private hearing assessment with DH, I have no idea how good those hearing aids are, but the best hearing aid in the world is the one which is right for you.

And since your loss is not the same as my loss which is not the same as DH's loss, it's unlikely that one hearing aid will be best for all three of us.

If it helps, the aids our audiologist recommended for DH is currently half-price and comes out less than that. They weren't the most expensive ones either but they have a particular feature which she thought might help with his tinnitus.

joedenise

If you need a hearing aid then go and see your GP and get referred. DH has a hearing aid which was provided FOC by the NHS. He didn't have to wait very long for an appointment with the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist.

Savvy_Sue

joedenise wrote: »

If you need a hearing aid then go and see your GP and get referred. DH has a hearing aid which was provided FOC by the NHS. He didn't have to wait very long for an appointment with the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist.

of course you're right, and my advice to people is usually that they should try an NHS aid first, to check they do benefit from it.

Just we got the offer of a free checkup from Boots, it's a lot more convenient to make an appointment there rather than wait for referral to audiology, plus it's easier to get there than to the hospital. I wasn't expecting a loss to be found, TBH, but it was definitely a more thorough experience than mine with the NHS ...

scotsbob

That model is available in the US for $2100 or £1500. If it were me I would be getting the audiogram done here then saving myself £800.

System

joedenise wrote: »

If you need a hearing aid then go and see your GP and get referred. DH has a hearing aid which was provided FOC by the NHS. He didn't have to wait very long for an appointment with the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist.

That is what I did last week. There were two options the GP had, one was to refer me for a hearing test, but because I have tinnitus, she has to refer me to ENT first. That letter came today and it was a choose & book letter with four hospital options. I chose our home town and the consultant will now decide when the appointment will be, urgent or otherwise.

Meanwhile the tinnitus whistling that has been whistling for years, will continue to whistle and I will keep saying "aye?" and my wife will keep saying "turn the telly down".

pollypenny

I have a NHS hearing aid, with a masker for my tinnitus in built.

I find the bit behind the ear gets uncomfortable, so asked about the smaller, in ear, ones, like my oold masker. My audiologist said they are not so efficient, in spite of being more costly.

Snapelover

JohnChew wrote: »

The Phonak Audeo V90 - with a high street price of £2,300 - is this the best hearing aid in the world? http://www.yourhearing.co.uk/hearing-aids/phonak/audeo-v90

I have a pair of those - cost me £2999 with three year care and batteries and I am currently paying on interest free credit.

I originally was fitted with NHS aids which were much larger, I found the various moulds available uncomfortable and the tubes would often get clogged up with condensation and needed replacing every six months. I hated them and felt that everyone could see the huge monstrosities in my ears and my hearing wasn't that great with them in but the point of NHS hearing aids is allow you to hear - and that is all. I tolerated them for a few years but decided that I would take the plunge and go private.

They are absolutely superb and, when used with the Phonak ComPilot, even better. They have changed my life!