Hearing Aid selection.

[seek10]

I went to ENT specialist for general checkup and ended up with hearing test and It looks I have hearing issues at frequencies above 1000 Hz ( > 1000 Hz is normal audible human frequencies - reception gradually reduces after 1000 to 6000 Hz ). I did few more free tests on the internet and the results are same. As per the test it is 'Within Normal limits sloping to mils to moderate-severe SHNL, AU' No body complained of issues with my hearing and probably I adjusted my expectations. Probably it is related to age. None of my parents has the issue and I neither hear loud noise music or use noisy items like guns. Probably it is related to my habit of using audio books as a reading medium. It looks common for the kids that use cell phone headsets.

In any case, I said NO to the doctor , when she asked me whether I wanted a hearing aid. It looks my health insurance doesn't cover it. Cost of it is very high ( atleast few thousands) and Even the Costco's cheapest one is US $1600.00. I want to get lower end one and test it to know how it feels. It looks people have to try few products ( higher or lower cost) to know which one one works for them.

There are many video's on how hearing aid mafia controls the prices in the name of high quality product and research. There are some on the Amazon , Walmart etc. that starts with $60.00 (for pair), but the reviews may not be that great. While looking for alternatives I came across I found this website with good reviews and fit. Still around $400.00

Shop the MDHearing VOLT - Rechargeable Digital Hearing Aid

At home or in a crowded restaurant, the dual microphones in the rechargeable VOLT hearing aid will help you follow the conversation.

www.mdhearingaid.com

W.r.t features, the main difference between high end ( I mean heavy charging companies) and low end one is the ability to the adjust the amplification by frequency. I am not sure whether I need this level of finer amplification control w.r.t frequencies. Even this vendor mdhearingaid doesn't have amplification by specific frequencies adjustment. What they have simple adjustment on the ear aka trail and error of one common volume adjustment until one is happy with the reception.

Now a days so many technologies popping up all the time, it is hard to decide which one is good fit under the specific budget. Does any body has experience with Hearing aid selections? Any opinions or suggestions?

 

[Mrs. Peel]

If you don't notice that you can't hear people talking to you, or that you can't hear other normal noise in your day to day life, I wouldn't worry about a hearing aid. At least not yet. They are pricey, and the people I know who have them are always complaining about them.

 

[Yupo]

I read about one for sale at Target in the $40 price range about 10. years ago, and said to be pretty good. Regular/prescription-type hearing aids are so overpriced that I would not consider one unless serious debilitated.
Probably those old ear cones were pretty effective.


I got my mom one of these:

She loved it, way better than her pricey hearing aid she said. She didn't want to wear the hearing aid because the user manual said to never put it in a warm, damp place. Ear canals are usually warm and humid, so something to consider, ha ha.
Also, they blow through batteries.

 

[SevenFeathers]

One of my first jobs as a young person was receptionist at Beltone (hearing aids). The tests were legitimate. But the hearing aids were very expensive. The company offered financing, so many patients ended up paying a monthly payment for their aids. Most people were happy with them. But these days, there are less expensive alternatives such as mentioned above.

 

[brandon]

If you don't notice that you can't hear people talking to you, or that you can't hear other normal noise in your day to day life, I wouldn't worry about a hearing aid. At least not yet.

I agree.. wonder what the "advanced noise reduction" is doing, technically. I really dislike the sound of automatically noise-reduced or "enhanced" recordings common now with mobile phone mics/cameras, easy to use microphones for voice, etc.. It sounds so unnatural and puts me on edge, I think it can't be good for you to be hearing that all the time. Dunno if modern hearing aids use a comparable technology. Anyway, altered sound would still be better than not being able to hear at all, so, it'd be worth it for someone with debilitating hearing loss, obvs! But I agree it doesn't sound like anything urgent for you..

My dad uses a hearing aid. His latest one is all fancy and I don't like the idea of it, because it uses bluetooth so he can connect it to his phone, etc.. Can't be healthy. But he loves it..

I got my mom one of these:

Oh, a bionic ear! I was given one of these for my birthday once as a little kid in the 1980s - it was just a cheap kid's toy version, but was really fun. I was able to clearly listen to what people down the street were saying. Hadn't thought about that in years..