Hearing aids - how to choose?!?

[PeskyandIknowit]

Totally new to the world of hearing aids, I've been diagnosed with moderate mid range loss in both ears. I'm seeing an audiologist next week to look at hearing aids and he suggested having a look at their website first. There are so many different brands, never mind the different types!!
How do you choose? Has anyone any advice on type of device for mid range hearing loss? Behind the ear, in the ear, receiver in ear?! Help!

No personal advice. But for mil, we sat down and came up with a list of things she wanted from a hearing aid. With that list, her audiologist was able to narrow down to a couple, and she had a trial before making a final decision.
Although this was a long time ago and many things are standard now, wants/wishes were things like Bluetooth connection for a house phone, loop connectivity, easy buttons for noise adjustment (later hearing models she opted for automatic noise adjustment),
being as invisible as possible, ease of insertion, ease of cleaning, battery life etc.

Perhaps have a look at the range and see what the capabilities are and decide what would make your life easier. I know that for me one of my wishes would be wanting aids that are bright and I could buy hearing aid jewellery for!! Being able to hear better being a given…

No idea but I’d want blue tooth and rechargeable as minimum

I think if your buying privately and are not driven specifically by size and invisibility then the Receiver in the canal is for me the best compromise of being able to be feature rich, size and e serviceable (take account of ear changes over the life of the aid). As mentioned ones with the ability to stream proprietary blue tooth ( not just low level Bluetooth) are fantastic along with rechargeable technologies. Obviously all this will greatly affect the price. Good luck

I don't know what your level of hearing loss is, but when you start to wear hearing aids there are things like whether you have an open fit or ear mould hearing aid . It depends on what sort of hearing loss you have.
The settings on the hearing aid make a big difference and having an audiologist adjust them well for you and having the ability to change between settings is crucial.
All of this is available with a NHS hearing aid . On the whole they are around a year 18 months behind private without some of the bells and whistles.
personally I think you would be better off having a NHS hearing aid , well adjusted and getting used to that before spending thousands privately.
Then you will know what kind of ear fitting suits your hearing loss best and can then buy a hearing aid ,privately , better armed with your requirements.

Here's a good précis from RNID about NHS and private hearing aids https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/hearing-aid-providers/article/how-to-get-the-best-hearing-aid/nhs-hearing-aids-aipNb8c7eNJU

I'm in the same position. My audiologist told me that with my kind of hearing loss, the invisible types aren't suitable.

I don't do well with sensory change, so what I want more than anything is one that makes sound, and the general sensations around it, as natural as possible. And that focuses in on the sounds I want to hear without amplifying the background intrusively.

It's taking a lot of research. Fortunately I have the savings to not have to restrict myself to the cheapest. It's still galling though. I resent having to spend so much.

You should be aware that when you first have a hearing aid you do get auditory overload . Your brain will be processing sounds you haven't heard in a long time. It's not just that everything feels louder but you hear things like clothes rusting or rain etc and it takes time for your brain to readjust to all the information it is getting.
For some this is particularly challenging eg if they are on the spectrum and possibly low gain hearing aids may help https://thinkingautismguide.com/2021/08/autistics-hearing-aid-auditory-processing.html

I've worn hearing aids since childhood both NHS and private. If you've never worn hearing aids before, I'd definitely advise to try NHS ones first. The NHS ones are very good and will give you a baseline to compare with private ones.

If paying privately I would recommend having a trial of at least 4 weeks, if possible. It will take your ears time to adjust. Hearing aids are not like glasses which correct vision, and they won't give you perfect hearing no matter what the manufacturer claims.

In terms of choosing, see if you can try hearing aids from different brands. The sound is quite different depending on the algorithms used by Oticon or Siemens, for example.

For me, I found the advantage going privately was having an audiologist who was interested and motivated in making adjustments and fine tuning.

I do agree with @Lollygaggle do not underestimate how difficult it can be to get used to "hearing" again.

I started wearing hearing aids at about 50 years old. There were times I had to leave the office and walk outside, the "noise" was so overwhelming.

I started with NHS in ear aids, but eventually had whole ear aids, I disliked them for comfort and aesthetic reasons. Seven, or so years ago I decided to try aids from Amplifon.

they are rechargable, I can adjust them using my phone and I love them.

I'd say try NHS aids first (my audololgist said most hearing aids were in draws, not ears) to ensure you can get on with them. After that, if you're sure you can get on with them, you can shop around to see if there are aids that suits you better

Audiologist here.

I'd advise you to go in with an open mind. Personally I find it really quite difficult if someone comes in for an assessment and says "I saw this one online and want it/my friend says this one is the best/I will not even contemplate any hearing aid that isn't 100% invisible, as for various reasons not every hearing aid works well for every type of hearing loss/lifestyle.

I'd hope your audiologist would do a thorough assessment of your hearing, talk to you a lot about your lifestyle and social life, things that are important for you to be able to hear again, to see what kind of technology might help with that, and then let you try a demo hearing aid to give you a bit of an introduction to amplification.

If you have a typical presbyacusis loss (mostly in the high frequencies) then you will get the most comfortable type of sound from RIC hearing aids. These are by far the easiest for most people to wear and are easy to maintain and adjust. Some are even water and sweat proof, rechargeable, bluetooth is pretty standard now in nearly everything. Your Audiologist should feel confident advising you on the best type of hearing aids for you. Personally I tend to give a few options and point out the pros and cons of each, ultimately it's up to you to decide what fits your budget and needs best 😊

You will probably have an exchange or return period anyway in order to try them in your own time, so don't feel loads of pressure to make the "right" choice straight off!

@TheSnailAndTheWaaaail thank you for your detailed response. I don't have high frequency loss, I have mid frequency loss which I understand is more unusual. I'll definitely ask about trial lengths and returns...

@user1471453601 @Lollygaggle
I've been waiting months to be diagnosed and now discharged by ENT so told to see an audiologist. I'm convinced I want to wear hearing aids, I've been struggling with people's speech for a long time just finally plucked up the courage to speak to a doctor... I'm thinking of going private to avoid another lengthy NHS wait, the cost isn't an issue for me (within reason). I was told it would be atleast another 6 months before I would get NHS aids .
So indecisive, maybe I do just lump it and wait on the list

Can't advise on the best type, but I just wanted to say that I got hearing aids (Oticon, rechargeable, Bluetooth) 18 months ago. I felt very resentful; I was just 61, none of my friends needed them and I really didn't like the idea of wearing them.

I had a few issues at first, one kept slipping out and I didn't feel they were making any difference. A few tweaks on a review visit and suddenly I discovered what a difference they made. I absolutely wouldn't be without them now. Yes they're not perfect, especially in crowded situations, but they have improved my life immensely. The best thing is the Bluetooth - I listen to Spotify, QuickBooks and podcasts through them and answer my phone, the last one mystifies people who haven't even heard it ringing!

I have four older siblings who have all had the same hearing loss from their late fifties and three of them prove the comment about aids spending more time in drawers. Conversation at family events can be painful! Persevere with them, go back to the audiologist for help, it takes a few weeks but they really are worth it. And nobody ever notices I'm wearing mine.

If it matters, I'm only 30

In that case definitely persevere, the earlier you get them the better. That is very young to have hearing loss.

@PeskyandIknowit I missed your age, sorry!

Is there a reason for your hearing loss? Childhood illness, infections, genetic, otosclerosis? A mid frequency hearing loss can be a bit trickier to fit with hearing aids, and sometimes if we know the cause it helps with being able to adjust and guide your expectations.

I have NHS ones in my draw too, such a funny but accurate comment about more hearing aids being in draws than ears! I also did try in-ear private ones for a day but like others have said struggled with having super-hearing. I walked down the road and could hear every footstep, every car door closing, conversations of people at the other end of the bus. It was bizarre, like having super powers.

I also found having something in my ears uncomfortable, I don't use air pods and worry about those falling out.

That said it is getting to the point where I am missing a lot of things, particularly anyone who has a slightly quieter voice. Like my partner and also my youngest son! I am also worried about the link between hearing loss and dementia. So I am conceding to trying them again and probably getting private ones. If anyone has seen a good deal on these let me know! I am waiting for one of those buy one get one free offers I have occasionally seen.

@TheSnailAndTheWaaaail they believe it's congenital, it's gradually declined and now I am very aware of it

I also began wearing hearing aids relatively young. Older than you but not by much. I cried when first told I needed them as I felt they were associated with old age etc. My audiologist was baffled by my reaction. She said she was so thrilled to be able to offer me solutions there and then that would transform my life...and that I wouldn't hesitate if I needed glasses so what was the problem? I have come to love and treasure her but on the day she was quite brusque because I think she felt my reaction came from an 'ungrateful' place, if that makes sense. She is NHS.

And I would not leave the NHS system - not if you have a chance of getting in at such a young age. I know it means another six month wait for you. And sometimes (in my experience) you have to push for appointments and you may have to have the less top in class aids. But they replace aids if they go wrong. They give you new batteries. They replaced my aid when it got whipped out in the wind and fell on a train track! All of this comes increasingly expensive if you are not in the NHS system and will need hearing aids for decades. If you have considerable financial means this needn't worry you, and that's fine!

Just something to think about. I wish you all the best. It's a learning curve. It took me a while for the physical and emotional readjustment. But I have come to appreciate my hearing aids so very much. Work are great with reasonable adjustments too - perhaps something else to explore if relevant to you. Plus...disabled rail card.

@PeskyandIknowit In that case, whatever you go for you will likely need to gradually build up your wear time over the first few week, and the Audiologist can also set them at a lower level while you acclimatise.

I often say to my clients that they didn't lose their hearing overnight so they shouldn't expect to get it back perfectly overnight either...it's a process, and for some quite a long one but it's all totally normal and your audiologist should take it at your pace.

For mid frequency losses I have had success in younger people with the very small in the ear aids (with a large vent hole to allow low frequency sound in naturally) but it does depend if you'd like the Bluetooth function as generally these tiny aids won't have that.

I am involved , as a study subject, in a very long term study investigating hearing loss and dementia.
It is very real that if you don't use it you lose it. By not wearing a hearing aid all those brain connections to do with sound deteriorate , you become socially more isolated .
Ive seen this in my own family where family members got hearing aids and would not wear them. I am convinced their dementia got worse,quicker , because for years you would have nonsensical conversations because they couldn't hear what you were saying and so the conversation was entirely based on what they thought you said or was just a stream of consciousness with no backwards and forwards.

In many ways as a younger person you are lucky because

a you will be able to adapt easier to hearing aids

b will be able to partner better with an audiologist to get everything adjusted to your requirements

c you will be able to cope with the small buttons, changing batteries etc

d you will be able to fully use the technology eg blue tooth

e you will be able to maintain the hearing aids well. This is really important as hearing aids don't work when tubes are blocked by wax and you are much more likely to get ear infections if they never dry out. A drier like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electronic-Hearing-Violet-Dehumidifier-Automatic/dp/B09VDGFLS7/ref=asc_df_B09VDGFLS7/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606606914074&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2361740165012616477&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046499&hvtargid=pla-1733105668040&psc=1

to put them in over night will save you a lot of trouble. We've also used a small jewellery ultrasonic cleaner , not for the aid itself , but for the moulds , tubes etc .

We have a genetic type problem in our family and the youngest discovered at 17 that she needed a hearing aid . The difference it made was terrific , everyone thought they were shy and a bit antisocial but basically it was they couldn't hear in a crowd .

For those whose hearing aids are in a drawer , get them out or get new and wear them for both your physical and mental health .

@Lollygaggle that's so interesting! I didn't know there was a link there at all, I'm so pleased someone is doing the research, it could help loads of people.

I think I'm back to my first question then, NHS or private? Or maybe it doesn't actually matter, and I'm stressing about it because it gives me something to stress about

OP, I think you have a similar loss to me. Everything you say sounds familiar. Please get assessed by NHS audiology as a starting point. I got my first HAs at 40, it's been a hassle adjusting but the way I look at it I'd rather get used to using them however difficult it is, than get used to missing out on so much because I don't hear. Good luck.

@TheSnailAndTheWaaaail as you are brilliantly adding to this thread I just wanted some advice. I had already booked a hearing assessment at my local Boots store before seeing this thread. I am 49 I had German measles twice as a child which affected my hearing in one ear. When I was mid 20s I had a full medical for a job and as part of that had a hearing test where they told me I was hearing impaired for a particular range of frequency. I struggle to hear in crowded places and men's voice in particular and always position people to my hearing side in restaurants or pubs.

I have done several online hearing tests including the RNID one which tell me I have hearing loss, I know I have hearing loss but am in denial about how bad it has become. Covid mask wearing made me realise how much I lip read to aid understanding. Dh has basically said he will march me down for a hearing test because he is repeating himself so much for me. So to my question, is my hearing test at Boots going to be enough? I haven't gone through my GP because this is something I have always had, it isn't sudden.

Don't go with Boots- my MiL has had a dreadful experience with them and is £3k poorer...