Hearing aids Specsavers - private not NHS

[superstar63]

I am having a hearing test at Specsavers next week and want the in the ear hearing aids as I cannot get on with the ones that fit behind the ear. Its almost like there is not enough space on the top of my ear to keep them in place. I also seem to have very small ear drums as have tried a cheap one from Ebay but it was too big to fit in my ear.

Has anyone been there and can recommend any particular model that is good or any to steer clear from? The website does not go into much detail of makes, models etc. and it looks like a minefield, ranging from £495 to nearly £4000.

Any tips or help would be greatly appreciated.

Don’t buy hearing aids from eBay.

Buy from Boots, Specsavers or better yet an independent audiologist. Or get some NHS ones.

They will all fit them correctly.

It's not actually as easy as just getting the type you want. For complex reasons not every style of hearing aid is suitable for every ear shape, hearing loss type or lifestyle.

Currently, the technology available in IIC or CIC aids (invisible in canal and completely in canal aids) lags a generation behind whats commercially available. Often you limit yourself to one microphone instead of two, or they have 2 microphones but the position of them in the canal is not actually helpful for directional hearing which you need for hearing speech in noisy environments. Small ear canals also can't accommodate them well and they end up being made bigger and therefore a lot more visible. If your hearing loss is primarily in the high frequencies then you may find you feel permanently blocked as your ears are full of solid plastic.

You will get best results if you're guided by the Audiologist, who should explain what is suitable for you and what can give you the features that you actually want. It's always a compromise for most people.

Thank you for the replies, the Ebay one was just a cheapie amplifier to see if it actually helped at all but was too big.

Yes, I can see that different hearing needs have different answers and that maybe in the ear is not for me irrespective of whether it will fit or not.

If I have to have an over the ear one then `i may as well go via NHS rather than have to pay for it.

I really just wondered if there are any specific makes/models to avoid etc. but suppose everyone is different so may not be any help anyway.

I will see how i get on at the appt. and thanks for the replies.

I wouldn't say any hearing aid make or model is worth avoiding specifically. I've seen horrendously fitted top end hearing aids giving next to no benefit to the person, and very well fitted more basic technology aids that work much better for the person. There is a fair bit of skill in fitting and programming any aid properly to get the most out of it, so the best you can do is make sure your audiologist knows their stuff and they will make sure whatever make and model you might choose work best for you and the prescription is optimally tweaked for you.

What I will say is if you go to Specsavers make sure that you don't end up with one of their own brand "Advance" range hearing aids, as it means you will be unable to get it programmed anywhere else should you need to as it's unique to Specsavers and locked to their own software. Go for a well known brand such as Phonak, Widex, Oticon, Starkey etc.

I've had those from specsavers and didn't like them as they were so visible. I have very small ear canals apparently so maybe that was the problem. When it was time for new set due to deteriorating hearing, I went back to NHS over the ear ones but like you, mine don't stay on easily so I found some special sticky pads online, to keep hearing aids in place.

@Lavenderosa Can you tell me what you found to keep them in place please as I have never heard of that?

I went to Specsavers for a private appt. and she looked at my previous hearing test and thinks that over the ear would be better for me and tried a few on and they fit much better than my old over the ear ones and I can even just tuck my hair behind the ear and they seem ok.

As it was going to be over the ear I just want to try the NHS ones as she said, if they dont work I can always pay for the in the ear ones. So I have phoned my Dr. and now just waiting for the referral.

I echo previous poster; only specsavers can adjust spec saver hearing aids as the software is not compatible. if you have a problem with a known brand in Spain or USA the audiologist can fix it but they can't fix a spec savers one so definitely get known brand. if paying private an independent would be better still but ask at appointment specifically about this

@superstar63 I can't find them in my Amazon order list so I must have bought them elsewhere online but they are called Phonak Stick ‘n Stay.

@Lavenderosa Thank you, I will have a look at them