Hearing aid experience and recommendation

I'm getting to the point of needing one or more hearing aids; any advice or recommendations.

 

Sorry Nigel, none from here as I had mine tested due to balance issues but my hearing is okay. I do wish T'other Half would get one though ... and it is not necessarily selective!

 

I've lost about 50% of the hearing in my left ear and have slight tinnitus, developed since I turned 50. Curiously my brother has also developed tinnitus in his left ear since turning 50.

 

Sorry to learn that (I was going to say hear that!). I developed Tinnitus last year (age 73) and it is frustrating. I have an ocean in my left ear! I was prescribed
Betahistine & Flurazine by the ENT Doctor but they didn't help. I was taking Gingko Biloba and may start again with it.

 

I think I have slight tinnitus, but I tend to hear it when things are dead quiet, mostly I can ignore it atm.

It started recently and I did read that it can be a side effect of the covid vaccine.
Make of that what you will, more likely years of noisy machinery.

 

I've had tinnitus for years , depending how I feel it can feel overwhelming at times. Hubs has it too, he also has hearing loss and is suppose to wear his aids..but rarely does ( much to my annoyance)

I tend to keep the radio on in the background ( even in the garden) and this helps to alleviate the symptoms a tad.

My sister has it quite badly and wears aids ( she also has slight hearing loss too) that emits a very low white noise . She seems happy with them, you won't ever be able to get rid of the noise unfortunately.

 

My Grandaughter Kat was born with total deafness, she wears Hearing Aids and gets on fine now.

I would say buy the most expensive ones you can afford NigelJ.

Kat' aids are "tuned" into her mobile phone using a PC by the experts at the Hearing clinic.

 

I have no experience of hearing aids but would be interested to read what people write about them since my hearing is not perfect these days, although I can hear most things reasonably well, it's just sometimes I don't quite catch what someone has said.
I have slight tinnitus but daytime noises seem to drown it out.

 

I was tested and equipped with an NHS aid before moving over here. Dreadful thing! It's just an amplifier, so not selective and no help whatsoever in conversation scenarios. The battery lasts about 3 hours. Don't use it.
I went the French route in January, as my hearing is getting worse. Macron promised 'free' aids for the less-well-off. Pffff. According to the audiologist I saw, the government are fobbing off the old-style aids like the NHS one as freebies, just to get rid of them. A decent pair of rechargeable, discreet, up-to-date tech ones will cost between €4800 and €6000.
Depending how bad your hearing is, Nigel, the in-the ear ones aren't sufficient. If possible, best to book an appointment with an audiologist, and then either get the aids via them or go equipped with their report to a High St hearing centre.

 

I have had tinnitus for 20 years or so which is a high pitched whistling sound.
I do now have hearing aids but even though they were the very expensive private ones (Boots) I don't find them very good. I have had them adjusted numerous times but still not much use. They rattle in the wind, I can't hear high pitched bird song any better with them either which was something lacking and I can't hear the tv any better with them in. I have no experience of others makes or NHS ones. I went for these as they are rechargeable with no fiddly batteries.

 

My sister has the expensive ones from Boots after trying all different kinds.
She still doesn't like them and when i go over there to see her there is the usual, stop mumbling, why don't you look in my direction when you're talking, speak normally, remarks before she says, I'm going to put my hearing aids in.
She will only wear them when pushed.

 

My friend who is only 40 got hearing aids this spring to help with her bad tinnitus and slight hearing loss. She was horrified with the idea at first, but now says they changed her life. The tinnitus is nearly gone and even her mental health has improved as she is now feeling more included in social settings where it was hard for her to take part in conversations.

Guess what she'll get for Christmas? This is a deaf Finnish designer who got frustrated with her aids falling out and looking "old". Not any more! DEAFMETAL® kuulokorut | kuulolaitekorut | DEAFMETAL® kuulokorut

No idea what brand her aids are.

 

Had tinnitus for years which mainly I get on with it and ignore

Hearing aids; first I got them supplied from NHS which were OK, then I learned that after 3 years with NHS hearing aids I could ask my GP to refer me to Specsavers - also free - these were much better
Ears tested then made up same day, so no waiting, given various options, I prefer the ones that are non adjustable

After about 3 years I went to S/savers for retest
It was a quick test and I was given the adjustable ones, and a different type which I am not too chuffed about; no instructions or box
Next time I go back to S/savers I will be more cautious and demand a tad better service